lukinrats
Premium Member
Well, I started off to set up a 120 gallon tank, but ended up going a different route.
I purchased a 120 gallon Tank, Stand, Canopy, and T5 lighting from another reefer that was located in PA. It was a very nice setup, and I got it for a great price. Unfortunately the person that picked it up and hauled it back for me, broke the tank. I have since purchased a new 120 gallon tank, and was back in business.
Since I had all of the things above, I decided to get a custom sump built to my specs. I ordered one from Advance Acrylics, and started getting serious about collecting the equipment for my new tank.
While the sump was being built, I ordered a SRO Xp2000 External Cone skimmer. I also bought 2 more Vortechs, to bring my total to 4. Some other things were collected as well
Then my new sump came in. I was blown away by the quality of my new sump, and never knew that an acrylic tank could be so nice. Here is the sump! Pictures really do not do it justice, but gives an idea of how it looks
The moral of the story, I guess would be to get what you want from the start. I knew that I really wanted a bigger tank before I bought the 120, but at the time, I was going to be setting it up in plain view, in the living room. I made many concessions based on that fact.
Out of nowhere my wife decided to let me have one entire room in the house for my various hobbies. This was one reason that I decided to reboot. I was thinking about it after this decision, but the nail in the coffin, came after the sump arrived.
I was so impressed with my new sump that I decided to have a tank built, and have it built the way that I wanted it. Thus, the 180g 4'x3' tank build was born.
I contacted Advance Acrylics again. At first it was just to order me a new tank. Before I was finished ordering, I had decided to go with a larger sump to go along with my larger tank. So here are the specs for my new system
48" x 36" x 24" - 180 gallon acrylic aquarium with black acrylic bottom and back + External Coast to Coast overflow
48" x 30" x 16" - 100 gallon acrylic sump
I currently have a 75 gallon SPS system, and my plan is to keep it running while I am getting the new one set up, and cycled. Once I have the new tank stable, and the parameters match, then I will start to move things over slowly. Hopefully I can do this without any problems. I think if I do not move everything all at one time, and do it a couple of pieces at a time, then I will probably be OK.
I do not have a stand yet, but I am sorta thinking of building one like this: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16302396&postcount=3
I will build it a little bit bigger, and out of metal. Then when I have everything the way that I want it, I will come back and skin it with Oak.
Currently I plan to try and use the SRO 2000 Cone skimmer for the time being. I have tried to sell it, so that I can upgrade to the 3000, but people do not want to buy it for anything close to what I need to get for it. Also, I will be right at the threshold where either skimmer will work for now, so I will do better to get some use out of it, and then sell it when I start needing the larger skimmer
I am also planning to use an ACJr that I bought used. I plan to use it for Temperature control, and also the monitoring of my PH. I really do not think that I have a need for the more advanced models yet, so it should work fine. I am not planning on a CA reactor, but instead will try the Two Part Route. I purchased a medical doser that I will try out first
I am in the process of deciding whether I want to go with 250w or 400w metal halide lighting, and I intend to use Lumen Bright reflectors to house them. I plan to raise my lighting a little higher than is usually called for because of the 36" width of my tank. That is basically why I think I will go with the 400 watters
Right now, I am just playing around with my Aquascape, since I have plenty of time to decide. Once I get it like I want it, and have it all epoxied together, then I plan to soak all of it for a couple of weeks to check for leaching. Here are the 3 Aquascapes that I came up with over the weekend. I think I will go with one of them. Probably the last one.
1st attempt:
2nd attempt:
And finally...............
I will do my best to keep this updated, and to take plenty of pictures along the way. I will enjoy having a detailed document on my new tank
Later,
Nathan
PS. The 120g Tank, Stand, Canopy, and 49g Custom Sump are currently still for sale. If anyone is interested, please let me know
I purchased a 120 gallon Tank, Stand, Canopy, and T5 lighting from another reefer that was located in PA. It was a very nice setup, and I got it for a great price. Unfortunately the person that picked it up and hauled it back for me, broke the tank. I have since purchased a new 120 gallon tank, and was back in business.
Since I had all of the things above, I decided to get a custom sump built to my specs. I ordered one from Advance Acrylics, and started getting serious about collecting the equipment for my new tank.
While the sump was being built, I ordered a SRO Xp2000 External Cone skimmer. I also bought 2 more Vortechs, to bring my total to 4. Some other things were collected as well
Then my new sump came in. I was blown away by the quality of my new sump, and never knew that an acrylic tank could be so nice. Here is the sump! Pictures really do not do it justice, but gives an idea of how it looks
The moral of the story, I guess would be to get what you want from the start. I knew that I really wanted a bigger tank before I bought the 120, but at the time, I was going to be setting it up in plain view, in the living room. I made many concessions based on that fact.
Out of nowhere my wife decided to let me have one entire room in the house for my various hobbies. This was one reason that I decided to reboot. I was thinking about it after this decision, but the nail in the coffin, came after the sump arrived.
I was so impressed with my new sump that I decided to have a tank built, and have it built the way that I wanted it. Thus, the 180g 4'x3' tank build was born.
I contacted Advance Acrylics again. At first it was just to order me a new tank. Before I was finished ordering, I had decided to go with a larger sump to go along with my larger tank. So here are the specs for my new system
48" x 36" x 24" - 180 gallon acrylic aquarium with black acrylic bottom and back + External Coast to Coast overflow
48" x 30" x 16" - 100 gallon acrylic sump
I currently have a 75 gallon SPS system, and my plan is to keep it running while I am getting the new one set up, and cycled. Once I have the new tank stable, and the parameters match, then I will start to move things over slowly. Hopefully I can do this without any problems. I think if I do not move everything all at one time, and do it a couple of pieces at a time, then I will probably be OK.
I do not have a stand yet, but I am sorta thinking of building one like this: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16302396&postcount=3
I will build it a little bit bigger, and out of metal. Then when I have everything the way that I want it, I will come back and skin it with Oak.
Currently I plan to try and use the SRO 2000 Cone skimmer for the time being. I have tried to sell it, so that I can upgrade to the 3000, but people do not want to buy it for anything close to what I need to get for it. Also, I will be right at the threshold where either skimmer will work for now, so I will do better to get some use out of it, and then sell it when I start needing the larger skimmer
I am also planning to use an ACJr that I bought used. I plan to use it for Temperature control, and also the monitoring of my PH. I really do not think that I have a need for the more advanced models yet, so it should work fine. I am not planning on a CA reactor, but instead will try the Two Part Route. I purchased a medical doser that I will try out first
I am in the process of deciding whether I want to go with 250w or 400w metal halide lighting, and I intend to use Lumen Bright reflectors to house them. I plan to raise my lighting a little higher than is usually called for because of the 36" width of my tank. That is basically why I think I will go with the 400 watters
Right now, I am just playing around with my Aquascape, since I have plenty of time to decide. Once I get it like I want it, and have it all epoxied together, then I plan to soak all of it for a couple of weeks to check for leaching. Here are the 3 Aquascapes that I came up with over the weekend. I think I will go with one of them. Probably the last one.
1st attempt:
2nd attempt:
And finally...............
I will do my best to keep this updated, and to take plenty of pictures along the way. I will enjoy having a detailed document on my new tank
Later,
Nathan
PS. The 120g Tank, Stand, Canopy, and 49g Custom Sump are currently still for sale. If anyone is interested, please let me know
