Andrew's 2 a.m. Mangrove Thing

[Andrew17030]

Hello, I am a college student who has been fascinated with aquariums from a young age. I’ve had multiple freshwater aquariums and one saltwater tank. My last setup was a 120-gallon corner tank that turned out to be a continuous debacle. The more I spent on equipment the worse things got.

Some of the problems I had and I am sure many can relate to were: lighting a corner tank 30” deep, water movement, accessing the equipment in my stand, poor plumbing, loud pumps, water clarity, loud overflow, slaughtering one easily kept montipora, dialing in my calcium reactor, ATO overflows in the middle of the night, overdosing amquel, and likely the biggest problems were my impatience and inexperience. Finally, one day with my head wedged into my over cramped stand trying to adjust the skimmer I threw in the towel and had the tank torn apart by the next afternoon. I then sold off most of the equipment and took a break. I spent about six months nursing my wounds and attending to other responsibilities. Then I went back on Reef Central and started watching a few amazing builds progress, two days later I was on Google Sketchup at 2 a.m. when Reef Central was running backups and had a very detailed plan. Over the next year that plan changed about ten times as I would come up with new ideas.

My build guidelines were/are:
A display for SPS
Minimal equipment
Easy access under stand
Low noise production
No visible electrical cords
No lights hanging directly over the tank
Be mindful of energy efficiency
A large planted mangrove refugium/lower intertidal zone biotope.

What I have completed:
Built stand
Paint stand
Lay some dynamat on the base of the stand and covered it with styrofoam
Cut hole in wall
Finish hole in wall
Paint hole in wall
Cut hole in ceiling
Built box for hole in ceiling
Paint box
Convert an overhang in the ceiling to a storage space for ATO and Saltwater storage tanks
Curse a lot
Buy jewelry
Remind my girlfriend how awesome it will look when I am done
Paint lumen brights white

Equipment list:
Apex controller
Dual blueline M80 ballast
Lumen bright HQI pendants
Giesemann 14.5 K DE bulbs
Reefbrite 15” all white LEDs
Air King fans
Bubble King SM 250
MSX FX1500 return pump
Osomolator

What I have left to complete:
Get a tank
Get a sump
Plumb tank and sump
Plug stuff in
Put water in tank
Put coral, trees, and fish in tank


I’ll be quiet now and share some pics.

The night I bought flowers:
<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1445.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1445.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1460.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1460.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1457.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1457.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Stand in the works:
<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1439.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1439.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Stand and hole finished:
<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_0732.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_0732.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[Andrew17030]

Light box:

<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_0781.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_0781.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_0769.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_0769.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1489.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1489.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1484.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1484.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1490.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1490.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[bugs713]

Welcome back and Good luck with your new build!
Sometimes the hardest thing in this hobby is patience...
Looking good so far, keep us updated!

 

[areucrazy]

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I love how in all that kaos you put in "Bought Jewlery"!! and then "the night I brought flowers" LMAO!! too funny!!! Does this mean Im supposed to buy the man in my life some sort of power tool when I go splurging on my tank?? Like last night I went to buy ONE thing came home with many things and was up until 1am playing with them and NO ONE got dinner cooked by Mom last night! HA! HA! HA! They managed to cook tv dinners,frozen pizza and cereal for dessert! Your build looks great and I do believe I recognise your floor I think I bought sand from you when you took your tank down a few tears ago. You have a dedicated fish room right???

 

[jflores]

Very nice I wonder if flowers would work to talk my husband into letting me cut a huge hole in the wall behind my 270? HMMM better yet probably a new fishing pole would work better...

Disclaimer (of course he would never dream of fishing in my tank, he limits himself to bass and trout and ???) haha

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

Looks like your off to a great start.

 

[zibba]

Nice work so far Andrew. You definitely have skills! The white lumenbrights look really cool. What kind of paint did you use?

 

[Andrew17030]

Welcome back and Good luck with your new build!
Sometimes the hardest thing in this hobby is patience...
Looking good so far, keep us updated!

Thanks bugs, patience is hard to spell let alone comprehend.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I love how in all that kaos you put in "Bought Jewlery"!! and then "the night I brought flowers" LMAO!! too funny!!! Does this mean Im supposed to buy the man in my life some sort of power tool when I go splurging on my tank?? Like last night I went to buy ONE thing came home with many things and was up until 1am playing with them and NO ONE got dinner cooked by Mom last night! HA! HA! HA! They managed to cook tv dinners,frozen pizza and cereal for dessert! Your build looks great and I do believe I recognise your floor I think I bought sand from you when you took your tank down a few tears ago. You have a dedicated fish room right???

Areucrazy, no, men are different. Just say sweet when he wants to buy it. Was it a bucket of fine sand off craigslist for dirt cheap about two years ago? If so, then that was probably me.

Very nice I wonder if flowers would work to talk my husband into letting me cut a huge hole in the wall behind my 270? HMMM better yet probably a new fishing pole would work better...

Disclaimer (of course he would never dream of fishing in my tank, he limits himself to bass and trout and ???) haha

Jflores, beer might help more than flowers. Beer, food, and a good plan, he would be bringing the sledge in before he got through the six pack.

Looks like your off to a great start.

Thanks, NaClH2ONMYVEIN

Nice work so far Andrew. You definitely have skills! The white lumenbrights look really cool. What kind of paint did you use?

Thanks zibba, I used rustoleum appliance epoxy. Basically, a cheap can of spray paint and primer.

 

[lostmyz]

lol i remind my fiance how amazing it looks everytime.... One thing i would recomment would be a Tunze Osmolator for ur top off! its awesome i love it!!!! and if its going to over fill... it has an alarm and after "X" amount of time of beeping it shuts the sstem down from fillling up.... so as long as u keep ur max at water lvl to a point that even after 10mins of filling wont over flow than ur good...lol

I love the bought jewelry comment i do the same with my girl. I splurge on my tank i buy her something too. So she thinks i dont care more about the tank than her. And i wish my fiance was as into my hobby as some of the women who like this hobby. She just likes the mandarin dragonet.... as long as she sees it and its alive shes happy lol

I also understand about working in a tight space.... i have a 72 bow front stand and my top off tank.... is a 5 gal jug next to the tank, I have no room in my stand for my Calcium reactor either... thats next to the tank. So I am going to build a little stand next to my tank to hide these things and get a frag tank to put on top and plumb it into my main system!!!! If i need some help with carpentry I might hit you up ;-)

 

[Andrew17030]

lol i remind my fiance how amazing it looks everytime.... One thing i would recomment would be a Tunze Osmolator for ur top off! its awesome i love it!!!! and if its going to over fill... it has an alarm and after "X" amount of time of beeping it shuts the sstem down from fillling up.... so as long as u keep ur max at water lvl to a point that even after 10mins of filling wont over flow than ur good...lol

Thanks, I have one.

 

[areucrazy]

Lol... Funny how I cant remeber most things but I saw the floor and knew I had been there befor. It was me who bought that sand dirt cheap like 15 bucks or something. You also did a nitrate test for me too. Thanks again! I still have the sand : ) I still wish I had a fish room like yours!

 

[kingevil]

i just take my wife to the lfs. when she sees all the cool set ups she says, 'when are we going to have something like that???!!!' then i go out and buy a bunch of stuff.

 

[Andrew17030]

Lol... Funny how I cant remeber most things but I saw the floor and knew I had been there befor. It was me who bought that sand dirt cheap like 15 bucks or something. You also did a nitrate test for me too. Thanks again! I still have the sand : ) I still wish I had a fish room like yours!

Areucrazy, small world I guess. How is your tank doing? I bet the sand fixed everything.



Update:

I have done very little actual work. Partially because I have to take breaks and do something else or I get frustrated and then make mistakes and somewhat because I was sick. I feel a binge coming on today though. I bought some white electrical tape and metal electrical feeds and painted them to hide the black cord coming off of my lumenbrites.

I do need some help deciding whether to get a glass or acrylic tank. As well as, if I should buy locally or have it built and shipped.

My concerns are really being able to clean coralline off of the acrylic tank without spending a massive amount of time and the structural integrity overtime with glass aquarium seams.

I have decided to go 2" taller to 26" on the display than I had originally planned. I like the look open space give reef aquariums. When I see reef tanks crowded top to bottom and sided to side, it makes me twitch.

That makes my dimensions, 48" x 33" x 26" and I want a 2" eurobrace. May I have some suggestions, please?

 

[plantastic]

Andrew-

Get quotes for a Lee-Mar Flat Polished tank. They are made entirely of glass with no plastic trim, but also have the "euro-bracing" that you want...I assume you have been to aquatouch...It is the style of the large reef in the coral section, and the large saltwater paludarium in the back...I'm pretty sure any of the local stores can order it for you...

 

[jporter]

Andrew, I have a tall LeMar euro-braced tank and really like it. It's 48X24X30tall. I agree the deep tanks look great. You will need a good set of tongs/grabbers. Good luck with the build, it looks great so far. JP

 

[Andrew17030]

Afternoon Update

Afternoon Update

Thanks for the feedback. I have made a little progress. I finished painting and mounting the cord hiders for lack of a better description for the halides and the fans. I also put a cabinet door on a pivot hinge up, what a pain getting that up straight with the catches. The Giesemann 13.5k bulbs are an awesome bright white, absolutely no yellow at all. I have two reefbrite all whites under the stand for the refugium lighting and they do have a touch of yellow.

So the look is coming together. There will be no enclosing the stand. I will have three PVC pipes coming straight down the middle from the overflow. The sump will be roughly 1/3 sump and return section and 2/3 deep sand bed and mini mangrove swamp. The sump will be 18" tall, 8" sand and 8" water. I order all of my plumbing for BRS last night and am contemplating building the sump myself. Anyone have any input on building my own sump? I have a table saw, router, and square edges. Is there anything else I need?


<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1499.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1499.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1504.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1504.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

View as I walk in:
<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=IMG_1507-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/IMG_1507-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


Sump:
<a href="http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/?action=view&current=0001YX.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad225/Andrew_57/Aquarium%20Build/0001YX.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[Andrew17030]

Update

Update

I have made some progress on my build and thought I'd share some pics. The two refugiums have been up about 6 weeks and the display has been up 2 weeks. Just letting things settle in for a while.





View attachment 204054

 

[Weyrman]

Looks real nice!

 

[dream54ing]

Nice!

 

[tcmfish]

You did say college student right?!?! Awesome stuff, but I sure wish I had that kind of dough when I was in college. Wait who a I kidding, after college...