Ghellin's 180 build.

ghellin

ghellin

New member
So it begins. I have lived in a second floor apartment for the 5 years that I have been in the hobby and I finally moved to a house! I have kept a 58 gallon clam and sps dominated tank, as well as a 40 breeder mixed reef. About a month before I moved, my tank succumbed to a bacterial infection and wiped out my sps and lps corals, I was left with only my clams and zoas. Here is a picture of my 58 before the crash.



I decided now that I have moved I want to build a bigger tank. Since I love clams and I plan to grow my small herd I wanted a 24" front to back rather than the 18" I had. I decided a 180 wide 72"x24"x25" would be the perfect tank. Once decided I was able to order the Marineland 180 with corner overflows and the build officially began!
 
The tank is in!


I have always wanted to have a steel stand and maximize space under my tank so I decided to build my own. With the help of a few friends off to the steel yards we went.


I decided to go with .125 wall 1.5" square tubing. This stuff is heavy and should support a tank lol. The stand was built to the footprint of the tank 72.5"x24.5" and 39" tall. The stand was also built with 6 adjustable feet to level the stand.



After much debate I decided against powder coating the stand due to cost and went with primer and a garage door 2 part epoxy.


I was able to get the garage floor epoxy tinted to a nice blue color to be different.
 
I paid about $200 for steel I had 20' extra for other projects, $10 for primer, and $75 for the epoxy. Of course welding supplies, grinding wheels etc were incidental costs. Power coating was going to be $250+ from what I was able to find so not worth it to me.
 
Sump time. I want a bigger refugium at least 10% of tank volume so I decided to go with a 75 gallon sump. Since I want to be different and do a Refugium>Skimmer>Return style sump I decided a typical 75 with center brace would get in my way. So I had a custom braceless 75 gallon tank built by Planet Aquariums as it was only $40 more tha than a typical 75 with brace that I would have to cut out. The 75 is heavy thick glass I love it!
Going through the required cat scan.

Refugium section is 19.25"x17.125"x16" (23 gallons.) The skimmer section is 15.75"x17.125"x12" (14 gallons.) Return is 8.5"x17.125"x12" (7.5 gallons)
 
I would humbly like to suggest that the cut outs in the wood for the bulkheads should be larger.
In case you need to work on them from underneath.
 
Thanks for the advice, before I finished the oak I put it up to the bottom of the tank to check for clearance. I was able to adjust and tighten bulkheads comfortably. I think they just appear smaller in the picture.
 
Finished painting the sump, white walls for the fuge and black on the back and far left side. Also picked up an 18 gallon tank for my ATO.


 
Thanks! A store called aquariums in Edmond, ok. She ordered them from a company called Ocean View. I was told they are no longer making them, but I wouldn't think it would be too expensive for a custom tank.
 
Thanks! About 250 pounds, gives me a 3" sandbed. I plan to have several wrasses and clams that should enjoy the sand.
 
Got a few things done today, Finished the screen tops and built the ATO line that will supply the tank with fresh water.
 
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