First Reef tank build. 72 Bow

moovinfast · 07/11/2009, 05:23 AM

So first I bought a 55 gallon tank off craigslist.

And then I found a bunch of base rock to help with the build.

It also came with a few pieces of live rock. Found a neat hitchhiker hiding in one of the little holes. Trying to see if the guy I got it from wants it back before I claim it, but hes in the hospital right now.

Started looking on CG again for some live rock and found a 72 bowfront with a bunch of live rock and some livestock. So we decided to upgrade to a 72 gallon tank. Didn't even have one up and running yet and we decided to upgrade. What am I getting myself into?

The water quality in the tank was really bad. The nitrates were off the chart. The blue tang had nitrate burns and spent most of the time on the bottom of the tank when I got it home. So I took the fish to a LFS and emptied the tank. Kept about 10% of the water and put it in my 55 gallon. Cleaned up the live rock put it in the 55 gallon and filled it the rest of the way with freshly mixed saltwater while I cleaned the 72 Bow. Left it in there with a heater, light and a few powerheads while I went camping for a week. this is what It looked like when I got back.

Finally set up the 72 bow. Bought about 110 lbs of sand and cleaned off the brown algae from the rocks. Also bought a new light but it had issues, so had to mail it back. But this is what it looks like today.

Checked the water quality:
Nitrate: 0-5
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: 0
PH: 8.2
Salinity: 1.025

Going to pick up some peppermint shrimp this weekend when we head into town and maybe a new powerhead

Tank Specs:
72 gallon bow front
4x54w t5s
120ish lbs sand
30ish gallon wet/dry w/ built in skimmer
(going to use it for 6-12 months then change it to a fuge)
Lots of Live Rock.
(never weighed it. How much does it look like? I did a solid base of rock before I put the sand in.)
300 watt heater
Overflow Box
Return pump (unknown brand and GPH)
Powerhead 620GPH (but upgrading to two Koralia powerheads this weekend)

Live Stock:
4 Turbo Snails. ( 2 small ones and 2 large ones. Almost as large as a baseball.)
1 unknown anemone hitchhiker
1 Blue Tang (if not dead or LFS didnt sell)
1 large maroon clown (if not dead or LFS didnt sell)
1 Chromis (if not dead or LFS didnt sell)

How am I doing so far?

avshockey311 · 07/11/2009, 08:17 AM

Looks like a great start. I would get something on the back of the tank so you don't see all the wires and plumbing. IMO I would play around with the aquascaping a bit and get away from the "wall" look. It is not very conveniant when you start placing corals.

moovinfast · 07/13/2009, 01:07 AM

just got two peppermint shrimp and moved some rocks around....

WhoDey64 · 07/13/2009, 06:19 AM

Your off to a good start! There are some great finds on craigs list. Any pictures of the new scape?

Ditto on the background comment from avshockey311

sedor · 07/13/2009, 06:29 AM

I have a 72 Bow as well! Its a great tank and a nice size, just don't go throwing a buncha tangs in there cuz its still kind of small. I think technically you can get away with a blue, according to liveaquaria.com's profile anyways. Can't wait to keep watching your progress.

Toadally · 07/13/2009, 07:25 AM

Moovinfast, I once had a 72 bowfront reef tank. They look great when they're setup and running. Here's a picture of it. Oh, I also have my MH about 8" from the waterline. I think your water parameters are probably out of line.

http://www.myshutterspace.com/photo/...6?context=user

moovinfast · 10/13/2009, 05:06 PM

Redid the rock and added a bunch of stuff since my last update.

We've had these for about 2-3 weeks and they have never opened.

This one also has some sort of sponge wrapped around it

moovinfast · 10/13/2009, 05:09 PM

moovinfast · 10/13/2009, 05:14 PM

We also added a really pretty coral beauty but it wond hold still long enough to snap a pic and we've also added 3 large chromies

Toadally · 10/13/2009, 08:21 PM

Lookin good!!

moovinfast · 12/13/2009, 03:50 PM

Its been a while since I've taken some shots of the tank or updated so here you go.

We now have 2 baby green yumas

Our Blenny (pigpen) has gotten nice and fat

The rainbow zoas have almost doubled. They didnt look like they were going to make it when we first put them in

Our little clown fish are a little larger now and have gotten much darker in color. (Bert, and Ernie) We lost one during a 6-8 hour power outage so the lighter clown we just added a few weeks ago.

This has gotten larger and has lots more color now too.

Our GSP is growing like a weed.

Bubble coral is still nice and happy. And you can see the blue clover has almost quadrupled in size

The green polys in the middle are also growing like a weed. On polyp ended up a little bit above it and in 2-3 months it had like 9-12 heads. I just took them out to frag the straggler.

moovinfast · 12/13/2009, 03:50 PM

Our little mushroom is huge now and also has 3 little ones behind it.

Our new Australian Duncan doing looking happy

Our huge Chromies

You can see the carpet is huge and happy now. Ive accidentally touched it while feeding it and its super sticky now and it made my whole arm tingle.

07/11/2009, 05:23 AM	#1
moovinfast Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Longview Wa Posts: 82	First Reef tank build. 72 Bow So first I bought a 55 gallon tank off craigslist. And then I found a bunch of base rock to help with the build. It also came with a few pieces of live rock. Found a neat hitchhiker hiding in one of the little holes. Trying to see if the guy I got it from wants it back before I claim it, but hes in the hospital right now. Started looking on CG again for some live rock and found a 72 bowfront with a bunch of live rock and some livestock. So we decided to upgrade to a 72 gallon tank. Didn't even have one up and running yet and we decided to upgrade. What am I getting myself into? The water quality in the tank was really bad. The nitrates were off the chart. The blue tang had nitrate burns and spent most of the time on the bottom of the tank when I got it home. So I took the fish to a LFS and emptied the tank. Kept about 10% of the water and put it in my 55 gallon. Cleaned up the live rock put it in the 55 gallon and filled it the rest of the way with freshly mixed saltwater while I cleaned the 72 Bow. Left it in there with a heater, light and a few powerheads while I went camping for a week. this is what It looked like when I got back. Finally set up the 72 bow. Bought about 110 lbs of sand and cleaned off the brown algae from the rocks. Also bought a new light but it had issues, so had to mail it back. But this is what it looks like today. Checked the water quality: Nitrate: 0-5 Nitrite: 0 Ammonia: 0 Phosphate: 0 PH: 8.2 Salinity: 1.025 Going to pick up some peppermint shrimp this weekend when we head into town and maybe a new powerhead Tank Specs: 72 gallon bow front 4x54w t5s 120ish lbs sand 30ish gallon wet/dry w/ built in skimmer (going to use it for 6-12 months then change it to a fuge) Lots of Live Rock. (never weighed it. How much does it look like? I did a solid base of rock before I put the sand in.) 300 watt heater Overflow Box Return pump (unknown brand and GPH) Powerhead 620GPH (but upgrading to two Koralia powerheads this weekend) Live Stock: 4 Turbo Snails. ( 2 small ones and 2 large ones. Almost as large as a baseball.) 1 unknown anemone hitchhiker 1 Blue Tang (if not dead or LFS didnt sell) 1 large maroon clown (if not dead or LFS didnt sell) 1 Chromis (if not dead or LFS didnt sell) How am I doing so far?

07/11/2009, 08:17 AM	#2
avshockey311 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nebraska Posts: 1,643	Looks like a great start. I would get something on the back of the tank so you don't see all the wires and plumbing. IMO I would play around with the aquascaping a bit and get away from the "wall" look. It is not very conveniant when you start placing corals. __________________ Surgeon General's WARNING: This hobby may be addictive, and has also been known to drain bank accounts. Current Tank Info: 90 AGA MegaFlow, 120 lbs. LR, RedSea Berlin skimmer, 20 gallon sump, 2 150W Metal Halide

07/13/2009, 06:19 AM	#4
WhoDey64 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ft Lauderdale Florida Posts: 1,311	Your off to a good start! There are some great finds on craigs list. Any pictures of the new scape? Ditto on the background comment from avshockey311 __________________ My name is Robert and I am addicted to Nitrates.

07/13/2009, 06:29 AM	#5
sedor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,689	I have a 72 Bow as well! Its a great tank and a nice size, just don't go throwing a buncha tangs in there cuz its still kind of small. I think technically you can get away with a blue, according to liveaquaria.com's profile anyways. Can't wait to keep watching your progress. __________________ Ryan

07/13/2009, 07:25 AM	#6
Toadally Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Mount Holly, NC Posts: 986	Moovinfast, I once had a 72 bowfront reef tank. They look great when they're setup and running. Here's a picture of it. Oh, I also have my MH about 8" from the waterline. I think your water parameters are probably out of line. http://www.myshutterspace.com/photo/...6?context=user __________________ _Michael "Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?" Reef Aquarium Society of Charlotte (RASOC) Treasurer Current Tank Info: 57gal. Illuminata, Bubble Magus Skimmer, Tek Elite 6x39w, 40gal. Breeder, 2x A150w Kessil LED

07/13/2009, 01:07 AM	#3
moovinfast Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Longview Wa Posts: 82	just got two peppermint shrimp and moved some rocks around....

10/13/2009, 05:06 PM	#7
moovinfast Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Longview Wa Posts: 82	Redid the rock and added a bunch of stuff since my last update. We've had these for about 2-3 weeks and they have never opened. This one also has some sort of sponge wrapped around it

10/13/2009, 05:09 PM	#8
moovinfast Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Longview Wa Posts: 82

10/13/2009, 05:14 PM	#9
moovinfast Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Longview Wa Posts: 82	We also added a really pretty coral beauty but it wond hold still long enough to snap a pic and we've also added 3 large chromies

10/13/2009, 08:21 PM	#10
Toadally Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Mount Holly, NC Posts: 986	Lookin good!! __________________ _Michael "Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?" Reef Aquarium Society of Charlotte (RASOC) Treasurer Current Tank Info: 57gal. Illuminata, Bubble Magus Skimmer, Tek Elite 6x39w, 40gal. Breeder, 2x A150w Kessil LED

12/13/2009, 03:50 PM	#11
moovinfast Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Longview Wa Posts: 82	Its been a while since I've taken some shots of the tank or updated so here you go. We now have 2 baby green yumas Our Blenny (pigpen) has gotten nice and fat The rainbow zoas have almost doubled. They didnt look like they were going to make it when we first put them in Our little clown fish are a little larger now and have gotten much darker in color. (Bert, and Ernie) We lost one during a 6-8 hour power outage so the lighter clown we just added a few weeks ago. This has gotten larger and has lots more color now too. Our GSP is growing like a weed. Bubble coral is still nice and happy. And you can see the blue clover has almost quadrupled in size The green polys in the middle are also growing like a weed. On polyp ended up a little bit above it and in 2-3 months it had like 9-12 heads. I just took them out to frag the straggler.