Clevers 75g Bare Bottom SPS

[CleverBs]

I am starting a 75g SPS Reef Tank

The tank is currently a hi-tech planted tank so Im selling my regulator and co2 tank, plants, gravel, canister and driftwood to fund the upgrade from my 25g to the 75g. I am very excited to get this going and will be moving the fish in the tank to my 40 gallon that has been cycled for about 3 months now. Ill then move all my equipment and live stock from my 25g nano to the 75g tank.

Here will be my setup that I am planning so far.

Things I already Have
​

• 3x54w t5ho Fixture /w ATI bulbs
• 75 Gallon Tank Drilled With 3x 1'' Bulk Heads
• 30g Sump
• Plumbing
• 35lb's of Live Rock
• Stand
• MP10 ESW
• Korilia 750
• Korilia 1250
• 300watt Fluval heater

Things I need

​

• 60lbs of rock
• Reef Octopus NWB 150
• 3x54w t5ho /w ati bulbs (Im buying a 2nd one)
• Mag 9.5

I am planning to go bare bottom so that I can keep my water quality pristine. My stock list will be the following:

• Midis Blenny
• Royal Gramma
• kole Tang
• Scooter Blenny
• Small School of Green Chromis ~ 6-8
• Haven't Thought of Other Cool Fish Dont want a Large BioLoad beings Im trying to keep the water as clean as I can for the sps.

So my plan is over the next week to:

• Finish Painting Back Black
• Get Pump
• Plumb Tank

I am moving the project along as I sell my planted tank equipment. I will be building an acrylic rock lift for the tank. Instaling loc line split with a wye for the return.

Pictures of Progress So Far

Blue Prints : Front

Blue Prints : Back

30g Sump

Painting The Tank Now

 

[Reeffanman]

Looks good id think of making the return chamber in the sump much larger all of your evaporation will be from that chamber. I would expect almost 1 gal per day evaporation from that tank, IMO if u went 2 days ur pump may burn out

 

[CleverBs]

well i will have an ATO system so no need for that

 

[Reeffanman]

well i will have an ATO system so no need for that

Good to know

 

[CleverBs]

Today I'm ordering 55lbs of base rock from brs and my loc line for my return. I'm very excited to see what I get from brs. Iv never ordered rock on line and hope I'm not disappointed.

 

[CleverBs]

little update on the tank.

Plumbing is all cut and dry fit.

Ordered a Quitetone 3000 today.

Back of the tank. I put caps on the top of the return and drain so that I can take them off to clean the inside of the plumbing to insure no dertris build ups.

I put on offs on all the returns for any time I need to do sump cleaning and turn it off.

The drains have elbows on them that will keep the water moving up so that the dertris settles in in the 2nd chamber so its easy to clean out or is this foolish and the drains should be closer to the top of the over flow?

Return line

 

[TLTGF]

How in the world did I miss this build?! Following along...

 

[CleverBs]

what do you think of it so far? I have been doing this kind of by seeing what others have done and changing it so it benefits me. what do you think of the plumbing? this is the first pvc work i have ever done and iv never done any form of plumbing before and I havent gotten any feed back on if I did it correctly or not.

 

[TLTGF]

I can only tell you that I "Think" it looks good. You've got me beat as I've NEVER done any. The closest thing I did was to make a silencer for my skimmer. All my aquarium plumbing is spa tubing - no pvc.

 

[CleverBs]

My tank is being filled right now. Going to take about 24hrs I think beings my rodi is 90g per day. I have about 30 gallons in a tub that Im going to add when the dt fills to make sure my plumbing works right and everything runs smooth and of course doesn't leak. My rock, skimmer, and loc line for my return come tomorrow. Today I finalized my plumbing by glueing it the return isn't finished because I messed up and cut a peice to short so I need to make yet another trip to home depot...

 

[Mrc8858]

Everything sounds good so far ill be following along but are you planning on just 3 T5s?

 

[CleverBs]

no I am buying 2 Led panels for this tank

I was going to do 2x 3bulb fixtures of t5 but decided I would rather save money in the long run and have lower heat in my room so I decided to go with the LEDs instead.

 

[CleverBs]

The tank is probably 30mins away from being full and then Ill get to turn my return on and see how will it works. Any tips to making a return more quiet? I have a quietone 3000 but ill be honest this thing is far from quiet as of right now. maybe it will be better once it breaks in a bit?

This rock scape is in no way the final product I just placed the rocks in there for now to get the cycle going beings I have more rocks from my 25g Nano that will be going in this tank. I probably wont have this much rock when all is said and done. I am a big fan of negative space so It will have to be incorporated in my tank some how.

Rocks are Bulk Reef Supply Reef Saver rocks. every rock they sent me is almost the exact same size even though I requested varying sizes of rock but whatever i plan on just using a hammer and chisel when I get to rock scape.

Build a small stand for the skimmer my water level was just a bit to high. I put this elbow on it that isn't a real sharp angle so that the water doesnt make a trickling noise it seems to work I dont know if it will effect the skimmers functionality. Its a Reef Octopus NWB 150. Should the pipes of the drains go to the bottom of the water or be closer to the top? my though was if they are at the bottom they will keep the water flowing up.

 

[CleverBs]

Heres my blue prints for my canopy.

Front

Back

This is the inside. I have designed this rack of sorts inside to hold my LED fixture. The light will slide inside this support so that when I open the lid the LED can just stay in and I wont have to worry about it falling in.

 

[Smudgy35]

Liking this thread everything is looking good i'll be following intently

 

[CleverBs]

opps forgot to post a picture inside the canopy...

Today my plan is to pick up some 2x2's to make my frame and get a heater for my tank.

 

[Reefnoob84]

I would use 1x3 or 1x2 pine boards for and framing. They are light and strong. The first canopy I built was out of 2x4 and 2x2s and was heavy. The wife couldn't even help and it was for a 46 gallon bowfront.

 

[CleverBs]

Thanks for that tip I went ahead and got the 2x1s it took me 30mins to find 6 that were straight and knot free...they are pine and got all 6 for only 12$. The decision to build my own is going to save me a lot of money and also do exactly what I want it to do. I think the wood to cover the outside may cost me a bit but I'm painting it black to match my tank so I don't need a high quality hard wood. Anyone have any suggestions on what type of wood I should use for the outside?

 

[CleverBs]

Considering 11/32 sanded pine plywood

 

[emerald76]

Are you going to be selling sps too or is this just a dt?