snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I just moved into a new place and well, new place, new tank. The 110g tall that I was going to set up was just a little too tall to really feel comfortable doing maintenance on it. So, I decided to go for a 75g instead.
The 75g that I purchased new is a "Top Fin" aquarium made by Aqueon. It has clear silicone and a tempered bottom. The side of the tank will be drilled for a glass holes 700gph internal overflow.
The return pump that I have on hand is a Mag Drive 9.5. I will be using this return pump to run the sump as well as a calcium reactor in the near future. I am most likely going to buy an Octopus calcium reactor for a 125g tank.
I also have on order a Typhoon III RO/DI unit with a pressure gauge, ball valves, extra float valve and a new TDS meter. (because I lost my old one in the move.) You can only guess where I bought it from. :X
Choosing a protein skimmer was not easy. I looked at many different brands of protein skimmers in my search, including Tunze, Deltec, Bubble Magus, and Bubble King. None of which were really and truly in my price range. So, I began looking into Octopus skimmers and I had a hard time choosing between the Diablo XS160 and the Diablo XS200. What it came down to was room in my sump, not price. I don't believe I could have fit an octopus XS200 in a 20g long comfortably, and so that is why I chose the 160.
The skimmer was also chosen because Octopus brand skimmers also have their own automatic neck cleaners and they also come with a pre-drilled drain in the skimmate cup that has the optional skimmate locker. I am going to buy both - for efficiency of the protein skimmer. I realize that having an efficient skimmer will also dictate how successful a tank is long term. I have seen too many systems with protein skimmers over on other larger forums on tanks that have long term success. While I will most likely keep using macroalgae as part of my nutrient removal plan, I am mainly going to use it to stabilize night time pH. I like the idea of the skimmate locker mainly because if the cup overflows, it won't dump a bunch of waste back into the tank - it will simply shut off the skimmer. This kind of redundancy is what I like.
Over the course of the next few weeks,... when I get some time, I will start constructing a new stand. The stand that I currently have will fit a 75g, with some modification, but I talked to my wife and we feel like it is better to start new. The new stand will be 32" high, so that you can sit and watch the fish instead of stand. 32" will also give my skimmer enough clearance for the neck cleaner as well as the ability to remove it when necessary. The stand will be constructed of pine. I am going to use a "natural" stain on the pine and sand and seal/gloss it instead of polyurethane. I think a stand with all the piny knots is what I am going to go for. It's simple, easy and sort of has that "country feel" that I like.
There are two problems that I am currently going to have with this system. For one, the location where I am going to put it is right in the middle of my kitchen floor - that separates my kitchen from my living room. The reason for putting it there is because of the weight bearing load on the floor joists has to be at about that point. If I put it on the edge of the trailer, I will have to brace it on the outside and worry about the brace shifting over time. Therefore, I think using the tank as a divider between the two rooms is going to be pretty nice. So, it's not actually the location of the tank that I am so much worried about as not having to trip over an electrical cord on one side of the tank to get into the kitchen.
The electrical line will have to be run to the wall outlet via a cord. The cord will have to be somehow secured to the floor (and I know right now my wife will not allow duct tape. LOL) Another thing is keeping my daughter from someday unplugging my aquarium while I am not looking.
Another concern is how much space I have underneath my new tank. The dimensions of the stand will allow for a 20g long aquarium to fit underneath the tank pretty easily. However, the rest of the space that I have is very limited. Between my electrical work on one side, a calcium reactor, phosphate reactor, carbon reactor and sump - space will be at a premium. I will have to choose my equipment wisely.
The 75g that I purchased new is a "Top Fin" aquarium made by Aqueon. It has clear silicone and a tempered bottom. The side of the tank will be drilled for a glass holes 700gph internal overflow.
The return pump that I have on hand is a Mag Drive 9.5. I will be using this return pump to run the sump as well as a calcium reactor in the near future. I am most likely going to buy an Octopus calcium reactor for a 125g tank.
I also have on order a Typhoon III RO/DI unit with a pressure gauge, ball valves, extra float valve and a new TDS meter. (because I lost my old one in the move.) You can only guess where I bought it from. :X
Choosing a protein skimmer was not easy. I looked at many different brands of protein skimmers in my search, including Tunze, Deltec, Bubble Magus, and Bubble King. None of which were really and truly in my price range. So, I began looking into Octopus skimmers and I had a hard time choosing between the Diablo XS160 and the Diablo XS200. What it came down to was room in my sump, not price. I don't believe I could have fit an octopus XS200 in a 20g long comfortably, and so that is why I chose the 160.
The skimmer was also chosen because Octopus brand skimmers also have their own automatic neck cleaners and they also come with a pre-drilled drain in the skimmate cup that has the optional skimmate locker. I am going to buy both - for efficiency of the protein skimmer. I realize that having an efficient skimmer will also dictate how successful a tank is long term. I have seen too many systems with protein skimmers over on other larger forums on tanks that have long term success. While I will most likely keep using macroalgae as part of my nutrient removal plan, I am mainly going to use it to stabilize night time pH. I like the idea of the skimmate locker mainly because if the cup overflows, it won't dump a bunch of waste back into the tank - it will simply shut off the skimmer. This kind of redundancy is what I like.
Over the course of the next few weeks,... when I get some time, I will start constructing a new stand. The stand that I currently have will fit a 75g, with some modification, but I talked to my wife and we feel like it is better to start new. The new stand will be 32" high, so that you can sit and watch the fish instead of stand. 32" will also give my skimmer enough clearance for the neck cleaner as well as the ability to remove it when necessary. The stand will be constructed of pine. I am going to use a "natural" stain on the pine and sand and seal/gloss it instead of polyurethane. I think a stand with all the piny knots is what I am going to go for. It's simple, easy and sort of has that "country feel" that I like.
There are two problems that I am currently going to have with this system. For one, the location where I am going to put it is right in the middle of my kitchen floor - that separates my kitchen from my living room. The reason for putting it there is because of the weight bearing load on the floor joists has to be at about that point. If I put it on the edge of the trailer, I will have to brace it on the outside and worry about the brace shifting over time. Therefore, I think using the tank as a divider between the two rooms is going to be pretty nice. So, it's not actually the location of the tank that I am so much worried about as not having to trip over an electrical cord on one side of the tank to get into the kitchen.
The electrical line will have to be run to the wall outlet via a cord. The cord will have to be somehow secured to the floor (and I know right now my wife will not allow duct tape. LOL) Another thing is keeping my daughter from someday unplugging my aquarium while I am not looking.
Another concern is how much space I have underneath my new tank. The dimensions of the stand will allow for a 20g long aquarium to fit underneath the tank pretty easily. However, the rest of the space that I have is very limited. Between my electrical work on one side, a calcium reactor, phosphate reactor, carbon reactor and sump - space will be at a premium. I will have to choose my equipment wisely.
