75g tank

[gjuarez]

Ok, I bought a 75 g tank from a fellow reefer, this tank used to belong to a cool cat here on MAAST who has an amazing tank. I plan on doing it justice. Anyways, I am excited because I am receiving my light bulbs on saturday from reefgeek. My light will consist of T5 IceCap Retrofit kit, with 1 x 660 ballast and 1 x 430 ballast, overdriving 6 x t5 bulbs. The bulbs will be cooled by some IceCap fans. I bought individual IceCap SLR reflectors so i should have plenty of light to keep anything i want. I am testing my 430 ballast with some old bulbs, the bulbs are 2 x 24w. Here's a pic, and tell what you think of the aquascaping.

http://www.maast.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=528

[gjuarez]

Here is a shot of the filtration system. Its approxamitely a 30g sump, skimmer is a Euro-Reef rater for a tank much larger than this one. In the middle chamber i am going to keep carbon and maybe some chaeto. No live sand in my system. Barebottom all the way.

http://www.maast.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=529

[TinyTanker]

research into some more crevices. It will a lot cooler if you prop up with holes drilled into rock and then pvc slid through to keep it in place. I just think you could make a couple more caves or crevices. Its cool to see the manimals enjoy the caves and such:blushing:

[gjuarez]

Return pump is an Iwaki 20 japanese motor. I am either going to go closed loop with a dart or maybe some tunzes. Ideally i would like the closed loop, but we shall see. If you all have a 75g tank, please post picture so i can steal ideas of your aquascape.

[gjuarez]

I agree, i was just looking at how it would look. I want to play around with the rockwork, I have been looking at the bonzai inspired aquascaping on RC and thats what i want to do. Need to start drilling and need some acrylic rods.

[ErikH]

Looks nice! Are you going SPS dominant?

[gjuarez]

Yup. All SPS, with maybe a couple of clams, but you never know, nothing ever goes as planned. My SPS from my nano will be transfered to this tank, as i feel they are being underlit by the 70w mh. Here a pic of the corals in my nano:

http://www.maast.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=84&pictureid=503

[gjuarez]

Will be using this to help with calcium demands, its a tunze kalk dispenser

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/jtarmitage/Misc/forsale116.jpg

[corkyGramma]

Hey man, how much did that dispensor cost?

[gjuarez]

Bought it used from a guy on RC, i paid 80 for it

[chark]

Hey Jerry, I was just looking at the tunze kalk dispenser. I would be interested in how it works for you. What type of top off are you hooking it up to?

[blindside]

Nice tank, I like the scape!

[gjuarez]

Cecil, quite frankly i really dont know. I dont even know how it works. I just saw a good deal on it so I grabbed it. I have a couple of automatic top off units so we'll see. I should be receiving that instructions and all with it, but stay tuned in this post as i will be updating with pics.

Getting my lights tomorrow. I am very excited!!

[gjuarez]

Now i need an RO/DI unit

[Robb_in_Austin]

BFS premium system is the best deal out there, that isn't on Ebay, plus Russ is a sponsor!

[gjuarez]

FUnny u should say, i just checked them out. I have a guy on RC selling me a 35gpd Maxxima RO/DI unit, its a four stage. I was looking at the BFS premium systems and he has very good prices.

[Marlin]

It's looking good. Let me know when you're ready and I'll help you level it and complete the plumbing. If you want to go closed loop, now's the time before you start putting water in.

Rick

[gjuarez]

I will be going closed loop, i just bought a dart, the one that pushes 3600gph. Ill have 56x turnover. I will need some extra glue

[hobogato]

aunte em, aunte em..... oh toto i dont think..... yeah, you get the idea :D

[gjuarez]

Your kidding me... THat line was going through my head today but for another reason.. Deja Vu. Thats right, were not in kansas anymore, were in the mean waters of the indo pacific

[Marlin]

Here's another one for you..."I think we need a bigger tank" :lauging:
The music from Jaws playing in the background

[fishypets]

Looking good man, but where is all the sand?

[gjuarez]

WIth that much flow I wont be able to keep any sand, it would be a sandstorm waiting to happen.

[rz1a]

How many holes are you going to drill and where will they be? I'm guessing you're going to add something by oceans motions?

[gjuarez]

Not sure yet Ruben. I know i will have a spraybar to push the detritus forward. I also want an oceans motion but considering different options

[gjuarez]

Update: Installed my T5s, love them! I love the color, i wound up subsituting the GE 6.5k for an aquablue plus. I love the color

[fishypets]

Where's the pics man? New rule for you...... You must post pics when you add something new!

[gjuarez]

I was going to take some seriously, but my camera ran out of batteries. Starting tomorrow, the rule will go into effect. Stay tuned for the pics yall... ya hear

[Goofball310]

in for the new pics, and gl on the new setup

[greenmako]

loved that tank, and can't wait to see what you do with it!
tagging along!

[Mr Cob]

ANy new pics with the new lighting? Looks like it's going to be a nice tank!

[gjuarez]

Here is a pic with my lights on, its not even 50% accurate. Its alot of brighter and the light is not as blue, very misleading. These lights are strong.

http://www.maast.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=587

[gjuarez]

I had to switch one of the aquablues because the light was too blue for my taste. I swapped with a GE 6.5k and its just perfect. Very pleased with my lights. I also got my tunze calcium dispenser today, didnt do much research now i need an osmolator

[dmweise]

Nice rock setup! Very nice formation.

[gjuarez]

Thanks, I will be redoing the aquascape but doing it very similar to how it already is. I am drilling the rock and getting some acrylic rods to make some cools caves and overhangs. I cant wait to setup my tank, just waiting on the Reeflo Dart and the Bulkheads for the closed loop and we are all set.

[rz1a]

Jerry, selling your aquablue? ;p one of my bulbs burned out, so I'm using an old actinic bulb.

Where are you getting the acrylic rods from? USplastic? was hoping to do that in a couple weeks so the eel wont knock stuff around..

[gjuarez]

Hey Ruben, I dont know if I am keeping my korallen zucht fiji purple or swap it out with the aquablue plus bulb, once i figure it out i will let you know. So far i am not too impressed with the KZ fiji purple, not close to the actinic that I am used to. DOnt know where I am getting the rods from, i was just looking into it but thanks for the suggestion. We should get together on that to save on shipping.

Just spoke to Marlin about my closed loop, he gave some ideas on it. I want the oceans motions but i have exhausted my budget for the tank. I have spent a lot of money on it. We will be drilling it though to prepare the tank for the oceans motions however the bulkheads will have shutoff valves until i build my budget again to get OM 4 way. The only thing that I need to get this baby up and running is my dart pump. Its in the mail!

[rz1a]

That's good to hear. Yeah we should look at what thickness we need for the rods and look at USplastic for the prices. I know they'll only sell it to you if you buy a certain size, like maybe 6 feet minimum, but it's not expensive

Let me know about the AB+, love that bulb, if not, I know someone in the valley looking into buying your KZ-- how did the color on that bulb turn out? pinkish looking?

[gjuarez]

Yeah, like pinkish/purplish, not too impressed. I might decide to keep it though just in case i need some backup, that was the reason i had bought 7 bulbs in case of an emergency. The aquablues + are very blue, i had 3 planned for my system but not sure if i want to keep three of those. I know if I do i will be sacrificing a ton of PAR. The bulbs put out more heat than i thought they would but the fans should do a good job at cooling the bulbs. My house temp is normally 74. How are you liking yours?

[rz1a]

To be honest, i'm not too impressed right now. They make things look really boring.. I miss metal halide but don't miss the heat from so much wattage. Maybe i'm missing the right combination of bulbs.

I have a reflector that has the bends like in the Nova Pro Extreme, but I'm thinking of redoing the whole lighting system and buying individual reflectors from reefgeek with stand offs and end caps from hello lights

Hey so I think at most well spend is 18 bucks each for a 12' acrylic rod, and thats 6' each, but it's at half an inch-- not sure if that will be good enough to secure rock, but I imagine it would be

oh and thats with shipping too

[cpreefguy]

Tank looks awesome!

[gjuarez]

Thanks sean, its coming along but very slowly. Equipment is expensive. LOL

Ruben, the acrylic rods seem to be very inexpensive, let me know when you want to get them. Anything works for me.

[gjuarez]

Now i need a dart pump, i bought a used dart from a reefer on RC, after i payed he never returned my PMs. He promised to ship on monday and since then i havent heard from him. I filed a dispute with my bank and in less than an hour the money was back again on my account. It was just too good of a deal to be true. Setting up my tank is going to take a little bit longer

[Goofball310]

who's the seller on RC? just so we know who to stay away from.

[gjuarez]

He is called manofthesea. I payed him on 2-27 or 2-28-08 cant remember. I havent heard from him in a couple of days. He said he would ship tuesday but still no answer or even a pm that he is taking a little longer.

[rz1a]

was he still going around posting? that sucks. gotta have a lot of patience in this hobby to make things run smoothly when its all setup down the road, hopefully you get everything planned out on what you wanna do with the tank

[gjuarez]

Actually the guy sent me a private message today with my tracking number. He just dropped it off today. He didnt return my PMs since monday so i got worried. If i get the pump, i will send him the money if it was taken out

[rz1a]

dang well that sucks. did you tell him what happened? hope he didnt pay for shipping expecting to have the money in his account only to find out it was removed and he overdrafted or something

[jason]

Your tank is looking great!

[gjuarez]

Ruben, I did tell the guy about what I did. I even sent him a pm this morning to not even bother shipping the pump, he still did. So we shall see. As soon as i get the pump and confirm that it works, i will send the money to him ASAP. If it overdraws his account, then thats his problem for lack of communication. Hope everything turns out well with that.

Jason, omg youre alive on the maast boards. LOL Keep in touch here with us man, tag along and lets see what happens

[jason]

LOL. Im alive!

btw...I like the color of your lighting.

[rz1a]

Hey jerry, are you hosting this month's meeting?

[gjuarez]

Unfortunately I cant because I am very busy studying for a license that i need to get. I dont mind having it at my house any other time though

[gjuarez]

I have been playing around with my aquascaping as i wasnt happy with it. I still need to get the acrylic rods. I have been tracking my dart pump and it will get here on thursday. I will post pics of the rockwork as soon as I find something that I am happy with.

Does anyone out there have any suggestions as far as drilling for a closed loop. Where should i drill, bottom or side? Let me know how you did your closed loop.

[hobogato]

be careful if you decide the bottom - if any of the glass on the tank is tempered it will be the bottom. to be sure, you should try to contact the manufacturer of the tank - there should be an id tag on the bottom somewhere.

[gjuarez]

The glass is not tempered (99% sure), its actually already drilled for the reef ready. This tank used to belong to Brian and Christina. I will get with them just to make sure its not.