Kilroy's 125G Build Thread

K

kilroy217

Member
After several years away from the hobby, I've decided to start another tank. This time, I intend for it to last a while, so I'm doing it right. By that, I mean no more excuses for my own laziness. :)

This thread is intended to document my build, hopefully both giving something to the community and also offering an opportunity for the community to help me along the way.

So here goes:


This is a 75 gal tank that I was using as a freshwater display tank. I never really took to the freshwater fish, and I found myself losing interest in the tank. I decided to get rid of the fish, and use this tank as my sump for the new 125G build.
 

This is the space in the basement where I am putting the sump. The stain on the wall was from an air conditioner leak a while back. Nothing to be concerned about.


I picked up the 125G tank from one of the LFS nearby. I shopped around, and was very surprised to see such variation in pricing from store to store for the exact same tank. I went with the corner overflow style, because I thought it would help with my aquascaping. The 125G tank is so narrow, that I was worried about the flat back overflows and not having enough space to aquascape properly.
 

Piped the overflows and checked them for leaks.


This was a rig that I set up to hold the acrylic in place while I siliconed them in place. I seemed to work pretty well for me. I used the Momentive RTV100 series silicone, as has been recommended on RC a number of times.
 

Piped everything under the tank and through holes in the floor that I drilled. I made sure to use plenty of unions and PVC ball valves. I probably don't need the ball valves on the return piping, but I thought for a few extra bucks, it was worth it.


Piping from another angle.
 

I lined the bottom of the tank with egg crate to protect the bottom glass from the rocks.


Then I started aquascaping. I bought the rocks from multiple sources. The base rocks are from Marco Rocks, the plate pieces are from Bulk Reef Supply, and the branch pieces are from Marine Depot. I decided to go with cementing the rocks together, rather than dealing with acrylic rods or drilling and zip-tying. I bought the cement kit from Marco rocks, so I know that the cement is reef safe.
 
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Meanwhile, down in the basement, I'm using a piece of plywood to hold my "control panel", which is comprised of Neptune Systems Apex control system. I mounted all of the modules directly to the plywood, then I started connecting each of them.


I completed the piping connections from the display tank upstairs down into the sump downstairs. This is the return side.


And this is the pump side.
 

Here is a shot of the entire sump. I waited several days (maybe even a week? I honestly don't remember) for the silicone to dry on the baffles.


Then I started adding water and some equipment. The protein skimmer behind the filter socks is a Reef Octopus Classic 150 Space Saver model.
 
I have the same tank. I know your done with your plumbing, but with mine I chose to have the returns come over the tank and used the other holes in the overflows as emergencies drains. Just food for thought.

Your build is looking good.
 

I added the sand to the display tank, and then filled the display tank via the main pump. The sand bed is deeper on the right side, because that's where I intend to keep a haddoni carpet anemone. I've been doing a lot of reading in the Clownfish and Anemone thread here on RC, and I've learned that haddoni's like a deep sand bed. So, I tried having deep sand only in the location that I want the nem to stay, in the hopes that this keeps it there.
 
Flippers4pups said:
I have the same tank. I know your done with your plumbing, but with mine I chose to have the returns come over the tank and used the other holes in the overflows as emergencies drains. Just food for thought.

Your build is looking good.
Click to expand...

thanks for the thought. too bad I already finished piping. I'll keep that in mind for possible future modifications, though.

thanks for the support!
 

I forgot to take some pictures between steps, but I added the Neptune WAV kit to the display and connected it to my Apex unit. I also assembled three Hydra 52 HD lights to the tank, with their associated brackets, etc. Unfortunately, I learned only too late that the Apex AWM module only controls AI Hydra 52s, not the 52 HDs. So, I unfortunately wasted a few bucks on a module that I don't need. I do like the interface of the myAI app on my phone, but I would prefer to have all of my control in one place (the Apex Fusion interface).
 

After the tank started to cycle (noted by the site of some diatoms), I got a clean up crew. I ordered the 125G crew from ReefCleaners.org - great service from them.


Another intermediate step that I forgot to take photos of earlier was the lids. I ordered the 1/4" mesh kit from Bulk Reef Supply. Cutting them to size and assembling the lids was actually a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.
 

The CUC went to town on the diatoms, and there is none in sight anymore. I believe that the tank is fully cycled at this point. Ammonia and nitrites are both at zero. Nitrates are at about 10mg/L. Time to complete my first water change.


I set up an automated water change using Neptune Apex DOS dosing pump module. This device is great. Once you've calibrated the dosing pumps, they are so precise, and the programming was very easy. The other DOS module is for alkalinity and calcium dosing, and the aqualifter pump is for RO/DI auto-topoff.
 
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Once I got the automated water changes started, I used some of the old water diluted with some fresh saltwater to set up a quarantine tank. I wanted to start the quarantine with some water from the main tank so that there were active bacteria in it, and I didn't have to start the cycle all over again.


I'm using drip acclimation to settle the new fish into the QT, then I will do the same when I transfer them to the display tank. Rather than tying a knot in the small tubing, I just use a small airline valve to control the rate of the drip.
 

Meet the first two inhabitants of the tank. Both started grazing on the seaweed within minutes of being placed in the QT. Both ate Mysis the following day at feeding time.


And here is the full basement setup. The brute cans are (from left to right): RO/DI water for auto-topoff, dirty water out from automated water changes, salt batch mixing, and finally completed fresh saltwater for the automated water changes. So far, the system seems to be operating perfectly, and I'm really looking forward to the tank settling in. I've got a few weeks/months for the tank to fill out. I've got a few more days for the first two fish to be placed into the display tank, and eventually, I'll start adding some corals, as well.
 
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