Initial 90 gal tank setup?

[conte]

I will be setting up a 90 gal, fish only SW tank. My specific question has to do with filtration. What I currently have are two filters 1) hang-on emperor 280 w/ bio wheel 2) HOT system 250 with bio-wheel. Also, I have 2 protein skimmers 1) just skimmer rated for 50 gal and below 2) Skimmer w/bio bail rated for 60 gal and below.
My question is whether I will have sufficient filtration and both biological and chemical to sustain the fish, if so, what are my perameters?
FYI; Tank dimension are 48in long, 24in deep & 18in. wide.
Kind Regards,
Conte

 

[broomer5]

What fish are you considering and how many ?
What substrate will you be using ?
Live rock ?

 

[conte]

Thank you both,
Broomer5; To answer your three questions, 1) I was hoping to use crushed coral for substrate (easier to keep clean) 2) social fish, such as angels, cards & tangs 3) i wasn't sure as to how many fish I could do, i was hoping to get some guidance on that 4) I wanted to stay away from using live rock, fish only
Redcorsair; Thank you for your input, however would I have to use a DSB and LR, or not? I would rather not. Instead I wanted to use crushed coral for the bed and dead coral for decoration.
Kind Regards,
Conte

 

[david s]

crushed coral will have to me cleaned and will not help your nitrates with a dsb just leve it be and it lowers nitrates and no vacuming it is a much beter setup

 

[conte]

Thank you everyone,
One last question regarding the DSB, how deep, inches, should the bed be? Also, can someone recommend a type or brand of sand?
Kind Regards,
Conte

 

[jlem]

If you are going with fish only then 1-2 inches of sand will look awesome. You won't have the 4-6 inches of sand that a DSB takes and nitrate in a fish only tank ir really of little concern. Plus in a fish only tank the DSB will get disturbed depending on the fish you choose and the distruption of the DSB will keep it from reducing nitrates. If you go with LR then nitrates can be controlled to an extent with the live rock. In my reef I have lots of live rock with only a shallow sand bed and my nitrates are at zero. I have a light bioload and if I had my reef heavily stocked then I may need to find a way to reduce nitrates, though I would probably choose a refugium because I am not a big fan of 4-6 inches of sand in a tank. The emperors are great if kept clean. Get a couple maxijet 900's ( not 1200's ) in the corners to create current and good luck

 

[jlem]

Secondtime. Maxijet 1200's use about 20 watts of power, run hot and only produce 60 more GPH than maxijet 900's that run much cooler and only use 8 watts of power. So why would you use 1200's over 900's in a 90 gallon, or in any tank for that matter ? Also, condi has the filters and skimmers, so why spend a ton right now to figure out later that maybe saltwater is not for him/her. Sumps and drilled tanks are nice butt condi has everything that he needs right now to start a very nice FO tank, without spending the minimum of a couple hundred dollars after a GOOD return pump, a Nice WELL BUILT sump and a QUALITY driling and overflow. Then condi has to deal with split returns lines to eliminate the unsightly powerheads and not to mention worring about leaks and keeping the sump filled to the right level after evaporation lowers it. I will agree that sump and overflows are probably the more eyepleasing way to go but I feel ( just my humble opinion ) that condi should figure out if saltwater is for him/her before dropping hundreds into a setup when the setup he/she has now is more than sufficient.

 

[conte]

Thanks again, Oh yeah, for the record; Conte is a guy
FYI; This will be my second FO tank, my first was a 45g, it went well and then my life became overwelminglt busy and I had less time to give the proper attention to the hobby. Now, I have more time and ever since I've been excited about getting back into the hobby. The 90 gal, was a deal @ *****, $1 per gal so the tank only cost me $90. The equipment I already had and so before I start-up again I wanted to make sure that I could transition into the 90. Also, I do need a little refresher on things since it's been a few years since I've been in the hobby.
One last time; can either of you recommend a type sand or brand that I should get, I will probably go this weekend to buyt it.
Kind Regards,
Conte "the MAN"

 

[jlem]

If you can get the southdown or yardright aragonite, get that. I believe that you can test to see if it is aragonite by testing it in vineger to see if it bubbles. I have found sand before by going to the selling sections on reef sights and finding people who are breaking down tanks and almost give the stuff away.

 

[conte]

Got my sand, 70 lbs of Carib Sea aragonite from lfs, I would have gone to the Depot but I didn't read your posts until just now, but thanks anyhow. The lfs suggested I also seed w/ ls about 10lbs once i get the tank started, which I will do Sunday, tomorrow, can't wait, I'm pretty excited. Now, I did ask my lfs about my filtration and she went on a totally different angle then the people who are helping me on this site. She said that if I use my filters then I would not be able to keep up with the Nitrates and that my water quality would be low, thus reducing the life of my fish. She suggested I get 75lbs of LR and only use my protein skimmers and powerhead, hence doing away w/my hang-on filters. Now I'm totally confused??? Is she just trying to get me to blow my doe on LR or does she have a valid point? I would like to use my filters and spair the $$ on LR, putting it towards my fish and lights. However, now I'm concerned that if I do so I will be seriuosly setting myself up for a disapointment? Please, can I get some sound advice on this issue?
Thank you again, and thanks for your patience with this rookie
Conte "the MAN"

 

[jlem]

Most fish stores want to help you out, and make money to stay in buisness at the same time. The berlin method that she advised you on does work well for lots of people. The underground filter works well for lots of people, and all of the other filtration methods work great to. My point is that there is no holy grail to marine filtration. There is however numerous approaches involving drastically different amounts of money to accomplish the same thing ( a healthy aquarium ). Fish do not need live rock. A reef needs live rock and low nitrates, but a fo tank does not. My first tank was a beutiful 60 gallon with nice pieces of decorative coral that I got at a rock yard for really cheap. I also bought 30 lbs of lace rock for really cheap at the same place and within 6 months it looked just like the live rock in the LFS that was 5 bucks a pound. I had an emporer 400 and a seaclone skimmer. The tank worked and looked gorgeous. This sight is ran by hobiest that have only one goal. That goal is to help other hobiest. No one is here to make a buck, unlike the fish store. I am sure that the fish store is trying to help by advising you on the very succesfull berlin method, but they also want to make their hundreds of dollars on live rock.

 

[conte]

Thanks again jlem,
I just want to make sure that I do this right and I'm sure you can understand my caution. I think I'm going to do the DSB w/ the 75lbs of aragonite I bought today and use the filters I already have. I'll fill you in as things get cycling, wish me luck
Conte "the MAN"

 

[conte]

My tank has been running now for about a month. Thanks for all the help from the BB. So far I have 3 damsels & 1 yellow tang. Today I bought 3 large turban snails and 1 cleaner shrimp to add to the tank. However, I just noticed these little, tiney white insect looking things scurrying across the shell of one of the snails?? Should I be concerned?
I will try to look for pics of it on this site.....
Regards,
Conte

 

[conte]

Ok, I looked on this site for what the tiney white insect looking things could be but only came up with various types of pods, however the pics do not match my little critters.
Anyhow, if someone has an idea of what they could be then please let me know. They kinda look like millepedes, but really tiney and white....
My tank is done cycling now and want to add a new fish to the tank, any suggestion?
Currently;
3 Turban Snail
1 Cleaner Shrimp
2 blue damsels
1 domino damsel
1 yellow tang
90 g, FO
2 in, DSB
50lbs base rock
maxijet 1200
emperor 280
HOT Magnum system
Power Pack protein skimmer w/ bio-bail
PS; I was thinking of getting a hippo tang, or flaming angel or queen angel,
Regards,
Conte

 

[katfish]

I would try to grab that Domino Damsel and relocate as soon as you can......They get quite mean as they get larger.

 

[conte]

Actually, my domino (mighty mouse) is quiet and keeps to himself while one of my blue damsels (blue) seems to rule with an iron fist. He even bullies my yellow tang, which is 5 times larger. But thanks for the suggestion.
Can anyone else give me some sound advice on my next fish selection.
Regards,
Conte

 

[conte]

Mighty mouse passed away this morning........he didn't look well yesterday and I was wondering if he'd make it.......

 

[conte]

OK, I feel really stupid right now. I thought my tank had cycled but apparently not. ??
My 90 gallon has been set-up now for over 1 month. Here is the tank set-up;
90gal, FO, no LR
1 maxijet 1200 power head
1 350 power head
2 in, DSB
50lbs base rock
emperor 280 w/bio-wheel
HOT Magnum 250 system w/bio wheel
CPR protein skimmer w/ bio-bail
Inhabitants;
2 Turban Snail
1 Cleaner Shrimp
2 blue damsels
1 yellow tang
Water;
pH 8.2
Salinity; 1.024
Ammo; .25
Nitrites; 2ppm
Nitrates; 5 ppm
Here's what is bothering me about the cycle. Initially, I used Biozyme to help start biologial filters get started. I used it as suggested on the back of the package. However, I never saw a spike in my ammonia? Now I have a spike in my nitrites @ 2ppm aand I have traces of Nitrates? Is this possible to nver have a spike in my ammo? There has been a little bit of brown algae growh on one side of my tank, side which faces my windows. I have lost on domino damsel and 1 turban snail in the past week. My tang, shrimp, 2 snails and damsels all look and act healthy.
Where am I in the cycle? Has my cycle even started? I know my set-up is not ideal for a 90gal but according to the consensus my set-up is not that bad.
Sorry for the long post.
Conte

 

[krunk]

your trates and trites arent bad at all, but 0 is best. Now your ammonia shouldnt even be noticable

 

[conte]

Thanks for the reassurance. But the ammo is still a mystery and it leaves me with questions.......
Does this mean that my cycle has not yet finished? Or has it started and is in the middle? Why didn't my ammo spike? If it is at the end of the cycle, then why are there still ammo readings above 0?
So many questions, sorry.
Conte