90 Gallon Mixed Reef Build

[msl5078]

Hi Everyone!

I just picked up a 90 gallon tank with corner overflow off of craigslist yesterday. Spent the day improving the stand and now i'm ready to get the rest of the equipment that I need and put sand and rock in. I have a few questions on equipment and rock.

As far as equipment I have found a bunch of reef equipment on craigslist that I have been picking up on the cheap. So far I have the following:

6x54 watt T5 NovaUSA light fixture
Precision Marine RL-125 Protein Skimmer
Mag-Drive 7 return pump
DIY Calcium reactor with power head and CO2 regulator interface
DIY Phosphate and Activated Carbon reactor power by Mag-Drive 5 pump.
Wavebox
Aqualifter pump with float switch
DIY acrylic Sump with refugium with Macro-algae.

I am in the process of tracking down a RO/DI unit with a booster pump, but probably won't get that till after Christmas. I live in CT and the ocean is only about a 10 minute drive so i have been thinking about just using ocean water rather than the RO/DI option. What is your opinion on that?

I know that I need some powerheads, but i'm not sure what exactly I need.

I am looking to do DIY rock mixed with dead rock but I am unsure how you seed the rock and how exactly that all works. And can the same be applied to the sand/crushed coral?

I am not looking to add any coral for about 6 months to get everything perfect before doing so.

Thanks ,
mike

[redsea]

Congrats on your new tank! I wouldn't recommend getting seawater from the ocean because there could be diseases/harmful organisms that you wouldn't want introduced into your aquarium.

[carey]

Hi there! Grats on the new tank! You've acquired quite the stockpile there, some of that stuff you won't be needing for some time. lol

But anyways, I agree i wouldn't get ocean water and I live in Florida. You never know what is in it.

As far as powerheads, I have a 90g I am building this week and I will be using 2 koralia 750's. If youre going full on reef tank then i would say get the koralia 1400's, one for each side.