90G Tank For $50?

Was just a thought, Im the same way but only with my plants. I keep the fish for my kids to look at.
 
The only about light scratches.Is that even if you can see them when the tanks filled,is the scratches will be the first places that algae will attach.
But for that price,I think I could live with a few small scratches.
 
I'm going to order some of that cerium oxide and use my power drill to see if I can polish the scratches out. It's only about $20 for the cerium oxide and I have the buffing wheel already. I'll start in a low corner in the back and see how it works. It it makes the scratches worse--no real loss.

A guy at work told me that last weekend some woman down the street from him GAVE him a 160g tank with corals in it. He has NO IDEA how to care for the corals. I offered to come over and help him out, but he didn't seam interested. I hope the corals die and he gets frustrated and gives that tank to me. :^:
 
Great buy, RC. Congrats! My 240 was scratched to hell when I bought it. Adding water makes the scratches even more noticeable. I didn't find anything feasible that would work to get the scratches out. Like Yote said, the scratches are the first places to fill up with algae, and it's impossible to get the algae out. But I couldn't turn down a 240 plus stand for $100 no matter how bad it was scratched up, and you got an excellent deal too.

If all else fails, that would make one helluva sump.
 
After reading that link that I put up in post #9 of this thread, I'm confident the cerium oxide will do the job. It's what everyone uses for polishing glass. From fish tanks to lenses on telescopes. It should work, I just think it's probably gonna take a helluva lotta elbow grease.

I will get around to it. I'm in no hurry to polish the tank and set it up right now. The more I shop--the more expensive it gets.

I don't know if I should drill it or use overflows. I know that I don't care for the look of overflows. It sure would be cool to box out both rear corners with black glass and drill it for duel drains.

Then there is the issue of water movement. I don't care for the look of power heads in the tank. It would be nice to have a powerful sump pump and use that for my water movement. But, that velocity of water would be impossible for a refugium. Sandstorm 24/7. :shock: So, what do ya do?
 
Umm its an intake(or two) plumbed to a dedicated external circulation pump and back to the return(or MANY) helps to lower or eliminate the use of powerheads and get circulation WAY up
 
So, a closed loop requires more outlet and return holes drilled in the tank?

Where would ya drill these holes?

If the sump/refugium holes are high in the back corners? Where would you drill the closed loop holes? How big? How many holes can you punch in the back glass of a tank before it gets risky?
 
Nevermind. The internet is a wonderful thing. I know all I need to know about closed loops. I think this tank NEEDS a closed loop. I hate the look of powerheads.
 
closed loop only really NEEDS one hole drilled. I have it on my 180. you can check my thread to see what it looks like in the tank. https://www.livingreefs.com/forums/tank-showcase/10165-180-gallons-up-in-this-nwkrc.html
it has ends that are completely aimable in different directions. and I learned from my mistakes. next tank i get i am going to do a closed loop and build my rocks arond the entire thing so the current comes out of the rock and you see absolutely nothing. it would be really easy to do if your tank wasnt already aquascaped! do it!
 
What can I use for a strainer on the intake of the closed loop? Such a powerful pump is going to kill anything it sucks in.
 
there is a small little prefilter deal that screws into the bulkhead that you attatch to the hole you drill. kinda like the bottom filter deal on a maxijet or something but its threaded into the bulkhead
 
I do lots of glass holes. Closed loops are great. A ninety gallon tank is a great candidate for a sequence pump. They have a nice model that is the little brother to the Dart pump. I forget its name but it is about a 2400 gph pump at zero head, uses about 90 watts. A closed loop with holes that are below the waters surface operate with zero head, so you can potentially get nearly full volume from your pump. All you lose is friction losses not head loss, which is the greatest loss in standard return setups from a sump. The sequence 2400 gph pump is fed through a 1.5 inch entry and exits through a 1.5, which can readily handle being branched to four 3/4 inch returns. This will give you 4 points to reenter tank with high volume, high velocity returns. Wa La, no power heads needed anymore. Plus 3/4 inch return bulkheads readily accept LocLine nozzles, that are fully adjustable. In case you did not know circulation, plumbing and glass holes are my favorite topic. I could write pages on the subjects. I can give you as much information as you wish to absorb on these topics. If you are not specific though about what you wish to kow people will not be happy about the length of my replies. Start out by checking http://glass-holes.com for prices on hole saws and such. Also email them and ask for a picture of the Alaskan custom intake boxes.
 
Last edited:
Its a Sequence Wahoo I think Fatman and RC

Fatman if you like closed loop as much as I think your gonna dig my tank when its up and running. SIX RETURNS for the loop and 2 for sump 12 holes all together. Would you like to help me plan the plumbing!
 
Last edited:
I do lots of glass holes. Closed loops are great. A ninety gallon tank is a great candidate for a sequence pump. They have a nice model that is the little brother to the Dart pump. I forget its name but it is about a 2400 gph pump at zero head, uses about 90 watts. A closed loop with holes that are below the waters surface operate with zero head, so you can potentially get nearly full volume from your pump. All you lose is friction losses not head loss, which is the greatest loss in standard return setups from a sump. The sequence 2400 gph pump is fed through a 1.5 inch entry and exits through a 1.5, which can readily handle being branched to four 3/4 inch returns. This will give you 4 points to reenter tank with high volume, high velocity returns. Wa La, no power heads needed anymore. Plus 3/4 inch return bulkheads readily accept LocLine nozzles, that are fully adjustable. In case you did not know circulation, plumbing and glass holes are my favorite topic. I could write pages on the subjects. I can give you as much information as you wish to absorb on these topics. If you are not specific though about what you wish to kow people will not be happy about the length of my replies. Start out by checking http://glass-holes.com for prices on hole saws and such. Also email them and ask for a picture of the Alaskan custom intake boxes.


Awesome info Fatman. Thanks. I'll ask a million questions if you'll answer them.:mrgreen:

I have around 30 times turnover in my current 30g tank.

If I follow that same flow rate (3X), we're talking 2700GPH in the 90g. Thats moving the refugium (30g refugium) at 900gph. With 900gph moving through the fuge, that leaves 1800gph for flow in the tank.

That sounds like a LOT to me. But those numbers are exactly 3 times larger tank than my 30.

Would that Dalton pump/kit do the trick for the closed loop? Why are they sending a 3" holesaw bit for a 2" bulkhead? I realize there is some thickness to the walls of the PVC piping. But it's not schedule 80 PVC were using here. Maybe schedule 40 at the most. Seams like the bulkheads would be sloppy in the holes. Enlighten me, please. I've never installed a bulkhead in a tank.

Basically, I'm a plumbing idiot when it comes to a reef tank.

I could sure use some help planning my plumbing layout. It's 48 x 24. :mrgreen: Hint hint hint...
 
Last edited:
Its a Sequence Wahoo I think Fatman and RC

Fatman if you like closed loop as much as I think your gonna dig my tank when its up and running. SIX RETURNS for the loop and 2 for sump 12 holes all together. Would you like to help me plan the plumbing!
Sure, as long as you can deal with my long windedness.:bounce:
I actually think designing new tank circulation systems more fun than picking out the initial stock for the tank.
 
As long as you promise to use short words and simple terms that a simpleton like me can understand! It would be appreciated.
 
Back
Top