My 90 gallon reef tank build

[sergeantnic]

A couple pictures of sump setup and my RO system. Got everything running.
My RO plumbing. Works great and no leaks.

Protein skimmer and power strip for wireless bridge and ATO. You cannot see the GWF I outlet in the back.

Return pump and ATO pump on the bottom right. You can see temp and ATO controllers in the back.

 

[jsker]

Day 4, we are up and running. All systems are go, I repeat, all systems are go.

1. Finished filling the tank and sump with my RO/DI water.
2. Finished connecting and configuring my Apex classic. Not sure why I see so many people throwing shade at the system, but I like it
3. Powerheads installed. Still need a couple more
4. Heater, skimmer, return pump, and ATO all setup and tested.
5. RO/DI system moved to the laundry room and first batch of top off water made
6. Started adding salt to the water

Couple of questions for anybody willing to answer

1. Instant ocean says I need 45 cups of salt. Does that sound right?
2. As I mix in the salt, I'm obviously displacing water so should I just scoop some out of the tank?
3. What's next? Start testing and waiting for things to cycle?

I just dumped the salt into the tank and let it mix it's self, and tested with a refractometer.

You are going to to be testing at first
PO4
NO3
Nitrites
Nitrates
Ammonia
If you are not in a rush, and trust me it is hard to sit there and look at a empty tank for at least 30 days. I suggest letting the tank ride for 20 day then start testing, I would add the clean up crew about 45 days while testing. At the 45 day mark one can add some hardy corals like mushrooms and polyps to the system. Then about 60 day think about adding a inexpensive fish or two and if the live you are in business

 

[jsker]

A couple pictures of sump setup and my RO system. Got everything running.
My RO plumbing. Works great and no leaks.

Protein skimmer and power strip for wireless bridge and ATO. You cannot see the GWF I outlet in the back.

Return pump and ATO pump on the bottom right. You can see temp and ATO controllers in the back.

Looking good,

 

[sergeantnic]

Day 5 Update:

Can't remember if this is Day 5 or Day 6 at this point. But here is where I'm at.

Salinity is up to 1.022 last time I checked so I added a couple more cups so I'll measure again shortly

Installed 2 more powerheads my buddy gave me so I now have 4 total and the flow seems right on. I've also got some chaeto algae that was given to me with a couple bugs that is sitting in my sump with some rubble.

I also installed my temp and pH probe from my Apex and calibrated pH.

Ordered a bunch more stuff (can't stop spending money). Got some chemicals and test kits, the refractometer or whatever it is called, and a controller for my powerheads.

It seems I can control the powerheads with the Apex. Something to do with not enough power draw or some crazy nonsense.

 

[jsker]

Day 5 Update:

Can't remember if this is Day 5 or Day 6 at this point. But here is where I'm at.

Salinity is up to 1.022 last time I checked so I added a couple more cups so I'll measure again shortly

Installed 2 more powerheads my buddy gave me so I now have 4 total and the flow seems right on. I've also got some chaeto algae that was given to me with a couple bugs that is sitting in my sump with some rubble.

I also installed my temp and pH probe from my Apex and calibrated pH.

Ordered a bunch more stuff (can't stop spending money). Got some chemicals and test kits, the refractometer or whatever it is called, and a controller for my powerheads.

It seems I can control the powerheads with the Apex. Something to do with not enough power draw or some crazy nonsense.

what kind of power heads?

 

[sergeantnic]

what kind of power heads?

Hydor? I don't know the size / rating but I read somewhere that the Apex outlets can't oscilate (sp) them because it doesn't sense the power draw or something. So, going to use a controller with a splitter and plug all 4 into the Hydor controller and then plug the controller into the Apex so I can at least use the feed setting to shut them all off at once.

 

[jsker]

Hydor? I don't know the size / rating but I read somewhere that the Apex outlets can't oscilate (sp) them because it doesn't sense the power draw or something. So, going to use a controller with a splitter and plug all 4 into the Hydor controller and then plug the controller into the Apex so I can at least use the feed setting to shut them all off at once.

The outlets on apex are different 1,2,3 and 5,6,7 are for low voltage and 4 and 5 are static or on or off mainly for heaters, AC motors. That could be the issue. In the apex manual it explains with outlet is which. The EB4 is all static

 

[sergeantnic]

The outlets on apex are different 1,2,3 and 5,6,7 are for low voltage and 4 and 5 are static or on or off mainly for heaters, AC motors. That could be the issue. In the apex manual it explains with outlet is which. The EB4 is all static

Right, unfortunately, I'm using #4 for my heater. I was able to fix the issue by putting two of the powerheads on a splitter and then plugging that into the Apex. But they do make clicking noises when turning on and off so I don't think I'll be using the oscillating functions on the Apex. But, I do get the benefit of the "feed" setting now which is what I was after.

Well, I'm about a week in and staring at a very clear tank of water and rock.

Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: .8

So, I guess I'm cycling.

 

[jsker]

Right, unfortunately, I'm using #4 for my heater. I was able to fix the issue by putting two of the powerheads on a splitter and then plugging that into the Apex. But they do make clicking noises when turning on and off so I don't think I'll be using the oscillating functions on the Apex. But, I do get the benefit of the "feed" setting now which is what I was after.

Well, I'm about a week in and staring at a very clear tank of water and rock.

Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: .8

So, I guess I'm cycling.

I now have 2 EB's and 1 EB 4 controlling a bunch of thing, I like the feed, and use two feed cycle setting for maintenance. As you will find, in the future will find more uses for the Apex look at bringing up the salinity to 1.025

 

[sergeantnic]

Update #, lost count

-Flipper aquarium scraper / glass cleaner installed
-Tested Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates and Salinity

Looks like tank is cycling as it should

Salinity: 1.024
Ammonia: 1.2 up from .8
Nitrites: .5
Nitrates: 5

I've got a skimmer stand on the way as my skimmer is overflowing when I turn it on so looks like I need to raise it up a few inches. Also have a cheap IP camera coming so I can check on the sump when I'm at work and the alarm goes off.

Only problem I'm having at this point is noise. I've played with my ball valves and return pump for hours to find a happy balance and I either get too much noise in the sump from the drain pipe or gurgling at the overflow. Not sure what to do but it's getting annoying.

 

[jsker]

Update #, lost count

-Flipper aquarium scraper / glass cleaner installed
-Tested Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates and Salinity

Looks like tank is cycling as it should

Salinity: 1.024
Ammonia: 1.2 up from .8
Nitrites: .5
Nitrates: 5

I've got a skimmer stand on the way as my skimmer is overflowing when I turn it on so looks like I need to raise it up a few inches. Also have a cheap IP camera coming so I can check on the sump when I'm at work and the alarm goes off.

Only problem I'm having at this point is noise. I've played with my ball valves and return pump for hours to find a happy balance and I either get too much noise in the sump from the drain pipe or gurgling at the overflow. Not sure what to do but it's getting annoying.

What size pump to you have, could be that there is not enough volume of water and the overflow loses siphon. I was having the same issue and re did my overflow pluming and the gurgling and sucking has pretty much gone away. I still have an instance here and there.

 

[sergeantnic]

What size pump to you have, could be that there is not enough volume of water and the overflow loses siphon. I was having the same issue and re did my overflow pluming and the gurgling and sucking has pretty much gone away. I still have an instance here and there.

Pump is definitely large enough. If I crank it open all the way the sump runs out of water. So, I think the real issue is my overflow is undersized for the tank. I ordered a standpipe from a guy that sells them on Amazon. Going to see if that does the trick.

 

[FishGuyBri]

Update #, lost count

-Flipper aquarium scraper / glass cleaner installed
-Tested Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates and Salinity

Looks like tank is cycling as it should

Salinity: 1.024
Ammonia: 1.2 up from .8
Nitrites: .5
Nitrates: 5

I've got a skimmer stand on the way as my skimmer is overflowing when I turn it on so looks like I need to raise it up a few inches. Also have a cheap IP camera coming so I can check on the sump when I'm at work and the alarm goes off.

Only problem I'm having at this point is noise. I've played with my ball valves and return pump for hours to find a happy balance and I either get too much noise in the sump from the drain pipe or gurgling at the overflow. Not sure what to do but it's getting annoying.

+1 on the ip camera! I have two, one outside and one on the sump. Great peace of mind!!

 

[sergeantnic]

Update**

I have little round orange things all over my sand and rock. I'm guessing those are diatoms?

 

[sergeantnic]

Haven't been on here in a while as I've just been watching rocks in a tank. Finally added some fish this last week after verifying my levels were ready for fish. I'm probably still cycling but I'm through the Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrite cycles. I've also done 2 water changes.

Current stock:
3 turbo snails
12 hermit crabs
1 Clown
2 Chromis

Hoping I can stick some coral in next week. Got a buddy that has some mushroom and a leather he's going to give me.

 

[FishGuyBri]

Looks good! I've got diatoms in my 90 as well, adding two new fish, small cuc, and a coral today to join my chromis and clove polyps. It's fun to add lol

 

[jsker]

Nice to finally have something moving around in there. Looking good.

 

[sergeantnic]

Well, it's been a while since I posted. I definitely jumped the gun on putting stuff in the tank but my levels still seem to be doing ok. Just have a bunch of green on my rocks that I'm hoping will eventually go away.

 

[sergeantnic]

Well, it has been just over 3 months since my last posting and there have been alot of changes. I had a buddy at work move out of country and gave me all of his livestock. Before that, I had not really added much to the tank other than a bunch of snails and other clean up members but I hit the mother load.

I'll probably forget something in this list but here goes. This includes the few fish I had prior

3 chromies
1 sea urchin
3 clowns (2 are mated pair)
2 sand sifting gobies
1 yellow tang
1 rainbow wrasse
2 firefish
1 orange anthias
1 hawkfish
1 star fish
1 bubble tip anemone (he's not doing great)
about a dozen different soft corals. not even sure what they all are
about 20 hermits and 10 or so snails of various variety
2 fighting conchs

I'll post some pictures after I put the kid down to bed.

 

[sergeantnic]