90G Reef & Oversized Stand Build

black cobra

black cobra

Member
I planned this out and designed everything 3 months prior to buying a single thing. My last tank (72G) failed. Main Reason.... I bought everything USED You take a big chance taking a complete strangers WORD on what he is selling you and I paid the price.
Anyways I knew I was either buying everything brand new or making it myself.

Tank Equipment
• ATI 8x54w Powermodule
• My Reef Creations MR2 Protein Skimmer
• Ecotech Votech MP40W
• Blueline 40X Pump for MR2
• Mag Drive 9.5 Return Pump
• Marineland Stealth 250w Heater (2x)
• A.T.O. Top Off System
• NextReef MR1
• 6500K Fuge Lamp
• Custom 30G Sump w/ Refugium
The Stand was going to be made longer than the tank by about 30". Couple reasons for this.... #1. I wanted to be able to fit EVERYTHING under this stand. That wasn't happening with a 48" Stand. #2. I wanted an area right next to the tank to work on stuff, perform tests, acclimate new additions, etc...
So after one of many trips to Home Depot I came home with some lumber and started making cuts and shapes and ended up with this:





 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
So after the Skeleton was finished and checked for stability and was all level it was time to add some stained "Skin & Trim":




Time to make some Door Hole cuts:

 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
While everything was drying from stain and water wood sealent, I decided to test my custom made sump a friend of mine built for me:

Next was plumbing... Not as bad as I thought. A great tip... Buy lots of fittings, ball valves, union valves, elbows. Even if you dont think you will need that many buy them anyways! You will most likely need them. Trust me. You can always return them if not.




I later had to make that elbow a t-fitting come off the skimmer return because of back siphoning. AND THAT IS WHY UNION FITTINGS ARE THE GREATEST EVER!!!
 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
My previous 72G setup I did not have an RO/DI unit and I hated trucking back jugs of Distilled water that probably was just regular tap water anyways...
So I made a great purchase from Air Water & Ice and picked up this 100GPD 5 Stage RO/DI unit and Booster Pump. Both work flawlessly. 325 on the TDS coming in, 0 coming out FTW



 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
After countless hours reading reviews on lights from Halides to T5's to Fixtures to Pendants, I finally made up my mind and went with ATI Powermodule 8x54w. Could have went with the 6x54w but I like the light combos better with the 8


Now with the ATI fixture, it can only be mounted suspended. There are no legs or anything of that nature with these fixtures. Well that was a problem for me because this is a 45-50lb fixture and I do not have studs in the ceiling above where my tank is so........ I made a custom light rack out of 1 1/2" EMT Conduit, couplers, and hooks and chains to suspend it from.
 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
Ok now that everything is in place time to add some water, rock, sand, and salt

For my substrate I went with Caribsea Special Grade Reef Sand. I only want like a 3/4"-1" deep sandbed so around 50 pounds did me just fine.

For my rock I went with 80lbs of Fiji Eco Rox from BRS. #1 it was cheaper, and #2 I didn't want to deal with alot of pests like Aiptasia, Worms, Crabs, etc... you get fom some of the LR. However I did get 20lbs. of Togula LR that was cured from my LFS to help with cycling. I added some to my fuge aswell.


For Salt, I wanted the best with the most trace elements and hands down Tropic Marins Bio-Actif is it!! Pricey at about $100 for a 200G Bucket but to me worth it.

I wanted alot of flow going on in my tank with adjustability and Ecotech's MP40W was the answer. So far it is amazing! I live Short Pulse Mode at 100%

It's gives a nice little wave. I may go with two in the future.... We'll see.
 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
Well now my tank has been cycling for a little over a week and my test parameters are all on target. Everything is working great and just itching to look at something other than rock and skim.... lol

You can see I already have diatoms in my fuge growing on the glass and in the sand bed.


 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
Crypt - I will probably pick up one more MP40w when money permits but I am actually getting really good flow with just the one and my returns for right now.
Fishkid - The materials I got all from Home Depot. All the wood cost me around $150. About $100 for all the plumbing (conduit and fittings). The EMT I used and couplings for the light rack cost me about $50.
Misc. stuff like paint, nails, stain, hooks, etc... probably figure another $100 all together. So for under $500 I bought and made everything you see
 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
Well my Ammonia spiked last week and today has finally reached 0ppm
Nitrites are maxed out right now at 5ppm and I expect them to start coming down hopefully by this weekend. Everything else is looking great
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 79° +/-1°
PH: 8.2
Phos: 0
Nitrate: 10-15
Came home last night from work to find the start of Diatoms on my sandbed in my DT. Also some starting to form on the rocks alittle. My fuge has diatoms all thru it and my Chaeto is growing like made with the 6500K Daylight Bulb!
 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
Well comingout of my 2nd week into my 3rd week I have detritus which is right on schedule



The MR2 been pulling some nasties out of the water consistently. I love this skimmer!!!


Also added a bottle of Tigger Pods to the fuge so they can start breeding

Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 79 +/-1
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 5ppm
Nitrates: 20ppm
Phos: 0ppm
PH: 8.2
ALK/Dkh: 8.4
Calcium: 400
Mag: 1150
Hopefully sometime this week the trites will fall to zero and I can focus on Nitrates and doing my first water change and get a CUC in there
 
black cobra

black cobra

Member
Tank is completely cycled

It took exactly 3 weeks and 1 day. I have great green algae growth on my rocks as well now, so its time to def. pick up a CUC end of this week.
I performed my first water change last night since the tank has been up and running.
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 79°
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm
PH: 8.0
DKH:8.2
CAL: 400ppm
MAG: 1150ppm
Phos: 0ppm
Very excited to finally look at something other than rock in my tank
 
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