Erin O's 75G Build

[crusso1993]

Moved to "Member Tanks" forum per OP's request!

Thank you!

Also, +1 on this. Thanks for this Crusso. I've had a bad past couple of weeks and you guys are great and all the info here kept me in the game. I don't get any support for the hobby at home, so hearing things like this make it worth it

Sorry to hear of your troubles, @Chefwheredyougo . Sending good vibes and big hugs!

 

[crusso1993]

Oh, FWIW; been running around but haven't forgotten about the FX6 mods.

 

[Erin O]

Oh, FWIW; been running around but haven't forgotten about the FX6 mods.

LOL! I just figured you found something shiny

 

[MERKEY]

Oh, FWIW; been running around but haven't forgotten about the FX6 mods.

I'm interested in this as well

 

[crusso1993]

LOL! I just figured you found something shiny

I actually saw a number of shiny things today. Thankfully, they all didn't appear simultaneously!
Still running around. Going to try and get home before lights out.

 

[sfin52]

Moved to "Member Tanks" forum per OP's request!

Well that didn't take long

Since we are sharing our struggles. I lost 90% of my corals in 2017. Finger leather, green star polyps and a shroom survived. Dinoflagellates took them out.

I used a course sand in the 55 fowlr. In the 75 reef I used. I prefer the fine sand.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/caribsea-arag-alive-bahamas-oolite-aquarium-sand

It's very fine. Great for burrowing and sand sleepers. It could the water but the canister will make short work of that. Don't rinse it. Just put it in the tank.

 

[Erin O]

Since we are sharing our struggles. I lost 90% of my corals in 2017. Finger leather, green star polyps and a shroom survived. Dinoflagellates took them out.

This is one of the reasons I'm so nervous about eventually adding corals. I'm pretty sure I've said it before, so I apologize for repeating myself lol. I just need to do my research, pick something REALLY hardy, and only add one at a time to start, to make sure I don't needlessly murder some poor, innocent corals

By the way, I was worried about you today, Stefan. Usually you at least make an appearance on the forum throughout the day

 

[crusso1993]

Ok, so I made it home before lights out and fed the tank so pay no attention to the particulates.

The return ends up being a double return with bigger outlets for the water.

First pic is of the stock tubing that comes with the FX6. I screwed a 3/4" x 1" - threaded x slip PCV adaptet directly in to the stock hose. It fits very snugly but may leak very slightly. I do not know and, to me, it doesn't matter because I keep it below the water line.


This pic is of a simply built PVC "T" with apropriate fittings to turn a single return into a double return.

I believe the rest of the pics are self explanatory. With exception to the PVC adapter that screws directly into the hose, all fittings are slip and I did not cement any of them. I also used a 3/4" x 1" adapter into a section of 16" of 1" PVC down to a 1" slip x 3/4" threaded fitting into which I have a "strainer" screwed.

I apologize, in advance, for anything that may be confusing as I've been on the go since about 5:00 this morning and did not sleep much last night. So, I'm a little bit on the tired side.
Please feel free to ask any questions and I'll answer when I'm a little better rested. Oh, and don't judge the shoddiness nor condition of things or of the work as I'll be redoing it all as I convert this tank into a fully planted hi-tech system.

 

[Erin O]

Ok, so I made it home before lights out and fed the tank so pay no attention to the particulates.

The return ends up being a double return with bigger outlets for the water.

First pic is of the stock tubing that comes with the FX6. I screwed a 3/4" x 1" - threaded x slip PCV adaptet directly in to the stock hose. It fits very snugly but may leak very slightly. I do not know and, to me, it doesn't matter because I keep it below the water line.


This pic is of a simply built PVC "T" with apropriate fittings to turn a single return into a double return.

I believe the rest of the pics are self explanatory. With exception to the PVC adapter that screws directly into the hose, all fittings are slip and I did not cement any of them. I also used a 3/4" x 1" adapter into a section of 16" of 1" PVC down to a 1" slip x 3/4" threaded fitting into which I have a "strainer" screwed.

I apologize, in advance, for anything that may be confusing as I've been on the go since about 5:00 this morning and did not sleep much last night. So, I'm a little bit on the tired side.
Please feel free to ask any questions and I'll answer when I'm a little better rested. Oh, and don't judge the shoddiness nor condition of things or of the work as I'll be redoing it all as I convert this tank into a fully planted hi-tech system.

This is great! One of the canisters on our 125g is a Fluval 406. The angels in that tank are adults and can handle that heavy flow, though they don't necessarily like it much, but if my pair in the 29g ever get their act together and give me babies, those babies would have a pretty hard time swimming in there. I think this design would be perfect for it. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Erin O]

I've been reading up on live rock vs. dry rock. I had planned on dry rock, but I've been reading that the look of dry rock, even after its been brought back to life, just isn't the same as if live rock was used. I've also read that some of the possible hitchhikers are beneficial for the tank. If I used mostly dry rock, but also a couple of pieces of live rock that had been cured, would that affect the look? Would I get enough of the beneficial critters to be worth the possibility of evil creatures?

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

I did the same as you've planned. LFS "live" rock is generally base rock that they just dumped some bacteria into. Had I done more research on that I would have gotten actual live rock online. If you go the LFS route, I'd say the best you could really get hitchhiker wise is aptasia, some bristleworms, maybe some bristle stars if you're lucky... Unless you have a really good LFS.

I'd recommend https://tbsaltwater.com/

*sorry if adding URLs is against the rules

 

[crusso1993]

I've been reading up on live rock vs. dry rock. I had planned on dry rock, but I've been reading that the look of dry rock, even after its been brought back to life, just isn't the same as if live rock was used. I've also read that some of the possible hitchhikers are beneficial for the tank. If I used mostly dry rock, but also a couple of pieces of live rock that had been cured, would that affect the look? Would I get enough of the beneficial critters to be worth the possibility of evil creatures?

As is the case with most things in this hobby, there are pros and cons to whichever way you want to go.

Some people swear by live rock only. Some people swear by dry rock. Some people swear by a combination of the two. Me, I just swear... A LOT!

If you can source high-quality, pest free live rock then I say go for it. Pro - it's live and provides additional life. Con - comparatively speaking, it's quite expensive. There is a company out of Tampa that sells live rock. I have never used them but many have and I have heard nothing but good reports. In closing, I will ask that you not get me going about the live rock that used to be available in this hobby.

Tampa Bay Saltwater – America's #1 Live Rock for Reef Aquariums

If you use dry rock, I recommend checking out CaribSea. Many folks don't know it's available through Amazon at a very good price.

Amazon product

Using a combo of the two, IMHO, is a good idea.

 

[crusso1993]

I did the same as you've planned. LFS "live" rock is generally base rock that they just dumped some bacteria into. Had I done more research on that I would have gotten actual live rock online. If you go the LFS route, I'd say the best you could really get hitchhiker wise is aptasia, some bristleworms, maybe some bristle stars if you're lucky... Unless you have a really good LFS.

I'd recommend https://tbsaltwater.com/

*sorry if adding URLs is against the rules

We shared the same site lol, and, no, URLs are not against the rules.

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

Good to hear. I'd say my setup was 75% dry 25% "live". Just to save money. I should have saved up and did at least a 50/50 split. My cycle took months

 

[crusso1993]

Good to hear. I'd say my setup was 75% dry 25% "live". Just to save money. I should have saved up and did at least a 50/50 split. My cycle took months

I'm guessing you didn't dose with bacteria or throw a dead shrimp in to help with the process.

 

[sfin52]

My cycle was a 4 days. Lr ,ls, and bacteria.

The tank I set up for my buddy didn't have a cycle. Lr,live sand, a whole bunch of bio rings and a piece or lr from my system, he had fish in it the next.

 

[Erin O]

I did the same as you've planned. LFS "live" rock is generally base rock that they just dumped some bacteria into. Had I done more research on that I would have gotten actual live rock online. If you go the LFS route, I'd say the best you could really get hitchhiker wise is aptasia, some bristleworms, maybe some bristle stars if you're lucky... Unless you have a really good LFS.

I'd recommend https://tbsaltwater.com/

*sorry if adding URLs is against the rules

As is the case with most things in this hobby, there are pros and cons to whichever way you want to go.

Some people swear by live rock only. Some people swear by dry rock. Some people swear by a combination of the two. Me, I just swear... A LOT!

If you can source high-quality, pest free live rock then I say go for it. Pro - it's live and provides additional life. Con - comparatively speaking, it's quite expensive. There is a company out of Tampa that sells live rock. I have never used them but many have and I have heard nothing but good reports. In closing, I will ask that you not get me going about the live rock that used to be available in this hobby.

Tampa Bay Saltwater – America's #1 Live Rock for Reef Aquariums

If you use dry rock, I recommend checking out CaribSea. Many folks don't know it's available through Amazon at a very good price.

Amazon product

Using a combo of the two, IMHO, is a good idea.

Thanks! I'll definitely check them out!

My cycle was a 4 days. Lr ,ls, and bacteria.

The tank I set up for my buddy didn't have a cycle. Lr,live sand, a whole bunch of bio rings and a piece or lr from my system, he had fish in it the next.

4 days! I guess I'd better get my first round of fish into QT about a month and a half before I get my tank set up, just in case. Or, I guess I can feed it with ammonia to keep the cycle going until they are ready to go in

 

[sfin52]

Thanks! I'll definitely check them out!


4 days! I guess I'd better get my first round of fish into QT about a month and a half before I get my tank set up, just in case. Or, I guess I can feed it with ammonia to keep the cycle going until they are ready to go in

Some ghost feedings will help.

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

I'm guessing you didn't dose with bacteria or throw a dead shrimp in to help with the process.

Actually I did use shrimp! Left it in for 4 days. Pulled the gooey carcass out and checked ammonia 24 hours later. With live sand >60lbs I still had an ammonia .5 and nitrite reading, with sky high nitrates of 160ppm.
Tbh though, the shrimp was falling apart, so I could have missed some of it. That's what I'll chalk it up to that. I know I almost lost the battle of having a tank with my S/O because it took so long to add anything

 

[sfin52]

Mine was on the short end the and @Chefwheredyougo was on the long end. I think average is 2-3 weeks.