LR's 90g Build

[LiveRock27]

This project has been 6+ months in the making and could still have another month before everything is put together and up and running, but I thought I would go ahead and start a thread for my build.

I am planning on making this an SPS dominated tank with a few LPS(mainly chalices) and Palys/Zoas that I currently have in my Biocube. I will be running this as a Zeovit system as well and dosing BRS 2 Part and Mag.

Equipment

• 90g rr tank
• Stand
• Berlin Sump - BS2
• Reef Dynamics INS100 Protein Skimmer
• Eheim 1262 Pump - 900GPH
• Finnex 500W Deluxe Titanium Heating Tube
• 2x AI Sol Blue Unit w/Controller and 48" mounting rack w/hanging kit
• ReefKeeper Elite
• 2x VorTech MP40w ES w/backup wet-side assembly
• VorTech MP10w ES w/backup wet-side assembly
• VorTech Battery Backup
• Vertex ZF-15 Zeolith Media Reactor
• 3x BRS 2 Part Doser - 1.1 mL Per Minute (Dosing 2 Part and Mg)

I am going to be using around 65lbs of BRS ********* rock that I have pegged together and secured w/MacroRock Cement. I drilled the rocks for frag plugs. I will be using 80lbs of CaribSea Special Grade Reef Sand and will be using Reefers Best Coral Reef Salt.

I painted the back of the tank black and drilled the sump to run the return pump externally due to the lack of room from my Zeo Reactor and Protein Skimmer. I still need to have my new utility sink installed in my basement and then I will hook up my new BRS 75GPD RO/DI 5 Stage system. I have built a water mixing station to put beside my sink and RO/DI unit.

I will take some pictures this afternoon of all of the equipment, so there is at least something to look at in this thread and I am sure there is probably some other equipment that I forgot to list that I will add.

Thanks and looking forward to finishing this build and starting a new reef.

[LiveRock27]

Sorry I have not been able to update my thread with pictures, but our camera broke last weekend(my doing). My new Iphone should be in on Friday and I will get some picture of the equipment, tank, and stand.
Good news is I will have the first week of November off. I plan on moving my current 14g Biocube(it is setup where the new 90g tank is going), plumbing and filling the 90g with water and getting the sand and my BRS Reef Saver Rock in place. I have cementend the rock together to form 2 islands and have also drilled the rock to hold frag plus.
Sorry again for the delay on the pictures and I know this thread is no fun without them.

[Mr Difficult]

Very nice sounds good so far can't wait to see pics. I live in Dallas GA as well if I can help with anything.

[LiveRock27]

Originally Posted by Mr Difficult

Very nice sounds good so far can't wait to see pics. I live in Dallas GA as well if I can help with anything.

Thanks Mr. D and I am sure I will run into a few questions/problems along the way. It has been about 5 years since I had to plumb a tank.

[LiveRock27]

I am already looking at a few changes for the system...

1) I will be starting a new job next month and will be traveling a lot, so the Zeovit system is not going to work for me. There is too much daily dosing and I highly doubt my wife is going to want to take time out to do this for me. If anyone is interested I have a brand new Zeo Reactor available!
2) I am going to pickup 2 reactors to start running carbon and GFO.
3) The other addition might be a Calcium Reactor, but I think I am going to use up the remaining 2 part I have before I invest in this.

[LiveRock27]

With my new job this tank was put on hold for a few weeks, but will be up and running this Saturday. I have help coming over that morning to get it setup and will have pictures up Saturday afternoon.

[LiveRock27]

Big thanks to Matt and Mark from Creation Reef for getting my tank installed this afternoon.
Cabinet


Tank


I will spend tomorrow getting the rest of the equipment set up(Vortechs, RKE, and AI Controller) and working on the rock work.

Edit:

[LiveRock27]

I wad able to get the Vortechs(2xMP40 and 1xMP10) mounted and the RKE and AI controllers setup this morning.
I still need to get my ATO, pH probe, and dosing pumps online, but those will have to wait until the weekend.

[PFCDeitz]

Sweet!!! Love the equipment

[LiveRock27]

Originally Posted by PFCDeitz

Sweet!!! Love the equipment

Thanks. I slowly collected it all over the past 7 months.

I was able to hookup the ATO this evening. I ended up switching out my old ATO for the RKE float switch and it is working perfectly.

I was hoping to hook up the dosing pumps, but I don't have enough tubing. My NET module is also not working properly, but I will wait to do that this weekend along with calibrating my pH probe.

I am also not 100% happy with the aquascaping, but here it is so far...

FT


Left side


Right side


Sorry for the bar photos, but my IPhone camera doesn't like all the blue.

[LiveRock27]

I installed my 3 dosing pumps(2 part and Mg) and got my pH probe calibrated. I need to go back and organize the wires still.


I am still having trouble getting the NET module working on my RKE, but I don't feel like messing with it any more tonight.

[LiveRock27]

Still having trouble with my pH probe and my NET module, but worked on my aquascape some this morning.

Full tank


Left side


Right side


What do yall think?

[LiveRock27]

Got my Vortechs synced up this evening. I am running the two MP40s on each side Anti-Sync of each other and the MP10 on the back wall is on EcoSmart so I can take advantage of the Nutrient Transport Mode.

I also setup a new schedule for my AIs today that I "borrowed" from another reefer...


I tired to calibrate my pH probe one more time, but at this point I am thinking it is broken.

The only other equipment left for me to install is the Vortech Battery Backup, but man do I wish I would have put that on the back of the stand before I put water in the tank.

[LiveRock27]

I was able to install my 25w UV bulb this morning and mount my RKE headunit. I am currently waiting on a shipment with my new pH probe and new Salifert Ammonia and Nitrite test kits(the ones I had were really old).

I am in the middle of a diatom bloom, so everything is brown in the tank. I am hoping that after I get back from my trip and retest my water with the new kits that I will be able to add a small CUC next week. I have been testing this week and ammonia and nitrite are reading 0(but again these are old tests) and my Nitrates appear to be between 0 and .25 using a new Red Sea test kit.

I still haven't installed my Vortech batter backup because I need an extra set of hands. I really wish I would have attached it to the back of the stand before I put everything in place. Other than that I am working on a larger ATO reservoir, but I need to get more hose.

[MarkL]

Looks nice bro.

[LiveRock27]

Originally Posted by MarkL

Looks nice bro.

Thanks Mark, but I am getting sick of looking at a bunch of rocks. I can't wait to get something in this tank.

[Darren24]

First class set up. This is going to be a nice one....

[LiveRock27]

Originally Posted by Darren24

First class set up. This is going to be a nice one....

Thanks Darren and glad to see you back in the hobby. Once I get some life in the tank you will have to stop back by.

[LiveRock27]

I did a water change before I went out of town last week and retested the water last night and everything looked good. I had my LFS test my water again this morning to make sure and they had the same readings so I added a small CUC(Astraea, Nassarius, Banded Trochus snails, and a Peppermint Shrimp). Just added a few of each of the types of snails because there is not a lot of algea yet.
I will see how these do and keep an eye on my water quality, but I am hoping to transfer my pair of ORA Black Ocellaris, Wheeler's Shrimp Goby, and Pistol Shrimp from the 14g BC to this tank by the end of the week. Then I can start fragging the zoas, acans, chalice, and few sps that survived the move.

[LiveRock27]