# My new 90 gallon tank build



## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

Hello,
I'll get some pics up soon for this but I figure that I could start off with the info. I'm almost ready to set up my 90 gallon tank (in the house at least). The tank is 48" wide so its nice and tall. I was considering an LED setup. I have a 3*250w setup from my old reef aquarium and I decided to bastardize it instead. Soooo.... Lighting will be a single 250 watt MH bulb with possibly a pc light for a sunrise and sunset effect. I can't seem to find my old 6500k bulb. What MH bulbs would you suggest? Also, I'll have to fashion some sort of hanging mount for the pendant but that shouldn't be a problem. Any design suggestions are welcome. Anyone have a pc setup for sale? Next, the sump. The tank has an overflow so I will run a sump setup. Its basically a 30 gallon tank that I have glued in some dividers to direct water flow. It'll have a place for bioballs in the first chamber. The second chamber is for the heater, dosing system and whatever else I add (maybe a float valve with topoff water) and the last chamber is for the return pump. I have the CO2 dosing system which includes a ph controller so I don't kill the fish. The substrate will be a mixture of different kinds and if you have any extra laying around, Im interested. For the inhabitants, I plan on having a few discus (3-4)so I will run a warmer tank which will affect what plants I use. There will also be the cleanup crew, a bunch of tetras and maybe a pair of kribs. As for what plants can handle temps around 80 degrees, Im going off a few posts that I have seen and a few books out there. If you have some favorite plants that can handle those temps, do tell. Again, I'll have some pics up soon of at least the equipment as these threads are lame without them.

Cheers,
Chris


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

withe a sump it will gas off the c02 unless you cover the sump. you could still pump a canister to the over flow pumps no problem. if doing discus make sure they are at least sub adults, or they will be stunted and hard to grow in the planted tank. crypts, ferns, moss, and anubias can handle high temp.


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## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

How much will it gas it out? Will I have to run 2 times as much CO2 or 10 times? Im okay with it using more as long as it doesn't blow through the CO2 tank in a week. Definitely going with older discus as they look much better than the kids....


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

not to much, if you are going to use low light slow growing plants you won't need presured c02. liquid c02 will work. I like adults too. just know they can get pricey, and they like to be in grows. 10-20 dollars price an inch is what breeders charge.


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## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

I plan on going with high light. Thinking a 2 bulb T5HO would be the ticket to get the extra juice. Of course, I could just replace the 250 watt MH with a 400 and go nuclear on the little buggers. Also, I already have a pretty nice pressurized CO2 setup so that's a definite. I have the tank set up in the garage to check for leaks and test some of the equipment. I added the largest piece of driftwood to "burn off" any nasties that were lurking inside. My water has over the past 2 days turned nice and algae green (would be perfect if this were a pond) so it looks like there may be some pretty significant buildup in the wood.


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

400w mh would be way over kill, and be going throw c02 fast. remember the more light you have the more c02 you will need to use. also with a 400w mh I could see a lot of algae. 

tex gal (drinda) is using 2 150? and 4 t5 h.o. bulbs. and has a 90 gallon so maybe she can give you some pointers.


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

On my 90g I have 4 x 96w pc bulbs. I run continuous co2 but a 3-4 bubble a sec. I use a 20lb steel tank with lasts me close to a year before I need to trade it out. With your sump, you could turn it into a shrimp tank. Any get spit into the tank is fish food.


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## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

Alright, here's whats going on now. I have the tank roughed into its location. I hooked up a temporary sump just to check all of the fittings. Im building another out of an old Oceanic 35. I've decided to stick with a single 250 watt MH. If I end up needing more, I'll add some t5s. Im building a bracket to get the pendant up a little higher so that the whole tank gets light as well as giving me maximum shimmer. The pic is a rough idea of what is happening. All of the lines and cables will be cleaned up and tucked away nicely in the next few days. I threw in some substrate (the rest is on its way, flourite red) and a couple of pieces of driftwood to mess with some scaping. Also, I messed up the threading on the CO2 setup so Im waiting for the replacement to get it running.


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

Looking good. You can move the co2 diffuser to the sump. Don't worry about co2 till you get plants. You may need to add some polyester fill material to the sump to help clarify the water. What plants are you planning on adding? Want some tall vales to add to the tank?


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## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

Vals, YES! I was wanting to use those as a nice background. I just added a bag and some carbon just to make sure there isnt anything funky in the tank. I'll probably pull the carbon once I get critters in there. Im glad to hear that the diffuser will handle being down in the sump. Consider it moved. Here's a list of some of the stuff that I know I will be using. If anyone has anything sitting around, let me know:
Tiger Lily
Barclaya longifolia
Hygrophila (some mid level plants)
Madagascar lace (just one for interest)
Sagittaria subulata
Crinum onions
java fern
some sort of foreground carpet plant or grass (ideas?)
Crypts
some cool swords (ideas?)

Also, Im going to run a white "river" through the middle of the front of the tank. Im thinking of using either small cream colored rocks or pool sand. Hmmm...... Thank you for all of the help so far folks!


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

This is my 90 gallon that is way over grown with vals. I'll give you much as you want. Are you going to the meeting Sunday?


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

you need to get a lawn mower in your tank Robert.


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

Tell me about it. I have to trim them like I was giving a hair cut.


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## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

I thought I had replied to this. I have a horrible habit of not hitting send when typing emails and what-not.... Anywho, I would love some of the vals and my wife and I will be there


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

I'll bring alot for everyone to have at em.


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## yellowcrx1 (Jan 22, 2013)

th


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## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

Update: A lot has changed. I got the C02 going and then the reactor failed. I had a mag 9.5 from my old salt tank so I decided to use that with a needle wheel impeller as the return pump and it seems to be working well. I had a mag 7 before and the flow went up just a bit. Of course that bit has now caused the overflow to make a serious ruckus. When I get some time I'm going to put in a durso stand pipe.

I swapped the sump for a larger 40 gallon to fit all of the gadgets. Now to the important stuff. I used the rocks from the meeting as well as a couple that I picked up at ABC Tropical in Richardson (best Discus in town) to completely scape the tank. I added a little sand pond to the bottom for some visual interest. I'll post pics tomorrow (promise). I loaded the tank up with plants from the meeting and a few from a LFS as well as some cardinal tetras, rummy nose, otos, cory and some rams. Everything was great until after 2 days the rams went nuts and started picking off the tetras. So, they are in detention until I can get them back to the shop. Oh here is the best part of the week: The metal halide ballast that I was using for 7 years on the old salt tank failed and started to spew some seriously funky fumes while I was at work. Fortunately I had come home in the middle of the day to check on it. Hate to think too much into it but the capacitors had gotten pretty toasty and who knows what could have happened. Anywho, I immediately ran over to DNA (seem to have the best light selection around) and snagged another ballast and pendant (apparently the pendant was antiquated or something). So, back on track with less fish, a new light system and seemingly functional C02 System. One question though, I have consistently high ph numbers. 7.6 and 7.7 aren't uncommon. I can get them down to 7.4 with C02 but thats it (yes probe has been calibrated and verified with box tests). Also, if I turn off the return pump and the water sits, the ph will go down to 7.2. Weird. I think I may add some peat to the system.


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

you could use peat, or use ro/di and buffer to keep the ph low. what is the ph at from your water source?


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## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

fishyjoe24 said:


> you could use peat, or use ro/di and buffer to keep the ph low. what is the ph at from your water source?


I already have an RO/DI and I hate dealing with it and the waste created. So peat is my go-to for now.


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

I understand. ever think about selling the ro/di that say me some money for my little saltwater tank. I hate carrying the jugs.


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## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

Look at you Joey, jumping on an opportunity when you see it. I should hire you as a buyer for me.... ANywho, yup, I would be interested in selling. Its a 5 stage Kent Marine RO/DI. Offer? Sidenote, apparently the killer rams were just scapegoats for some sort of infection in the tank. Sooooo... I am currently dosing the tank to try to kill what ever is taking down my poor little fishies. Wish me luck!


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

did you drip acculamate the rams or just throw them in.
how old is the resins,and membrain on the unit,and how many gph is it?


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

BLA double post. how do I delete post if they are a double post?


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## christoba (Dec 21, 2012)

I sort of dripped them, just added water from the tank to their bag over 30 minutes or so. The good news is that everyone is fine now. I have a proplem with the overflow gassing out the C02 so I have a durso stand pipe on the way. Finally, pics!


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

looking good.


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