Alaskan's 180 Mixed Reef Build Thread

[Alaskan]

Hello to all,

Well I have wanted a large built-in aquarium for as long as I can remember and its finally time to get started!!! :bounce1:
I have been following a bunch of your builds and enjoy reading them from start to current, when I have time to sit that long. So I will make an attempt at adding mine to the mix.

A little about me I have had fresh water tanks for years and have had a small (20 Gal) saltwater tank for the last year. Now in the new house I have a great spot to install a tank.

This build will probably will take a little time as you all know. I will try to add as many pics as I can, photography is my other expensive hobby, and try to give daily updates during the build process when there are advances made. But be warned there may some delays I live in a remote area so getting anything here in a hurry is a lost cause. I'm asking for any advice or criticism, I'm a big boy I can handle it, most of you have a lot more experience than me and I'm hoping to learn as much as I can along the way.

I have a 180 gallon acrylic tank on order that I'm hopping will be here sometime next month. I just received most of all the other equip to run the reef so I'm getting started on the stand build.

Hope you all enjoy the process as much as me.

 

[Alaskan]

Here few Pics to get this thing started.

The tank location and the pile of gear, it was like Christmas when all that arrived at once

"I need a new HOME PLEASE"

-J

 

[Alaskan]

More Pics:


Starting the stand,

Stand top,

Shaping up,

Detail,

As you can see the stand is put together with all pocket screws and exterior wood glue, I believe in over building everything

-J

 

[akdylpcikles]

Sense you live in alaska? did you get that stuff from Tim's?

 

[Alaskan]

No, I ordered all the stuff from marine depot and had it all sent to the barge lines in Seattle and shipped up here. Where is Tim's located at?

 

[akdylpcikles]

hes on est tudor road in anchorage. if you google it its easier than explaining. hes in a little strip mall infront of the holiday gas station.

 

[Alaskan]

Cool, unfortunately I only fly up to Anchorage about once every other year
I will have to check it out next time I'm up there though, Thanks

 

[akdylpcikles]

ouch! he has some awesome stuff! 600 gallon display reef!

 

[QUASIMOTO]

Im assuming your going to run 2 48 inch lighting fixtures...? what are they?.... what are the dimensions to your 180?

looks like you have really thought this through..... ill be tagging along.
Quas

 

[laf-reef]

nicely built stand!!

 

[auem]

cool work...but seeing your stand it seems that it will be 5' long at least..couldn't you better opted for 60" light fixture?

 

[Alaskan]

Good morning all the tank dims are 72 x 24 x 24 so I'm using two 36in light fixtures I figure that it will make them a little easer to get in and out of the hood.

-J

 

[Alaskan]

Well here is my equipment list that I have so far or is on the way:

-180 gallon 72x24x24 acrylic tank with two 1.5in drains and two 1in returns with duel internal overflows
-2 36" nova extreme pro t5 ho light fixtures
-Apex controller with lunar sim mod
-2 won bros 350 watt titanium heaters (gets a little cold around here)
-AquaC ev240 skimmer with 5L waste container
-2 Eheim 1262 for return and for closed loop circ
-nextreef mr1 media reactor
-two little fishes KW reactor, used with top off pump
-tons of plumbing parts and pieces.
-30 gal sump tank

I think thats most of it for now.


Will post more stand pics later today got to go to the hardware store to get more stuff:wave:

 

[Alaskan]

Thanks Laf-reef, I have been reading what everybody else dose there are a lot of really good build ups and a lot of ideas on here.

 

[akdylpcikles]

You should join the alaska frag swap. Its an all alaskan club of reefers. Website is www.alaskafragswap.com

 

[Alaskan]

Hello All,

I'm back been waiting for my tank to get here, took a lot longer than I had expected. I have almost finished the stand and got my live rock curing.
Now the build should start moving along faster I hope.
-J

 

[Alaskan]

MY TANK!!!!!!

It's a little bigger than expected but thats ok bigger is alwase better! Right?

 

[Alaskan]

Here is a few pics of the stand progress.

 

[Alaskan]

Got my live rock yesterday it is Haitian live rock and it is the only thing that my lfs can get for the last couple of months so I ordered it and I'm glad I did the rock is amazing huge pieces with very little rubble in the boxes, not bad for being air freighted from Florida, but the rocks are full of natural caves and holes. Hopefully will make for some easy rock art.

160lbs rock.

Don't mind the phone pics

 

[Alaskan]

Well the stand is done and the tank is in its new home.:celeb1: