90 Gallon Cube - New To Saltwater

[MGKlee]

Hey everyone, new to the forum here and looking for insight on my setup. I’ve had a couple 75 gallon aquariums about 10 years ago. Lately, I’ve had the itch to get another aquarium.

So, I picked up this 90 gallon cube and stand with a Fluval 407 canister filter off Facebook for $150. Everything seems to be in really good condition.

I was originally going to keep it freshwater but one of the guys at the local aquarium store talked me into salt water. So, here we are. So far, I have picked up some sand, a couple live rocks, some dry rock and salt.

I have a couple of questions regarding the setup that I’m hoping someone will help me with:

1). This stand from the minute go, seems cheaply made. It took me and another guy to move this aquarium but I picked up the stand by myself with one hand. After seeing the amount of water I put in this, it’s making me not sleep well at night? Is it common for these stands to be made cheaply and particle board or MDF? Should I be worried?

2). Will this Fluval 407 canister filter get the job done for a first salt water tank? Fish only with a few live rock and the rest dry rock.

Thank you for any contribution. Pictures attached. Disregard the cloudiness, I’m still waiting for the sand to settle.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Hey everyone, new to the forum here and looking for insight on my setup. I’ve had a couple 75 gallon aquariums about 10 years ago. Lately, I’ve had the itch to get another aquarium.

So, I picked up this 90 gallon cube and stand with a Fluval 407 canister filter off Facebook for $150. Everything seems to be in really good condition.

I was originally going to keep it freshwater but one of the guys at the local aquarium store talked me into salt water. So, here we are. So far, I have picked up some sand, a couple live rocks, some dry rock and salt.

I have a couple of questions regarding the setup that I’m hoping someone will help me with:

1). This stand from the minute go, seems cheaply made. It took me and another guy to move this aquarium but I picked up the stand by myself with one hand. After seeing the amount of water I put in this, it’s making me not sleep well at night? Is it common for these stands to be made cheaply and particle board or MDF? Should I be worried?

2). Will this Fluval 407 canister filter get the job done for a first salt water tank? Fish only with a few live rock and the rest dry rock.

Thank you for any contribution. Pictures attached. Disregard the cloudiness, I’m still waiting for the sand to settle.

Hey, welcome to Reef2Reef!

If you notice the stand bowing or it seems to be crumbling under the weight of your tank, I would get a different stand. Some people use furniture (wardrobes, tables), and others use custom-made stands.

The tank you got looks like a good size for a starter tank.

Do you know how you plan to stock the tank (what fish, coral, etc..)

What about equipment? Do you have an idea of what equipment you want for your tank?

 

[reefsaver]

1. I think it will last, but not forever I mean it will go eventually but I think you will be able to switch it out before worst comes to worst or you will see it's needed when it needs it type deal.
Personally I don't trust anything other than extruded aluminium.
2. Yeah a canister filter for a FOWLR should be okay especially with some extra live rock added. you could maybe customize the media in it with some marine pure bio spheres to increase effectiveness.
Considering you have a place for an ATO (Automatic Top Off) reservoir it's a plus.
My best advice would be to research the Bean Animal Overflow system, save up, buy a kit and install one into it.
It would make the system a lot more versatile and give equipment a hidden home in a sump, then you can repurpose the canister filter as a reactor for activated carbon or GFO.
Then you can get some nice lighting (A360X Tuna blues I think would be my recommendation.)
And start growing some Coral.
I know it sounds expensive. But people pay, ridiculous amounts of money just for their tanks and stands.
I would say once you added a bean animal, it would be comparable if not better than a tank of the same size that would probably retail for about 2 to 3 grand if not more although pre-plumbed and usually with a sump.
Mainly why I find the idea so enticing considering it was just $150.

And welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

welcome.

I would at least add some verticals in that stand but if there's no stock yet, I would get a different stand. particle board swells when it gets wet. Just the water in that tank will be 800 pounds. Add the weight of the tank plus lights if you attach it and other stuff etc...It really is a lot of weight.

 

[Mr Fishface]

Welcome to the forums! First of all, I LOVE that tank! I have a 40 gallon cube so I can only imagine how awesome a 90 cube would be! What a bargain too. The fluval canister should work for now, many people use them with success. I personally have not used them so I am not much help on what to put inside of it.

As far as the stand goes, it looks similar to the one I have on my 40 cube. Mine has a shiny solid coating on the outside though to keep water off of the wood. It's like a hard casing not just regular paint. If your stand has just regular paint on it I would change it out! If it has a really solid coating on the outside it might be fine.

 

[MGKlee]

Thanks for your all the replies so far, I think from the feedback and for peace of mind I’m going to build a 2x4 stand for this.

I’m so bummed and I feel like I rushed into this too fast because I had just cleaned it thoroughly and added live sand and salt.

I’m assuming after building a stand, I could transfer the water to a large trash can of some sort and then move the stand with the sand in it? Then put the salt back in from the large trash can?

What other equipment will I need? Are Powerheads necessary? Will I need a protein skimmer?

 

[Mr Fishface]

Thanks for your all the replies so far, I think from the feedback and for peace of mind I’m going to build a 2x4 stand for this.

I’m so bummed and I feel like I rushed into this too fast because I had just cleaned it thoroughly and added live sand and salt.

I’m assuming after building a stand, I could transfer the water to a large trash can of some sort and then move the stand with the sand in it? Then put the salt back in from the large trash can?

What other equipment will I need? Are Powerheads necessary? Will I need a protein skimmer?

If it makes you feel any better, I have totally rushed tanks before (I don't recommend it, I was just being really impulsive). So welcome to the "I rushed things and now I am going to fix it" club!

That is exactly how I would transfer the water. Brute rubbermaid trash cans work pretty well for me. Just give it a good rinse before using it. IMO, a good powerhead is totally necessary for water movement. Protein skimmer is nice but I don't use one on my 40 cube. I would like to one day but I haven't for the last year and a half and my corals have done okay.

The hard part with powerheads is getting one that works well for a cube. I really liked my AI nero 3 when I had it because I could adjust the flow real easy. Since that died I have used just cheap brands that I have to replace every now and then. You might not have as much trouble with having such a large cube, the 40 cube is small for many powerheads! I would love to see what others recommend.

 

[reefsaver]

The first tank I bought was on impulse, a Waterbox 25 gallon. It all starts with a dream.
My number one favorite powerheads are Ecotechs by far. I have a Nero 3, and it always jams and gets gunged up pretty much within the first 2 weeks out of the box.
But my MP10QD is amazing. I kinda regret not getting another one over the Nero 3.

 

[MGKlee]

Lol, I think I'm headed back to freshwater. This is intense and very costly $$$. These setups for sumps etc seem very intimidating and costly. It seems that the canister filter is a short term solution and a sump will be required very soon. Am I right?

 

[kvansloo]

Fish only with Live Rock can be ran off of canisters for a long time. I ran a 125 on 2 Fluval canisters for 5 years just had to replace sponges every couple of months. The move to sump is based on what you want and when you get tired of cleaning canisters.

 

[MGKlee]

Fish only with Live Rock can be ran off of canisters for a long time. I ran a 125 on 2 Fluval canisters for 5 years just had to replace sponges every couple of months. The move to sump is based on what you want and when you get tired of cleaning canisters.

Thanks for that info! How often were you cleaning canister filters? Did you have any powerheads in it or protein skimmer?

 

[kvansloo]

I cleaned one canister a month, so every month I was cleaning one or the other it was not hard just sometimes time consuming. Yes, I ran 2 Hang on the back skimmers back then not as fancy as what you can get today.