The Money Pit - 75 Gallon Build

[Wild Bill]

This will be my 75 gallon build.

Found a stand on a local classified that had some engineered flooring as a finish. I removed the flooring and reskinned the outside.

Finished the exterior with a clear polyurethane. Primed and painted the inside with a good paint that dries hard as nails.

Got the plumbing installed inside the overflow also.

(Tank was standing on its side when I took the pics).

Hopefully next weekend I can get the plumbing done inside the cabinet and get the water flow zeroed in so I can bring the money pit in and get it set up.

The Sump.

 

[stella1979]

I LOVE the natural wood showing through on the stand!!! Looking great so far Bill! A money pit indeed, but it will be a beautiful one. Hope the build continues to go smoothly for you.

 

[fa4960]

Looking great.

How solid is your stand and how big is the tank? Normally I would expect to see support also in the middle front of the stand? I know this will prevent you from adding the sump but then open the stand at one of the ends so you can still get the sump in place, and out again in case you for some reason need to. The last thing you want is the tank to be unsupported at the middle front when supported everywhere else.

 

[Wild Bill]

It’s a 75. The previous owner sold the 90 that used to sit on it.

 

[Wild Bill]

Here’s the skimmer: eSsence S-130 Internal Protein Skimmer - Reef Octopus

Lights:

Plumbing is ordered, going with red pipe and gray fittings. That should pop inside the white cabinet.

 

[Wild Bill]

Everything should be here Monday, just gotta find time next weekend to put it together.

 

[Wild Bill]

Went on a drooling trip to the lfs yesterday. Seen this guy. He’s a vampire (dragon, it’s one of those) wrasse. He’s gorgeous, yet very deadly to other fish as an adult. When fully grown, they look nothing like this. You can even see their teeth sticking out from their lips.

 

[Wild Bill]

Got the back of the tank painted today. Gotta love Lowes and their sample paints for 2.00. Also got the RO/DI installed today. As soon as the tank is plumbed and zeroed in everything will be moved into place, then the fun begins.

Forgot to post the pic.

 

[Wild Bill]

I’ve been a busy boy today.

 

[Wild Bill]

Week 51: What you need to know to cure fish disease & parasites | 52 Weeks of Reefing #BRS160 something every water keeper should be aware of.

 

[Wild Bill]

Gotta get busy, got lots of work to do.

 

[Wild Bill]

Been working on my stocking plan, let me know what you think. I still haven’t decided on a centerpiece fish.

Inside the refugium,
1 inch of mud, with 3 inches of sand on top.
Chaeto
Ulva
Codium
1 or 2 mangroves
Nart, I’d like your input here.

For fish,
5 green chromis, I will keep the 1 blue damsel he joins with the 3 green chromis I have now and isn’t aggressive towards them (surprisingly).
1 YWM goby with a paired shrimp
2 O clowns (paired)
CUC

 

[Nart]

hahaha "the money pit" love that thread title.

Input on your refugium?
I'd personally save the money and ditch the mud and sand. Just use the refugium portion to grow nothing but chaetomorpha. kind of the KISS method, but that's just me.
Also - this way, when it comes time to maintenance your fuge. you don't have to deal with all the mud and sand. easier to keep clean once in a while.

 

[Wild Bill]

What is the KISS method?

 

[fa4960]

Keep It Simple Stupid - no offense intended

 

[Wild Bill]

none taken. Thanks.

 

[Culprit]

Oh yeah, I can't wait to see this money pit form into a beautiful money sucking reef!

 

[stella1979]

Hmmmm, I'm wondering what you had in mind when planning a DSB in the fuge? I'm also of the mind that the KISS method with a load of chaeto is a great way to go. I believe the huge fuge full of chaeto is the method currently being used with the BRS 160.

I'll say it again... the stand is beautiful Bill!

 

[Wild Bill]

Thanks Stella. The DSB is to help with nutrients in the water column. Been doing massive reading lately about it. Learned some, forgot some already. Lol. There’s lots of conflicting articles on it.

 

[stella1979]

Interesting. I haven't looked into DSB's much, but I do sometimes wonder if I'm missing some of those nutrients that we don't test for. For example, I haven't been able to identify why softies don't do so great in my tank.

I did briefly bring up the DSB here, and got some good info on how one might do it with a jawfish in mind. Perhaps not really the same as what you're talking about, but in case you're interested.... KinsKicks wrote me a good recipe for a DSB here.
Jawfish / Deep Sand Bed

 

[Wild Bill]

The DSB would be in the refugium. Tank will only have an inch or so.

 

[stella1979]

Yep, I got that, just thought you might like to see a recommended DSB layout in case you do go in that direction. Do you think having some rubble in the fuge might be just as good for biodiversity? That option seems easier to maintain in the long run. Either way, I'm glad I'm along for the ride. Looking forward to seeing what you decide on and how it works for you.

 

[Wild Bill]

I’m planning on some rubble in there, just not sure I want it before the skimmer or after, that’s one of the things that’s confusing me. I’ve read different results. I also need to think about water depth after the skimmer.

 

[Wild Bill]

Plumbing is done. Testing bulkheads for leaks now. I’ll test the plumbing in the morning and get water flow zeroed in. Hopefully there’s no leaks.

 

[stella1979]

Awesome Bill! It's going to be fabulous!!!

 

[Wild Bill]

Hawaiian Black Arag-Alive! Live Reef Sand - CaribSea

Any thoughts on using a black sand? I think it would look cool and be different from most other tanks.

 

[Nart]

Never used it myself. It is unique. I've heard from people who have used it said it looks good when the sand is clean, but it shows up detritus easily. Kind of like a black car. Some of the reefers from my local club who used it, ended up taking it out in the end because it was bugging them to keep the sand real clean.

 

[stella1979]

Check out KristaD 's tank thread Bill. She has black sand and lots of pictures. I like it.

 

[Wild Bill]

It’s alive. Everything is zeroed in and running smooth. The last pic is with the power off. The sump only gets that full.
Now I just gotta find some help to get it into the basement.

 

[ChrisX]

Why did you keep the top board so large? Was there a reason you didn't cut it to the size of the tank?

 

[Wild Bill]

Why did you keep the top board so large? Was there a reason you didn't cut it to the size of the tank?

So I have some working room to feed corals and fish. It’s nice to have a shelf to set things on. I wish my other Freshwater tank had that feature.

 

[stella1979]

Woohooo! We have lights! Seriously Bill, I just can't get over how great everything looks. Really great job there my friend. Hope you have some large relatives to help you move it.

I totally agree on the shelf. I understand people wanting the streamlined look, but that's not important to me and I like having a shelf too, especially when the stand is as good lookin' as this one!

 

[Wild Bill]

Thank you Stella, I’m getting excited to get this thing going. The middle pic is 100% blue and 30% white. The brackets are at their highest setting now so I can move them down if I need to. I’ve got a lot of reading to do still to get everything programmed.

 

[stella1979]

I'm excited too!

 

[Wild Bill]

Got the money pit moved into the basement today. Musta picked a good place to set it, didn’t even have to level it. I’ll take pics later, off to my grandsons bday party.

 

[Wild Bill]

This cabinet is where I’m gonna store all my test kits. Still gotta put some doors on it.

 

[Wild Bill]

I wish this tank was ready to go. Lol

 

[Wild Bill]

Finally found some time today to install my heaters in the refugium, and install the egg crate for a lid. Just gotta order some netting for it so no fish jump out. I think I’ll order the 1/8 inch netting. No hurry.

I sat down and ordered the rock from reef cleaners. Their price is great and I supposedly won’t need to cure it. Also ordered some barnacles from them too. Ordered my sand from BRS today. Everything hopefully will be here for next weekend so I can get it scaped and start my cycle after the sand settles. I’m a happy lad.

 

[Wild Bill]

Happy? NOT!! Not sure who screwed up, but my rock never made it. Reef cleaners said they dropped the rock off for shipment, ups says they never received it. Got an email today saying my rock will be here on the 8th.

Sand came in, barnacles came in, even the 1/8th inch screen made it, just not the rock.

 

[Wild Bill]

Got my first box of rocks today. Whopping 15lbs. The rest is supposed to be here on Friday. Started stacking some, but you can only do so much with 15 lbs. lol.

 

[stella1979]

Looks pretty good for only 15 lbs. What do you call those things with the holes that look like large barnacles? I can remember those being used as home decor when I was a kid in the Keys, lol.

 

[Wild Bill]

Looks pretty good for only 15 lbs. What do you call those things with the holes that look like large barnacles? I can remember those being used as home decor when I was a kid in the Keys, lol.

Barnacles. Lol

 

[Lucy]

What do you call those things with the holes that look like large barnacles? .

Barnacles. Lol

I just spit iced tea on my keyboard. I'm sorry, that was funny.

 

[Wild Bill]

I smiled too Lucy.

 

[stella1979]

OK guys.... I kinda knew that but thought there must be a nicer name seeing as the gift shops in the Keys charge top dollar for them. Was laughing myself as I wrote it because I have seen folks spend so much on them. Lucy 's tea on the keyboard... Sorry for that Luce, lol

 

[Nart]

Love the look of that tank set-up!

 

[Wild Bill]

Got them at reef cleaners. 12 bucks for the large, 7 for the small.

Thank you Nart.

 

[stella1979]

Perhaps I'll have to stop to take a picture at Shell World so you guys can believe my incredulous thoughts regarding the money people will pay for barnacles of all things. In my salty upbringing, barnacles were the enemy, lol.

 

[Wild Bill]

Lol. We never see Barnacles here in Utah. These are dead (according to reef cleaners). I figured it would be something different in a tank.