New Tank Build - 3'x3'x12" Frag Tank

[jay24k]

I'll be posting pictures and updates on a new tank I'm setting up. My 180 gallon is so overgrown that I'm actually losing coral as fast as the others are growing from the stinging.

New tank will consist of the following:
3'x3'x12" acrylic tank. David on here helped me build it and did a wonderful job. Highly recommend him for acrylic work. Definetly a nice guy.

I will be building the stand and wrapping it in stained oak with a solid oak front. I'll be having the doors custom made from someone here local who does custom doors really nice.

Lighting will be done by a single 250 watt XM 20K bulb run by a PFO ballast. I built a lumenarc from supplies from a local reefer in Tampa. I figure with a 12" water depth, that lighting should be perfect without supplementation.

The skimmer will be a Tunze 9010 which will be run in a 30 gallon breeder below the tank. The return pump will be an Eheim 1262 900 gph pump. I'm going to have to tone it down probably to about 600 gph to minimize micro bubbles.

For flow, I'm using my old Seio's which I think will be plenty. I have a 1500 and 1100. Considering the tank volume is only around 60 gallons, the 1500 alone will probably be enough.

I'm torn on the sand bed but I'm thinking of doing a DSB and having a refugium in the sump. Since the tank will be easily accessible, I can replace 25% of the sand every year to minimize the sand bed getting full.

I am figuring this tank to hold about 200 frags which should at least get my tank down a bit hopefully. I am hoping to start moving colonies out and make my display more simple by just filling it with 10 to 15 large colonies. I prefer displays with a few beautiful pieces then one tank cluttered with 100.

If you have any ideas, please feel free to suggest. I will be posting pictures hopefully tommorrow. I have all the wood here and will be building the stand tommorrow and Tuesday.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Looking foward to seeing hte pictures, the tank was looking cool

 

[Northtampatang]

Sounds great, I'll be following this thread close! I'm doing a 30x30x14 build now and still playing with wether or not I want a sand bed or a fuge so let us know what you decide on.

Wes

 

[mflamb]

I moved the frags that I got from you from QT to the 390 yesterday. They all look great! I'd like to get some more in April after I QT a couple of fish. Glad to hear that you are expanding the system for more frags!!!

 

[AJ69]

We demand some pics!(lol),Jason when can I swing by your house for some frags? pm me time/date that works 4 U
Thanks

 

[jay24k]

Just let me know AJ. Tuesday and Thursdays work best for me. Maybe next week will be fine for me. I'm going to start working on it again and post up some pics.

 

[jay24k]

I had off today and was building the stand and my daughter made a comment, "Daddy, you can't fit that in the house." I stopped and looked and didn't even realize it. How do you fit a 3'x3'x3' tank stand in a door. I could go in my french doors but wouldn't be able to fit it in any bedrooms.

So now, I'm going to build it, and then rip it in half and latch it together on the inside. I'll then buy some nice oak trim that will go on the sides down the middle or hide it through some doors.

I ordered the feet for the stand. Going to have it raised off of the ground on solid oak feet from Osbornewood.com. I like the simple look so I got the simple feet. A little pricy but will allow water spills to run under the stand and get cleaned up instead of stuck under there ruining the carpet.

Anyway, here is some progress pictures!

Picture of the tank.

Picture of my DIY lumenarc

Pictures of the stand I'm building

 

[Cheekymonkey]

ah let me know how the 2 piece stand goes, I'm curious about that.

 

[jay24k]

I have a friend who is going to help me rip it down the center. We figure once we have some metal latches holding it down, it should be fine. I'm thinking of either painting or putting a silicone protectorant over it so it doesnt rust.

The stand will be stained and then sprayed with a few coats of clear coat to make it really stand out. Buddy of mine does commercial painting/staining so he knows what he is doing and has all the nice tools to get the color really nice.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

are you using foam under the acrylic?

 

[jay24k]

Yea. I'll be adding that for under the tank. I'm going to pick the rest of the stuff up tommorrow and hopefully try to get the tank done up to the stain part.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Looking foward to seeing

 

[cowboyswife]

Very cool! I look forward to seeing your progress!!

 

[daywn]

nice job.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Is that going to be completely seperate from your main system?

 

[jay24k]

Yup. Completely seperate system.

I'll get pictures tommorrow but I got the sides done. I biscuit joined all the face together and the top lip. The sides I have oak trim going on and half of it will be covering the cut. This will give it a nice panel look. On the inside bottom half of the stand, I am going to put some strong screws to hold the stand together since it is on feet. The top I put a locking piece on that pulls the stand together and locks it.

Day or so more and it will be ready for staining and the poly.

 

[jy544]

Any updates on the tank? How do you like the reflector?

 

[jay24k]

Bought some rock for the tank. I'm hoping to finish it up today. I got the feet in and I ripped the tank in half. My PC at home kept overheating so I had to replace that. (Sweet ole Quad Core w/ 8800GT video). Needless to say, I've been super busy.

I'll try to get some pics up today.

 

[jay24k]

Finally some updates.

Here are some pictures of the stand finished pre-stain. I do have it stained now but didn't get those pictures up here yet. Should be shortly.

If you look, you can see the seams inside but not on the outside. I used screws and also those latching devices to hold it together. The thing literally falls apart after they are removed.

Front

Another front

Side view. Trim hides seam. Trim is nailed on only half of it.

Upside down view

 

[jay24k]

Ok new pictures!

I broke down half my tank today. Took me about 3 to 4 hours to get the corals out. My prop tank is completely full from just the left half. I had some nice colonies but here are 3 of my biggest on that side. Hopefully tommorrow I'll get some nice rock aquascaped and only put my large colonies back. My oregon tort has gotten some good growth along with some other nice pieces.

For reference, my hands are 8 inches long. All of these colonies generally started from a small frag. I think the oldest is that yellow piece from Marcye which is will hit 2 years old in August. Not too shabby for growth. Wait till my next update on my caps from the other side

Blue Tort - Around 13" tall stretching out in pretty side diameter wise.

Yellow acro w/ black polyps. Doesn't take pictures nicely out of the water. This thing is freaking huge.

Here is a purple piece I got at the auction in lake mary/sanford from that tank break down a little back. It grows really wierd. Can't tell the color out of water. It was labeled as a myagi tort but it isn't.

Birdsnest from ORA. This is about 18 months old that started from a 2 inch frag.