ETBReefer's GBI (Getting back in) Reef

[ETBReefer05]

The following is a preemptive fish list and includes a few more fish than I intend to keep, I will narrow it down when the time comes and obviously, I will probably be a little more spontaneous in my selection, however this gives me some guidelines!

Rhomboidalis Wrasse
Lemonpeel-Halfback Hybrid
Neon Blue Damsel OR Orangetail Blue Damsel
Psuedochromis
Cardinal Fish
Firefish
Flame Hawkfish
Kole Yellow Eye Tang
Midas Blenny
Mystery Wrasse
2 Clownfish (Probably Tal's Black Occelaris)
Solon Wrasse
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
McCosker's Wrasse

Been thinking and looking about revising and narrowing my fish list, here is what I think I will be looking at:
3 Misc Flasher Wrasses (Carpenter's, McCoskers, Line Spot/Dot Dash, Yellowfin)
2-3 chromis
2 Purple Firefish
Yellow Eye Kole Tang
Christmas Wrasse
2 Leopard Wrasse (I like any of them really, probably a bipartus, ornate, or potters, but like the black ones too, heck any ole' leopard wrasse is awesome to me, did I already say that?)
Yellow coris wrasse
Solon or Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
2 Black and White Occellaris Clowns

Thats really all I'm comfortable adding and I think I'll probably take a couple fish off of this list, or swap them later. I'm trying to get an idea of when to add the Leopard's and I'm thinking basically I'll probably add the Chromis and Firefish first, slowly let the tank develop, adding soft corals over the first few months. After 2 or 3 months I'll probably add the Leopard wrasses as the first wrasses in the tank, give them a few weeks to adjust and then stock the tank with the Kole Tang and the Clowns being absolutely last. Absolutely open to any criticisms of adding this many fish to a 75 gallon. I will be running a skimmer rated for 180gallons lightly stocked and 130 heavily stocked. Any feedback would be great!

[ETBReefer05]

Had a small setback today. Went and picked up my old 30 gallon out of storage today and when I was unloading it from the car, my unloading partner wasn't ready to grab it as I pulled it out. We had it in the back of a two door and the tank fell and wedged between the front seat which was leaned forward and the back bench seat. Needless to say the back panel of the tank was toast and its now sitting at the side of the road for trash pickup. I AM very fortunate that this disaster happened during one of Petco's $1 per gallon sales and I will be hitting up my local store this week to get a 20 gallon long to use for my sump. I think this size tank will be easier to work in anyway.

[MizTanks]

Dang that sucks!! Thank the reefer gods for those $1g sales just when ya need it most-lol.

[ETBReefer05]

Went and bought a 20L for the sump. I think it will be okay, but, I'm wondering how much clearance there should be between my skimmer intake and the glass...right now its about 1/2 inch...any thoughts?

[ETBReefer05]

Got my sump going by drawing some mock up lines on the outside of the tank where I would like baffles to be. For the sake of my skimmer, I decided the baffles should be about 10.5 inches tall for the skimmer/drain/reactor section. In all likelihood, I will put my skimmer and Bio-Pellet reactor pump in the drain section, then one 10.5 inch baffle coming down from the bottom of the rim, followed by a 7 inch tall baffle on either end of of the return. I would like to keep it simple, but I would also like to run both a bio-pellet and a carbon reactor. I am a little miffed on the setup of pumps in the sump as I don't want four pumps in there. I have some extra flow from the return pump that I could pump into the carbon reactor so I could plumb that up, but I am also open to suggestions. Finally, I would like any fellow reefers in the Flint area to give me the skinny on a custom glass place at which I could get the baffles cut. My local hardware only does 1/10 inch thick glass, but I want at least 1/8 if not 1/4 inch. Please let me know!

[MizTanks]

Sorry I can't be any help but here's a BUMP for ya

[ETBReefer05]

Went and ordered some Glass today from a local glass shop. At first they guy thought I wanted them to make an entire aquarium and didn't understand the sump concept. I explained it to him and he quoted me 9 dollars for 56 sq. ft. of 1/4in glass...pretty good deal! I will attach the plan for my sump in this post, just made a quick sketch in MS Paint, lol. I want to keep my sump down to 3 pumps so I'm going to tee off my return line to run a carbon reactor and then run my Bio-Pellet reactor off of a seperate adjustable pump (Sicce Syncra). I believe I will be ordering a couple of the DIY kits from Avast Marine works. They make a reactor that comes disassembled which can be used for any media, including modded for Biopellets, all for the price of a name brand assembled media reactor.

[ETBReefer05]

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. Same build going up, so won't start a new thread...It's been in storage all this time! I Can't wait!

[that Reef Guy]

Welcome Back Eric.

[Sir Patrick]

Welcome back man!

I just sent tropical buff a message saying his old tank is getting set up. Sure he will get a kick out of it.

Same fish list? I think its a good list, even these years later.