Am I an idiot? New guy got a 180 g tank

[Kactai]

It's a long story so bare with me!

So about 3-4 months ago I set up a 75 g reef tank at my GF's tattoo studio. We had both always wanted a reef tank so she agreed to fund the project if I would dedicate my time to learning the process and doing all the work.

Fast forward to this week, after adding a carpenters wrasse and a midas blenny to the 75g, my wonderful GF asked if we could set up another tank at home. This came as a great surprise to me since I had a 36 g bow front just sitting in my garage... While shopping on kijiji to find a tank to turn into the new sump for the 75g (was planning on using the small sump i had previously made to go on the 36g), I came across an add... 180g tank with stand and 100lbs of rock for 500$.

So we talked the guy down to $440 and I came home with my 3rd tank. It has two holes drilled in the bottom in each of the two back corners and came with the overflow pipes, return pipes and blukheads.

It also came with a return pump that looks like my mag 7 but bigger (the sticker says model 18B utility pump). Also included was an air pump that says Elite 801.

I'm very excited but also very overwhelmed... I'm still new at this but could not pass up the deal. Was it a good one?

Now I need to build a sump and I'm considering DIY for most of the remaining components I need (Sump, lid, LED Lighting, skimmer, top up system and possibly a calcium reactor or kalwasser set up with my top up system).

I'll post pictures of everything I got as soon as I figure out to do it.

Let me know what you all think! Did I bite off more than I can chew?

Oh and Don't worry my 36g bow will become my quarantine tank so it will not go unused!

 

[Kactai]

Photos of my find

Photos of my find

photos

 

[Kactai]

last one for now

 

[MondoBongo]

i've been biting off more than i can chew daily for several years now. don't worry, that's normal.

sounds like a good deal. the stand is nice looking, and i like the rock spread, especially that large clam shell. 180 is a nice dimension too.

i would say, if the bulkheads aren't new, get new ones. no sense in risking reusing them.

just take it slow, plan ahead, and i think you'll be in good shape. the builds are always some of the most fun.

that pump might be a mag 18:

http://www.marinedepot.com/Danner_S...ps-Danner_Mfg.-DN1119-FIWPSBTO-DN1131-vi.html

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Enjoy- value is up to you honestly

Seems decent price to me but what do I know

 

[azcrazy]

I think it was a good deal 180g tank it self sells for over $1k (new)
the stand seems in great shape and it will fit a 55g sump/refuguim (I have the same style )
I cant help you with the rest since im as new to this as you are

 

[cloak]

I didn't read the post from the top, but no, you are not an idiot... FWIW, I've been using tap water for the past 17 years or so... (go figure)

 

[Kactai]

Some of the stuff is grimey and the tank and some of the equipment has lots of dried up coralline algae. What do you suggest for cleaning used equipment? Like the pump, power heads, aquarium glass and plastic overflow guards.

 

[g_langley]

White Vinegar is the best stuff to clean equipment/tanks. Leave items to soak for an hour or so and then use a toothbrush to clean of the excess muck and rinse in RODI.

 

[Fishfreak_MA]

+1 on white vinegar. For the really tough spots use baking soda with it to make a scrub paste.

I think you where smart to get a 180 honestly. Bigger is easier to maintain your parameters just more expensive it it all implodes. Read some threads on some of the Nano dedicated sites to see how hard it can be to maintain a little 8 gallon cube. As for value it seems a pretty decent deal. My LFS has new ones with the stand for 850 US but that doesn't include any of the extras you got so as long as it holds water is say you did well.

 

[RayAllen3422]

+1 for vinegar. I received a skimmer for free soaked it in vinegar for a couple days. The gunk and grim just melts off without scrubbing and minimal effort.

 

[gone fishin]

Looks like a good deal. The rock looks very nice to me. I agree with Mondo swap out the bulkheads, they are cheap enough. Some vinegar, razorblade and some elbow grease will have it cleaned up nicely.

My only regret with mine was using a 55g I had for a sump, a very tight fit for the skimmer.

I would suggest figuring out what you would like to stock fish and coral wise then build accordingly. Larger tanks usually mean higher equipment costs so try to buy equipment once. Good luck.

 

[kmbyrnes]

Seems like a good deal from here as well.
I like the rocks.
Replace the bulkheads and do a vinegar soak before you get too far along.

 

[hotelbravo]

Great looking rock SCORE!

 

[Kactai]

Thanks guys! Much appreciated!

Just noticed a few scratches on the tank in the bottom left corner... I think it's minor details all things considered! I'm starting on the clean up later this afternoon!

Should I also do the rocks in a 50/50 vinegar solution? They seem kind of dusty... They were in a garage for a little while!

 

[ca1ore]

I think buying used stuff is a 'push'. Certainly good deals can be had, but often you end up paying good money for crap. Also keep in mind that people typically price their used stuff higher than they'd be willing to buy somebody else's. Whether this was a good deal or not depends a bit on how old the tank and equipment was, and therefore how long it lasts. Old tanks lose their value fast; and very often are 'age misrepresented' by the seller. That tank looks like a marineland, so there may be a manufactured date under the top back rim. If it's a couple of years old it's a fair price, otherwise you probably overpaid (btw if the two holes at the bottom of each overflow are of different sizes, it's an older tank).

As to your primary question, more $ wasted in incremental upgrades than anything else. As long as you stick it out, going large immediately is a good way to go.

 

[Jerett83]

I was looking at the exact setup on kijiji. I passed on it only for the fact that it was already drilled. I'm a fan of beananimal so I don't want one that drilled already so I can set it up the way I want.

Good luck on the build. Just take each step as they come and don't think about the entire build and it will go smoothly.

 

[Sk8r]

If I had to recommend a rig for an absolute beginner with funds enough, I can absolutely assure you it wouldn't be a nano: they're hard, very hard. I'd recommend a hundred gallon or more, I'd recommend it drilled. Bigger is easier, until it goes over-the-top big. You need at least a 30 gallon sump, and if you have a basement, piping to a basement sump would be ideal: that lets you have a 32 gal topoff reservoir, which is much saner than a 5 gal trying to do that job. That will be one of the bigger headaches...keeping that tank topped off. I take it this is a no-canopy tank? That will be quite a lot of evap, though at least you're not in desert territory with dry air. Glassing over the dt and ventilating heck out of the sump might make it possible to slow it down just a bit, while allowing enough evap to drive kalk nicely. Is basement sump a possibility? A basement with a floor drain would be even better.

 

[outy]

Having a similar tank, do yourself a favor and buy a calcium reactor and kalk reactor with a ATO

Get a good RO/DI set up as well.


This I wish people would have beat in me 20 years ago. I have it now and the hobby is almost bullet proof. I wish I would have had it decades ago.

 

[Kactai]

The manufacture date on the tank is 2012. And the the two holes at each end (4 total) are the same size! I have an RO buddie with the DI attachment that can do 100g/24 hrs. I'm totally going to look into kalk and calcium reactors! Thanks for the tips! Unfortunately a basement sump is not possible but I may be able to daisy chain two 5g buckets for the top off reservoir or I can get a 20liter garbage can that will fit under the tank in the stand!