Help me build a ultra low maintenance 75 gallon mixed reef!!!

[Jake55forlife]

So I currently have a 25 gallon lagoon that has been running for 3 months ( it is for sale message me for prices pics if in northern California) and im tiered of the parameter swings and not having tangs or other large fish. So I decided on a 75 gallon from my local LFS and was pretty set on having a one baffle sump with a large protein skimmer and a a return pump going to a 24 INCH CHEATO REACTOR. But im always open to new ideas and different tanks and just want to talk to some fellow reefers

 

[jk_s124]

If your looking at the 75 gallon range, check out the 80 gallon rimless tanks. They have a bigger footprint but are a bit more shallow. The 24 inch width would allow a lot more freedom while aquascapeing.

 

[kendavjac]

Been keeping saltwater tanks since 1990, stability comes with time, at least a year. I had a 29g biocube that didn't get a water change more than once a year, But not until year 3. My advice is to enjoy your new tank until your natural filter (live rocks) really kicks which can take a year or more. It will be easier because you have a large volume of water to buffer, but you will find you will go through the same growing pains.

 

[ndrwater]

Welcome to R2R!! This is the place to get answers and opinions!!

 

[Jake55forlife]

If your looking at the 75 gallon range, check out the 80 gallon rimless tanks. They have a bigger footprint but are a bit more shallow. The 24 inch width would allow a lot more freedom while aquascapeing.

I totally agree with you but im still a kid with out a job and I am buying the 75 for 50 bucks so i cant turn it down. and thanks for responding do you have any ideas for filtration and lighting? I was thinking the aquatic life t5 hybrid with a a fluval reef led strpip that puts out a good amount of light just to supplement the t5's.

 

[Jake55forlife]

Been keeping saltwater tanks since 1990, stability comes with time, at least a year. I had a 29g biocube that didn't get a water change more than once a year, But not until year 3. My advice is to enjoy your new tank until your natural filter (live rocks) really kicks which can take a year or more. It will be easier because you have a large volume of water to buffer, but you will find you will go through the same growing pains.

The live rock in my system is just about to hit the one year mark because i had a 55 gallon ( way to shallow for aquascapes) That sprung a leak. But yes you are right stabilty dose come with time and im planing on letting the 75 cycle for 60 days while i have a fellow reefer take care of my live stock. do you have any ideas on filtration sense you have been reefing for 29 years!! and lighting. im also planning on keeping mostly lps and some easier sps.

 

[shoelaceike]

I have a 90 gallon and all I do is add water every 3-4 days and a water change every 1-2 months. My sump is a 40 breeder without baffles and all I have in there is a skimmer and some LR.

 

[Jake55forlife]

Welcome to R2R!! This is the place to get answers and opinions!!

any ideas of lighting and filtration?

 

[MSB123]

If you check out my build thread, My tank is pretty ULM.
I add food every 2-3 weeks, and fill my water drum back up once a month.
Thats it. Nothing else is needed.

 

[MSB123]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/flashing-orange-an-attempt-at-an-ulm-clown-harem-tank.463905/

 

[Jake55forlife]

I have a 90 gallon and all I do is add water every 3-4 days and a water change every 1-2 months. My sump is a 40 breeder without baffles and all I have in there is a skimmer and some LR.

awesome tank looks really good and mature. i have a empty 29 gallon that i was planning on using on a one a one baffle sump with a oversize protein skimmer and a large chaeto reactor to save space. how is that tusk fish i've always wanted one but heard they are really aggressive?

 

[Jake55forlife]

If you check out my build thread, My tank is pretty ULM.
I add food every 2-3 weeks, and fill my water drum back up once a month.
Thats it. Nothing else is needed.

cool tank. hows that cheato reactor working for nitrates and phosphates

 

[shoelaceike]

awesome tank looks really good and mature. i have a empty 29 gallon that i was planning on using on a one a one baffle sump with a oversize protein skimmer and a large chaeto reactor to save space. how is that tusk fish i've always wanted one but heard they are really aggressive?

Ya that sounds good. I usually start my tanks with mature LR so there is no cycle and the tank is ready right away. The tusks aren't aggressive but will probably try to eat snails and small fish. I'm missing 2 small fish and I think he's the culprit.

 

[Jake55forlife]

Ya that sounds good. I usually start my tanks with mature LR so there is no cycle and the tank is ready right away. The tusks aren't aggressive but will probably try to eat snails and small fish. I'm missing 2 small fish and I think he's the culprit.[/QUOTE
that sucks but he is a really cool fish

 

[kendavjac]

The live rock in my system is just about to hit the one year mark because i had a 55 gallon ( way to shallow for aquascapes) That sprung a leak. But yes you are right stabilty dose come with time and im planing on letting the 75 cycle for 60 days while i have a fellow reefer take care of my live stock. do you have any ideas on filtration sense you have been reefing for 29 years!! and lighting. im also planning on keeping mostly lps and some easier sps.

I use Chinese black box's for lights and my sump only has a skimmer. I had Chateo for a while, but it always died. I don't run my skimmer most of the time because my nutrients tend to be to low. I have had most of my rock in one aquarium or another for the last 15 years and I can go 6 months between water changes and build almost no detectable NO3 unless I purposely over feed. I have mostly LPS, easy encrusting SPS and some Zoa's. While I can keep these fine, and they grow, I'm starting to think the are nutrient deprived. I'm going to add some more fish (once i catch a bully fish, I currently have 5 in a 125G) and hopefully that will help my coral game. I struggle with the harder SPS for some reason, and I think its because they slowly starved to death. So my advice is don't stress to much about NO3 unless you have algae issues, keep your alkalinity stable at a number you and your tank likes (somewhere between 7-10dkH), lots of flow and you should be fine. Your set up looks good to me. Take a long term approach and don't fix things that aren't broken.

 

[Jake55forlife]

do you think you can send some pics of your setup, i really want to know what your corals look like under the lights. And what kind of skimmer are you using. And are you dosing at all?

 

[Bryce M.]

The first year will always be going up and down as cycles continue. SLOW. You can't rush this

 

[Jake55forlife]

The first year will always be going up and down as cycles continue. SLOW. You can't rush this

couldnt agree more. i have to tanks that are around 5 months old and im planning on using the liverock/ sand to start the cycle and only have a pair of clownish.

 

[Bryce M.]

couldnt agree more. i have to tanks that are around 5 months old and im planning on using the liverock/ sand to start the cycle and only have a pair of clownish.

Honestly, I wouldn't cycle with fish but clowns and other damsels are quite hardy. I used live rock and sand for four months, hermits for one month, hardy fish for another, then my baby eel for two months until I added coral. My parameters are near perfect and stable, lots of time but it did it

 

[Jake55forlife]

Honestly, I wouldn't cycle with fish but clowns and other damsels are quite hardy. I used live rock and sand for four months, hermits for one month, hardy fish for another, then my baby eel for two months until I added coral. My parameters are near perfect and stable, lots of time but it did it

I have so much respect for people like you who can wait that long but im planning on adding the clownish at the 3 week mark after adding a bottle of doctor tims bacteria. and do you do any water changes. personally they dont make sense to me unless there more than 50%.