Messer 90g Build

[ZakkMesser]

Hello, this is my first post on the forums. Im going to post a log of my first saltwater tank build. Ill try to update as much as I can. I will be saving over the next month to buy everything I need at once.

List of of items needed.

*90 gallon tank + stand- Plan on getting this on craigslist to save sme cash. Which is better, glass or acrylic?
*55 gallon tank- Plan on getting this to use as a sump. How do you think I should go about making the sump?
*Eshopps Overflow Box- Plan on getting the one rated for 800 GPH, is this enough?
*2 Hydor Koralia 3 Pumps- This is 1700GPH combined flow, is this enough? Will the water coming back into the tank from the sump create much flow?
*324Watt Current Nova Extreme Pro T-5 Fixture- Is this 6 bulb system enough for most corals, or would it be better to spend the extra $100 and get the 8 bulb one with 432 watts?
*Mag Drive 950GPH Pump- Plan on using this to put in sump to pump water back to tank, is this enough flow?
*Marineland Marine Series Advanced In-Sump Skimmers Pro 100- Good? Bad? Any other skimmers?
*2 Hydor Theo Heaters- 200 watts each. 2 incase one was to go out.
*Instant Ocean Reef Crystals- Is this salt mix good?
*Refractometer
*Instant Ocean Marine Conditioner
*Instant Ocean Saltwater ReefMaster Test Kit

Now, is that everything that I would need to run a system WITHOUT livestock, live rock and some sort of subtrate?

What type of live rock do you think I should get? Live sand?

Thanks for all the help!

[Steve McKay]

Welcome to Reefland.You must be rich even o'bama couldn't save enough in a month,all he can do is spend.

1.Glass is better period.Unless after a couple years of scratches you like trying to view your fish through what looks like gray spray paint.

2.Just make it a sump,that question is a thread in itself.But I would use a 50g it's 18"wide better if you get a big skimmer which I would recommend,a skimmer is the most important piece of equipment.A 55g is only 12"wide.

3.Yes.

4.For starting out two is good enough.If your overflow is 800gph and you get a pump that will deliver 800gph with whatever head pressure you have to the return outlet you will have 800gph of added flow to your K3's.You can do this by getting a pump rated for more than you need and installing a ball valve or tee forward of the return pump and dialing the flow back if necessary.

5.8 bulbs,8 bulbs,8 bulbs.

6.That sounds about right,it will deliver 800gph at a 4' head.

7.I have no experience with that skimmer,I would recommend the same skimmer I have for my 50g it's overkill for me but you will have a 90g and your rich remember I'd get the Alpha 170 Cone Skimmer from Bubble King.

8.Sounds good.

9.That's what I use,but I'm doing some testing on it because it may be the cause of my higher silica levels.But overall it is a very good salt mix.

10.A refractrometer is a necessary tool,you can't trust a hydrometer.

11.No,no,no.

12.No,Salifert is the cheapest I would go with.What I mean is anything less than Salifert is a waste of money,been there done that.I use Salifert.

You have the biggest items covered,but there's a lot more.Nets,hoses,clamps,etc.As far as LR that is something you must research and decide on your own,other people will be along and offer their opinions.Live sand,buy sand dry and seed it with a little real live sand.I will give you a link to follow at the end of this post for the sand I use,ignore it saying up to 1" I have a 5"DSB.Here's the link.Aragamax Aquarium Sand

[Parrothead]

If you are shopping tanks on craigslist, make double damn sure you ask the seller, not once, not twice, but several times if the tank has ever been treated with ANY copper based meds for treatment of fish disease, if the seller says no several times, hook him up to a car battery and ask him again, just to be sure. This is a very important fact to find out, especially if setting a reef tank, as the copper will leach into the glass and sealant in the tank and leach back out to the tank water, corals, inverts and the beneficial stuff in the live rock do not like copper.

Check, Check and double check

[ZakkMesser]

I've seen differant things saying how many pounds of subtrate per gallon for an inch. Some say 1 pound per inch. One said 55 pounds for an inch in my 90 gallon tank. What is a good depth amount of sand and how many pounds should I get.

Would It be better to get a full saltwater reef setup from craigslist to be sure the tank is copper free, then add the things I have on the list as I want, or they become needed?

[Parrothead]

JMHO, if you're saving up to do this, do it right, save alittle longer and get a new 90 reef ready tank(built in overflow), and go from there, I see too many people here in my neck of the woods on craigslist that think they can sell used stuff for retail, I'd just save alittle longer and go new on the tank.....

[ZakkMesser]

What does a new 90 gallon tank and stand go for? $500?

[Parrothead]

Depends, you would have to shop around not sure what they sell for in Iowa, thats pretty close in price for the Jacksonville Market, I have seen them a little less, and a little more.

[ZakkMesser]

Well, at first I wanted to keep just the setup costs below $1500, but that isn't going to happen so Ill make sure I get what I want the first time around so I don't have to buy things again.

[Parrothead]

Well, at first I wanted to keep just the setup costs below $1500, but that isn't going to happen so Ill make sure I get what I want the first time around so I don't have to buy things again.

Thats why I suggested the reef ready w/built in over flow, elimantes having to purchase the over flow, the mag 9.5 pump can be purchased from several of our sponsors for around 100.00 to 125.00, lights are gonna run you between 3 - 400.00, sump will be determined by available real estate under the tank or beside the tank, skimmer, some real nice one can be found for under 300.00, so the basics here total around 1300.00 including 500.00 for tank and stand. You just got to shop around a bit and you can do it, sand will probably be about another 100.00 for a 4 - 5 inch deep sand bed, the powerheads, I've seen k-3's selling for 35 ea, so you got another 70.00. that leaves you with your rock, you might have to adjust your budget to about 2000.00 vs. the 1500.00, but if it takes another month to do it right, take the month you will be glad you did, so will your reef

[ZakkMesser]

Okay, thanks for the advice. Can you provide some sort of timeline of how the setup will happen?

[Parrothead]

Okay, thanks for the advice. Can you provide some sort of timeline of how the setup will happen?

Get the equipment in place first, while you are doing that research what type of rock you are gonna want to have, stay away from gulf aquacultured rock, I tried it cause it was cheap, big mistake, to dense and heavy to be worth anything. Look for some south pacific rock, when some of my buddies get there butts out of bed they will start chiming in, cycling time depends on alot of factors, lets get it set up and start sourcing the rock.

[ZakkMesser]

After it has cycled, I add some sort of a clean up crew? Then coral, then fish?

[Parrothead]

After it has cycled, I add some sort of a clean up crew? Then coral, then fish?

thats about the basics, but it is done over a period to time, your tank may cycle but it needs to mature, things in this hobby are done rather slowly for very good reason, if you haven't already, start reading through the sticky at the top of the page "click here before you ask" there is alot of info in there, gives you something to do while you save the money

[ZakkMesser]

The saving goes at the pace I want it to. My dad gave me about 1000 cds we had in our basement. So I am in the process of importing the music off of them and then selling them. This will be most of the money needed to start the tank.

[ZakkMesser]

Are there many more advantages to a 90g then a 75g. My lfs has a 75g tank for a good price. Is the 3 extra inches in height from a 90g to a 75g going to allow me any differant livestock?

[Parrothead]

are the both reef ready, pre-drilled with the built in overflow??????????

It would be a matter of preference size wise, thats your call there

[ZakkMesser]

No, thats why its such a good price. Petco sells tanks with built in overflows im looking at.

[Parrothead]

No, thats why its such a good price. Petco sells tanks with built in overflows im looking at.

Go with the built in overflows, trust me on that one

[ZakkMesser]

What is the differance in the built in overflow and the hang on ones?

[Parrothead]

What is the differance in the built in overflow and the hang on ones?

power failure, electric goes out, you have to worry about the hang on overflow picking the siphon back up, if it doesn't mom and dad aren't gonna be very happy with you, built in overflow, no siphon, no worries