90 gallon reef in progress.

[Wolfgang8810]

I'm getting a 90 gallon reef tank setup in the next few weeks so I thought I would do a tank chronicle for all you fish heads

preliminary pics.








I told you I would get there Gozer lol

 

[Martinismommy]

WhooooooHoooooooooooooooo! That is an awesome tank!

 

[Shawnie]

fishheads..us? LOL ...we aren't that addicted are we? great looking setup!

 

[MissMTS]

I can't wait to see it as you get it set up. I have always wanted to try saltwater. You picked a nice tank

 

[Wolfgang8810]

saltwater is nt really as hard as it is made out to be. I say you try. Just go really slow.

 

[sirdarksol]

Nice looking tank. I'm working my way up to saltwater. It will probably be a couple of years, unless I manage to sell a novel .

 

[MissMTS]

I may try a nano reef to start out with when I get the money. I don't have room for another big tank in my apt. Yours is gonna be gorgeous though. I'll be sure to seek advice from everyone here when I do decide to take the plunge into saltwater though

 

[Wolfgang8810]

the all in ones like the JBJ, bio cube, or aquapod are a great way to get into SW

 

[MissMTS]

Thanks for the info wolfgang. I'll definetly look into those

sirdarksol, are you a writer?

 

[sirdarksol]

Yes, though I've not had anything published yet. Have submitted a few things, entered a few contests, and am working on my writing degree right now.

 

[angelfish220]

I love writing!! post your novel and I'll read it! I'm trying to write my own as well!

 

[Oil_Fan]

Very nice Wolfgang!! Can't wait to it as it progresses.

 

[ThisGuy]

Hey could you do me a favor, could you post how much you spent on the tank setup as your doing it, just list it as you buy it tank, live rock, protein skimmer... I would like to try salty but I still have much to learn and there is the costs involved in a reef setup...

thanks

fish head

 

[Nags1965]

Nice tank. One of these days I will give Saltwater a try. But not till I fully understand how it all works.

How much does a tank that size, all set up and stocked, weigh? With my luck I would get it all set up and it would fall though the floor during the middle of the night LOL.

 

[Wolfgang8810]

Hey could you do me a favor, could you post how much you spent on the tank setup as your doing it, just list it as you buy it tank, live rock, protein skimmer... I would like to try salty but I still have much to learn and there is the costs involved in a reef setup...

thanks

fish head

oak cabinet 259.99
oak canopy 159.99
90 gal corner flow predrilled tank 379.99
outer orbit pro series 729 watts 799.99
Bio 125 sump filter 179.99
quiet one 4000 pump 89.99
100lbs LS 119.99
90lbs LR 314.10
90 gal premixed Saltwater 135.00
_____________________________________
TOTAL= 2439.92

ill be moving thng around to get it down to around 1500 though

Nice tank. One of these days I will give Saltwater a try. But not till I fully understand how it all works.

How much does a tank that size, all set up and stocked, weigh? With my luck I would get it all set up and it would fall though the floor during the middle of the night LOL.

it would weight somewhere in the 1200lb range I think

 

[sirdarksol]

For others who are looking into this, some ways to lower the cost:
You could cut costs by making your own cabinet, canopy, and lighting. The first two require decent carpentry skills and the last requires the ability to follow directions (or knowledge of wiring)
You can get an un-drilled 90g for about a quarter of that price, and then use a HOB overflow to feed the sump (I think).
You can cut the cost of the live rock and live sand if you're willing to spend extra time on setting your tank up. Set your tank up with a porous rock and some sand, and then seed the entire thing with a bit of live rock and sand (the more the better).
Of course, you can cut the cost of the pre-mixed salt water easily.
The way that Wolfgang is doing it is keyed for ease of setup and the widest margin of error (a good way to go if you can afford it). The more corners you cut, the more chance that you make some kind of mistake that costs you your livestock or your tank. The more work you put into the cheaper route, the bigger a chance of success. Basically, you're trading your own time to save the money.

 

[Wolfgang8810]

That is the list that the LFS gave me on a package. Today I found a used 90 gallon including stand, tank, lights, sump, skimmer, pumps, and uv sterralizer for $850 That is the route ill be taking. As for the LR I'm going to buy 60 lbs of baserock (dead) and seed it with 30 lbs of Live rock. I hear you SDS the it can be cheeper but my faterh just recently had 14 hernias repaired and I need a hip replacement so lifting isn't really an option for us. also when you said, "keyed for ease of setup and the widest margin of error." don't you mean least chance of goofing up?

 

[angelfish220]

basically, Its easy to setup, hard to screw up.

 

[Oil_Fan]

There are definitely ways to cut costs in setting up a Saltwater tank. I initially spent about $1500 for my 65 gallon tank with a sump. That included the water, about 25 lbs of LR, another 15 lbs of base rock (which will eventually turn into LR), 2 bags of LS, heater and other basics.

I then slowly added some fish, inverts, more fish to replace the ones I lost in the cool down of Atlanta back in January. Added a skimmer. Added another heater so it could keep up on cold nights. Setup a quarantine tank. More LR.

That all probably brought me up to $2500 including fish, inverts and such. Even then I could have spent far less.

 

[sirdarksol]

also when you said, "keyed for ease of setup and the widest margin of error." don't you mean least chance of goofing up?

Yes. I was just trying to put it nicely, as nobody wants to think about goofing up.

 

[Wolfgang8810]

lol. I'm putting the deposit down on the tank tomorrow. lkeep looking for pictures of it in my room. It will be sometime after mothersday.

 

[Wolfgang8810]

deposit made. it is mine mwahahaha

 

[MissMTS]

Yes, though I've not had anything published yet. Have submitted a few things, entered a few contests, and am working on my writing degree right now.

That's wonderful! I am majoring in journalism, so I love writing as well. What kinds of things do you like to write?

 

[MissMTS]

deposit made. it is mine mwahahaha

So Exciting!!!!!! Good luck with your new tank

 

[Wolfgang8810]

her are some pics of the tank amd sump with skimmer

 

[sirdarksol]

That's wonderful! I am majoring in journalism, so I love writing as well. What kinds of things do you like to write?

Sci-Fi/Fantasy for the most part

 

[ThisGuy]

Are you going to get a refugium? I know its not mandatory but I like the concept...

 

[Wolfgang8810]

maybe later on. a 10 gallon fuge adn then another 10 gallon frag tank/

 

[Oil_Fan]

I like it. The stand looks practically the same as mine. heh

So exciting!!

 

[ThisGuy]

So its been awhile how is the tank coming along any new pics?

 

[Wolfgang8810]

No new pics but it is half paid for. I SHOULD have it before july

 

[Wolfgang8810]

as promised. here is my tank I got it set up just two days ago and everythign is looking good. I'm going to be buying some LR this week

 

[COBettaCouple]

Congrats! I'm glad you've got the tank now!

 

[Wolfgang8810]

So am I! Ill be getting LR this week. Its right next to my bed. now ill never be able to get up lol

 

[COBettaCouple]

lol.. I'll have to put the tank in another room when we get a Saltwater tank because of the night lighting.

 

[Wolfgang8810]

Today I did a simulater power outage and nothing overflowed!!! also I left the lights on all day form 10 - 10 and the tank got to 80F things are looking good! Tomorrow I'm getting 100$ of LR which comes out to be about 33 pounds

the moon lights aren't bad I have mine on from 12-2 when I'm watching tv before bed then its lights out for the night.

 

[COBettaCouple]

Sounds like base rock?

 

[Wolfgang8810]

yup yup Ill probaly have about 150 lbs of LR when I'm done

 

[Darlene]

Congrats on the saltwater tank. We hope someday to get a saltwater tank set up...but that is probably a long time from now. We love to look at everyone else's though.

 

[COBettaCouple]

Cool, we'll start with base rock too when we do a Saltwater tank and cover it with the more expensive LR.

 

[Wolfgang8810]

got 24 lbs of LR today here it is so far. It cost me 80 bucks butI like it.

 

[ThisGuy]

No new pics but it is half paid for. I SHOULD have it before july

2 days to spare well done. The tanks looking good

 

[COBettaCouple]

;D Feels good to get that LR in I bet.

 

[Coryd55]

Nice aquascaping so far! Looking forward to when you get some corals and fish in there

 

[Wolfgang8810]

most certainly does

 

[Wolfgang8810]

bought another 29 lbs of LR which brings me to 53 lbs total. Picture later

 

[Wolfgang8810]

PICTURE TIME!!! I also found an old piece of SPS that my parents have had for over 30 years! It will look nice covered in coraline.

 

[Wolfgang8810]

tank labs.

ammonia - .5ppm
Nitrite - 1ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm
PH - 8.4

This Friday I'm getting the rest of my LR then I'm going to be waiting for the cycle. When should I do my water changes? As its going or a big one before my first fish?

 

[ThisGuy]

Looking good the LR is nice with the caves. Can't wait for the new pics

 

[Wolfgang8810]

new pics coming on friday when I get more LR