Hi again. I thought I was done with aquariums (sold my IM 25G macroalgae lagoon almost exactly two years ago because I didn't make the time to take care of it) but here I am. Last year, I took an algae class and was reminded how much I love them. Also, I moved last summer from an apartment to a house and actually have space now for a good-sized tank and water mixing station so why not triple down and go with a 75G? I've been gradually acquiring the equipment over the last year and am finally starting to put the system together.
Equipment list
Tank and stand - 75 gallon Marineland Majesty kit
The tank will be mainly focused on macroalgae from Gulf Coast Ecosystems, some softies, and a few captive-bred fish. No definitely plans yet, but I want to keep it simple and easy to maintain.
Progress pics
(Only the tank and stand are set up now.)
Equipment list
Tank and stand - 75 gallon Marineland Majesty kit
I wanted a white rimmed tank but couldn't find one so I figured I would just buy a black set and paint it. This was probably a bad idea because I have no idea how this stuff will hold up to water damage but it sounded good at the time? Since I had to paint it anyways, I went with a pale blue because it's pretty. The tank is painted with Krylon Fusion Matte Vintage Blue, the stand is painted inside and out with exterior acrylic matte white paint (I don't remember what kind). I replaced the black hinges with white hinges and added sea glass cabinet door knobs. The back of the tank is tinted a smoky gray with translucent window film.
Filtration - Fiji-20 Advanced Reef Sump (2nd gen) I wanted to have a sump to hide the equipment but my stupid stand makes it hard to get a normal-sized sump into it without having to drop it in from the top. I didn't want to have to drain and move my display tank to replace/remove my sump, so I opted for an undersized sump that I can easily get in/out. I chose this model so that I could have more flexibility with filter media (aka not have to use filter socks) and because it looks nice.
Lighting - Aquatic Life 48" Hybrid T5HO 4x54W Fixture with LED Mounting System, white (Giesemann tubes, 2 x Tropic and 2 x Aquablue Coral)Lighting was an agonizing decision. After reading about the pros and cons of LED/MH/T5, I ended up choosing a hybrid system. Theoretically, it's good bang for the buck, lights the whole tank evenly, and lets me add more intensity if I need it. The plan is to hang it from the ceiling over the tank but I don't know what to do about cord management.
Flow - Red Sea ReefWave 45 Pump with Controller (3960 GPH), Lifereef HOB slimline overflow box, Jebao DCP-3500 DC return pumpI was curious about gyres and the Red Sea seemed like a good one to try. It's less popular than other brands but it's supposed to be super quiet, unobtrusive, and easy to maintain. I guess we'll see once it's set up! I opted not to drill my tank because I wanted the flexibility to change the flow patterns in my tank. I learned about Jeff and his magical never-fail overflows from other people who use and love them.
Substrate - CaribSea Ocean Direct Caribbean Live Sand (Original Grade), Addictive Reef Keeping purple rockI wanted a more natural look so I went with an unsifted sand. I hate the look of white rocks so I went with purple rocks.
Controller - Coralvue Hydros Control 4 (not purchased yet, saving up for this)I like that it comes with a temp and pH probe, supports an ATO system, and is relatively inexpensive!
ATO - Coralvue Hydros ATO kit (not purchased yet, saving up for this)Reservoir will be this food-safe 5 gallon container from Amazon.
Livestock planThe tank will be mainly focused on macroalgae from Gulf Coast Ecosystems, some softies, and a few captive-bred fish. No definitely plans yet, but I want to keep it simple and easy to maintain.
Progress pics
(Only the tank and stand are set up now.)