My 90 Gallon Build

EPRuss · 08/21/2013, 12:27 PM

Thought I would create a new thread on my 90 gallon build.

When I made the decision to enter this hobby, I looked at used tanks. I found it’s difficult to find pre-drilled used tanks, and when I did, they were complete systems with fish, coral, rock etc... That defeated the purpose for me; I wasn't interested in buying someone else’s reef, I wanted to create my own. Being new to the hobby; I was also concerned about successfully relocating an existing reef tank. So I decided to go with a new 90 gallon tank.

Not knowing anyone in the hobby, I relied on my own research and advice from LFSs to get started.

Below is a list of equipment I purchased so far for my build (I’m still waiting on the LEDs). I included prices and suppliers because I thought it might be useful to someone else considering a build. I originally thought I would be able to get started for about $1500, but quickly found that I would need to spend much more. Things I didn't consider were: the cost of lighting, RODI system, and incidentals like salt and test kit etc… it all adds up. I still need to get a skimmer, and plan to order one next week.

Note: Prices include sales tax and shipping.

Aqueon 90 gallon 48X18X24 pre-drilled - $444.00 - AquaLife
Aqueon Proflex Model 3 - $254.00 - AquaLife
Aqueon MegaFlow Overflow kit - $65.00 - AquaLife
Danner Mag-Drive Supreme 5 - $97.00 - AquaLife
Black Acrylic paint and supplies - $12.00 - Hobby Lobby
Custom Aquarium Stand - $300.00 - Robertos Cabinets
Jebao WP40 wave maker - $90.00 - fish-street.com
Instant Ocean Sea Salt 160-Gallon - $42.00 - Amazon
Buckeye Field Supply RODI - $198.00 - Buckeye Field Supply
Seachem test kit - $34.00 - Amazon
Refratometer - $23.00 - Amazon
TOM Aquarium Algae Scraper - $11.00 - Amazon
Aqueon Pro Heater 250 Watt - $30.00 - Amazon
80 lbs CaribSea Ocean Direct Caribbean Live Sand - $80.00 - PetsMart
Thermostat - $2.00 - PetsMart
100 lbs Cured live Rock - $400.00 - Saltwater Heaven
BuildMyLED 48" 14000K Reef Spectrum LED - $317.00 - BuildMyLED.com
BuildMyLED tank mount - $16.00 - BuildMyLED.com
BuildMyLED Manual Dimmer - $16.00 - BuildMyLED.com
BuildMyLED Shipping Charges - $27.00 - BuildMyLED.com

I'll continue to add photos as things progress:

Added the live sand and saltwater about a week before the live rock.

Tank is cycling: Ammonia is coming down and Nitrites are going up.

pnavarro170 · 08/21/2013, 01:21 PM

That's a great start man ! Looking forward to following along.

EPRuss · 08/21/2013, 01:27 PM

Thanks!
Discovered first sign of life in my tank a few days ago. At first I thought it was a tiny aiptasia, but it's actually a tiny feather duster, and just in a few days, it's appeared to grow a little bit. It's tiny though, to small to get a good photo.

ghst1203reef · 08/21/2013, 01:42 PM

Yea looks good

EPRuss · 08/30/2013, 06:31 PM

Added these two clowns a week ago. They're doing great.

Finally got the light today. I really like it.

ghst1203reef · 08/30/2013, 08:11 PM

I really like the black clowns wish I would have gotten one. How do you like that Jebao WP40 wave maker? I've been looking at getting a smaller power head. The maxi jets look way to big in my tank.

EPRuss · 08/30/2013, 09:17 PM

The WP40 is nice, but it's really big, about the size of a softball. It's almost to powerful though, I have it on W1 and the slowest speed or it'll create a sand storm. I still need to play with the placement, maybe I can find a better spot for it so it won't stir up so much sand when it's turned up. They also make a smaller version (the WP25), would probably be a good choice for your tank.

stvguerrero · 08/31/2013, 08:04 AM

MAn that more than a great start , looking good looking good

laredo300c · 08/31/2013, 09:14 AM

can we get a picture of your buildmyreef.com fixture

ghst1203reef · 08/31/2013, 10:02 AM

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...2312517&page=2

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...2320854&page=3

pnavarro170 · 08/31/2013, 11:15 AM

Lookin sweet.

pnavarro170 · 10/03/2013, 12:22 PM

Hows the tank doing ?

EPRuss · 10/03/2013, 01:41 PM

Tank seems to be doing well. I'll update with some pics this weekend.

Since the last update, I've added some snails (2 turbo, 6 Nassarius, and 6 Cerith); two fish, a Royal Gramma and a Coral Beauty (but the Coral Beauty didn't make it); and a couple of corals (zoantharia and torch coral).

Also picked up an Aqua C EV120 skimmer on ebay, It's been up for a few days and seems to be working well. I know it's a little small for my tank, but I figure it will get me by until my tank is fully stocked.

I've seen a few new creatures in the tank, a couple aiptasia, which I quickly hit with Aiptasia X, but I'm sure will be an ongoing battle; lots of feather dusters, and pineapple sponges; some kind of worm (couldn't get a good look before it duct into a rock); and a barnacle that hitchhiked on the torch coral.

Trying to take it slow, I'm planning to setup a Q-tank this weekend and won't get any other fish until it's up. After losing the coral beauty and reading about what happened 915MANG, I figure it's worth the trouble and extra expense.

08/21/2013, 12:27 PM	#1
EPRuss Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 166	My 90 Gallon Build Thought I would create a new thread on my 90 gallon build. When I made the decision to enter this hobby, I looked at used tanks. I found it’s difficult to find pre-drilled used tanks, and when I did, they were complete systems with fish, coral, rock etc... That defeated the purpose for me; I wasn't interested in buying someone else’s reef, I wanted to create my own. Being new to the hobby; I was also concerned about successfully relocating an existing reef tank. So I decided to go with a new 90 gallon tank. Not knowing anyone in the hobby, I relied on my own research and advice from LFSs to get started. Below is a list of equipment I purchased so far for my build (I’m still waiting on the LEDs). I included prices and suppliers because I thought it might be useful to someone else considering a build. I originally thought I would be able to get started for about $1500, but quickly found that I would need to spend much more. Things I didn't consider were: the cost of lighting, RODI system, and incidentals like salt and test kit etc… it all adds up. I still need to get a skimmer, and plan to order one next week. Note: Prices include sales tax and shipping. Aqueon 90 gallon 48X18X24 pre-drilled - $444.00 - AquaLife Aqueon Proflex Model 3 - $254.00 - AquaLife Aqueon MegaFlow Overflow kit - $65.00 - AquaLife Danner Mag-Drive Supreme 5 - $97.00 - AquaLife Black Acrylic paint and supplies - $12.00 - Hobby Lobby Custom Aquarium Stand - $300.00 - Robertos Cabinets Jebao WP40 wave maker - $90.00 - fish-street.com Instant Ocean Sea Salt 160-Gallon - $42.00 - Amazon Buckeye Field Supply RODI - $198.00 - Buckeye Field Supply Seachem test kit - $34.00 - Amazon Refratometer - $23.00 - Amazon TOM Aquarium Algae Scraper - $11.00 - Amazon Aqueon Pro Heater 250 Watt - $30.00 - Amazon 80 lbs CaribSea Ocean Direct Caribbean Live Sand - $80.00 - PetsMart Thermostat - $2.00 - PetsMart 100 lbs Cured live Rock - $400.00 - Saltwater Heaven BuildMyLED 48" 14000K Reef Spectrum LED - $317.00 - BuildMyLED.com BuildMyLED tank mount - $16.00 - BuildMyLED.com BuildMyLED Manual Dimmer - $16.00 - BuildMyLED.com BuildMyLED Shipping Charges - $27.00 - BuildMyLED.com I'll continue to add photos as things progress: Added the live sand and saltwater about a week before the live rock. Tank is cycling: Ammonia is coming down and Nitrites are going up.

08/21/2013, 01:21 PM	#2
pnavarro170 S.T.A.R.S PRESIDENT Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 3,963	That's a great start man ! Looking forward to following along. __________________ 150G

08/31/2013, 11:15 AM	#11
pnavarro170 S.T.A.R.S PRESIDENT Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 3,963	Lookin sweet. __________________ 150G

10/03/2013, 12:22 PM	#12
pnavarro170 S.T.A.R.S PRESIDENT Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 3,963	Hows the tank doing ? __________________ 150G

08/21/2013, 01:27 PM	#3
EPRuss Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 166	Thanks! Discovered first sign of life in my tank a few days ago. At first I thought it was a tiny aiptasia, but it's actually a tiny feather duster, and just in a few days, it's appeared to grow a little bit. It's tiny though, to small to get a good photo.

08/21/2013, 01:42 PM	#4
ghst1203reef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 127	Yea looks good

08/30/2013, 06:31 PM	#5
EPRuss Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 166	Added these two clowns a week ago. They're doing great. Finally got the light today. I really like it.

08/30/2013, 08:11 PM	#6
ghst1203reef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 127	I really like the black clowns wish I would have gotten one. How do you like that Jebao WP40 wave maker? I've been looking at getting a smaller power head. The maxi jets look way to big in my tank.

08/30/2013, 09:17 PM	#7
EPRuss Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 166	The WP40 is nice, but it's really big, about the size of a softball. It's almost to powerful though, I have it on W1 and the slowest speed or it'll create a sand storm. I still need to play with the placement, maybe I can find a better spot for it so it won't stir up so much sand when it's turned up. They also make a smaller version (the WP25), would probably be a good choice for your tank.

08/31/2013, 08:04 AM	#8
stvguerrero Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: el paso tx Posts: 200	MAn that more than a great start , looking good looking good

08/31/2013, 09:14 AM	#9
laredo300c Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: laredo tx Posts: 646	can we get a picture of your buildmyreef.com fixture

08/31/2013, 10:02 AM	#10
ghst1203reef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 127	http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...2312517&page=2 http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...2320854&page=3

10/03/2013, 01:41 PM	#13
EPRuss Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 166	Tank seems to be doing well. I'll update with some pics this weekend. Since the last update, I've added some snails (2 turbo, 6 Nassarius, and 6 Cerith); two fish, a Royal Gramma and a Coral Beauty (but the Coral Beauty didn't make it); and a couple of corals (zoantharia and torch coral). Also picked up an Aqua C EV120 skimmer on ebay, It's been up for a few days and seems to be working well. I know it's a little small for my tank, but I figure it will get me by until my tank is fully stocked. I've seen a few new creatures in the tank, a couple aiptasia, which I quickly hit with Aiptasia X, but I'm sure will be an ongoing battle; lots of feather dusters, and pineapple sponges; some kind of worm (couldn't get a good look before it duct into a rock); and a barnacle that hitchhiked on the torch coral. Trying to take it slow, I'm planning to setup a Q-tank this weekend and won't get any other fish until it's up. After losing the coral beauty and reading about what happened 915MANG, I figure it's worth the trouble and extra expense.