My new 90g Tank Project

immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
So a while back I got out of saltwater and sold off all my stuff because I was moving. Well long story short the Army said no we think we will keep you here and I didnt move. So after a while I decided I wanted another tank. Because money is extremely tight now days Ive been lurking craigslist for a while and finally found a tank fit for my dining room. I found this for $200 bucks.

So in the biggest snowstorm we've had in a few years I went off and loaded up the tank and brought it home. In the first pic you can still see some of the snow from the ride back. That night I filled it with water. The next day I went out got a new bucket of salt, 2 Marineland 200w Shatter proof heaters and a Cascade 1000 canister filter. I Added all the salt/water and sand and let that settle till it was clear. Today I went and got some live rock. I want to add a lot more but I think it is a good start. The last picture is of how the tank sits as is. I still need a few essentials but that will come as more money comes in. My plan now is to build up enough live rock to make tons of caves and tunnels all the way up the back wall (not against it) and leave the front open. I usually paint the back of my tanks but i decided to cover it with rock! I havent decided on my stock list but I want a tank with many colors and movement as well as some unique ones. I was also thinking about adding another cascade 1000 filter as someone just put one on craigslist for really cheap. I figure it cant do any harm right? I did go ahead and put my maroon clown in (I had her in a small 10 gallon for a while). Im trying out all that instant cycle stuff + active live sand from the get go. So it should be ok with just her in it, shes lovin it so far! Anyways this is my new project and I will probably post more after the holiday!



 
chewwy

chewwy

New Member
Nice tank, I like it so far. Looks good. Wish I could find a tank and stand like that for 200, I'd grab it too.
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chewwy http:///forum/thread/382506/my-new-90g-tank-project#post_3338545
Nice tank, I like it so far. Looks good. Wish I could find a tank and stand like that for 200, I'd grab it too.
Thanks! yeah it was a great deal. All the wood is in very good shape and I cant even find a single scratch on any of the glass. It really looks great in the dinning room. I cant wait to get more rock and some proper lighting. Also feel free to add in what YOU guys would do add to this tank! Im interested in hearing others ideas.
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Well just an update for anyone who wants to follow. Ive got copods running around on the live rock like crazy, Also tons of feather dusters. The Maroon Clown is Doing great too! Hopefully in the next few weeks I can add another 50lbs of live rock. In the next week I plan on adding another fish. Takin it reeeeaaall sloooowww.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Looks good so far....since you already have the clown make sure the live rock you get is fully cured and stays wet
Do you have any cuc (clean up crew) like snaild and stuff
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1Snapple http:///forum/thread/382506/my-new-90g-tank-project#post_3347283
Ill fallow. I would do an awesome reef tank with wrasses and tangs.
Cool thanks man! Yeah I was looking at one of the smaller wrasses but still havent decided totally what I want to do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/382506/my-new-90g-tank-project#post_3347291
Looks good so far....since you already have the clown make sure the live rock you get is fully cured and stays wet
Do you have any cuc (clean up crew) like snaild and stuff
Yep I buy my live rock form an LFS and its only out of water for about 15 mins. When I buy rock in the summer/warmer months I can keep it submerged in the back of my truck the whole time.
Right now I have a 3 Blue legged hermit crabs and a turbo snail from my 10 gallon. With the rock already cured and everything I didnt get a large one yet. Im looking at getting a large variety if critters to clean up. variety to where every time someone looks they see something new. I was looking at:
5 more Blue Legged hermit crabs
[strike]3 Green Emerald Crabs
1-2 Decorator Crab-spiders [/strike]Removed for now!
4 peppermint shrimp
2 cleaner shrimp
few more more Turbo Snails
maybe 1-2 urchins
Does anyone see any problems with this combination? Id like to have my full amount of liverock in before I add anything more just so nothing gets lost in the process. I may even take the maroon out for a while when adding the rock/cleanup.
 
mproctor4

mproctor4

Member
Nice looking tank and a great price!
Personally, I would leave out the Sally lightfoot and the coral banded shrimp. I once had a sally lightfoot get so big it killed a royal gramma in a 45 gal tank. Also the coral banded will kill your cleaner shrimp. I prefer the cleaner shrimp because they are more active and don't hide as much. What about a blood shrimp with the skunk cleaner shrimp. They hide some but not as much as the coral banded, get along with the skunk cleaner shrimp, and they are very colorful.
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mproctor4 http:///forum/thread/382506/my-new-90g-tank-project#post_3347335
Nice looking tank and a great price!
Personally, I would leave out the Sally lightfoot and the coral banded shrimp. I once had a sally lightfoot get so big it killed a royal gramma in a 45 gal tank. Also the coral banded will kill your cleaner shrimp. I prefer the cleaner shrimp because they are more active and don't hide as much. What about a blood shrimp with the skunk cleaner shrimp. They hide some but not as much as the coral banded, get along with the skunk cleaner shrimp, and they are very colorful.
Cool I think i will take your advice on that and take those two off the list!
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Also Other notes:
I need to add Lights
Id Like to add a refugium
After looking at another thread. I think I will go with the "Island style live rock" Those tanks really looked good.
And lastly I am sure that I will change my mind many times. I openly accept any advice or ideas and hope to hear some.
Thanks for following!
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Well After a long day of job searching, I decided to work on the tank. I ended up at ***** (My local ***** actually does a good job with their fish and does not overcrowd etc). Today I got a Tiger Pistol Shrimp and an Orange Spotted Goby. I think its so cool that they have this symbiotic relationship and one watches while the other digs, Of course its already torn up my sand bed but Im still so amazed. They were doing this in the tank at the store and I had to have them both. Soon as I was done acclimating and added them they both went right at it again like nothing ever happened. Very happy with my purchase :)
I also redid my rock work, I did one big vertical island with the rock I had. Im very happy with the way it turned out. I have tons and tons of caves and holes for hiding spots and water flow. I usually hate my rock work but once I get some algae on here they will look great! At the store I met a guy with another tank who said he had 400lbs of live rock he is selling so I got his number and should be able to do the rest of the rock work soon! $2.00 per pound too.
 
kingpin8771

kingpin8771

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Immortal4419 http:///forum/thread/382506/my-new-90g-tank-project#post_3351244
Well After a long day of job searching, I decided to work on the tank. I ended up at ***** (My local ***** actually does a good job with their fish and does not overcrowd etc). Today I got a Tiger Pistol Shrimp and an Orange Spotted Goby. I think its so cool that they have this symbiotic relationship and one watches while the other digs, Of course its already torn up my sand bed but Im still so amazed. They were doing this in the tank at the store and I had to have them both. Soon as I was done acclimating and added them they both went right at it again like nothing ever happened. Very happy with my purchase :)
I also redid my rock work, I did one big vertical island with the rock I had. Im very happy with the way it turned out. I have tons and tons of caves and holes for hiding spots and water flow. I usually hate my rock work but once I get some algae on here they will look great! At the store I met a guy with another tank who said he had 400lbs of live rock he is selling so I got his number and should be able to do the rest of the rock work soon! $2.00 per pound too.

2.00 a pound sweet deal.How many pounds you going to add?
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingpin8771 http:///forum/thread/382506/my-new-90g-tank-project#post_3351288
2.00 a pound sweet deal.How many pounds you going to add?
Ive Got around 70lbs now, Im going to get 40lbs today for free! :) and then im Planning on buying another 250lbs from the guy I met, Not all of this will go into the tank. Id like to still have lots of swimming room. But I plan on Building at least three more islands like the one pictured while keeping the front open for swimming. The rest of the rock is going to go in a tank underneath for the next project!
This morning I came out to find that me Goby and Pistol Shrimp have setup camp right at the front of my rock work in plain site. Still very Thrilled!
 
B

brandonsivek

Guest
I love watching tanks in the early stages, nice job! A word of advice. I have a Spider Decorator Crab, and depending on what you want to add to your tank in the future such as corals, you might want to reconsider. They are know to pull and pick off pieces of corals and attach them to their shell (hence the decorator part). Some say they are a nightmare in a smaller reef tank because of this, but in larger reef tanks they can actually help with the propogation and spreading the corals around by doing this. I think your tank would be somewhere in the middle, and you might have to keep an eye on him. I honestly wouldnt get one though, they are moslty nocturnal, and the only time I see him is when I turn the lights on then he hurries behind the rocks.
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingpin8771 http:///forum/thread/382506/my-new-90g-tank-project#post_3351460
Sweet. nice pic.Keep the pics. coming as you go.I cant wait to see what it looks like. How long did it take to cycle??
I actually used some of the Instant Cycle Stuff. I had some Live sand from my previous tank, plus I bought about 40lbs more live sand that supposedly also instant cycles. The live rock was cured and went right in as well. I waited 3 days,T even though they said I could use instantly and moved my Maroon Clown from my 10 Gallon. She is really doing good and loves the space and the new rock work. Ive waited about a month since then and Just added the Goby and Shrimp. All is well so far! I guess some of that instant cycle stuff does work, but im still taking this very slow from here on out. I just wanted the Maroon out of that 10 gallon.
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrandonSivek http:///forum/thread/382506/my-new-90g-tank-project#post_3351465
I love watching tanks in the early stages, nice job! A word of advice. I have a Spider Decorator Crab, and depending on what you want to add to your tank in the future such as corals, you might want to reconsider. They are know to pull and pick off pieces of corals and attach them to their shell (hence the decorator part). Some say they are a nightmare in a smaller reef tank because of this, but in larger reef tanks they can actually help with the propogation and spreading the corals around by doing this. I think your tank would be somewhere in the middle, and you might have to keep an eye on him. I honestly wouldnt get one though, they are moslty nocturnal, and the only time I see him is when I turn the lights on then he hurries behind the rocks.
Thanks! Ok cool, I will consider that for sure. I am trying to keep everything reef safe as Im considering trying a reef, never done one before. I will hold of on the decorator crab for now! Thanks man!
@Ecooper, Sorry I havent gotten pics of the marroon yet, Little bugger hates cameras. He has been very active today and swimming everywhere. Soon as I pull a camera he hits the rock work and hides.
Well Im off to pick up some more live rock, Supposedly a guy on craigslist is just giving out 40lbs for free and I managed to be the first to call him!
But we will see what it is actually like etc. I will have to feel the guy out and see if I want to add it to my tank, or let it sit in my other tank over night to clean and inspect.
This is the Tank as is right now. Goby and Pistol Shrimp are eating well! Goals this month is Lights, Live Rock, more inverts/cuc and some more water movement/powerheads etc. With my Cascade 1000 filter Ive got the returns across the back pointed to the top at about a 45 degree angle, with that and the Aquaclear 30 power head I had in my 10 Ive got good surface agitation. So maybe some sort of wave maker
setup?
 
immortal4419

immortal4419

Member
Well ive got the Live rock and im back home. Lots of good coraline growth, I got lots of hitch hikers as well. Seems to be close to 60lbs of rock more so than 40.
So far Ive got 1 snail, 1 red hermit crab, 2 more blue legged hermit crabs, 2 green emerald crabs and hundreds of little starfish. And the best part was.....It was all FREE! With all the living things I went ahead and put it in my tank, Im sure I will loose a lot of starfish with the move so I will start checking levels and doing small water changed in the morning. I will be keeping my eye out for anything that doesnt belong. Next I really need to get lights to keep all this growing....
Pictures on their way. Also in the water that I left the rocks in, there are numerous copods, Is there any easy way to snag these up and add them to my tank? I already had quite a few and id like to get a good population of them for a lil while.
 
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