90g RR build

[kdpuffer]

Well as some of you know I have a 55g reef tank. I have planned an upgrade and due to some other things happening I pulled the trigger rather than put it off longer. Well I've started by just picking up a brand new 90 gallon reed ready tank and in time will be turning my 55g into the sump. My plan at this point is to get my bulkheads installed and plumb my drain and return in the overflow. I plan to have valves placed just bellow the tank on both drain and return. Once this plumbing is in place I plan to move everything over from the 55g aswell as some more rock and some new sand. Once the 55 is empty I will install some baffles and get the plumbing finished. The sump will include a refugium and I am also leaning towards an algae turf scrubber as I have only heard good things about them. I also plan to upgrade my skimmer for an in sump one. The other plan is to switch over to LED lights. I'm leaning towards taotronics dimmables but am open to opinions. Well that's it for now, you know the plan so we will see if it all happens as planned. Work will likely start in the next couple weeks as I am working out of town again. I've enclosed a pic of the tank.

 

[kdpuffer]

Well the work has started, the timeline at the moment is to transfer everything over next week. This weekend I plan to get the tank leveled, floor is horribly uneven. I just did my in tank plumbing complete with valves under the tank. Best part is the valves have built in unions. I also grabbed some reducers and nipples so I can run my canister on the plumbing while I build the sump. I enclosed some pics, the drain line isn't done yet, I forgot to buy the 90. I'm planning to do a Durso standpipe at this point and we will see how it goes.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

No need for a valve on the drain line... You're better without it. How come you decided to put one there?

 

[kdpuffer]

I chose to add the valve there so if I ever have to rework plumbing I can close it and work. Also I plan basement renos in the future and the valve will allow removing plumbing. It won't be used much but having it there and not needing it is better than not having it and needing it. I also plan to run my canister filter off the overflow till the sump is built and the valve will allow me to balance things for the canister.

 

[Geegee1982]

I'd like to see how you get on with this as I'm in the same position working on a 90g tank.how you pluming the sump to ur tank and which way you going with lighting.

 

[kdpuffer]

As far as plumbing goes I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to do it as I have not got the sump. As for lighting I know I'm going with LED just not sure which ones yet.

 

[kdpuffer]

Ok well not really an update but a glimpse into the near future. Tomorrow is a local reef meet a buddy and I are attending and afterwards I plan to acquire some stuff. I have a couple engineer gobies on hold for me (thanks gboy and nunu you got me hooked) one for me and one for the father inlaw for his new tank. I also plan to get some sand for the new tank and some dry base rock. I also hope to grab a return pump, I'm shooting for 500-700gph as I can easily make up the difference with powerheads.

 

[kdpuffer]

So I spent money!!!!!!! Got my sand, rock and return pump. I also got some new stock, engineer goby, mccoskers wrasse, some metallic clove polyps and some really nice zoas. Pics will be posted once placed in the tank. I plan to get water in the tank and transfer tomorrow but time will tell.

 

[Ericwm]

I am following as I am also planning an upgrade to a 90g. I am looking at the rapidled.com 90 gallon lighting. Have you looked into these? It seems to be the cheapest way to get good quality LEDs on a tank, it requires a bit of work though.

 

[kdpuffer]

I am following as I am also planning an upgrade to a 90g. I am looking at the rapidled.com 90 gallon lighting. Have you looked into these? It seems to be the cheapest way to get good quality LEDs on a tank, it requires a bit of work though.

I just went and had a quick look there, you planning the Onyx? Or are you going to DIY a fixture? I actually am leaning towards aq-led.com/ their fixtures look nice, they are in Canada which cuts shipping and they are fully programmable.

 

[Ericwm]

Those do look nice. I am looking at the DIY, it will keep costs down and I like the DIY thing.

Have you decided how you are going to transfer your livestock over to the new tank? I am wondering if I am going to cycle my new tank first.

 

[kdpuffer]

I am just gonna transfer it. The live rock is already established to handle the bio load so it's not a concern. Oh I am transferring the rock too lol. I have started to fill the tank but my rodi reservoir ran dry on me so I have to wait for more water. I have my dry base rock and sand in also (rock first then sand so the rock is stable) kinda have an idea for my scape but it will probably change in time. Tomorrow is the day I plan to transfer if all goes well, if not it won't be for two week as it sounds I'm headed away for work for that long.

 

[kdpuffer]

Oh and pics of the new additions. The clove polyps haven't opened yet so they are not included. Notice the red hair algae- grrrrrrrrrrrrr. I'm hoping a refugium will help that combined with the sea hare I got a few weeks ago. The guy is ugly as sin but seems to be helping mow it down fast. I named it shrek. I'm also planning to do an algae turf scrubber.

 

[Ericwm]

I was hoping that was how it would work. I guess as long as I don't add a bunch to the bio load until the new rock has established it will not change anything.

I am also turning my current tank into my sump so I will definitely be looking for any tips you may think of along the way.

 

[kdpuffer]

Well once I start the sump ill keep ya informed. For now I threw my spare 29g underneath as a make shift sump for now.

 

[Ericwm]

I was thinking a 5 gallon bucket would be my temporary sump.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Was that a Springers Dottyback I saw??

 

[kdpuffer]

Nope, I assume your talking about the mccoskers wrasse.

Well I got the tank filled, temp sump running. All rock is moved over, may have to move some more to the sump but I can't finalize the scape till the water clears up. Have my remora aqua c hob skimmer running on the sump till I get a new skimmer. So far so good and it didnt take all day like I expected. Ill throw some pics up once the water clears and I rework the scape to something I'm happy with for now.

 

[Ericwm]

Can't wait for the pictures. I'm glad all is going smoothly.

 

[kdpuffer]

Alright well here is what I have so far. The scape needs reworking and I am definitely moving some of the dry rock to the sump. The majority of my coral and my fish are in a bucket still till I finish my scape. You can see the sump here also, it's temporary and not overly noisy when I turn the skimmer off. That sucker is loud splashing back down, an in sump skimmer just became a priority!!!!!!!!