# My New 75 Gal with AquaDecor 3D background



## Off_register (Feb 5, 2015)

Hello every.

I've been lurking around the forum for some time now gathering information to prepare for my aquarium build with internal overflow and sump. With all of your helpful information and many hours of youtube videos I have finally setup my new 75 gallon aquarium. I was originally going to attempt the DIY 3D background but the I came across AquaDecor and had to have one of their backgrounds. I gotta say that they did an amazing job! Just giving measurements and the specific radius for the internal overflow via email (I'm in Chicago and they're in Serbia), the background fits like a glove. Pretty amazing work!

I have to say Thank You, Opulent, for all of your help with the background before I tackled this project!

So far my stocking list is:
Cobalt Blue Zebra
Orange Zebra
2 Pseudotropheus Acei
4 Metriaclima sp. "Blue Dolphin" Manda
2 Synodontis Polli Catfish

Here are some pictures I remembered to take along the way. Let me know what you guys think!:

Dry Fit to see how the background fits into place:


Silicone the background into place:



First water fill test wit the old overflow setup with the Durso pipe. I hate the Durso pipe setup! I eventually went with the Herbie method. The peace of mind having a backup intake pipe and pure silence was key for me:


Final Destination:


Added the first tester fish after doing the fishless cycling along with the TCC Black Blasting Sand. Luna is already curious!:


Messing around with color balance on my phone camera but I can still produce those effects with the Current USA LED light I have. Pretty cool light to have:



Picture with the sump. Did the Herbie Overflow and then ran the return line behind the tank. I kind of messed up with the water height in the left chambers when added the 4th baffle (too tall) later on but it still works.


Latest pictures taken today. (Back to the Future Day!) The light still washes out the colors on the top rocks but this is the best exposures I was able to get on my phone.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

Nice, super NICE. Is your tank cycled?


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## Off_register (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks! Yeah I cycled the tank before I added the fish.


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## Yates (Mar 18, 2015)

Looks amazing. That background is perfect! Nice tank


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## Opulent (Jan 20, 2012)

Fantastic! Great work with setting up the tank - it looks amazing and the background really does look nice with your setup. :thumb: =D>

Glad I could be of help with the background :wink:

How is your sump setup working for you? I found I ended up making a few tweaks here and there until I was totally happy with the way the whole setup works.

Congrats on an amazing tank! :dancing:


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

That is a nice looking set up.


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## Aquariguns (Jan 15, 2015)

Man that looks great, congrats on the setup!


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## Off_register (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks everyone!,

Farid, I was originally looking into dark gray rocks but decided with the Orange/Red to help tie into the color of the stand and canopy. So happy with the choice. My catfish love all of the nooks and crannys within the background! The sump is working great. My first attempt at a sump so it is not perfect but it still works. I kind of messed it up the flow and water height in the left chambers when I added the 4th baffle. The return chamber was developing a stagnant surface so I changed the flow to a waterfall falling in the chamber as apposed to flowing from the bottom. Oh well, its's all a learning experience. Still works great tho. And oh man, I did not realize how fast water evaporates until I had a sump system. I have a float valve so I will probably be working on an ATO system soon. Just don't know where I will put the ATO water container.


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## Opulent (Jan 20, 2012)

Good to hear the sump setup is working too. I think much of it is trial and error, even though you have a plan of how it will work. You still end up changing some things until you're satisfied it performs as required. A great way to help with the evaporation is to simply get some covers for the sump. I asked my tank builder to make some sliding class covers for the sump as part of the spec, and they work very well - I only lose about 7-8 litres of water per week, and that's with a 180g tank and 4ft sump.


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## Off_register (Feb 5, 2015)

True that. I'd rather experience it first hand than pay $300 on a manufactured sump. They cosy waaaay too much! I'll look into getting some sheets of glass or acrylic to cover the sump and see how much that works.

So a couple pictures updates with the lighting. Added a 48" blue LED and a 10" rose red/white LED. So happy with the new light setup. I had the white light way too bright beforehand. Already had a good algae outbreak on the left rocks where the overflow is so I am able to turn down the brightness of the white light.



And a couple close up shots of the rocks.


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## Opulent (Jan 20, 2012)

Looks very different with the blue and red lights added. It reminds me of 'night' lights you can get with some LED lights.

As you've recently cycled your tank, don't forget that you will naturally get an algae outburst (as I did), which eventually clears up, providing you don't keep feeding it with excessive lighting durations and high phosphates. I just keep brushing the algae off during weekly water changes / maintenance.


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## Roberto B (Dec 3, 2014)

Very Nice


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## punman (Oct 24, 2003)

I love the background. Thanks for taking the time to share.


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## busterny (Feb 12, 2014)

Looks great. What pump are you using for the sump return?


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## Off_register (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks everyone!

Busterny: I am using the EHEIM Compact+ Pump 3000. I gotta say, the pump is awesome! Very powerful and super quiet!


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## Nicky Paul (Feb 24, 2016)

Great to hear the sump setup is working as well. I consider much it is experimentation, despite the fact that you have an arrangement of how it will function. Despite everything you wind up changing a few things until you're fulfilled it executes as required. An extraordinary approach to help with the vanishing is to just get a few spreads for the sump. I requested that my tank developer make some sliding class covers for the sump as a component of the spec, and they work exceptionally well - I just lose around 7-8 liters of water for every week, and that is with a 180g tank and 4ft sump.


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## Off_register (Feb 5, 2015)

A lot of experimentation for sure! I saw a lot of sumps out there for ideas but I really had to build it first hand to understand why things were done the way they were. I think I will keep an eye out for the Petco $1 per gallon sale and rebuild a sump with a better design. The glass covers is a great idea that I need to implement. I lose a good amount of water from evaporation so that will help me a ton!


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## toxicmegakitten (Feb 18, 2014)

Looks incredible. How big is your tank front to back?


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## The Morning (Nov 22, 2017)

Wow. That tank looks amazing. Thanks for sharing the pictures.


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