92 Gallon Corner Tank Build Thread!

icedtc

icedtc

Member
Afternoon All,
So I am finally making some great progress with my 92 Gallon tank I got a few weeks ago. Of course I should have taken a photo the day I got the tank to show the progress since then but of course I didn't!
But I wanted to start at least from where I am now and hope to be starting the cycle soon! Here are a few pics of where I'm at! And these were taken on my horrible quality Android camera. Trying to borrow my bosses very expensive camera for a few days...
All filled with water and painted black including the back 2 walls.
Tank wasn't drilled but this overflow setup works great! Tested for power failure and the sump is able to hold the excess water. Aquarium safe black paint of course!
20 gallon sump. SWC 160 protein skimmer & Eheim pump. Today is the first day I left everything running while I'm at work. I'm not a religious man but I am praying I don't come home to problems!
Christmas in February! Skimmer, 55 lbs Pukani dry rock, digital refracometer, some heaters, mag float, 2x AI Sol Super Bues with Controller. The g/f is at her mom's this week luckily or she'd be asking why we aren't in the Bahamas when I can spend so much on my fish tank haha.
Just stacking the rock for a quick picture. Awesome looking rock and the big daddy in the middle is like 2x the size of my head. I really need to find a way to showcase that piece well.
So that's where I'm at. If all is well at home tonight it's time to begin aquascaping and adding sand, etc. soon! I just want to say thanks to you all for the help already. I genuinely appreciate this community and all the help already.
A little about me:
This is my first sw tank but I've had 4 or 5 freshwaters from 10 gallons to about 50. Finally I own my own place and can (hopefully) afford to begin a saltwater tank which I've always wanted to do. Although, I am kind of glad I waited until I was older (28 now) so I can really appreciate this and enjoy it for a long time to come. Any input/advice/etc. anyone has to offer is always appreciated. I'll keep updating my progress a few times a week and more goodies from Amazon should be at my house tonight!
I've said it tons of times but thanks again guys & gals. Before I even began to consider this I found this forum and read all i could for weeks & weeks. Some of these threads have been invaluable and I look forward to being an active part of the community!
 
njbillyv

njbillyv

Member
Nothing more exciting than a new tank start-up, good luck!
I'm not an expert but the last tank I cycled was by far the fastest and easiest so far and I think a product called Special Blend really helped. I still use it and the tank is doing great. In fact I now use it in all of my tanks. You may want to check it out.
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJBillyV http:///t/390539/92-gallon-corner-tank-build-thread#post_3459300
Nothing more exciting than a new tank start-up, good luck!
I'm not an expert but the last tank I cycled was by far the fastest and easiest so far and I think a product called Special Blend really helped. I still use it and the tank is doing great. In fact I now use it in all of my tanks. You may want to check it out.
Billy, I will have to check it out! Is it just something added to the water at the start of the cycle?
 
njbillyv

njbillyv

Member
It's for both cycling and then you can use it every couple of week as maintenance. When you add it make sure you leave your lights off for 48 hours like it says, works like a charm. But be warned, stuff smells nasty (it doesn't make your water smell though no worries).
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Just wanted to add a few updated pics. Finally added my live sand and dry live rock a few days ago. Also worked on my sump quite a bit and added live sand & some chaetomorpha to the second bay. Got a nice led grow light which goes on for 10 hours a day for now.
Now I am just waiting for the delivery of my hanging kit so I can finally put my Aqua Illumination Sol Blues above my tank!
This is my aquascape for now. There is a little bare sand on the lefthand side but I think I will leave it that way so I can put an anemone there in the distant future. All the rock is sittin on the glass and it quite stable.Should have a lot of nice nooks and crannies for the fish to swim in!

Just a few sump updates. Protein skimmer is all "broken in" and working like a champ. With no fish/etc. it doesn't have to work veyr hard at the moment but it's very quiet and I am very pleased with my purchase. Added live sand & some chaeto and a grow light in the second bay. So far so good!
If I want to add some copepods to my sump I assume this should be done after my inital cycle? Would it be a good idea to do this before adding a clean up crew & fish or does it not really matter either way?
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Looks good Icedtc!!. I think that you will really like that SWC 160 skimmer. I have read a lot of good reviews on those. Don't really need to run it during your initial cycle. Way to go on the AI units!! Pretty sweet lights. Can't wait to see pics.
This should be fun to watch it develop into a nice reef tank. What kind of salt are you using??
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/390539/92-gallon-corner-tank-build-thread#post_3460261
Looks good Icedtc!!. I think that you will really like that SWC 160 skimmer. I have read a lot of good reviews on those. Don't really need to run it during your initial cycle. Way to go on the AI units!! Pretty sweet lights. Can't wait to see pics.
This should be fun to watch it develop into a nice reef tank. What kind of salt are you using??
Thanks for the compliments Sweater!
I read a lot of positive reviews on the SWC as well and wanted to go up a size so it will give me a little more leeway since i'm new to the hobby. I hear you on not needing it for the initial cycle this was more of a break in/test run and wanted to make sure it fit in the designated spot with no issues. Will it effect my cycle? Like...should I turn it off or is it just overkill to have it running now?
My LFS recommended Instant Ocean Reef Crystals as that's what they use and is readily available in my area. So that's what I'm running with now.
I have also read great things about the AI light setup. I was tinkering around with a DIY led setup but I have my hands full enough with this being my first sw tank. So I decided to go for these since they are dimmable, etc. Hope to have more pics up by the weekend with them hanging over the tank!
Thanks again for the encouragement...can't freaking wait to start my fish list, etc.
 
njbillyv

njbillyv

Member
Looks like you're off to a great start!
Do yourself a favor though, take some time to think through and research your fish list before you start adding fish.
This is a mistake I always make (I just get to darn excited) and end up limiting my choices or having to catch and remove fish.
Make your complete list first, then add one (maybe two tops) at a time, slowly, least agressive first to most agressive last.
Think about a no crab CUC too, opinions will vary but that's what I've done.
Good luck, keep us posted!
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJBillyV http:///t/390539/92-gallon-corner-tank-build-thread#post_3460488
Looks like you're off to a great start!
Thanks very much...I'm trying to do every right from the start to make things go as smoothly as possible!
Do yourself a favor though, take some time to think through and research your fish list before you start adding fish. This is a mistake I always make (I just get to darn excited) and end up limiting my choices or having to catch and remove fish.
I hear you on this 1. I was thinking of starting with 2x tank raised clown fish form my LFS. They are inexpensive and hearty so I thought it would be a good start. My plan was to get two of them and see how they do for at least a month before really sitting down to get my list going. How's that sound?
Make your complete list first, then add one (maybe two tops) at a time, slowly, least agressive first to most agressive last.
Thanks for that info. I will definately only add 1 or 2 at a time slowly but will have to make a pretty definitive list so I can add the most aggressive last.
Think about a no crab CUC too, opinions will vary but that's what I've done.
I was thinking of going with a good amount of snails and a few peppermint or cleaner shrimp. Not a huge fan or crab or hermit crab and ultimately I want to have a reef-centric tank so I don't want anything nipping at my corals in the future. Good idea? I'd really love a reef safe starfish at some point too.
Good luck, keep us posted!
I definately will. My led hanging wire kit should be here by Thursday. Hope to have my lights all set by Friday! What's your light schedule like? 12 hours a day? I'm thinking of doing a 12 hour noon to midnight thing. So I can enjoy the tank when i get home from work, etc.
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Just a quick update:
Installed my AI Hanging Kit last night and got to test out my new lights finally!

They are roughly 10" from the water level but haven't even began to adjust them or play with all the settings. I'll be playing with them a lot more tonight so I can adjust everything and slide the lights around to where I want them to be.
 
A

alexa11

Guest
this is looking good : ) I am looking forward to more pictures!
 
yannifish

yannifish

Active Member
Looks like you're off to a great start!
Two clowns would be a great start. You should probably get your QT up and cycling now too so you don't have to wait later.
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by yannifish http:///t/390539/92-gallon-corner-tank-build-thread#post_3461253
Looks like you're off to a great start!
Two clowns would be a great start. You should probably get your QT up and cycling now too so you don't have to wait later.
Agreed with the QT. I will definately be going with 2 clowns for my first sw fish ever! Going to my LFS tonight to have them double check all of my water parameters...can't be too safe :).
More updates soon to come!
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by yannifish http:///t/390539/92-gallon-corner-tank-build-thread#post_3461406
How long have you had it running?
Still have weeks to go. Everything has been up and running for about 1.5 weeks now.
But I am getting very excited now
It took about a month from when I received this tank in rough condition to how it is now...so I can gladly wait however it takes to begin its initial cycle. The tank is begging for 2 little clowns!
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Just wanted to give an update since it's been a little while.
I think my inital cycle is over! My tank is starting to show it's first little diatom bloom and all my parameters are back to 0 except nitrates which is a shade under 5ppm.
I will be going to my LFS tonight with a water sample and go from there!
I have been thinking of my future fish list and have come up with the following...what do you guys think?
2x Clownfish (not sure what kind yet)
3-4x Green Chromis
1x Pink Square Anthia (male, my g/f loves their colors)
1x Yellow Blenny
1x Glown Goby
1x Blue Hippotang (I have read since my tank is "deeper" than a typical 90 gallon tank" the swimming space would be adequate, is this true or is a 92 gallon too small for a hippo?)
That would be my fully stocked list which won't happen for quite some time. But I would love to hear your advice!
More pics soon to come. Got my ATO all setup, etc.
 
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