Fully Detailed First Set-up

[mrukus]

Recommendations Welcomed. Based off of a lot of information found here. This is what I am currently planning on for a FOWLR tank that I plan on eventually putting corals in by the end of the year. I have included some questions for each part of the system that I am seeking specific advice on. When it comes to skimmers/pumps etc let me know if there are alternatives that may be cheaper or work better or if I absolutely should go new over used. And please let me know if I am forgetting anything!

RODI - Spectrapure 90gpd or BRS Value plus or Buck eye hydro unit (These are only 1 micron filters though, I have read that for best results to go .5 micron, thoughts? The Spectrapure also has refurbished models available for very reasonable costs. Any concerns with those?)
Tank - 75gal reefready glass from my LFS
Stand - DIY based on plans from here. I'm a very handy fella so this is one of the more exciting adventures I plan on tackling this week.
Sump - Probably going with a rubbermaid to start with. Unless I can get a 20-30 gal on the cheap.
Skimmer- reef octopus classic INT 150 or a Bubble Magus NAC5.5 Protein Skimmer (open to alternatives to research on this one or opinions)
Return Pump- submersible mag 5 (enough water flow/turnover?)
Lights - 2 bulb t5 HO set-up. My LFS has a sale for the coralife one about $70 which i can't find a better deal than that anywhere.
Sand - 1-2" of aragonite
Rock - 75ish lbs of rock (going to aquascape with mostly dry rock with coral glue/acrylic rods to get the shape I want then seed with some live rock)
I also plan on using eggcrate, then adding rock, then adding sand.

I know this is where most people ask what I am planning on keeping, I haven't fully decided yet and don't want to limit myself. I'll be buying a house this year and the end game includes on keeping this tank as a mixed reef tank and getting a really big FOWLR tank for some larger fish (like some that may outgrow the 75 gal.)

I know that is a long post. thanks for reading it and any help I can get to avoid making costly mistakes would be much appreciated!!!! I'll keep pics of the build as it comes together. Buying lumber tomorrow for the stand.....

[Atf22]

Gotta say i like the idea a lot and welcome to the hobby! I started off same as you, 75 gal, making it a fowlr, then i bought a piece of coral.... 2 T5's probably won't be strong enough, but for a start they aren't bad if you're sticking with the fowlr. As for the sump, check your local petco, i believe their next dollar per gallon sale starts tomorrow, so thats the cheapest you'll find! Sand and rock sounds good, but with the eggcrate you won't be able to get any sand burrowing creatures or fish, like wrasses and nassarius snails. Other than that everything looks good! I'd just wait for another answer on that RODI unit, as i am not sure about that.

[Etjraz]

A 1 micron filter is fine. I have been running a system with a 10-5-1 micron filter and I haven't had any problems. Just make sure your water pressure is atleast 45 psi, if it's not you will most likely need a boost pump.

[mrukus]

Awesome. ThanKS guys. I'll remove the egg crate then. Put the sand in first then the rock.

Is there anything I absolutely shouldno get second hand? I may get a tank from the Lfs but I'll rinse it out with vinegar and let it dry out a while before I add my stuff. May also get a slightly used skimmer too to save a few bucks.

[mattgumaer]

A few thoughts from a relative noob (about 1 1/2 years in).

1) for a first tank, I think it makes sense to buy everything possible used- there are likely going to be many things you'll want to upgrade/replace over time; there are many people selling used tanks in the 75/90 gallon range with associated equipment on Craigslist, at least in my area;

2) 2 bulb t5 likely won't be enough light to keep many of the corals you would like to add down the road; it will work fine for a FOWLR system but will likely need to be replaced sooner rather than later if you decide to add coral, maybe it would make sense to start with a 4 bulb fixture so you won't need to upgrade so quickly;

3) I like eggcrate under my rock; if you put in sand, then rock and then add burrowing creatures, they'll very likely burrow in the sand under the rocks, allowing the rocks to shift/drop down. I'd either put the rock on egg crate or directly on the glass so it has stable support.

Good luck and have fun.

Matt

[Mark Bianco]

The only suggestion I will make is; When someone starts off with a FOWLR is the fish selection there are some very cool fish that get put in the tank that are not reef compatible. They think I just catch them and return them when they make that jump to corals. If you have lots of live rock and a deep sand bed one usually winds up having to remove all the rock and disturbing the sandbed that in itself can cause all kinds of issues. The only other issue is it subjects all the fish to a stressful situation that can lead to a fish becoming sick.

[mrukus]

Great idea at only putting egg crate under the rocks. I'm also planning to put only reef safe fish in too knowing that if I get hooked there most certainly will be some corals in there.

Any thoughts on the return pump? I know with corals I'll haver to toss a few power heads in there. Is 500 gallon per hour enough for then too? Wheni go to get the corals I would really like to not have to upgrade too much other than the lighting.

[RocketEngineer]

If you are handy, don't get a reef ready tank. Instead drill it for a BeanAnimal drain setup and install a coast-to-coast across the top of the back. It will be much better at removing the scum that collects on the top of the tank and silent.

For the tank, go to petco for their $1/gallon sale and get a 40B. Since you are building the stand anyway, going with a 18" wide sump is fairly easy to do and will give you a lot more space to work in. Check out the DIY section as there are several threads in there about making sumps yourself. I've built two and they each cost less than $100 to make.

While an MD5 would work, I recommend going larger. Remember that the pump is pushing against gravity so you don't get the max flow rate advertised, you have to look at the flow charts to see how much it can push at the head height you are working with. While the MD series are know for durability they are also known for being loud and energy hogs. I have two and have used them for years but upgraded to a more energy efficient model when I got the chance.

For the light I would go with a 4 bulb T5 HO fixture. That way if you eventually start adding corals you won't have to immediately change the light.

BTW, I've used eggcrate under the rock in every tank I've owned and never had it cause a problem.

Keep reading, there is lots of good information on this site but it will take time to get all the pieces together.

[mrukus]

Rocket! I am actually using your stand design for the stand. I can get a 75 gallon for 50 bucks and was thinking of drilling it, or going with the reefready. This is the first I'm hearing if this bean animal coast to coast so u will look into it. My lfs quoted me 325 delivered for the reed ready. I really like doing it on my own though. I'll look into different pumps to. Should I still be shooting for the 500 gpd or should I be more in the 750 gpd range?

[mrukus]

Petco is having their sale now. I was going to pick up a sump and a qt tank. I was thinking a 10 gallon would be enough. Thoughts?

[RocketEngineer]

Get a 24" tank. It is very easy to find a regular fluorescent light for it. I used a regular shop light and used it for years on my FW setup for years.

The coast-to-coast concept goes like this. Proteins and oils in the tank collect on the surface of the water. The protein skimmer is intended to remove these from the tank before they can decompose and provide nutrients for algae. By having the overflow be the full length of the tank, you get a very thin layer of water going over the edge and into the sump. Since you only pull the very top layer of water, you are getting as much of the oils into the sump as possible. Also, being very long and thin, there is minimal flow at any one spot to pull critters into the plumbing although they do end up there some times. I have a clownfish I'm always finding in the overflow box and it is a PITA to get it out.

Read the full article I linked to about the bean drain setup. A lot of the physics and the logic behind it is in that article. Very good stuff.