75g reef build in progress

[Speakerman]

Ok, so I have my power heads hooked up, and the sand in my tank and refugium. The drains are plumbed, as well as most of the return, I can't finish that until I get my return pump.

----> I have a question, the 35g long tank with the 3 drains in it is my sump, should I do a baffle system in it or could I leave it like it is with the return pump on the left side and the skimmer in the center. If anything, what if I just do one baffle on the left side just before the pump? That way the water level by the skimmer will stay at or above that height. All I'm putting in there is the skimmer and the return pump, and probably some rubble, doesn't seem to me like I should need a complex baffle setup since my refugium is a whole different tank... thoughts?

 

[Speakerman]

I got my return pump and skimmer in yesterday, they are both hooked up. The live rock will be here by thursday or friday. 90lbs base rock, and 25 lbs premium rubble.

 

[Speakerman]

My refractometer and the rest of my parts for my semi-DIY metal halide kit came in.

Oceanproaquatics is screwing me around with my liverock order because they are moving from one shop to another right now. I wish I would have chosen another place to b uy it from, wasn't aqare of their issues when ordering. So I guess if I get my liverock this week I'll be lucky, and I'll be able to add the rock and saltwater. Then once I get all of that set and running I'll work on building the canapy and installing my compacts+halide.

 

[Speakerman]

well, it's been a while. But finally my rock is shipped and it's supposed to be here on wednesday the 22nd. I'll get my aquascaping done and put saltwater in! whewt!

 

[Speakerman]

Pictures!

My LR came in yesterday wewt!

I have the water @ 1.022.
It was very murky when I got everything in there, so I took 2 clean socks, put them together and over the 2 downspouts going to the sump. within 10 hours (sleep) I woke up and the water is close to being clear.

My cycle has officially begun.

 

[melosu58]

It looks pretty good. It`s exciting when your LR comes in. Congrats.

 

[Speakerman]

I do have one problem. It's easily solved. But I have alot of micro bubbles in the tank.

I'm going to have to drain the sump, take everything out, and put a double bubble trap before the return section, my skimmer is producing too many micro bubbles that are getting sucked up to the main tank.

 

[fishmonkey]

love the tank AND the dog! cool

 

[Speakerman]

love the tank AND the dog! cool

I love my dog!

 

[fishmonkey]

heres mine. the pics pretty bad because of the lighting. sorry to be off topic, but dogs ARE important!

 

[Etunes]

I am trying to get plans to make my sump and refugium. can you draw a simple plan showing me how you did yout rank? I would greatly appreciate it. Also i like how you set up your live rock. It would look cool as a big reef.

 

[Speakerman]

my sump/refugium are both just tanks, no baffels. I decided I wanted the two tanks because it would increase my water volume (which does a lot for your entire system's stability)

I would not recommend a setup like this unless you have a LOT of space in your stand or your going to run the sump/refuge somewhere else completely, like a basement.

I'll draw something up here in a bit and post it though,

 

[Etunes]

Thanks for taking the time to draw something up for me. I have been trying to get my dad to do a saltwater tank for a long time and he said he might just let me. YAY. So i plan on using this site as a guide. I am of course gonna start with a FOWLR 55 or 75 gallon tank. So thanks for the ideas.

 

[InfernoST]

Good luck to you.

 

[Etunes]

Good luck to you.

Well dont wish me luck yet. I am still trying to fully convense my dad to let me do this as my first salt water tank. Let me as you your opinion. I have another tank that has a bichir, flag cichlid, and a gold gourami. And i am fighting whether if i should put these fish in my 90 gallon corner tank and wait and put the saltwater tank in in a 55 or 75 gallon tank. Or should i do it the other way around? The Corner tank has a overflow built on it just to let you know.

 

[Speakerman]

larger volume of water is usually better for low-tech aquariums and beginners.
90 corner with a HoB overflow+ as big a sump as you can fit = win

 

[fishmonkey]

yes I agree ue the 90

 

[Etunes]

larger volume of water is usually better for low-tech aquariums and beginners.
90 corner with a HoB overflow+ as big a sump as you can fit = win

Actually has a built in filter. I plan on having a 30 gallon sump filter.

 

[Speakerman]

.75 ppm ammonia
.5 ppm nitrite
0 ppm nitrate
8.1 pH
180 ppm Alk
240 ppm TH
1.023 salinity

 

[Speakerman]

hhhmmm.....well....
My ammonia is 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5-10

doesn't seem possible that the tank is cycled in a week and 1/2...

I think I'm going to grab a couple big shrimp from the grocery and put them in the tank, try to get another cycle out of it. good idea?