My First Reef Tank! 75 gal Build

[Scrappy RN]

I bought a 20 low for the sump and a 20 standard for the QT. Should I have gotten a standard for the sump instead?? My thought was that it would be easier to get into the lower tank and have more room for the skimmer and baffles etc., then I got to thinking that maybe it wouldn't be deep enough...

I plan on buying glass to make baffles out of. I was really wanting a larger sump but the inside of the stand is only 16" deep on the inside. So unless I custom make the whole thing I think the 20L is about the best I can get. (Especially for only $20 !!)

Also, I keep reading about putting foam under tanks to help level them. Do you guys put foam under yours (and the sump?) or not. If so, is it a special foam or something I can get at a hardware store??

 

[Fin]

Never mind. I should have refreshed my screen before I asked what size tank you got for your sump.

 

[Fin]

Also, I keep reading about putting foam under tanks to help level them. Do you guys put foam under yours (and the sump?) or not. If so, is it a special foam or something I can get at a hardware store??

If your tank has a frame around it, which I am pretty sure it will, then you don't need foam. The foam is more for the rimless tanks, or tanks without frames around the top and bottom.

 

[Scrappy RN]

If your tank has a frame around it, which I am pretty sure it will, then you don't need foam. The foam is more for the rimless tanks, or tanks without frames around the top and bottom.

Gotcha - thank you!

 

[Chriscrna]

Nice meeting you today as well!

Glad you got a lot of questions answered. It always helps to see things first hand.

[emoji1437][emoji1437][emoji1437]

 

[Fin]

Any updates?

 

[Scrappy RN]

Any updates?

No, unfortunately, I've been crazy-busy at work for the last month or so! I was given 2 more departments in addition to the one I had. Then last week got given a whole other department of people to assimilate into the ones I already had. What a mess!!!!
Ask me if I got a raise.....
The answer includes a word that starts with, "N" ..... BUT, I did get a new office with a window and MY OWN BATHROOM! So I suppose it will have to do

 

[Chriscrna]

Sounds like the office will need a tank as well! [emoji41]

 

[Scrappy RN]

Sounds like the office will need a tank as well! [emoji41]

Yep, lol

 

[Scrappy RN]

FINALLY! Got the tank out of layaway and brought it home. I've had some major life events happen over the past few months including a job change and a separation from my husband. Both came as a complete surprise within a very short time. So now I finally have things a little settled and am ready to start thinking about actually putting things in the tank. But I have a question...

Is it worth setting the aquarium up if I may have to move within the next year? The townhouse I'm renting is great but a little pricey. I'm dying to set the tank up but not sure if it is worth it if I have to just take it down again in a year to move it.

Any thoughts??

And if it's likely to kill anything I put in it now could I at least set up a small tank to get started with some frags or something?? I have a 20 gal that I'm going to use as a hospital/quarantine tank.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Bronc]

Is it worth setting the aquarium up if I may have to move within the next year? The townhouse I'm renting is great but a little pricey. I'm dying to set the tank up but not sure if it is worth it if I have to just take it down again in year to move it.

Any thoughts??

And if it's likely to kill anything I put in it now could I at least set up a small tank to get started with some frags or something??

I'd go for it now. You'll get the tank cycled, stuff growing and gain tons of knowledge! With the right move plan, odds are the potential losses will be minimal.

 

[Scrappy RN]

Awesome!! That's good news!!

Thank you

 

[BlueDevil]

Sorry to hear about the stuff you've been through. I agree - no reason you can't start the tank up right away. If you plan things out well a move would not be that big of a deal, especially since I assume it will be a short local move. At the most you can start out with some easier (and cheaper) corals and such so even if you were to lose anything it wouldn't be a huge hit. The years worth of learning will be well worth it!

 

[Fin]

Besides, you might get a raise and can better afford the townhouse and won't have to move. Welcome back!

 

[Scrappy RN]

Yay! Thank you both! I'm so excited now and can't wait to get started! Unfortunately I work four 12 hour shifts starting tonight so I won't have a lot of time to work on it. But look out next weekend! Lol

Seriously though, I was going to finish hooking up the plumbing last night after Bronc first answered and realized they drilled one of the holes in the glass directly over one of the wooden supports under the tank. So I guess I'm going to have to place another support under that side and then cut a hole in that particular support bracket before I can hook everything up. As much as I paid for this thing you'd think they could have lined the holes up properly...

 

[Bronc]

Yay! Thank you both! I'm so excited now and can't wait to get started! Unfortunately I work four 12 hour shifts starting tonight so I won't have a lot of time to work on it. But look out next weekend! Lol

Seriously though, I was going to finish hooking up the plumbing last night after Bronc first answered and realized they drilled one of the holes in the glass directly over one of the wooden supports under the tank. So I guess I'm going to have to place another support under that side and then cut a hole in that particular support bracket before I can hook everything up. As much as I paid for this thing you'd think they could have lined the holes up properly...

Doh!!

 

[Fin]

Seriously though, I was going to finish hooking up the plumbing last night after Bronc first answered and realized they drilled one of the holes in the glass directly over one of the wooden supports under the tank. So I guess I'm going to have to place another support under that side and then cut a hole in that particular support bracket before I can hook everything up. As much as I paid for this thing you'd think they could have lined the holes up properly...

Something not right about that. Since it is all brand new, I think I might be inclined to point that out to the shop that sold it to me and tell them I am not happy about it. You shouldn't have to modify a stand that you just bought as a matched setup. Maybe they can swap out stands or tanks with you, so that you won't have to modify a new stand, just to hook up the plumbing.

 

[Scrappy RN]

I agree and I may do that later this week since I work the next few days straight. It's just disappointing because I have waited almost a year now to get this thing set up, lol!

 

[Fin]

I agree and I may do that later this week since I work the next few days straight. It's just disappointing because I have waited almost a year now to get this thing set up, lol!

If you can't resolve it with the store, chances are that you can just drill through the brace that is in the way. You should probably post pics first, but should be simple enough to do, without having to add another brace. It's just the fact that they sold it to you as a setup, so it should be able to be set up with having to modify the stand.

 

[Scrappy RN]

I looked at it a little more closely. The bracket under the hole is not flush with the top of the stand so it's not a support for the tank itself- just a stabilizing bar, so to speak. So it shouldn't be a big deal to add another nearby and cut through that one. I'll take pics once I'm home in the morning. Working all night tonight lol.