go4broke44's 75g system

[go4broke44]

Finally got around to deciding on a tank size and setting everything up! I'm trying out the whole GARF "bulletproof reef" style with this tank, employing a plenum and a DSB, and eventually getting around to making some aragocrete rocks to add to what i already have in there. heres some pics:

building the plenum:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/go4broke44/DSCN0591.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/go4broke44/DSCN0592.jpg

[go4broke44]

stand :

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/go4broke44/DSCN0593.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/go4broke44/DSCN0594.jpg

[go4broke44]

adding the fish inhabitants, the dogfish! haha

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/go4broke44/DSCN0595.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/go4broke44/DSCN0596.jpg

[go4broke44]

filling the tank, adding sand and rocks, etc.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/go4broke44/DSCN0597.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/go4broke44/DSCN0598.jpg

and finally, clear water, and everything moved over from my 29gal:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/go4broke44/DSCN0599.jpg

Now all I need are some decent lights, maybe another seio, and of course, a bunch of new frags!

[reefsmurf]

What's the purpose of a plenum and building it like that?

I'm also going from 29 to 75 (err at some point :)) Congrats!

[go4broke44]

basically the idea behind the plenum is to create a region of "anoxic" water below the sand, that is undisturbed by fish and anything else. basically, it insures that the DSB functions properly, although you don't need one for a DSB to function properly. If you go to www.garf.org and read through the "bulletproof reef" articles, you can learn more about how it is used, as basically I am using that ideology behind this tank. you basically run a powerhead on a standpipe until your ammonia, nitrites, nitrates go to zero, and then take the standpipe out and leave the plenum alone (about 2 months after setup).

good luck with your upgrade, it took me forevvvveerrrrrrrr to finally make a decision and then make the jump up, but its soooo much nicer than having just a little 29. I can tell already that I will spend countless hours sitting and staring into the tank, haha.

[Michael Mota]

looking good so far!!

[Aquadiva]

Cute fish :)

[JeffEtter]

so it works like a reverse undergravel filter

[MAReefer1]

nice... i wish i could set up a 75!

[go4broke44]

so it works like a reverse undergravel filter

No, its like a regular undergravel filter, the powerhead is taking water from under the DSB and pushing it out into the tank, so i guess the water has no choice but to diffuse through the DSB to get pumped through again. This helps de-ammoniaize since its live sand, although the diatoms are owning my tank right now. I picked up 20 bucks worth of hermits to try and clean it up alittle bit, and I think i may get a foxface this weekend/early next week, mostly because i like the fish, but also for cleanup purposes. Also, Hooray for finally successfully keeping a yellow tang! I've unfortunately gone through 2 of them, although it is assumed that they had issues prior to being introduced to my tank. "3rd time is a charm" is doing awesome though, eats like a pig! more updates to come soon, stay tuned!