My First SW tank. 120g project.

W

wewerehere

Member
I am now starting my first SW tank and its a 120g tank. i got it used for $170 and ill have pictures up momentarily. for now i have design pictures (google sketchup) of the stand and hood that are soon to come. i still need advice on powerheads and what to buy. The tank is 60"Lx24"Dx18"H.

my stock list consists of basically an coral that i like. i plan on getting great lighting that will support just about anything i hope. it will be a 2x250W MH and 2x150W VHOs retro installed into the DIY hood. it will have a 60-100g rubbermaid sump.

as far as fish go im looking at a blue tang and an imperor angel as my only large fish to house. The guy at my LFS has them together and he said they are fine so i believed him.

i want a pair of Percs.

a yellow watchman gobie at least one if not more.

i definitely want a bubbletip anemone and a blue maxima clam and maybe a gold.

ill have some peppermint shrimp i think and a couple sally lightfoot crabs. along with tons of hermit crabs and snails im sure as my CUC should be rather large. right?

im hoping for a red star and some serpents. also maybe a lettuce nuddebranch (spelling) slug.

any conflicts or problems? let me know please. also i would love some awesome suggestions.
i plan to also have 110-130 lbs. of live rock depending on what i get and 120-130 lbs. of live sand.

is there some sort of schooling fish that would be okay in here? i just think schools are neat.

well here is the stand fram design (basic)
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/gaveup4yrsago/aquariumframe.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>



The frame with a shell and the tank set on top.
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/gaveup4yrsago/aquariumstand.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>


The Stand completed and The hood completed with the tank.
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/gaveup4yrsago/aquariumstandandhood.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/gaveup4yrsago/aquariumstandandhood2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>
 
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I would suggest some koralia #4's for flow.

use some type of fluidized filters to run phosban and carbon.

use new sand for your sandbed and let the live rock seed it.

Plenty of schooling fish, I like blue/green chromis.

The angel might eat your coral.
 
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really hmm... the guy had one in there with all of his but it was still a juvenille. so maybe they get more agressive as they grow? and also i was looking at the chromis i like them a lot so ill probably go with some of them. how many would you suggest?
 
Your tank plans look great. I basicly have the same setup. I wish I had made the lower cabinet a bit higher...but works well as it is. Yours looks fine.

Go slow on fish.

You may change your mind as you add stock to it.

Buy juveniles as it is fun to watch them grow up and they will get along better.

Same with corals...no need to spend big $ on large specimens, just get frags and watch them grow.

Hopefully you are in this for the long term.

Instinct is to have it looking like a mature tank overnight - just does not work.
 
ok guys (and girls) here is the tank (with the stand that i wont be using). (substitute dog with fish) :D
DSCN1193.jpg

DSCN1192.jpg

DSCN1191.jpg

DSCN1189.jpg

DSCN1185.jpg


i hope it looks good to you guys. i have some work on my hand with the drilling. i could just search but if someone could give me a quick answer on what to use to drill holes that would be great. and no not a dremell please lol.
 
From what ive read the dremel is not that bad but the diamond hole saws off of ebay are MUCH easier to use. If memory serves me you need 45mm for a 1" and a 60mm for a 1.5" bulkhead.
ebay link
 
okay here is the new design. everything else is basically the same though. i had a little different dimensions. i had the height and depth switched. here is the new frame size\

redesigned.jpg
 
i was wondering if there are any interesting, sort of rare, easy to care for fish that i could put in there after its been established for about a year. of course by then it doesnt exactly need to be easy to care for since ill be better but any suggestions? interesting fish that you dont see in a lot of tanks.
 
Re: My First SW tank. 120g project.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10555353#post10555353 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wewerehere

as far as fish go im looking at a blue tang and an imperor angel as my only large fish to house. The guy at my LFS has them together and he said they are fine so i believed him.
Click to expand...

I would pass on the angel, it will outgrow that tank. Depending on the size of it now and if you can upgrade in two years then maybe give it a try since that and the blue tang will only be your two large fish in there. I have both and they get along great!
 
well here is the deal as of right now those are the only two fish that really interest me. some people have said that the angel would outgrow the tank but i wasnt sure so other suggestions for another larger fish would be great. something sort of different though the blue tang is really just a standard fish but i love their colors so i have to but i want the second one to be something a little more hard to find in the standard aquarium. suggestions?
 
I find 40" a little high for the stand. When you sit and look at the tank you are looking up at it. JMO.
 
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