Dustybaker's 75 gallon build

[dustybaker]

I know I should have waited for this thread, but im ready to get more serious. Im tired of looking at an empty tank. The only thing thats decided is the stuff I already bought, everything else is an open canvas. Im really hoping for any help I can get. The tank is an Oceanic(guessing) with a black stand and canopy. Sump is a 20L with a euroreef rs-135. It has no baffles or anything so it needs to be built. I screwed up with my first tank and used tap water, biggest mistake you can ever make! Now I have a 5 stage Kent marine Hi-s Ro/di. This build will be very slow to come, as I am one of the many unemployed. I am however getting married on the 24th, that should help with funding this build. My fiance thought it was a joke when I suggested doing a wedding registry at SWE.... Here is what I have so far.

Tank


Future Sump


Skimmer


Gate Valve Up-grade

[dustybaker]

Anyone want to compile a list of basic's I need just to get water in it?(First Sump Tank)

[Biggiesdrum]

also helps if you get the sand in so it can settle.

[dustybaker]

Ya for sure.

[Biggiesdrum]

what kind of sand are you thinking?

[Merkurfan]

that tank drilled? or do you have a overflow (on to the floor) box for it? If no on both. I can hook you up either/or.

Congrats on tie'n the knot as well. The wife and I did it about 6 months before (4/25/09) best day of my life

I'll check with fritz to see whats on your list.

[dustybaker]

Originally Posted by Merkurfan

that tank drilled? or do you have a overflow (on to the floor) box for it? If no on both. I can hook you up either/or..

I talked to Fritz and I think im gonna bring it to him, buy a bit,and get help drilling it. The bottom has a tempered sticker, hopefully it's just the bottom and not the sides.

Originally Posted by Merkurfan

Congrats on tie'n the knot as well. The wife and I did it about 6 months before (4/25/09) best day of my life .

Thanks man, im really stoked!

[dustybaker]

Originally Posted by Biggiesdrum

what kind of sand are you thinking?

I guess I haven't thought of it, my 29 has substrate, but I think I want to try sand. Any suggestions?

[Merkurfan]

Originally Posted by dustybaker

I talked to Fritz and I think im gonna bring it to him, buy a bit,and get help drilling it. The bottom has a tempered sticker, hopefully it's just the bottom and not the sides.



Thanks man, im really stoked!

Cool, I was gonna offer ya a overflow (on the floor) box. But Fritz is likely da master of the drill Just make sure he's had his morning coffee. Don't want him drilling with shaky hands.

[dustybaker]

thats for sure.

[RaysReef]

LMK if you still want that return pump, IMO its perfect for the 75G, I'd say it still has some life left in it. It should yield you 400-450gph @ 4ft head pressure.

[dustybaker]

Ya ill take it for sure

[dustybaker]

Is it submursible?

[fivesmallworlds]

If you're going to put sand in, head over to Jakes place and ask him what he recommends. I bought my sand/substrate from him, pretty sure it was Caribsea Ultra Grade or something like that. It has some thicker grains than sand so it won't blow around much with the current in the tank. He'll know what kind I'm talking about...

Any thought of what type of lighting you're going to use?

If you need help putting baffles in the sump tank LMK.

[dustybaker]

Originally Posted by fivesmallworlds

If you're going to put sand in, head over to Jakes place and ask him what he recommends. I bought my sand/substrate from him, pretty sure it was Caribsea Ultra Grade or something like that. It has some thicker grains than sand so it won't blow around much with the current in the tank. He'll know what kind I'm talking about....

Sounds like a plan, got some work to do first getting it ready for sand.

Originally Posted by fivesmallworlds

Any thought of what type of lighting you're going to use? .

I got 2 2 bulb t-5 fixtures from biggiesdrum for 60$ for both. Im not sure how good they are, I know they don't have fans, but I figure since I have a canopy I can put fans in the side of it.

Originally Posted by fivesmallworlds

If you need help putting baffles in the sump tank LMK.

Definitely, what do you recomend using as far as thickness and material, glass or acrylic?

[fivesmallworlds]

On mine I just used window pane from ACE and siliconed it in. You do have to be a little careful when digging around in the sump so you don't cut yourself, but mines been runnin for 2 1/2 years now and not yet a scratch from the glass.

Acrylic works, but it sometimes will bow and come loose from the silicone as it dose not bond together.

If you measure how high you want the baffle(s) to be you can take the measurements over to ACE and they'll cut all the glass for you.

If you just plan on having a skimmer section and a return section you'll only need one baffle. Do some research on your skimmer and find out what depth of water it should ideally sit in. Then you can cut the baffle to that height and the water level will remain constant. If you cut the baffle a little higher than your skimmers ideal depth you can make a simple stand out of eggcrate to raise it up a little.

[dustybaker]

Do you think I should plan in a small fuge? What about putting the skimmer external?

[David Grigor]

If your still planning to use a 20L as the sump/fuge is pretty much a waste of time. Just a mere toy. I personally would skip it.

Just throw some rubble in the back corner of the tank to protect small critters from predation and call it a day.

Good skimmer will do more for you than what little bit of export you could get from macro algae in a fuge. If you want to try to offset PH fluctations, Kalk at night will be far more effective as well.

I personally would run the skimmer in sump. Collection cup overflows or any other skimmer issue and it's still all self contained. One less thing to worry about dumping water on your floor.

[fivesmallworlds]

^^ Exactly what he said....

I built a refugium into my sump at first (I used a 40b though) and now it's just a LR Chamber with Mud and DSB. I wouldn't waste the space in the 20L on one.

[Aberrix]

based on what I see you already have...

lighting
plumbing parts
overflow box
acrylic (for sump baffles)
rock
sand
return pump
powerheads
heater(s)
fans for cooling canopy/sump