SLOOOWWWW 75g build

lpsouth1978 · Mar 26, 2020

It has been a bit since I updated this thread. Not too much has changed. The tank is chugging along and coralline is already growing all over the overflow box. The biggest addition (and it is VERY large) was a new purple Haddoni carpet. This thing is WAY bigger than expected, but it is the new centerpiece of the tank.

2020-03-21_10-30-56 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

2020-03-21_10-32-19 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

2020-03-24_09-13-06 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

lpsouth1978 · Mar 28, 2020

Alright R2R friends. I need some help and advice. I have been fairly lazy and not testing my params regularly, but with everything that is going on I have some extra time on my hands so finally ran some tests. I was a bit surprised but what I found. Here are my results:

Temp - 78
SG - 1.026
Ca - 460
Alk - 5.5
Mg - 1700+
PO4 - Undetectable
NO3 - 2ppm

Of course the glaring issues are the elevated Mg and low Alk. I am working on fixing the Alk via my doser. Hopefully it will be up to 8.0 in a couple of days, then I can start tuning my Alk dosing to match my consumption. I don't know that there is really anything can do about the Mag other than water changes and time.

The other issues I have are with the PO4 and NO3. I set up a fuge a few weeks ago and it is clearly doing too good a job. I have a mixed reef with only 3 SPS frags so do not need such low levels, which brings me to my current dilemma. I have reduced the time my fuge light is on to help bring the levels up, but so far it has not moved.

What would you all recommend I do? I can keep the fuge and just continue reducing the light schedule. Or I can clean out the fuge section and install a Bubble Magus Curve 5 I have instead. Any other things you would all recommend? Any and all suggestions are welcome.

lpsouth1978 · Mar 28, 2020

OK, so I decided to employ the skimmer. A week ago I went ahead and pulled the sump off the system, cleaned and scrubbed out the fuge and reconnected the sump. I placed the Bubble Magus Curve 5 Elite in place of the fuge and have had it running since. It took a few days to break in the skimmer before it stopped just overflowing constantly. It is pulling a good amount of disgusting, but it is still a pretty wet skimmate. I will probably continue making small adjustments to the water depth to get a bit drier skim.

I also made a few additions to the tank. The first, and most expensive, was I added another MP40WQD and Reeflink. I am still working on finding the perfect but think I am pretty close. I also added a Sleeper Banded Goby and a small gold torch.

I am super happy with where the tank is at right now and expect to be done with additions. Hopefully I can just sit back and watch it grow in some more. Now for the good stuff. I actually took a short video of the tank today. I included a couple of the sump. The skimmate in the skimmer cup is about 5 hours worth. I had just emptied it earlier in the day. I have made some adjustments and will see how it looks in the morning.

lpsouth1978 · Apr 7, 2020

I just received my new Orphek phone camera lens set today and am pretty impressed with it. It allowed me to very true to life shots of the tank and it's inhabitants. I am even fairly happy with the macro lens. I can only get good shots it the coral or fish is fairly close to the glass though. Here are a few shots I got using the CPL and 20k lenses, and some with the macro lens added on.

20200406_170654 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

20200406_171205 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

20200406_170314 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

20200406_170203 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

20200406_170415 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

lpsouth1978 · Apr 9, 2020

It is always fun to compare where a system started to where it is now. I was just going through some pics and found an early picture taken right after moving everything over from the 40. Then a picture taken just a few days ago. Seeing it everyday, you don't always remember what it used to me.

Feb 11, 2020

20200211_194245 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

April 6, 2020

20200406_170654 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

dbowman5 · Apr 9, 2020

lpsouth1978 said:
Well, the Petco $1/gallon sale has struck again. I already have a couple of tanks, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to take on another build. I picked up a 75 (DT), 29 (sump), and 10 (ATO reservoir). I will be slowly collecting all of the supplies. I think I will start with rock. I already have about 60lbs of "Real Reef" rock that came from my 200g tank when I broke it down. It has been in a Brute can with saltwater, heater, and water pump ever since. I will add the new rock to the Brute and let it cycle while I work on everything else.

The plan so far is to drill the tank. I am thinking the Eshopps Eclipse L overflow, though I am open to recommendations. I will use the Jebao DCP-8000 return, 2 x MP40's, 2 x Finnex 500W heaters on Inkbird controllers, and a JBJ ATO. The first order of business will be to build the stand. I will keep this thread updated with my progress.

20200112_143449 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

20200112_194818 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

the eshopps is a solid choice altho i had a small molly take a look through the weir. just removed the stand pipe on the partial siphon and collected it from the fuge no harm no foul

lpsouth1978 · Apr 9, 2020

dbowman5 said:
the eshopps is a solid choice altho i had a small molly take a look through the weir. just removed the stand pipe on the partial siphon and collected it from the fuge no harm no foul

I ended up going with the Exotic Marine Systems 32" overflow. I have had good success with Eshopps in the past, but am VERY glad I went with EMS!