90 Gallon First build

[Nirethell]

Hey Everyone!

So the time is here. I have done over a year of preparation for this build from research to buying used and new equipment.

I'm like to take you all on my adventure, the ups and downs, and finally to were I am today. I am two weeks away from starting my cycle, and about 1 month and a half away from introducing fish and coral to the system.

I started like many other reefers, I kept freshwater cichlids, but that wasn't enough I started looking for a bigger tank than my 55 gallon and I knew i wasn't going to be happy until I got a reef tank. So began my research. I was able to find a great deal on a corner tank, it needed some TLC but I figured I could do it since I was in no rush to get it running.

*FTS 6-30-2018*

 

[Nirethell]

I went and got the tank, The guy I bought it from was great and knowledgeable was really awesome to someone who was just getting into the hobby, the tank came with pretty much everything i needed,

tank-
stand-
skimmer-
40 gallon sump-
Rodi unit-
return pump-
a ton of misc things i actually needed

However I'm a perfectionist, and I needed this to be done right, I got the stand home and realized a few issues, it was in overall disrepair, the door was cracked and it just looked terrible after years of abuse.

 

[Nirethell]

I decided to redo the stand entirely, I sanded it down, got some wood glue to fix the doors, new screws, I wanted it to look Brand new

I repainted and set it up in my house with some vinegar to start the cleaning process.

 

[Nirethell]

After i ran the vinegar in the system, I found a bunch of leaks in the sump. Also, it was used wrong. it was a berlin sump meant for a big skimmer. It was also a terrible setup In my opinion.

I wanted a refugium. I needed to do it my way. So I decided id spend a little cash to make this the best system I could.

I started with a trigger systems 36'

I got a reefkeeper lite. and attached it to an old thin client so I could remote in and make changes (I'm an IT Manager and I have my own home network. so this was logical.)

Problem was I caught the bug and it snowballed from there.

 

[ReefRebuild]

Looks great! I will keep watching the progress.

 

[Nirethell]

As you can see in the picture I also got a media reactor in there.

Next thing i needed was lights, and powerheads.

Yes I went Ecotech everything.

2x Radions
2x MP40's
1 Vectra M1 return pump

the ability to wirelessly control all of these through my reeflink is priceless.

This weekend I bleached the system using all the new toys. it is now running with a few bags of chemipure and tap water. I also got my skimmer running it it. Ill do this for a few days. Then it will be ready for the saltwater and cycle.

Let me know what you guys think, Ill update this again when I have a few more pictures.

Ill be doing some cord management once I drain the system again.

 

[Nirethell]

A few things of Note

I painted the back of the tank semi gloss black

I painted the inside of the stand with Leakseal in case there are any leaks.

I have in's with some carpet people that made me up those sweet carpets you see inside and outside the tank.

I've since moved the thin client under the mp40's and vectra's controllor. it looks way more uniform out there.

I also have an ATO I've yet to install
I have all of my chemicals ready for dosing.

 

[Nirethell]

That Brings us to today. Had a snow day today, therefore I got to work on the system. I needed a QT tank setup so I don't contaminate the DT

20 gallon tank
Fuval 206 canister
Fuval sea lights
hydor Nano 565 gph for a total of about 800ish gph in the tank (is this enough)?
Created the frag holder out of spare pipe and eggcrate
threw some spare 1 inch pvc in there for the fish
Mixed up some saltwater last night checked this morning at 1.029 its a bit high but I'm just cycling so ill fix it throughout the cycle

 

[Nirethell]

Looks great! I will keep watching the progress.

Thanks! You actually posted before I was fully finished catching everyone up! let me know what you think. Ill be updating this as I go on.

 

[Maritimer]

Looking good, Nirethell!

Glad to see you're quarantining from the beginning - that was one of my big mistakes getting started a year plus ago. The tank looks great, and full of promise as well as water!

(Your link worked in the text of the message in your "new here" thread! I think that a link in your sig may be a perk reserved for sponsors or some such ... I've never tried one!)

~Bruce, who's also running tapwater in a new build

 

[Nirethell]

Looking good, Nirethell!

Glad to see you're quarantining from the beginning - that was one of my big mistakes getting started a year plus ago. The tank looks great, and full of promise as well as water!

(Your link worked in the text of the message in your "new here" thread! I think that a link in your sig may be a perk reserved for sponsors or some such ... I've never tried one!)

~Bruce, who's also running tapwater in a new build

Thank you! I wasn't going to but as I kept reading it just made sense, its easier to tear apart and clean a 20 gallon if a fish or coral comes in with something real bad than it is for a 90 gallon. I'm thinking that has to be the case with the signature. I plan on only running the tapwater to get rid of the left over bleach from the clean out last weekend, this weekend ill be putting in the saltwater. I have 2 32 gallon brutes downstairs ive been making RO and Saltwater in.

 

[Maritimer]

Ditto here - successful leak-test of my first plumbing job. (>_<)

~Bruce

 

[Nirethell]

Ditto here - successful leak-test of my first plumbing job. (>_<)

~Bruce

Awesome! Yeah this project held a lot of firsts for me. lots of learning curves for sure. Honestly though I would much rather build it and know it, than have someone else do it for me and when something breaks, now I have to figure it out. I may push my plans up a week, and try to start the cycle next weekend if all the live sand is here. I created my aquascape today as well. I have a few old pieces of rock I got from someone that I bleached for a week, flushed with tap water for a week, now they have been drying for a week, and next I'm going to rinse with RO water before putting them in the tank.

 

[exactlyobp]

I like where its headed. Well thought plan and can't wait for the good execution! Keep it up!

 

[waxhawreefer]

Looks good, but not to be negative, you spent roughly three grand on lights,pump, wavemakers, and you have a stock tank? My experience is that clear silicone will start to peel off eventually and that black partition is always in the way for something. My $.02

 

[Txdragonslayer]

Looks good, but not to be negative, you spent roughly three grand on lights,pump, wavemakers, and you have a stock tank? My experience is that clear silicone will start to peel off eventually and that black partition is always in the way for something. My $.02

Why is a stock tank looked down upon? There are plenty of amazing "stock" tanks on these forums and others. Especially for a first build. Investing in good equipment especially ecotech, lasts for years with excellent customer service!

 

[Nirethell]

Looks good, but not to be negative, you spent roughly three grand on lights,pump, wavemakers, and you have a stock tank? My experience is that clear silicone will start to peel off eventually and that black partition is always in the way for something. My $.02

As with everything else I always plan for upgradability. The amount of money I spent on the internal equipment allows me to upgrade the tank further on down the line. I would have loved to buy a custom tank and stand, but I figured my money was more wisely spent on items that will allow me to upgrade to something bigger and better down the road. If I ever decide to upgrade now, the only thing Ill have to change is my Skimmer (I still think its a little small for what I want but only time will tell.

 

[Nirethell]

Why is a stock tank looked down upon? There are plenty of amazing "stock" tanks on these forums and others. Especially for a first build. Investing in good equipment especially ecotech, lasts for years with excellent customer service!

Thank you! That's what I figured. This equipment should last me well into my next build if I ever upgrade.

 

[Nirethell]

I like where its headed. Well thought plan and can't wait for the good execution! Keep it up!

Thank you! I will certainly be updating this once I have more pictures. I plan on doing a ton of Cord management this weekend, as well as some aquascaping.

 

[waxhawreefer]

I'm not hating on stock tanks, I just had a few stock tanks crack, vibrations and water movement, and usually the glass is thinner because of the black bracing, ecotech are good products unfortunately they are way overpriced, that new M1 pump-2000 gph, with that new flow module from apex, guys are these forums are reporting that they aren't even close to that number, not to mention the reef link cost, just saying, u could have bought four jabeo pumps for the price of one vortech and have extra money left over, doesn't matter what leds u buy, the life expectancy is around 5 years of good usable light, that's from ecotech themselves!