ahoyhoy239
Member
:bounce2: :bounce1: :bounce3:
Woohoo Im finally going to try and do a build thread on my new tank with hopefully lots of pics and reviews of equipment and my experiences from almost 3 years of reefing. I also hope to draw alot of intelligent minds to give me input, suggestions, comments, etc on my current and future equipment and methods. Lastly I want this thread to help me track my progress over time and also provide a resource for people in need of ideas for their own build. Plus, who doesnt like to read build threads? :lol:
Anyways, I guess I will start from the beginning, my first tank, a 55g I originally purchased from a now extinct LFS which convinced me to start saltwater with no prior aquarium experience, and Im glad he did. I went through alot of basic equipment that I had to learn the hard way wasnt the best but I think this was actually a pretty nice tank considering not a drop of RO/DI went into it :eek1: even though all i had were pretty simple softies and LPS. Just goes to show you that the rules can be bent a little and still make things happen. Photobucket isnt working right now so ill try and put some pics up later.
Next was my current tank, a 92g corner. I learned alot with this tank, particularly with much better equipment like RO/DI, MH lighting, more powerful protein skimmer, ato, media reactors, better pumps, 2 part dosing, etc. I also tried a wider variety of livestock, such as tangs, wrasses, simple sps, and an rbta among others. Ive also lost a few fish and learned the importance of researching fish compatability and special needs if their long-term survival is desired.
Ive found this tank to be a bit of a challenge as far as aquascaping, water circulation, and equipment in the stand. The good thing is that it provides a very unique view that has made the cons more bearable, however, the itch to upgrade was too much to bear, which brings me to my next tank. After keeping my eyes peeled like a hawk on craigslist and RC I finally found a good deal on a 120g 48" l x 24"w x 24"h which is exactly what i was looking for. Actually the only better size I would have preferred was a 150g 60"x24"x24". I did find one for sale from ATTR but I couldnt pass this tank up for the price.
Another great feature of this tank was that it was undrilled so it gave me flexibility on how to set it up. I made the decision to set this tank up peninsula style to maximize the viewing area around the tank and also make it a focal point of the living room area. I stumbled across glass-holes.com when trying to figure out what to do about the overflow. I went ahead and ordered their 1500 gph kit which turned out to be very good on the construction side and is very compact so it does not take away space inside the tank the standard AGA overflows do. Drilling the glass was very easy after doing enough reading and acquiring the right tools, namely a cordless drill with adjustable clutch to prevent torque transfer. Overall the overflow installation was quick and easy and I didnt have to mess around with silicone/glue and building a custom overflow box out of glass/acrylic. I havent water tested it yet but I hope its quiet! lol
Woohoo Im finally going to try and do a build thread on my new tank with hopefully lots of pics and reviews of equipment and my experiences from almost 3 years of reefing. I also hope to draw alot of intelligent minds to give me input, suggestions, comments, etc on my current and future equipment and methods. Lastly I want this thread to help me track my progress over time and also provide a resource for people in need of ideas for their own build. Plus, who doesnt like to read build threads? :lol:
Anyways, I guess I will start from the beginning, my first tank, a 55g I originally purchased from a now extinct LFS which convinced me to start saltwater with no prior aquarium experience, and Im glad he did. I went through alot of basic equipment that I had to learn the hard way wasnt the best but I think this was actually a pretty nice tank considering not a drop of RO/DI went into it :eek1: even though all i had were pretty simple softies and LPS. Just goes to show you that the rules can be bent a little and still make things happen. Photobucket isnt working right now so ill try and put some pics up later.
Next was my current tank, a 92g corner. I learned alot with this tank, particularly with much better equipment like RO/DI, MH lighting, more powerful protein skimmer, ato, media reactors, better pumps, 2 part dosing, etc. I also tried a wider variety of livestock, such as tangs, wrasses, simple sps, and an rbta among others. Ive also lost a few fish and learned the importance of researching fish compatability and special needs if their long-term survival is desired.
Ive found this tank to be a bit of a challenge as far as aquascaping, water circulation, and equipment in the stand. The good thing is that it provides a very unique view that has made the cons more bearable, however, the itch to upgrade was too much to bear, which brings me to my next tank. After keeping my eyes peeled like a hawk on craigslist and RC I finally found a good deal on a 120g 48" l x 24"w x 24"h which is exactly what i was looking for. Actually the only better size I would have preferred was a 150g 60"x24"x24". I did find one for sale from ATTR but I couldnt pass this tank up for the price.
Another great feature of this tank was that it was undrilled so it gave me flexibility on how to set it up. I made the decision to set this tank up peninsula style to maximize the viewing area around the tank and also make it a focal point of the living room area. I stumbled across glass-holes.com when trying to figure out what to do about the overflow. I went ahead and ordered their 1500 gph kit which turned out to be very good on the construction side and is very compact so it does not take away space inside the tank the standard AGA overflows do. Drilling the glass was very easy after doing enough reading and acquiring the right tools, namely a cordless drill with adjustable clutch to prevent torque transfer. Overall the overflow installation was quick and easy and I didnt have to mess around with silicone/glue and building a custom overflow box out of glass/acrylic. I havent water tested it yet but I hope its quiet! lol
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