75 Gallon build

[mech-a-nic]

I just got a 75 g drilled.Starting my build to combine a 46 and 20 Gallon tanks I have. I used water from the water changes of my other tanks. + made 10 gallons to top it off. It had 70 lbs of rock and bout 50 pounds of sand already but they have been dry for about 3 months. It has a Wet/dry filter that i removed the bio-balls and put a 4" sand bed in there place with a new live rock. I added bout 6 lbs of live rock and 40 lbs of live sand to the tank. there are 2 antiac lights and 2 MH 175 watts each. I was looking for ideas and tips if any. I plan to rebuild the top to raise the bulbs about 10" of the water. Whats a good reflector shild for the MH? The skimmer is Pro-clear I think? I have 2 300 Watt heaters. Little giant pump. and 3 powerheads in the tank. I thinks thats all. O ya the nitrates and amonia are up so its cycling now, I put a cup full of sand from my 3 year tank into the sand and took some water and critters out of a power filter on the same tank. Lots of little buggers in that filter

I want ideas on the return from the pump its just PCV split with 2 angles on the ends on a "T". I also thinking of using a closed loop. Can I do that off the return Line or does it have to be different pump?

 

[fishfreak1242]

Originally Posted by Mech-a-nic
http:///forum/post/2681906
I just got a 75 g drilled.Starting my build to combine a 46 and 20 Gallon tanks I have. I used water from the water changes of my other tanks. + made 10 gallons to top it off. It had 70 lbs of rock and bout 50 pounds of sand already but they have been dry for about 3 months. It has a Wet/dry filter that i removed the bio-balls and put a 4" sand bed in there place with a new live rock. I added bout 6 lbs of live rock and 40 lbs of live sand to the tank. there are 2 antiac lights and 2 MH 175 watts each. I was looking for ideas and tips if any. I plan to rebuild the top to raise the bulbs about 10" of the water. Whats a good reflector shild for the MH? The skimmer is Pro-clear I think? I have 2 300 Watt heaters. Little giant pump. and 3 powerheads in the tank. I thinks thats all. O ya the nitrates and amonia are up so its cycling now, I put a cup full of sand from my 3 year tank into the sand and took some water and critters out of a power filter on the same tank. Lots of little buggers in that filter

I want ideas on the return from the pump its just PCV split with 2 angles on the ends on a "T". I also thinking of using a closed loop. Can I do that off the return Line or does it have to be different pump?
Luminarcs are really good reflectors if you have the space. For the closed loop, you should do a separate line with a SCWD and a really strong pump to get good flow and some loc-line on the ends. Looks good just needs a little maintenance.

 

[mech-a-nic]

thanks for the tip on the light.

i have 2 good pumps for the close loop

Heres my new hood I made tonight. Should the Fans in the hood blow in or out or have 1 doing each at eather end.

Any Ideas on Paint thats Fish safe and holds out Water. I got a little while till it cycles but want to have it painted or stained soon.

thanks
O ya when drilling 2 peices of wood at once make sure they are tight together, and your not leaning on the edge of them.... It can pinch the &*%$ out of you

 

[interex216]

in my canopy i have one that blows in from one side and out through the others for a constant fresh air flow and my MH dont heat up my tank at all and yours are alot farther away, this set up is on my FW tank though

 

[mech-a-nic]

*Update*
Painted Now

Uses Latex Paint it dries nice and quick, 15 mins a coat

Also added a switched power strip. (thanks for the idea Veni Vidi Vici )

They worked great.

more to come

 

[interex216]

Veni Vidi Vici has boosted sales with that DJ company with his lil power strip idea im ordering some for my 75g

 

[mech-a-nic]

ya there perfect

I have the main pump, Skimmer, 2 power heads, 2 heaters, and the Fuge light on it. Easy to turn stuff on and off for mantince. realy helpfull with setting up a new tank

 

[mech-a-nic]

*UPDATE* Well tank Cycling now

Amonia at 1.5 and nitrates just spiked to 3.3. Ph at 8.0 Will not be long now

Question about moving stuff. I plan to move all the fish, rock, and inverts from a 46. Should I move them 1 at a time or all at once including the rock. The water Change out of the 46 I used to seed the 75. and the next change out of the 46 will go to a change in the 75 after it cycles. so water should be close to the same for the little guys. I plan to move a few rocks over with a few hermits and snails then a fish, coral and a rock, repeat every day till all are swaped. Any pros or cons to this?
Thanks

 

[veni vidi vici]

Originally Posted by Interex216
http:///forum/post/2683956
Veni Vidi Vici has boosted sales with that DJ company with his lil power strip idea im ordering some for my 75g
Ill take small frags as a token of gratitude

.I have 3-250 w MHs,skimmer,1-Dart pump,1-Rio 2500 pump,2- heaters, 1- fan, 260w pc ballast,1- shop light with 65k bulb,4 lunar lights and a partridge in a pair tree. No problem.
The tank is looking good Mech-a-nic

 

[mech-a-nic]

*UPDATE*
Last Night did a 25% change to lower Amonia it was at 1.5 I got it down to
.25

the Nitrates ar still at 3.3 even after the water change.

I finished some molding on the Top and ordered New handles for the lid will post pics whrn they come in.

 

[mech-a-nic]

**UPDATE**

All levels are down to 0 Amonia, 0 Nitrate, 0 Nitrite

Salinity at 1.027, Temp 79 Deg, pH Is a little low at 7.8

I did a 20% water change then added a Royal Gramma to help things along and "Test the water"

The LFS said they are realy tuff. So I will give him a try, I didn't want to add a Cromis or Dasmal mostly because I dont want to catch them when it is safe for the others

The royal gramma will stay in the tank.

I finished the molding on the tank and added the handles that came in today from lowes

I also gor some New MH bulbs. WOW they made a differance. Befor the Actinic lights were blueing out the tank, Now theres only a blue tint to the water, its 4x as bright in there. The Reflectors will make it even brighter I hope.
THe MH are off in the Pic, thats just the Actinic on

 

[mech-a-nic]

Well the royal gramma did not make it.

I was advise to wait 2 weeks and try again. So ill let yall know how it goes.

 

[mech-a-nic]

**UPDATE**

Well Up and running good now. First algae Bloom in full force.

The Banggai Cardinal Is good to go after 2 days, I put a Chromis In the Fuge right after the Royal died. He has cycled 4 tanks for me now. I had put him into retirement, but I had to pull Him back out. He has done 4 cycles now and survived a tank bust and a tank crash. This should be his final home. I have a mushroom in there for 3 days so far and a candy cane in there now also. If all goes well in a few weeks I will move the other corals and fish to there new home.

Pics included. I have a bad yellow tint now so I put some carbon in a canaster filter and have it running on the Fuge , it seams to be clearing it up well. Any advise or comments welcome.
The Readings are:
NO2: 0
NO3: 5
Amn: 0
pH: 8.2
KH: 9
Temp: 79
Salt: 34

 

[reef noob]

cool

 

[mech-a-nic]

Thanks

 

[reef noob]

give us an update?
anything new with the tank?

 

[mech-a-nic]

*Update*

Cool didnt thing any one was reading it

Im moving more stuff from my little tankes there, here are some pics.
I added amaze brain and a few more corals mor pics below
On a sad note the bang to a swimm through the overflow. I got to ger a net in place. He is alive but barly and I bet he will be gone by nightfall.

But here are some Pics,

 

[mech-a-nic]

more pics I think the one Is a BTA he was a hitch hiker

 

[nofish]

nice!!

 

[mech-a-nic]

**UPDATE**
Today I got my new reflectors arrived

So there Installed. Also of my newest tank mate my Fire Shrimp

Everything else looks good got the rest of the stuff From my 46 into the 75. the devils hand has been a little moody the last 2 days, but guy at LFS said he should be OK as long as he is not slimey.