As a newbie, any thoughts, suggestions or opionions will be helpful...
First a little background. I began in the hobby approximately 1 year ago. I currently have a 125g FOWLR tank and a 30gal biocube with a few types of coral.
I decided approximately 6 months ago to install a large reef tank in my family room. The first steps included having a whole house generator installed and supporting the floor where the tank was to be located. I decided that a 240g (72 x 24 x 31) was as large as I could go for the space that was available (without my wife kicking me out of the house!). With the help and suggestions of a few local reef enthusiasts I put together a plan for a system that would be plumbed to the basement with a total water capacity of approximately 350gal. I called upon my brother, a carpenter by trade, to design a cabinet for me and here is what he came up with...
The cabinet is solid maple and stained dark mahogany. The base cabinet is reinforced with 2x4s and 2x6s. The tank sits on 5/8" styrofoam over 3/4" plywood. All hardware is stainless steel. The canopy is low-profile, as I will be using LED lighting. It slides off from the front for cleaning/etc. the top is open. Nice extra features are the side cabinets/bookshelves all of wich are adjustable.
Briefly, the rest of the system includes:
-240g reef ready glass aquarium with starphire glass on front and both sides, 2 overflows and drilled for closed loop
-65g sump tank with small refugium/frag partition
-70g sump tank/refugium (to be stocked with live rock/macroalgae)
- 2 reeflo hammerhead pumps (one for primary circulation/overflows and the other for a closed loop system)
- Aqua-C 240EV skimmer
-(most likely) the aquaillumination 72" led light fixture
I will post more pics as the build progresses. Any comments/thoughts/suggestions are welcome. Thanks!!
First a little background. I began in the hobby approximately 1 year ago. I currently have a 125g FOWLR tank and a 30gal biocube with a few types of coral.
I decided approximately 6 months ago to install a large reef tank in my family room. The first steps included having a whole house generator installed and supporting the floor where the tank was to be located. I decided that a 240g (72 x 24 x 31) was as large as I could go for the space that was available (without my wife kicking me out of the house!). With the help and suggestions of a few local reef enthusiasts I put together a plan for a system that would be plumbed to the basement with a total water capacity of approximately 350gal. I called upon my brother, a carpenter by trade, to design a cabinet for me and here is what he came up with...
The cabinet is solid maple and stained dark mahogany. The base cabinet is reinforced with 2x4s and 2x6s. The tank sits on 5/8" styrofoam over 3/4" plywood. All hardware is stainless steel. The canopy is low-profile, as I will be using LED lighting. It slides off from the front for cleaning/etc. the top is open. Nice extra features are the side cabinets/bookshelves all of wich are adjustable.
Briefly, the rest of the system includes:
-240g reef ready glass aquarium with starphire glass on front and both sides, 2 overflows and drilled for closed loop
-65g sump tank with small refugium/frag partition
-70g sump tank/refugium (to be stocked with live rock/macroalgae)
- 2 reeflo hammerhead pumps (one for primary circulation/overflows and the other for a closed loop system)
- Aqua-C 240EV skimmer
-(most likely) the aquaillumination 72" led light fixture
I will post more pics as the build progresses. Any comments/thoughts/suggestions are welcome. Thanks!!