new 75g system : build thread

[new_world_disor]

well finally my tank is here. going to pick up my stand tommorow or sunday ( depends when im working ) the tank is 55 US gallons. and the sump is 30 US gallons ( only going to have 20g water max. so its around 75g system much bigger than previouse 30 and 10g.

at the moment my kit list includes :

aqua-digital temprature controler
V2 400 skimmer
2 x 300w heaters
1x250w MH with 4 x actinics ( coraluve retro kit )

not sure if im going to go with a closed loop system or get a pair of Tunze powerheads.. the closed loop will save a lot of money but the tunze may be more effective.

im using a Ocean Runner as a return pump attached to a SCWD with 2 outlets at either end of the tank. so that will ad a bit of flow. then ill work from there. unfortunatley this is going to be a slowish thread due to being payed crap money at work ( being a chef sucks )

anyways. heres the tank as of today :


any ideas and comments wld be good

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[landlord]

Think hard about either going with or without the closed loop. I would think it would be easier to add tunzes later on vs trying to add the closed loop (drilling, bulkheads, etc) later on down the road.

I wish I had gone the CL route, don't get me wrong I love my tunzes which I would have probably added anyways but I feel like I am missing out on waaaay better flow in those hard to reach places which I could have planned for early on had I known.

Good Luck and Have Fun! --landlord

[stevedola]

exactly what landlord said. Ive got a 75 and water flow is a problem because of the size of the tank and rock structure. I use 2x6045 with QO4000 return and still wish I had more flow for those difficult areas. Im going to have to prolly add a couple Koraili nanos to aid in the low flow spots. If I had to plan it again Id drill a CL on OM and deal with the added mthly electical cost. Id also order a non ReefReady tank and drill and install a Hortizontal OF. I installed a Horz. OF in a 90 for my dad and its a sweet deal. GL with the build.

[kslick]

For flow I use a vortech and a tunze nano modded and have great random flow. Just a thought.

[new_world_disor]

vortech is way way to pricey for me. the problem at the moment is finding out if the tank is tempered or not. i think im just going to have to go with a hang on overflow ( certainly not what i wanted ) and i can still run a closed loop without bulkeads.. i have seen some preety good setups with pipes over the back ( down one corner for the outlet ) and then over the top and around to top.. or wherever u want for the return. but im not to sure how to do the return at the mo. you see so many ppl with different designs... pipes in/under the rocks.. facing to all corners/front/sides/back. im not sure. think im going to have to play around with a few ideas that i have and see what happens

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[kslick]

Yea a had to bite the bullet on the vortech. I do know the tunze nano has a good flow, especially after the mod. As for the plumbing I'm no expert, so I know someone will chime in.

[new_world_disor]

finally started my stand... its more of a cabinet that the tank will sit on . as the top is not the exact size of the tank. as i wanted to have a large sump and be able to house all my equipment in the one place. at the mo all ive got is the MDF surround ( yes i work back to front ) and ive put in the top 2 supports.. im using 1" mdf. and 2x2" wood for supports. this should hold everything nice and sturdy. only got one pic at the mo. should have it all done tommorow ad

[stevedola]

vortechs are way overpriced in my opinion. That have their own issues and for the amount of money they get youd think they were flawless in design and application.

Id find out quick about the tank being tempered because of that external overflow. If you dont want to drill the CL then thats fine but definitely drill the overflow and make it a horizontal "calfo style" overflow. trust me when I say you dont want the problem of an external overflow. for the time and money its well worth it!

[new_world_disor]

but how can i find out if the glass is tempered as theres no way of contacting the manufacturer and the shop is run by idiots. ( i bought i fast cos it was on sale ) are there any ways to check these things ?

[new_world_disor]

still havent been able to find out if the tank is drillable. which is ****ing me off a little. but i have done some more work on the stand. got the top supports in, and the centre brace, along with the two bottom supports for the uprights.. all using 2x2. pics :

[mg426]

Nice work.

[new_world_disor]

MORE updates.

well THE BEST BIT IS.... i found out i can drill the tank. im just abit scared of doing it myself incase i balls it all up haha. so im going to a glass shop tmoz to see if they will drill the CL holes and the outlet holes for the wiers ( 1 corner wier with 2 x 1" durso stand pipes )

and ive also finished my stand today. its all ready and finished. im just going to screw in a front upright once the sump is in

as for the sump. i am building it as we speak. got all the glass cut. just getting it in the sump now ( my old 30g )

heres some pics of my progress :





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just a quick one... got the tank on the stand where its going to live :

[webbstock]

One trick to see if the glass is tempered is to use polarized light-

http://astro.umsystem.edu/atm/ARCHIV.../msg01356.html

I've personally never tried it, but supposedly it works.

[new_world_disor]

well ive finally finished my sump
got to finish the front of the stand tommorow. and got my RO/DI unit today as well so going to plumb that in. then im skint which sucks. going to see about getting the tank drilled tommorow. hopefully its only going to cost a super small amount. ive also got some blu glass cut for my overflow box.

heres pics of the sump ( veeery bad ones ... the baffles loof wonky. there not. the pic is just crap




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[new_world_disor]

ah well. no one is really following this other than me . but i thought id keep updating

i finally got round to drilling my tank. ive done the 1st hole for the drain to the sump. going to do one for the CL system now.
i thought i did a preety gd job. as id only ever drilled glass 1 time b4. ( my sump )




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[fambrough]

I am following your thread, chef. Looks good so far. Of course, it will be even more intesting when you get it running. What are your stocking plans--and I don't mean your christmas stocking (do you do that over there?)

[new_world_disor]

yeh we do xmas stockings over here. but im jewish :P haha so i dont. im not sure what stock plans are at the mo. i want a pair of true clowns, a scooter blenny, a yellow tang ( not sure if this is the actual name ) and not sure what else yet. should have water by the weekend. picking up my custom wier tmoz. and i ordered bulkheads and piping today. so all is going well so far. just need the CL pump, lights and a skimmer :P

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[mg426]

here is my over the top CL

[new_world_disor]

oof. have a pipe :P looks preety gd. i will be doing an over-the-top return for the CL system. seemed silly drilling tonns of holes in the glass. im sure it cant be good for it. i still have to get my CL pump. think im going for an OceanRunner. but im not to sure yet. and im using my rio 1100 as return pump for now. and going to get a SCWD for either return from sump or for the CL. what do you guys think ?

heres a pic of the tank with the sump. stand and surround finished.

[new_world_disor]

well things kinds of went on hold today ( not for long ) after my parents finally bought me a lizard ( leapard gehko ) only teeny atthe mo. around 4" i spose. he is in my old 30g tank at the mo. ill get some pics up tonight

/. as for the tank. i have the wier glass now and have just ordered the overflow comb the tank should have water by sunday i hope

[new_world_disor]

well the tank is getting there slowly. going to paint the back today ( regal blue ) and im bolting the stand to the wall today as well. only down-side is . that my crappy house has bad joists. so it cant go in the corner origionally planned. its goin on the wall next to it but never mind. will get pics and info as and when i can.

heres a few pics of my little leapard gheko ( called : donk . lol ) hes in my old 30g at the mo. the tank has changed since i took these pics. he has more greenery. 2 hides now ( moist and dry ) and a basking light, as well as a less powerfull daylight lamp. )

[new_world_disor]

well after even more weight issues and other rubish. the tank isnt watery just yet. which is annoying weve decided ( after pulling up dome floorboards ) that the joists supporting the floor just wont hold it ( grrrrr ) so were scraping the stand i lovingly built and going to bolt 3x3" wood staight to the wall with grapling bolts. and then box it in. which is going to look better ( and my dads paying ) so its all good. just a shame its all taking so long.

heres a pic of it today painted and with the stock twin T5's over it



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[new_world_disor]

well. things have gotten even slower than i thought they ever would after my dads mate came round ( who happens to be a savayer ( sP ) he said it would go through the floor due to the crap joisting in the house :@ grrr. so we have scraped my old stand. and are building one that has 165mm cabinet bolts going into the wall ( in all uprights as well as the base frame and the top frame. ) the hole lot is going to be sat on the floor. and is mainly built from 3x2. heres todays work :


( got a bit more done after... will keep you all ( not many ppl ) updated )

[chrismunn]

alright!

[new_world_disor]

thats my dad btw... so u dnt think im ancient :P