Setting up new 70 reef

[KenMedic]

Greetings!! This is my first visit to this site and first real attempt to helping my lovely, marine experienced wife set up a reef tank. We have had marine fish tanks in the past, but nothing really to this extent. Let me first set up the situation.

I'm building matching his/her built-in enclosures in our bedroom on opposite side of the room (for balance). These will be approximately 54" wide and 36"deep. In mine goes the computer and my radio hobby. In hers, we are setting up a 70G reef aquarium at eye level. For the purpose of this discussion, and forum, I'm sticking to her hobby.

TANK

So far, the RR tank is ordered and will be picked up on Saturday. It's dimensions are approximately 36" wide, 24" high, and 18" front to back. The stand will be custom-built and open on all 4 sides.

FILTRATION

We have decided to go with a sump/refugium system rather than a sump alone. I'm not thrilled with what is available at my LFS. $269 for an acrylic combo seems like I'm dumping a bunch of money into a brand name rather than function and filtration. I'd rather custom build my sump/refugium and add volume to the system. Sterilite containers would be fine or even another tank underneath the stand and subdivide it into compartments.

OTHER STUFF

A protien skimmer is certainly a must as well as the pumps to move the water, lights to 1)encourage growth of microorganisms and 2) be able to see the wonderful creation that sits in our bedroom, and the rest of the hardware to make everything work.

POINT TO THIS THREAD

The whole point of this thread is a request for help. I admit I have very little knowledge in setting up a reef system. In order of importance and to get water in the system and moving, what equipment type/brand do you recommend to get things going? Please keep in mind budget constraints as we go through this.

Thanks in advance for all the help. I'll post pictures as things move along.

[lReef lKeeper]

welcome aboard ... just a bit of FYI here ... you are about to be bittin by the reef bug !!

in order i would this ...
1. Lighting (depends on what she wants to keep in the tank)
2. RO/DI unit to make PURE water for the tank. (with a high rejection rate [75gpd])
3. Skimmer (do not skimp here)
4. Hydor Korallia Powerheads (for water flow IN tank)
5. IMO a deep sand bed (5+ inches) is a great choice

i would use another tank for a sump as you mentioned. be careful with sterilite containers, as they have been know to crack under the pressure of water being in them.

[Amphibious]

KenMedic,

Welcome to TR. A 70 gal is a great choice for a first reef. My suggestion is to research, research and research some more.

Originally Posted by KenMedic

Please keep in mind budget constraints as we go through this.

This is going to tough, believe me.

A good place to begin might be my tank thread found here on TR - Amphibious' 135 mixed reef

There are others as good or better. It's a starting point.

We are ready for your questions.

Dick

[poppin_fresh]

I second the sterilite warning. I had one split and leak, luckily where it wouldn't do any damage. I would consider a standard glass tank as a sump before I would use something not really designed to hold water.

Please also keep in mind that it is going to be impossible to make the tank silent. You WILL hear the overflow, skimmer, pumps, etc. to some extent. Because this is in your bedroom it may be a problem if you aren't prepared for it.

[Amphibious]

Good point about the noise level, Jon. Ken, I see you are in San Antonio. It's also very possible you will need a chiller. Chillers make some noise, added to the rest it may be more than you are able to put up with. Also, the chiller takes heat from the water and blows it into the room. It could make your bedroom uncomfortably hot.



Dick

[Skurvey Dog]

to TR Ken. You have a plus going on there with your better half having some marine experience as it will give you a better understanding of water chemistry and set up.

The matching enclosures sound like a great idea. Were these 2 mini rooms going to have bi/tri fold doors? If so, that could cut down on the "noise factor" if that might be an issue for a sleeping area. Like Poppin mentioned, it will not be quiet. Also, had you thought about tiling the floor in those 2 sections. It could prevent some water mishaps or be easier to keep clean around the tank. (Just a few thoughts.)

What you can do as far as a sump/fuge will be dictated by the inside measurements of the tank stand where it will be kept. I had a sump/fuge built for my DT and I did not take into consideration the overhead that would be needed for the plumbing. I had to build another stand because of it. Mistakes cost extra money.

[

If you are a DIY kind of guy, this can save you some greenbacks. If you can find the right size tank w/ correct size WxDxH, you can go to Lowes or HD and they will cut plexiglass to your measurements, or you can cut it yourself. Find an appropriate build plan and make the sump/fuge yourself. And you can save alot doing the plumbing yourself also.

The skimmer, LR and SB is going to be the stabalizing factor to the whole system. Lighting, water movement, and water quality will dictate the health of your system. Reef Keeper mentioned the Korellas, if you can, they are an excellent choice and use the lowest wattage of any pump that I know of. Energy efficient hardware will save you bucks on your electric bill. Amphibious did have the Korellas and he is a TR sponsor. I don't know if he's sold all that he had in stock or not.

Thanks in advance for all the help. I'll post pictures as things move along.

Like Amphibious stated.... research, research, research. If you have more time than money and patience, you will come out much better in the long run. Being impulsive can lead to problems and poor choices. The only thing that happens fast in this hobby is a disaster. There are many ways to save some money. Local reefer clubs are a great place to find used equipment, and anything else related to a marine tank. The news paper, craigslist and E-bay and use your computer to surf the web using bizrate, price grabber and any other comparative shopping. Also most businesses have a "price match" which can save big bucks for something you want. And just make yourself a list of what you need and are looking for and hang tight. Start purchasing those things when they present themselves. In the meantime you can be deciding on how you want to aquascape the tank, what type of LR you want to use, corals you want to keep and fish. Lots of decisions will have to be made, that's why this hobby is fascinating and never a dull moment. And like others have said, TR is a valuable tool, the forums, podcasts, tank journals.

You are with friends now! "Reefers School Together"

[KenMedic]

Thanks for all the help.

The matching enclosures sound like a great idea. Were these 2 mini rooms going to have bi/tri fold doors?

The upper and lower portions of the tank will be concealed behind a pair of bifold doors, leaving just the tank visible. The inside of the enclosure will be lined with moisture-resistant drywall.

What you can do as far as a sump/fuge will be dictated by the inside measurements of the tank stand where it will be kept.

As of now, the tank should be close to eye level on a custom-built stand, approximately 42" at the base of the tank.. The stand will be bracketed to the wall for additional stability. Thinking about it, a LFS offers a "trickle filter" sump similar to the one Amphibious has for his 135. That might be the way I go, but I'm not sure. I really like the way Amphibious set his up.

Local reefer clubs are a great place to find used equipment, and anything else related to a marine tank. The news paper, craigslist and E-bay and use your computer to surf the web using bizrate, price grabber and any other comparative shopping.

My wife LOVES to do this. She has been looking for many different things to get this going.

Here's an odd question: the tank will be next to an exterior wall. Can anything be mounted outside in a weatherproof enclosure and plumbed through the wall as long as it is protected from freezing and the elements? This would certainly allow for additional water volume. A chiller would be a necessity in this case since the summer temperatures dance in the high 90s.

[veriann]

arrrr yes the saying "the only thing that happens fast in this hobby - is my rise to fame" is right on the money.....now give me thank you kudo's cause im feeling less love at the moment & have to over compensate in other ways........like this all important piece of advice............................................ .......................................
.........................................wait for it........................................
..........building the suspense! lol

This is your bedroom, noise is your first problem, but easily solved by noise cancelling techno-junky things that stick......no - your real problem that will drive you absolute bonkers in no time will be light & more to the point light gaps creating rays in the upper top section of the tank. Keep your overflow pipe length high & definitely adjustable. Just trust me Now, i'll take my kudos in unmarked small bills please. lol

welcome to paradise bud. multi cultured & skilled hang out that makes leaving Oz bearable!

[KenMedic]

Well, I went to the LFS and picked up my tank today. I also found a heck of a deal (half price) on a new and complete Oceanic #3 sump to convert to a refugium. It was much bigger and less expensive than the regular prepackaged sump they offered. I had to redesign my stand, which will now be integrated into the structure of the closet I'm constructing. Is it just me, or does anyone else think that triple 2x6 beams spanning 38" at 7 1/2" centers is a tad bit overkill??? Oh well, back to the big box hardware store I go!!! I just LOVE building things!!

[Skurvey Dog]

Hello Ken (Waving at you)

Glad to hear that things are moving along for you and ... Mrs. Ken. Sorry, but I don't know dittles with framing, but if you have like insulation, staining woodwork, painting and whatnot, I can help you there. Hopefully some others here will chime in as there are a few building geniuses here when it comes to wood construction. Glad that you ran up on such a good deal and things worked out better than you were expecting. That's always good, so when something goes south for a minute, it won't be so bad. Make sure you take a list with you when you go back to the store, you'll forget a 25 cent bolt or screw! Awe! Nothing like going to the store and buying everything I need, except what I originally went there for. Can't wait till you snap off a pick of your new tank and sump! Oh, by the way, were you going to paint the back of the tank? I'm just asking because, a day late and a buck short, now I wish I'd of painted mine black.

[CarmieJo]

Hi Ken and to TR!

You've already been given lots of good advice. Even though your have the new sump/fuge I would also like to recommend that you check out Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums