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Subliminal's FOWLR 90 Gallon Build...

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Subliminal

NJRC Member
Ok, so figured I'd post up my build, as it progresses.

Found a deal online for a $150 Oceanic 90 gallon bowfront with two (semi-complete) sumps, and Coralife T5 hood. stand, yadda yadda.

On the way home I stopped by Ocean Gallery, where I made questionable purchasing choices and left with $340 less in my pocket. I picked up:

1. Aquatop 400 watt heater...which I hate, and am replacing with a Eheim Jager 300 watt. They charged me like $60 for that heater, too, which is on Amazon for $24. Grrrr
2. Sicce 3.0 Return Pump for $129...which is on sale at Amazon for $89 I believe (or was the other day) and which might not be sized exactly right, had I known then what I know now.
3. eShoppes X-120 Skimmer, used, for $140. This looks like a good deal, but I guess time will tell.

Came home, and started cleaning. The thing was FUNKY!

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Turns out under that funk was a TON of scratches..the glass is super thick and damn is it scratched. Oh well...not my forever tank, anyway.

Came with these two sumps:

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Anyway, cleaned and in the house:

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I ended up using the trickle/freshwater sump, but filled it with rock rubble, removed the rest of the stuff, and got a filter sock for the intake...eventually I'll put the skimmer in there, too:

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Next went and bought 50 lbs or rock. It didn't go far and just frankly looked like crap:
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So, I rearranged it a little...

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...and then went and bought some more rock on Facebook. Ended up with too much, but hey...I think I'm pretty happy with what I came out with. I wish some of the little pieces on top were bigger, but hey...beggars and choosers...

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Time to add some Dr. Tims and let it do its thing...
 
S

Subliminal

NJRC Member
So today I hit 3 pet stores looking for my first fish.

1. Reefco. Love this store, but they didn't have what I'm looking for. No triggers, no grouper, no puffer...just a really pale looking powder brown.
2. Petco in North Plainfield. All they had was clownfish...and sadness.
3. Ocean Gallery. Ended up buying the below. They had had this guy in for a few weeks, the guy was telling me what he ate, what he didn't like...yadda yadda. They also had a BEAUTIFUL powder brown that I almost got, too, but he had just come in today, didn't seem interested in food, and...well, I figured for my first fish in a used tank, just in case...get one.

So...introducing: Mr. Groper. :)

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I know he'll outgrow the tank, but hey...a few weeks ago I only had a 12 gallon tank...
 
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Subliminal

NJRC Member
Now to figure out how to feed him. He's pretty timid, and I don't want to go throwing tons of food in the newly established tank.

Any ideas? Tried mysis with a plunger and it just scared him away.
 
MadReefer

MadReefer

Vice President
Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
If its new to your tank give it time to adjust and then feed about 2 days later.
Live food may entice it.
 
reefsandrotts

reefsandrotts

NJRC Member
Being that small you can give him mysis,as he gets bigger either frozen krill or even small supermarket shrimp cut up.
Just stay away from silversides,they'll foul your water quickly
 
S

Subliminal

NJRC Member
Couldn't help myself. I think I'm going to roll with these two for a while and then carefully choose the next tenant. Scratches are really coming out in my photos. ;-)

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Subliminal

NJRC Member
So, this guy has really buddied up to me. He follows me around the tank...and he has a ton of expression...those eyes are always watching. ;-)
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This guy...kind of a scaredy cat. But he has big asperations with the food.
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S

Subliminal

NJRC Member
Got some chaeto from the fish store and used the stock Evo 13.5 light on a Kasa plug for 13 hrs a day. Really...I've never had a fuge, so I don't know what I'm doing yet. The whole thing is just a little bit ghetto. ;-)

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reefsandrotts

reefsandrotts

NJRC Member
You have to get that metal hose clamp out,as it rusts it will mess up your water.
I used a big zip tie and vise grips to hold my tube to the pump. *** pulled zip tie super tight with vise grips,it's not in the water*
Nothing ghetto about your fuge
 
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snowxcross

snowxcross

NJRC Member
I see you got some diatoms showing... good time to get yourself a cleanup crew now. I missed what you did for your cycle, but being you have fish in here, just check the ammonia at the very least to be sure - you can get a cheap API test kit, dont want you to see your fish belly up... unless you cycled, sorry if i missed that.
 
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