Nate's Big 90 Upgrade!

[natesreef]

I believe that i am close enough to setting up the tank that it is time for me to start this thread. I am so excited just to get this going and can not wait to get the ball rolling. i plan to set it up next weekend, and might need some help in doing that, being that i do not have anything to mix salt in and plan to do that out of the tank. Anyone with a large mixing container near me that would allow me to borrow it that help would be greatly appreciated. Back to the tank, the tank is a standard oceanic 90. As of now the equipment is as follows:
Skimmer: Bermuda aquatics BPS-3C with a mag 7
Lighting: Current 8x54 watt t5
Return: Mag 9.5
Sump: 75 gallons
Mp40wes and koralia 550 for circulation
TLF reactor that i plan to use with purigen run on a maxi jet 400
100 pounds of live rock
120 pounds of live sand
reef crystals salt

The only picture of what the tank could look like is the rockwork design picture i got from reef rocks. Im wondering if the design will work in the tank, being that my overflow is on the left.

 

[dnov99]

Awesome Nate!! I have a 45 gallon and 35 gallon brutes that were only used for SW mixing.

 

[ricwilli]

If you plan on setting up the tank next week, I would at least place the tank in the spot where you want, fill it up with rodi and mix the salt and water in the tank with a heater. No rocks and no sand. The water should be mixed thoroughly by next week with the correct salinity. At this point, you can add the sand. Wait till the sandstorm is over (you should add a filter sock in the sump to catch all the sand that might make its way down), than add the rocks. Remember that all this will add volume to the tank and might overflow the sump.

 

[natesreef]

The problem with filling it up and mixing in the tank is that I wont be able to mortar my rock. I want to see how it fits in the tank, then mortar it. I was thinking I would put rock and sand in then just pump the water in.

 

[asonitez]

Congrats on the upgrade Nate! We talked about it at the swap. 90 is a good size for the space you mentioned. Here is my take on your upgrade. With the recent salt buy the RC's I think was pretty cheap but I'm thinking of 2 things here.

1. Your starting with dead rock but live sand and maybe some Dr. Tim's for a cycle. That rock will still go through a cycle and it might be better to use a cheaper salt like regular oceanic (tried and proven salt and cheap to boot) to go through your cycling phase. Then before you add corals stabilize your parameters by moving to the ReefCrystals and continue from there on.

2. If you want to see the rock in the tank then use a piece of cardboard trace out the bottom of the tank allotting space for the corner overflow and practice stacking your rock against a wall. That way the tank can be filled and salinity adjusted/plumbing tested before you commit to adding sand and rock.

3. 120lbs of sand seems like a lot of sand for a 90 giving you a formidably deep sand bed. From what I have seen there has been a lot of movement from DEEP sand beds to Very Shallow sand beds or bare bottoms. I am not a fan of bare bottom but I have found that a 1" sand bed is PLENTY for sand burrowers and super easy to keep clean. I am in the habit of siphoning my sand bed and "raking it" before bed clouding up the water with poop n particles a few times a week. It keeps my sand bed looking like the DAY i put it in my skimmer goes nuts removing all the waste. In a 90 that much sand might over power and make your rock seem less because of how high it might get.

 

[natesreef]

Thanks for your advice. I might use that plan for the water. With the sand I am not planning to use all of the sand. That is just how much I bought.

 

[natesreef]

I actually just realized that I made a typo In my first post. I will be using DRY rock and sand. Not live

 

[natesreef]

Rock is here! I couldn't really set it up the way he had it in the pic. The pic was low resolution and I had trouble distinguishing pieces. This is the layout I created. Nothing has been mortared yet so suggestions are welcome. What do you all think?

 

[dnov99]

Looks good Nate. You may want to make a bridge or cave, with that piece that is just standing up on the left. Thats JMO...

 

[curt]

Nice looking rock. Not sure how close to the side glass you plan on putting the rock but I'd leave a few inch's from the sides.

 

[natesreef]

Alright, I changed it up a bit, which is better? First layout or this?

 

[curt]

That looks good. Looks like there will be nice hiding places for the fish and lots of flat spots for coral placement. Take your time you'll find something you really like.

 

[jgraz]

I like the one in the first post

 

[howze01]

I like this second arrangement better but. Is the big rock up top a single piece? If so, I would probably move that lower and place smaller rocks on top.

 

[Chillwill007]

I like the 2nd rock lay out

 

[dnov99]

I like the 2nd rock lay out

+1

 

[AJ1080]

+1

+3 or whatever were up to!

How cool is that rock? It took me about a week just putting it together and playing with it before i found something I liked as well.

 

[natesreef]

I like the 2nd rock lay out

+1

+3 or whatever were up to!
How cool is that rock? It took me about a week just putting it together and playing with it before i found something I liked as well.

I love the rock! the one centerpiece rock has so much detail in it, it wasnt very hard to create a good look. im probably going to use this layout.

I like this second arrangement better but. Is the big rock up top a single piece? If so, I would probably move that lower and place smaller rocks on top.

The big rock in the center goes from the bottom to the top and is 18 inches tall, it wont really work to move it. it has a flat back and branches off in the front, i should have taken a picture of that one piece by itself, its quite intricate.

 

[natesreef]

I put in 40 pounds of sand and decided that would be enough. The rock will be going in tomorrow night. can't wait to get this going

 

[howze01]

With the Pistol and Goby I would be careful with putting the sand in first and then the rock. The Pistol will burrow under the rock and either it will potentially squash him or, even worse, it might shift the rock enough to cause a rock slide. You may want to put the rock in first.