jlylec
New member
So like many, after months of reading and loving this site I've decided to start my own tank build thread. I'm hoping I'll be half as good as most who have started these threads at keeping it updated with pics!
I recently built my first house and had space in a wall in the basement framed out to house a 4' wide tank. I had a 72g bowfront that I was going to put in there, but it had a small leak, I read on here those are nearly impossible to fix, and I didn't want to risk it. So after more research on here I decided on a custom tank from Miracles. I ordered a 48"L x 24"D x 31"H with built-in overflow in the back left corner and Starfire front glass. This should be delivered the last week of February.
In the meantime I've been prepping the location and ordering equipment.
In general this is what the tank will look like from the tank room side.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442961470/" title="Auto Water Change set up by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/5442961470_224901d9da.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Auto Water Change set up" /></a>
This is what I started with. Unfortunately I didn't start taking pics before I built the walls going around the tank and the doors to protect it from dust in the workshop. This is pretty early on though. Stand was just being put in place at this point. It's not stable, or done!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442319163/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/5442319163_62feaf2386.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="" /></a>
The display will be viewable in this room in my basement pretty much right above the table over to the right. I have this room a bit more finished now with a theater but it still needs paint, some decor, and of course the tank!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442972818/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5442972818_7869477c3d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a>
At this point I have the stand ready and have been working on waterproofing everything around the tank with DryLock.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442320761/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5442320761_d52708a14b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a>
Here is the beginning of the 55g sump/fuge I'm going to use. I still have to decide if I'm going to use the acrylic sheets I bought already at Lowe's for the baffles or if I'll take the advice on some on here to have glass cut at a glass shop for the baffles.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442321709/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/5442321709_e868fa3c4f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a>
I also just bought a bunch of stuff from Bulk Reef Supply. The first order of MANY I'm sure!
I bought a ton of schedule 80 parts and an Octopus Extreme 200 skimmer. My plan is to have the sump done and in place and the plumbing done (in place at a minimum...ready for cementing) when the tank gets here in a couple weeks. Needless to say I have my work cut out for me.
My current equipment plan is:
-Neptune Apex Controller
-AI Sol x 4 - likely royal blues
-MagDrive 1200 for return (will be plumbed to return to either side of the tank along with the fuge nextdoor...all will have individuals valves).
-Drain will be some semblance of the Herbie Method which is why/how I'm planning on having returns going up either side of the tank as opposed to up through the built-in overflow of the tank.
-Reef Octo Extreme 200 skimmer
-UV sterilizer? Not sure about this one. open to suggestions
-a couple Finnex digital heaters
-a couple Hydor Koralia Evolution 1400s
-5 stage RO/DI system feeding a 26g FW tank which will drain to a 26 FSW tank and a 20g ATO tank. I plan on being able to change 20g at a time...hopefully automated with the Apex. Still working on that plan!
-my current 34g RedSea Max tank at my office will be brought home and used as my QT
Stocking plan:
-semi-deep sand bed (4" or so)
-limited rock work...likely a single spiral column built out of dry shelf rock
-fuge with deep sand bed (6" or so) and dry rock rubble and macro
-current livestock of a 5yo Clarki Clown, 3 blue chromis, and a candy cane scooter blenny (can't remember his real name)
-large frags of a few different SPS in my current tank and any other corals I can pull out of there without bringing any live rock or potential hitchhikers. I have some shrooms in there that I constantly regret ever putting in along with a couple aiptasia that came in on some internet corals. I want to avoid any bad stuff like this with this tank. I wish I could use my liverock as it's loaded with coraline, sponges, small clams/oyster looking guys, etc. Unfortunately there's the other bad things and god knows what else.
-Once everybody looks as happy in their new home as they do now I'll start adding some fish. No idea on what yet. I'd like to make this tank as eco-responsible as possible though. I only want tank raised livestock.
-Will add some more SPS and other cool corals as I go...would imagine it will be mostly SPS though. I had some beautiful zoas that got overrun with ugly palys. If I can figure out how to avoid this I'll likely try to create a zoa island somewhere too eventually. Palys and mushrooms are the bain of my aquatic existence!
Any thoughts on what I may be missing or things I should keep in mind? I'm hoping I'm early enough in this to avoid most mistakes if possible. I think I've already avoided about 15 mistakes just based on everything I've learned on RC over the past few months reading! Please feel free to shoot anything at me (constructive is most appreciated but I can be persuaded to spar pointlessly if you're into that sort of thing too!).
I'll post more pics as progress is made.
Here are some pics from my 34g at work. Unfortunately the yellow gorgonian didn't last. It was badass for about 4-5 months. Not sure what happened. Sort sort of swing I'm sure, although all of my SPS's are still growing like mad!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442396931/" title="DSC00919.JPG by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5092/5442396931_a9cde42f87.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC00919.JPG" /></a>
This is my devil crab. He has personally murdered no less than 25 snails. He's lucky I'm a softie or I would've flushed his *** months ago.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5443009372/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/5443009372_931b56a51f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a>
-Lyle
I recently built my first house and had space in a wall in the basement framed out to house a 4' wide tank. I had a 72g bowfront that I was going to put in there, but it had a small leak, I read on here those are nearly impossible to fix, and I didn't want to risk it. So after more research on here I decided on a custom tank from Miracles. I ordered a 48"L x 24"D x 31"H with built-in overflow in the back left corner and Starfire front glass. This should be delivered the last week of February.
In the meantime I've been prepping the location and ordering equipment.
In general this is what the tank will look like from the tank room side.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442961470/" title="Auto Water Change set up by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/5442961470_224901d9da.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Auto Water Change set up" /></a>
This is what I started with. Unfortunately I didn't start taking pics before I built the walls going around the tank and the doors to protect it from dust in the workshop. This is pretty early on though. Stand was just being put in place at this point. It's not stable, or done!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442319163/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/5442319163_62feaf2386.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="" /></a>
The display will be viewable in this room in my basement pretty much right above the table over to the right. I have this room a bit more finished now with a theater but it still needs paint, some decor, and of course the tank!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442972818/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5442972818_7869477c3d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a>
At this point I have the stand ready and have been working on waterproofing everything around the tank with DryLock.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442320761/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5442320761_d52708a14b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a>
Here is the beginning of the 55g sump/fuge I'm going to use. I still have to decide if I'm going to use the acrylic sheets I bought already at Lowe's for the baffles or if I'll take the advice on some on here to have glass cut at a glass shop for the baffles.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442321709/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/5442321709_e868fa3c4f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a>
I also just bought a bunch of stuff from Bulk Reef Supply. The first order of MANY I'm sure!
I bought a ton of schedule 80 parts and an Octopus Extreme 200 skimmer. My plan is to have the sump done and in place and the plumbing done (in place at a minimum...ready for cementing) when the tank gets here in a couple weeks. Needless to say I have my work cut out for me.
My current equipment plan is:
-Neptune Apex Controller
-AI Sol x 4 - likely royal blues
-MagDrive 1200 for return (will be plumbed to return to either side of the tank along with the fuge nextdoor...all will have individuals valves).
-Drain will be some semblance of the Herbie Method which is why/how I'm planning on having returns going up either side of the tank as opposed to up through the built-in overflow of the tank.
-Reef Octo Extreme 200 skimmer
-UV sterilizer? Not sure about this one. open to suggestions
-a couple Finnex digital heaters
-a couple Hydor Koralia Evolution 1400s
-5 stage RO/DI system feeding a 26g FW tank which will drain to a 26 FSW tank and a 20g ATO tank. I plan on being able to change 20g at a time...hopefully automated with the Apex. Still working on that plan!
-my current 34g RedSea Max tank at my office will be brought home and used as my QT
Stocking plan:
-semi-deep sand bed (4" or so)
-limited rock work...likely a single spiral column built out of dry shelf rock
-fuge with deep sand bed (6" or so) and dry rock rubble and macro
-current livestock of a 5yo Clarki Clown, 3 blue chromis, and a candy cane scooter blenny (can't remember his real name)
-large frags of a few different SPS in my current tank and any other corals I can pull out of there without bringing any live rock or potential hitchhikers. I have some shrooms in there that I constantly regret ever putting in along with a couple aiptasia that came in on some internet corals. I want to avoid any bad stuff like this with this tank. I wish I could use my liverock as it's loaded with coraline, sponges, small clams/oyster looking guys, etc. Unfortunately there's the other bad things and god knows what else.
-Once everybody looks as happy in their new home as they do now I'll start adding some fish. No idea on what yet. I'd like to make this tank as eco-responsible as possible though. I only want tank raised livestock.
-Will add some more SPS and other cool corals as I go...would imagine it will be mostly SPS though. I had some beautiful zoas that got overrun with ugly palys. If I can figure out how to avoid this I'll likely try to create a zoa island somewhere too eventually. Palys and mushrooms are the bain of my aquatic existence!
Any thoughts on what I may be missing or things I should keep in mind? I'm hoping I'm early enough in this to avoid most mistakes if possible. I think I've already avoided about 15 mistakes just based on everything I've learned on RC over the past few months reading! Please feel free to shoot anything at me (constructive is most appreciated but I can be persuaded to spar pointlessly if you're into that sort of thing too!).
I'll post more pics as progress is made.
Here are some pics from my 34g at work. Unfortunately the yellow gorgonian didn't last. It was badass for about 4-5 months. Not sure what happened. Sort sort of swing I'm sure, although all of my SPS's are still growing like mad!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5442396931/" title="DSC00919.JPG by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5092/5442396931_a9cde42f87.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC00919.JPG" /></a>
This is my devil crab. He has personally murdered no less than 25 snails. He's lucky I'm a softie or I would've flushed his *** months ago.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80709801@N00/5443009372/" title="Untitled by jlylec, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/5443009372_931b56a51f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a>
-Lyle
