My 90gallon Surf-Line progress thread (help please!)

[CarpeD1em500]

(Before I get started, to the mods here, I looked all over the forums and couldn't find the best place to put this thread, so if it's in the wrong place, I'm sorry - please move it where you think it's better placed. Thanks!)

Okay, now that thats out of the way - What up Monsters

Brief background:

I've briefly owned a 30 gallon FW tank and a 10g piranha tank, neither for much longer than 6 months (due to moves, not due to miss-care). I have been gathering knowledge, but this is still somewhat new to me...

With that in mind, I recently got my hands on a 90 gallon surf-line tank from a family member. It has never been used, and came with a stand, hood, light, sump, filter, bio-wheel, and pump (all of which are pictured below).

For about a week I entertained the idea of doing a reef tank. However after a great deal of research, the reality is I'm not ready for that ("tank master" wise, nor financially). So that puts us here, ready to rock the freshwater world

Last week I put the entire tank together, and it currently has been sitting full of water for about 5 days. I did this for two reasons: (a) I wanted to stress test my tank for leaks and whatever (its 5 years old and has never had water in it, plus has moved from New York to South Carolina and now to Georgia), and (b) Make sure I didn't notice any groaning from my floorboards.

So far, so good, the tank has passed. These are a few pictures of the build:

And a glamor shot:

It looks pretty sweet. If you're into giant tanks full of water and nothing else, lol.


Additionally, I have this stuff:

There are about 8 of those filter things. My question is where all this stuff goes?!? (I know where the bio-wheel goes, its the other stuff).

any help there?


Next steps:

In the next few days I'm going to drain the tank completely and install a GFCI in the tank's power outlet. Additionally, while the tank is empty, I want to do all of the (or most of the) aquascaping. I have literally nothing at this point. However, what I want to do is an Atlantis (yes, I know, very original, ha ha) theme, with like city ruins.

• I want to use real sand, so I need to know if I can just buy playground sand or not (??), and
• if i can use something to glue structures together (??).
• Also, any recommendations for awesome underground sculpture dealers in the Atlantis theme?

I also need to better understand my filter and it's process. Any help here would be great.

Finally, I may plant one or two plants, is my light okay?


Following all that....

I would love to be pointed in the right direction of what chemicals I need, or what fish to start with, etc. Thanks in advance!!!


I'll update this thread with pictures as it progresses. Hopefully it turns out awesome. Thanks guys. :

feedback:

 

[fishyobsession]

• you can just use play sand. if you were doing saltwater live sand is a must
• i used silicon to glue rocks together and make pretty cool looking structures
• no idea about the atlantis structure thing

i usually don't use any chemicals or anything. just aquascape and wait about 2 weeks for everything to get set waterwise. then i add fish nit's worked with my 2 55 gallons!!!

 

[CarpeD1em500]

• you can just use play sand. if you were doing saltwater live sand is a must
• i used silicon to glue rocks together and make pretty cool looking structures
• no idea about the atlantis structure thing

i usually don't use any chemicals or anything. just aquascape and wait about 2 weeks for everything to get set waterwise. then i add fish nit's worked with my 2 55 gallons!!!

Thanks for the response!! This is going to be so much cheaper than reef it's astounding. Gonna pick up some sand and start looking for sculptures tonight.



Now that I'm here, I forgot to ask: When I was researching reef tanks, everyone stressed buying an RO unit and ONLY using that water, NEVER tap water.


Does the same hold true here? Should I invest in an RO unit or is tap water okay for a FW tank?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Zander_The_RBP]

Thanks for the response!! This is going to be so much cheaper than reef it's astounding. Gonna pick up some sand and start looking for sculptures tonight.



Now that I'm here, I forgot to ask: When I was researching reef tanks, everyone stressed buying an RO unit and ONLY using that water, NEVER tap water.


Does the same hold true here? Should I invest in an RO unit or is tap water okay for a FW tank?

Thanks in advance!

Dechlorinated tap water is fine for freshwater tanks an RO unit is not nessicary


Good luck with the aquascaping. Check if theres any local pool supply shops near you pool filter sand looks alot better than playsand.

 

[Diskboy12]

sweet tank.

 

[CarpeD1em500]

Dechlorinated tap water is fine for freshwater tanks an RO unit is not nessicary


Good luck with the aquascaping. Check if theres any local pool supply shops near you pool filter sand looks alot better than playsand.

sweet tank.

Thanks guys!

Good to know I don't have to invest in a RO unit. More money for fish!

I'll look around for a pool supply store. I think they have pools in Atlanta, so they must have the stores.

I'll report back when I have more info. Gotta pick up a siphon and get this water out of here also.

Speaking of that - is there anything wrong with just moving my submersible pump from my sump into the tank and pumping the water out of the tank that way? (seems too...obvious to work haha).

 

[Zander_The_RBP]

Thanks guys!

Good to know I don't have to invest in a RO unit. More money for fish!

I'll look around for a pool supply store. I think they have pools in Atlanta, so they must have the stores.

I'll report back when I have more info. Gotta pick up a siphon and get this water out of here also.

Speaking of that - is there anything wrong with just moving my submersible pump from my sump into the tank and pumping the water out of the tank that way? (seems too...obvious to work haha).

sure you can move the pump alot of people do that to do water changes

 

[Red Devil]

wow this is going to be nice....real nice!! welcome to mfk..

 

[Lissaspence]

Remember to rinse your sand really well before you add it to your tank. And turn your filter off while your adding it. There are tons of informative threads on here. Just poke around and you should be able to find threads on pretty much anything you want to know. Gook luck with everything. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. What are you thinking of stocking it with?

 

[Conner]

I second the pool filter sand over play sand. I've had both and I MUCH prefer the pool filter sand, both in looks and in practical matters. The play sand is so dusty it takes forever to clear your water, and its so light that fish easily kick it up into the water column, and it will eventually fill your overflow, clog your mech media, and possibly damage your pump.

Pool filter sand won't do any of that.