135g Oceanic Build

[BigCountry74]

Sure Greg. It's a simple setup. Overflow box comes in on one side (left), mag pump brings it back on the other (right). Takes a few to dial the flow to match both sides - I use gate valves on each end for this. But once u get it dialed in, it's good to go and you do not have to touch it. I have the pump plugged into a UPS, but if the power was out for a long time and the pump cuts off - the overflow box will only drain 7-8 gallons before it breaks syphon - and that water will catch in the 2 tanks below. The only thing I have no protection on atm is if the syphon on the overflow box broke while the pump was running. I would need a float switch in the main tank or something that when hit - would shut the pump off. These Eshopps overflow boxes are pretty bulletproof though, so I will risk that for now, since I have other things in priority atm.

 

[Greg31]

So you have a hob overflow?

 

[BigCountry74]

Yes. I am using this one:

http://www.aquacave.com/Eshopps-PF800-Overflow-Box-125-gal-tank-Single-P2768C883.aspx

 

[Greg31]

Any reason you went with hob instead of drilling? It looks like you obviously dont have a problem drilling tanks.

 

[BigCountry74]

I had just purchased the HOB for the 75 prior to upgrading. So I figured why not waste that 60 dollars if I could use it on the 135, and I debated back and forth. It came down to ease of setup and display of the tank. I would of drilled the top sides (versus the bottom) and that would have driven my wife crazy to look at....

 

[BigCountry74]

Giving the wife some options...lol

 

[Blitzie]

Nice job on the build thread and nice work on the tank too. I am sorry about the light problem as that suck that you wasted money on it
Good luck

 

[teddyzaper]

just letting you know, if u angled the lines above the middle section of that cabinet upward it would be to scale and look correct not a big deal just letting u know.

 

[BigCountry74]

hehe I know. I was getting impatient with Photoshop this afternoon....

Wife likes the cherry stain color, so that is what it will be.

 

[Nonameben]

looks real good brotha, keep up the posts. I'll follow along. Fuge looks awesome too, I need to get the motivation to build one. Just got to figure out how I'll do it

 

[BigCountry74]

Took some time and mounted the RO/DO unit. With a standard laundry room and a 4 dollar water hose y-adapter from Lowes/Home Depot, this thing is literally plug and play. I picked up the blue container from Wal-Mart for 5 dollars. It's a laundry container. I call it a beer keg ice bin lol. It works great with the 5 gallon water bottles, if I forget I am running the unit, it will catch 5-6 hours worth of water for me.

 

[BigCountry74]

NWB150 arrived today. Man this thing is huge...a lot bigger than I thought it would be lol

I had to mod the outtake a tad to quiet it down during break in. But it will run in shallow water like a champ. Which is good for my shallow 7"-8" sump/refuge config. This skimmer is sitting in a 10g in the pic, so the footprint is large and in charge - it's every bit of what the spec says.

 

[BigCountry74]

Ordered some chaeto algae from a fellow reefer off ebay. The skimmer + refuge sump is finally completed.

 

[BigCountry74]

not even 12 hours skimming and it's already breaking in nicely.....this is why I stuck with Reef Octopus

 

[BigCountry74]

Lights came today! I will be in daddy mode this weekend, so will prob not be able to get anything mounted until next week. These are the http://www.aquariumleds.com/products/120-Watt-Aquarium-LED-14K-3-Watt-LEDs.html lights. Shipping was solid and all 3 lights work. 1 year warranty, hopefully they can grow coral. Plan is to mount the lights on the wall via individual adjustable shelving, then measure around the lights and build the box to encase everything.

 

[BigCountry74]

Lights mounted. Hang on wall canopy I will start next week. As a joke I told my wife I was going to leave it like this for a few weeks....she told me I could sleep in the garage for a few weeks.....lol!

I am pleased with these LED boxes. They are nice and bright. White + blue looks very clean. Blue only will pull some nasty color once I get something cool to look at in the tank.

 

[NH reefer kid]

Looks real good man, the wall hung canopy will look dope, nice tank and in a cool looking room. GL!

 

[BigCountry74]

Thanks bro. The hang on wall canopy is a must with these lights. Just too many cords. That, and the weight (angle) of the hanging light was too much for sheet rock only so I had to add the studs. When I first ordered them I figured maybe I could swing it without building a canopy, mount with sheet rock anchors and run the cords in and down the wall. There was no way that was happening....that experiment failed miserably...lol

 

[Reefnut2010]

Putting a Black or blue background on the tank will help put everything into better perspective. It will add some much needed contrast to the back of that tank. It will in turn make the kitchen/diningroom look better too !!

 

[dabears1983]

very cool build , what do you think of the lights so far, i`m thinking of getting a set for my 40 breeder, its time to replace the t5 bulbs anyway.