TEEtoGreen
New member
Hi, please allow me to introduce myself, I am Justin, I live in Houston TX, and this is my first post on Reef Central. I have been reading, studying, and gathering information from many different forums on Reef Central for going on 4 years with an almost OCD like passion. And without missing someone, thank you to all who help new and seasoned aquarists in the forums. I am new to any type of aquariums (and patience), but this build has been in the planning stages since Nov 2011. Once the wife gave the financial approval (and time approval which is limited with a 2 year old Girl) and she promised no, tit for tat, I started planning out equipment and tank sizes. In January I ordered a 135 gallon 36" x 36" x 24" with 3 side Starphire Glass. I painted the back glass black. It has a center overflow, drilled with 3, 1.5" sch 80 bulkheads. I didn't want 1.5" pipe so I reduced to 1". I am using the Herbie method, full siphon, with the return powered by an Eheim 1262. I used all 1" sch 80 piping (and 2 small 1" pieces of 3/4" Sch 80 coming off the pump) with primer and WeldOn 711 grey. I know sch 80 is not necessary, but I liked the industrial look of the cepex ball valves and gate valves.
The stand is 34 inches tall with 3 doors, one on each side and front. I painted the outside black and the inside white.
List of equipment:
30"x20"x18" Precision Marine Sump
2 Vortech MP40WES
2 Ecotech Radions (316 stainless steel flat bar)
Ecotech Battery Back Up
Neptune Systems Aqua Controller
Neptune Systems WXM Controller
AquaMaxx AM250S Skimmer
BRS 6 Stage 75 GPD RO/DI unit mounted in the laundry room.
Tunze 3155 Osmolator
3 Jager Heaters - One 200W in Sump, 150W backup and 150W in QT
2 American DJ strips (one 4 outlet in stand and one 8 outlet in electronics cabinet.)
1 Sicce pump that I use to change out water from the Brute trash cans and use for WC.
BRS GFO Carbon Reactor that I have yet to mount
1 24" T5 Grow Light inside stand
Alkalinity Hanna Checker
Red Sea Pro for rest of Chemistry
Fish in 10G QT:
Pair of Snowflake Clowns from Divers Den
I was planning on mounting all my equipment in the cabinet, but after mocking up, it didn't fit or look the way I wanted. I planned a trip to IKEA and found a cabinet with a glass door that with some modification, worked out better than planned. I flipped one of the shelves perpendicular with some L brackets and used a hole saw to make openings for the cords. I mounted all the controllers, outlets, etc with machine screws and bolts.
I knew from the beginning that if I was able to start a build, I would order "the package" from Richard at TB Saltwater. After seeing what he did for Dennis (D2Mini) and others, I can only say that has been the best decision I have made so far. I ordered the 120G Package with 200lbs of LR, instead of 240lbs. Richard shipped Part 1 out on Thursday 4/4 at 11:15 AM Eastern and I picked up from airport in Houston at 1:30 PM Central. Got everything in the aquarium and within 4 hours the water was almost perfectly clear. My wife who has been ho hum about the build actually made the statement, "œLooks like you have the ocean in your office." I was blown away, and told her wait until the second part of the package arrives!
The pic of the display has the radions on natural mode at 8am. I only run the lighting 5 hours a day for part one of the shipment.
Well, if anyone has any questions, or if I left something out, let me know and I will be happy to try and answer.
Hope you enjoy!
The stand is 34 inches tall with 3 doors, one on each side and front. I painted the outside black and the inside white.
List of equipment:
30"x20"x18" Precision Marine Sump
2 Vortech MP40WES
2 Ecotech Radions (316 stainless steel flat bar)
Ecotech Battery Back Up
Neptune Systems Aqua Controller
Neptune Systems WXM Controller
AquaMaxx AM250S Skimmer
BRS 6 Stage 75 GPD RO/DI unit mounted in the laundry room.
Tunze 3155 Osmolator
3 Jager Heaters - One 200W in Sump, 150W backup and 150W in QT
2 American DJ strips (one 4 outlet in stand and one 8 outlet in electronics cabinet.)
1 Sicce pump that I use to change out water from the Brute trash cans and use for WC.
BRS GFO Carbon Reactor that I have yet to mount
1 24" T5 Grow Light inside stand
Alkalinity Hanna Checker
Red Sea Pro for rest of Chemistry
Fish in 10G QT:
Pair of Snowflake Clowns from Divers Den
I was planning on mounting all my equipment in the cabinet, but after mocking up, it didn't fit or look the way I wanted. I planned a trip to IKEA and found a cabinet with a glass door that with some modification, worked out better than planned. I flipped one of the shelves perpendicular with some L brackets and used a hole saw to make openings for the cords. I mounted all the controllers, outlets, etc with machine screws and bolts.
I knew from the beginning that if I was able to start a build, I would order "the package" from Richard at TB Saltwater. After seeing what he did for Dennis (D2Mini) and others, I can only say that has been the best decision I have made so far. I ordered the 120G Package with 200lbs of LR, instead of 240lbs. Richard shipped Part 1 out on Thursday 4/4 at 11:15 AM Eastern and I picked up from airport in Houston at 1:30 PM Central. Got everything in the aquarium and within 4 hours the water was almost perfectly clear. My wife who has been ho hum about the build actually made the statement, "œLooks like you have the ocean in your office." I was blown away, and told her wait until the second part of the package arrives!
The pic of the display has the radions on natural mode at 8am. I only run the lighting 5 hours a day for part one of the shipment.
Well, if anyone has any questions, or if I left something out, let me know and I will be happy to try and answer.
Hope you enjoy!
