# bit the bullet



## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

well i thought my 20 was leaking so i went out and bought a 75 gallon oceanic rr, stand, sump return pump, and it came with a 2 bulb t-5 fixture. After all of this i find out that my 20 was not leaking at all.







a genius moment i must say. But i am going to install the 75 any way, it is going to be bare bottom mixed reef with softies lps and sps, also my ritteri anenome and clam. I am going to diy a skimmer, and top off, already have the top of. I need to build a canopy and get a 2 x 250 watt retro fit metal halide system. I'll keep you posted on how it goes and pictures along the way to help out people that are new to this, i guess i am still new at this, i have only been reefing for around 4 months now.


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## jiggy (Jun 27, 2004)

u going starboard or glass bottom?


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

i thik that i am actually going to use a sheet of egg crate, i am afraid to have nothing protecting the bottom, incase a rock shifts or somthing, i would hate to bust this tank.


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2006)

Go with crate, and an inch of white sand. You wont regret it!


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

ya i was also thinking about that, i am not a big fan of the bb look.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

right so my refractometer came in to day







, now i just have to figure out how to work the thing.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

ok latest update. To day i went out and got my skimmer, some salt, my rodi unit was installed last week, and i just drained my 125 to make room for the 75 . To day the 75 is going to get water. Ill throw some pictures up in a little bit.


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## C.D. (Jan 31, 2005)

can't wait..!


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Can't wait to see some pics.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

before the lynch mob shows up :laugh: ok all up now the picture are a little crappy but they give you an idea. the skimmer is hard to tell how big it is, but to give you an idea that is a 5 gallon water container that i have set up to collect skimmate.


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

WOW very nice! All around nice equipment. Good deal there!!!


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

It's a shame it'll be tucked away in an ugly unfinished basement.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

no not really, i spend more time down there than anywhere in the house. Plus matinence is easy i can put water straight from the tank down the sump to out side, and not have to worry about spilling it on the floors.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

You spend most of your time in a dark, concrete, unfinished basement? Sounds like fun.


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## Mike122019 (Feb 14, 2005)

Mettle said:


> You spend most of your time in a dark, concrete, unfinished basement? Sounds like fun.


Theres nuthin better then a dark, concrete, unfinished basement, your missing out mettle. And soon its gunna be a dark, concrete, unfinished basement with a kick ass fish tank!!!


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

no it's not dark at all, there are many windows that let light in. Also there are plenty of lights down there. Most of it is carpeted but the walls are still bare. i could not have i on the first floor becaue all of the floors are had wood, and i would not feel comfortable, nor do i want to deal with all of the noise, if it were in my room, which in on the second floor


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

What's wrong with hardwood floors and fish tanks?


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

wood expands when it get wet, this leads to your tank becomming uneaven eventually, and also if you ever moove the tank or try and sell the house the wood underneath develops pop-grain and is a different color from the srounding wood, and looks terrible.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

today i orderd my auto top off, and a mag 36 for a closed loop.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

ok pictures as it stands now.

150 lbs of lr. i busted my mag 36 so no closed loop is currently running. i think i am going to order some tunez for flow instead. my lighthing is currenly 2 x 175 se metal halide being driven by magnetic balasts. supplemented by 200 watts in pc, this is all tetro. i have not put this on the tank yet because i need to get a canopy first, and bulbs.

pictures in a minute or two.


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## illnino (Mar 6, 2004)

nice setup all around

let me critique(sp?) your setup though

too small of a sump. you should get bigger and go for a refug

good call on the corallife skimmer.. looks dirty, clean it for best performance.

and lastly, dont even use the collection thing for skimmate. i have noticed the skimmer works half as well after a few days. i clean mine every three days and dump the cup. it shouldnt fill in three days...

id go with 2 400w halides, that is a decently deep tank. i have 2 250's and a 400 on a 17" deep tank. if youve already bought your lights, 2x175 is perfectly fine, although sps needs to be kept at the very top.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

i am thinking that it will be a year or so before i get my sps started in earnest, at that time i am going to switch out the ballasts. my skimmer collection dumps in to a 5 gallon contanier, you are right though i do need to clean it. I dont really feel the sump is to small i have a auto topoff hooked up. i am planning to use my current 20 for a fuge and place it next to my sump.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

ok well yesterday i picked up a half black angel, it is a dwarf species and supposed to be reef safe so ill see how it works out. To marrow i am picking up a yellow tang. Next on the to-do list is to add a recirculation pump on my css to improve it, it currently is running alright but not where i would like to have it. I thnk with some modifacation it has the potential to be a very good skimmer.

on a side note, does any one know where i can get some curved bulkheads?


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## illnino (Mar 6, 2004)

dwarf angels are iffy on reef compatability. no such things as curved bulkheads. have you cleaned the marker off the front of your tank yet.. lol


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

no







i have not, i need to get a razor blade but i always forget when i go up to the store.









so they don't make bulkheads to fit on cruved surfaces? hmm that could be a problem. i am going to have to look aroud and see what i could do to add a recirculation pump.

the littel angel i got came from the stores dispaly tank, i am pretty good friends with the owner, the reason he sold it to me is that it was getting picked on by a tang. he had it in there for about 3 months, and said it never nipped any of his corals, lps sps or softies. that all could change in my tank though







.


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

They dont make curved bulkheads but you can use a uni seal.
Your talking about modding your skimmer? If so this is what you need.
http://www.aussieglobe.com/uniseal3.htm


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

yes i would like to add a recirculation pump to make it more effective.


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