advice on setting up a 75 reef tank

yousuredo · 08-29-2004, 10:49 AM

Hello, I am setting up a 75 GL. RR Oceanic tank, with a 29 GL AGA (diy) sump/fuge.
I am looking for advice on every posible step...do's, don'ts, link's to great deals for equipment I need , pic's of set-ups (to give ideas).

Here is what I have: MAG 18, MAG 5, RO/DI, TDS METER, JBJ 2X96 W 50/50, 2 X 55 W 50/50, SEAQUEST SKIMMER

Here is what I have ordered: 2 "SCWD" FOR CIRCULATION

STILL LOOKING TO ORDER: LIVEROCK, LIVE SAND, CLEAN UP CREW, LIGHTING UP-GRADE, CALCIUM RE-ACTOR/NILSON RE-ACTOR, ANOTHER PUMP, ECT...
WOULD LOVE TO (DIY) AS MUCH AS POSIBLE TO SAVE $$$ ,AND I ENJOY IT...

Junkzoo · 08-29-2004, 11:46 AM

Welcome to TRT!
on LR, try one of our sponsors: Premium Aquatics
and for a clean up crew, try Keys Critters .Both are very good, have super great livestock , nice prices,,
We have other sponsors that'll be a good place to look for Calc reactors etc.
same for lighting upgrades and most everything you might be looking for,
sorry, not up to inserting links to these places , since the boards upgrade, need more practice.
Feel free to ask away on any more questions you might have, and also, check our archives for a lot of information concerning anything you want to know also.
Again , Welcome to TRT, and hope you enjoy your time here!

yousuredo · 08-29-2004, 11:35 PM

where is a good place for acrylic tanks , sheets, tubes ?
i saw a site that was offering a 65 acrylic tanf for like $199.00 and would love to buy one ..............anyone know the site and could help me re-locate it ,,thanks

buckshot1977 · 08-30-2004, 11:50 AM

for live rock i would say go with www.marinedepotlive.com they have some good price on there fiji rock. i got a box for my 29gallon and i think it is ok. it is not grade a displace rock but it has really good growth. i have only had it about 2 or 3 months now and i still have new growths showing up everyday and the caroline algae is starting to take off now. i would say it is low on caroline algae growth when you get it all my pieces where only about 25 to 50% covered most where 50% though. and for only $150 shipped to your door i can not complain.

yousuredo · 09-01-2004, 09:51 AM

well my ro/di unit arrived yesterday, and i hooked it up. so now i am filling the tank with water, and if there is anyone (local) who would be willing to donate alittle live to kick start the cycle i would be gratefull........

yousuredo · 09-01-2004, 09:53 AM

ooooppppssss ..........livesand or liverock rubble to kick start the cycle

wanareef · 09-01-2004, 08:04 PM

Since you are filling the tank with water - I guess this means that you won't be drilling the tnak for the CL for the SCWD's. They are nice but do take a lot of flow away from the pump (fyi).

What type of animals will you be keeping? On the calcium reactor you can diy and the kalk reactor as well. I guess while you are at it, you could make yourself a phos-reactor too.

good luck

yousuredo · 09-01-2004, 09:08 PM

phos-reactor ? never seen one one of those.....
no not drilling it is a glass tank with some scratches and chips in it so i figured it wasn't worth it...the next tank i buy i will drill. as fer as what live stock will be put in the tank............i have no idea, (reef freindly though) any sugestions

Doug1 · 09-01-2004, 09:08 PM

Before you get much farther, let me ask you what are you planning on keeping?
The lighting you have listed will be marginal for soft corals and hardy LPS corals. I am not a PC light fan, esp since the biggest are 96watt 3' tubes, but you can always work in a couple 250 watt Iwasakis later.
You list a mag 18 and a Mag 5 , which are you using for the return? prolly the 18 and the 5 on the skimmer(not familiar with that brand)
1800 gph thru a 29 will be noisy and prolly a lot of micro bubbles, I used a Mag 5 as a return on my 75 with a 55g sump. I would look into a closed loop for the Mag 18, and look into a serious skimmer, one of the AquaC's, or a Beckett type , like MyReef sells.

yousuredo · 09-01-2004, 09:15 PM

i recieved a phone call from a tela-marketer tonight offering me a vacation for 3 nights 4 days at daytona for $79.00. i usually just hang up, then i started thinking (LIVEROCK & LIVESAND WITH NO SHIPPING CHARGES) and a vacation.....hmmmmmmmmm sounds good to me sign me up !!!!! so i guess i will be going to daytona.

yousuredo · 09-01-2004, 09:17 PM

sure is weird how this hobby changes the way youthink,act ,ect..

Doug1 · 09-01-2004, 09:40 PM

Then again there are HEAVY restrictions on collecting in the Carribean and Gulf Areas, after you factor in the hidden costs of your "Bargain " vacation as well as dealing with transporting large amounts or wet live stock, I would be surprised if its a bargain

yousuredo · 09-02-2004, 09:00 AM

i will stopping by TBS , or one of the other stores that sale & ship lr/ls, i wont be diving for it ! i thought all i hade to was place the rock in tubberware containers with saltwater and they would be o.k. ? am i wrong ? only be about 6.5-7.5 hour trip depending on how many stops made.....

the light sittuation is complex at the moment....i do very much want to change over to MH's but the more i read about them the less i know......electric,pulse,ect, what spectrum bulb , what type se/de ahhhhhhhhh i will figure it out or i will guess on it later..........