New Member - initial setup 75 gal Reef Tank

muggers · March 29, 2013, 2:39pm

Hello, my name is Will and i’m new to the website. First, let me use the awesome fish emoticon!!! <

I posted basically the same thing on TheReefTank.com… but I wanted to post here since this is for local Delaware residents.

I’m also new to Reef Tanks in general. I’ve done quite a bit of research, and even stopped by my LFS and talked with the owner. He’s a REALLY knowledgable guy who seems to be trying to steer me in the right direction. Obviously everyone on the internet has a lot of different opinions on the different types of products to use. So, i’m hoping you guys will give me your opinion on what to use, what not to use, and your past experiences. I’ve read through most of the posts and forums on here that apply to what I’m trying to do.

The basic goal, is to have a nice 75 gallon reef tank setup… with mostly anenemies and bright vibrant coral. We also want a cleaner crew, and a few fish that will integrate properly with the coral and anenemies in the tank. The fish will probably be the last thing we put in the tank. We’re prepared to be PATIENT and don’t expect much for the first 6 months. I know i’ll have to cycle the tank and that could take 1-2 months to get everything right. I’m ok with that. The most important thing for us is to do it right, and learn a lot along the way so we can enjoy this tank for many years. This will be a project for my wife, myself and my 2 kids (4 year old daughter and 7 year old son). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ive already purchased the 75 gallon tank and stand we wanted. I’ve attached a picture of the tank and stand. The stand itself is open in the middle, with (2) cabinet doors… one on each side. The space there should be enough to house any filtration system I want to add. I’ve been thinking of going with a canister filter setup, but have also been looking into the eshopps refugium and sump setup (its small enough to fit in there also).

What I have:

75 gallon tank & stand // Already Have
Glass top and standard light bar // Already Have

What I am thinking of buying:

Filstar XP3 Canister Filter // $112.00
(2) ViaAqua 300 watt Quartz Glass Submirsible Heater w/ thermostat // $38 ($19.00 each)
(2) 800gph PowerHead Aquarium Pumps // $40.00 ($19.99 each)
15lbs of Live Rock @ $6.00 per lb from LFS // $90
60lbs of Base Rock for $99.90
200 gallon Reef Salt Mix 02111 from Kent Marine // $53.00
(3) 40lb bags of Reef Live Sand or Crushed Coral // $119.95
48" LED light bar setup OR 48" 216w T5 Light // ???
Protein Skimmer // ???

The light bar setup I was looking for is $89.95, sold by Sky Enterprise USA on Amazon.com. It’s a 48" 216w T5 Aquarium Light Fixture Reef Fish Tank Light. I cant link because of my post count, being new and all.

ALSO, what do you think of the eshopps refugium and sump kits? They’re small, and look like I could make them work in this cabinet instead of using the canister filter setup?

Recommendations on the stuff I listed above, and things Im not sure about?

Hudzon · March 29, 2013, 3:53pm

Hello and welcome, I would skip the canister and go righ for the sump, you can also make a sump rather easy with a 20 or 30 gallon tank and cut your own baffles as I think more than 90% of those that start with a canister change to a sump within a year or two max. Heaters are one thing that needs more attention then they get, if you are not using a controller they I would suggest a heater with one like JBJ or Finnex.

There have been several members with 70 gal tanks that should be able to give you more specific advise on sizes and stuff, also watch the forum for stuff for sale as members are always upgrading or scaling down and often have great deals on equipment.

muggers · March 29, 2013, 4:09pm

Ok, thanks for the reply. The issue I have with small tank sump setup is the space below the tank in my cabinet. The middle is “open” and the left and right sides are only so big. I think I could get a eshopps setup to work with it, a wet/dry filtration system w/ sump but I have no idea how they work. Any experience with them?

houndsbayman · March 29, 2013, 4:57pm

:Welcome) :BEER

Where are you located and what is the name of theLFS?

The tank you have is NOT reef ready, so if you want to install a sump you must either drill the tank or use a hang on back overflow. Try and stay away from canister filtration, nothing but nitrate collectors.
You didn’t mention what type of corals you are going to keep, so can’t help with your lighting. But check out some of the LED fixtures some of us are using. You can find more info in one of the threads about LEDs.

You can also save some money by just buying sand and then get it stared by adding a cup of live sand from one of the members tank.
IMO, a protein skimmer is an excellent addition to your tank.
Have fun, do alot of research, it will save you money in the long run. ENJOY!!! YahoO

muggers · March 29, 2013, 5:00pm

[quote=“houndsbayman, post:4, topic:6364”]
:Welcome) :BEER

Where are you located and what is the name of theLFS?

The tank you have is NOT reef ready, so if you want to install a sump you must either drill the tank or use a hang on back overflow. Try and stay away from canister filtration, nothing but nitrate collectors.
You didn’t mention what type of corals you are going to keep, so can’t help with your lighting. But check out some of the LED fixtures some of us are using. You can find more info in one of the threads about LEDs.

You can also save some money by just buying sand and then get it stared by adding a cup of live sand from one of the members tank.
IMO, a protein skimmer is an excellent addition to your tank.
Have fun, do alot of research, it will save you money in the long run. ENJOY!!! YahoO[/quote]

I’m from Smyrna, DE… and I went to The Fish Bowl and talked with the owner. He seems like a nice guy. Also, I do plan on getting a protein skimmer… and i’m ok with the hang on back overflow kit. My issue or concern is lack of room for a sump, unless I go with the eshopps kit?

muggers · March 29, 2013, 5:04pm

As for the sand… What type of sand would you recommend buying?

FOr the live rock, i plan on buying “base rock” and a few pieces of “live rock” and giving them some quality time together lol…

saltcreep · March 29, 2013, 5:29pm

[quote=“muggers, post:6, topic:6364”]
As for the sand… What type of sand would you recommend buying?

FOr the live rock, i plan on buying “base rock” and a few pieces of “live rock” and giving them some quality time together lol…[/quote]

That’ll work fine for the rock… for sand, it depends a little on what type of bed you’re using, shallow, deep etc
stay away from the larger grain stuff though imo… the which sandbed question will get all sorts of diff answers as well… since you seem to be leaning towards anenomes, just research which types, some need the sand, some don’t care either way…

oh yeah… :Welcome) to the club!

btw, in my opinion don’t sweat trying to get it perfect right from the get-go… equipment wise anyway… start with what you have if you want, just keep up the maintenance on the canister.
but for the long run, i think a good skimmer is key also (although there are exceptions… Rosti )

[quote=“houndsbayman, post:4, topic:6364”]
IMO, a protein skimmer is an excellent addition to your tank.
Have fun, do alot of research, it will save you money in the long run. ENJOY!!! YahoO[/quote]

[quote=“Hudzon, post:2, topic:6364”]
you can also make a sump rather easy with a 20 or 30 gallon tank and cut your own baffles[/quote]
Also good advice if you like doing a little DIY, and saving money… its also usually a better, custom end result… win/win making your own imo
Any questions, or help needed? just post away, we’re here and willing to help… or at least argue about the best way to help… :BB)

::

muggers · March 29, 2013, 6:23pm

I’ll do some research on the anenemies and corral we want to have for the sandbed…

On the sump Is it possible to create a sump system that will not require using a different cabinet / stand? For a 75 gallon tank, what size sump is required?

saltcreep · March 29, 2013, 7:16pm

The ideal would be the biggest possible to fit under the stand… and still be able to get it in/out WITHOUT moving the display tank. Also, skimmers can be large so they’re difficult to get in/out… so try to keep that in mind when measuring clearance… Not sure of your stand size, but a 20 Long would prob get the job done… of course if you could fit a 30 go with that. But having a sump is worth the while for many reasons if you plan on really getting into the hobby.
If you do make/ baffle your own, research the baffle material and silicone types first, some have anti-bacterial additives :-)###

reefman66 · March 29, 2013, 11:22pm

:Welcome) to DRC. This is my opinion on the stuff you listed.

Filstar XP3 Canister Filter // $112.00
you wouldn’t need it unless you go with a sump like everyone else said. Also, by the look of your stand in the pic, you only have left or the right side open and not in the center, correct? if so, you will only have room to put a small sump in. If you got the tank and stand from the Fish Bowl, go back to Mike and ask him if you can trade for a stand that have a center open as well. I’m pretty sure he’ll work something with you.
(2) ViaAqua 300 watt Quartz Glass Submirsible Heater w/ thermostat // $38 ($19.00 each)
1 would do. You don’t need 2.
(2) 800gph PowerHead Aquarium Pumps // $40.00 ($19.99 each)
This is OK to have one on each end, but don’t know how much flow you want in your tank.
15lbs of Live Rock @ $6.00 per lb from LFS // $90
60lbs of Base Rock for $99.90
you only need a couple of small or med one to seed your base rock. Don’t really need 15lbs worth of live rocks.
200 gallon Reef Salt Mix 02111 from Kent Marine // $53.00
if you can find salt from Kent Marine around here go ahead. Otherwise, you can also use IO reef crystal.
(3) 40lb bags of Reef Live Sand or Crushed Coral // $119.95
You don’t need to buy live sand, but if you plan on using sand in the tank I’m sure one of the club member can give you a couple of cup of the sand from their tank to seed your sand for you. I use seafloor arigonite from caribsea. As mentioned above there’s different type of sand bed. No sand, little sand or deep sand bed. You just have to read about it and decide what style you would like to do.
48" LED light bar setup OR 48" 216w T5 Light
I never use this type of light or know if it even suitable for SPS, but I’m sure it’s fine for LPS, soft coral, zoo and shroms.
Protein Skimmer
Opinion about protein skimmer is to each his own. But if you do run one you probably need one that is rated at 75-125 gallons.

ALSO, what do you think of the eshopps refugium and sump kits? They’re small, and look like I could make them work in this cabinet instead of using the canister filter setup?
If you can’t do the 20 or 30 gal under the stand, this eshopps my work better for you.

muggers · April 1, 2013, 12:53pm

Thanks for the info! I unfortunately will not have enough room for a sump system, so I will have to use some type of canister filter. After doing some research, I ended up ordering a wet/dry system that I’ll be modifying to work better for reef tanks. I also did get the 48-60" LED light bar. The wet/dry system comes with a protein skimmer. I’ll be seeding base rock with some live rock, got the rock coming. I’ll be using sand also. I went with (1) submersible heater for the tank, and the (2) powerheads. We’ll see how it all works out!

Cdangel0 · April 1, 2013, 1:14pm

Sorry - feel like I’m a little late to this party, but I’ll mention a couple of things.

First and most important, it’s usually a better idea to go with 2 under-rated heaters than just 1 heater. Here’s why: If 1 big heater sticks in the “on” position while you’re at work, overnight, or while you’re away, you can easily cook your tank and everything in it. It’s not uncommon to have cheaper heaters stick on, and it’s quite possible for the water to get in to the high 90’s. An underrated heater stuck on will not be able to generate enough heat to raise the water to dangerous temps.

Conversely - if the heater breaks, your water can get very cold very fast, if you were running 2 smaller heaters and one dies, the other will help keep the tank closer to temp until you notice and have the ability to replace the broken one.

Sumps / Fuges - you don’t necessarily have to have room under the stand to run a sump and/or fuge. Many people will make them as much as a show piece as the DT itself. Refugiums are VERY cool to watch, lots of life, critters, and macro algae to intrigued even the most uninitiated. I’ve seen sumps and refugiums placed on shelves above DTs, so instead of draining to a sump and pumping back up, they were pumped UP form the DT and gravity fed back down.

You can also look at putting it on a separate table or stand next to the tank, or on the other side of the wall. Granted it takes a little more spousal convincing to drill holes in the wall - but I think most of us have been able to pull it off at one time or another.

martinfaimly · April 2, 2013, 12:25am

toms has a small all in one sump

muggers · April 2, 2013, 12:48pm

[quote=“martinfaimly, post:13, topic:6364”]
toms has a small all in one sump[/quote]

Tom’s Rapids Pro 3 Plus Filtration system w/ protein skimmer & Auto fill unit?

muggers · April 8, 2013, 4:36am

Ended up getting the toms rapids pro 3
Wet/dry system with auto fill. It’s great so far, includes protein skimmer.
Changed some of the media for reef purposes… Added live sand, live rock, and some live rock rubble to the filter. Put in some base rock… Letting it cycle.

Got a sand storm going but it’s clearing up. Salinity and specific gravity were both good. I had some water leaks earlier using the toms kit but figured out the issue with several o-rings. The autofill unit scared the heck outta me when it gulped about 20 times in a row and the tank level went up quite a bit. i thought it was going on the floor! but i later found out it was doing its job and i had the water level too low. i adjusted it using the overflow box and it went down. 'll post some pics of everything later.

reefman66 · April 8, 2013, 11:33pm

1 question, how are you or will you be able to get to those plugs to unplug when need be?

If I’m not mistaken those marineland LED say it’s reef capable, but I heard they are not…I could be wrong. I’m sure they are not rated for SPS though.

muggers · April 8, 2013, 11:40pm

The pic must make the area look small. I can reach them easily. Both cabinet doors are open in the back and allow for easy access to all plumbing and electrical. I’m pretty happy with how clean it looks… Everyone is asking how ill get to stuff but I’ve already had it connected/disconnected several times now with no issue.

The reef capable lights work fine, depending on tank depth for some corals I will need a 2nd light.

I already plan on getting another one. I’ve seen several threads where people talk as if they won’t work, but having found several people who have amazing reef tanks with all sorts of coral using these lights changed my mind.

reefman66 · April 8, 2013, 11:50pm

Cool, please keep us posted. How about some growth pics before and after few month. Will you be keeping SPS?

saltcreep · April 9, 2013, 12:07am

You’ve been busy huh Will :: It’s looking like a real good start. and the ato’s scare me a bit also.
btw… have you done a “loss of power” test? to make sure the level in the sump can handle the drainage? hope thats not an insulting question… but it’s quite common, at least i’ve learned that one the hard way :FLUSH)

muggers · April 9, 2013, 11:57am

[quote=“reefman66, post:18, topic:6364”]
Cool, please keep us posted. How about some growth pics before and after few month. Will you be keeping SPS?[/quote]

Yea I will post growth pics and keep you guys updated. I just want to do everything right, so any help is appreciated! I’m limited on space, thats why I chose most of the items I did for the tank so far… but if you guys have any suggestions keep them coming! Oh, and yes to SPS.