Official Build Thread "180 Mixed Reef"

[greenhead]

Just wanted to create a full build thread for the 180 I am putting together. I know I posted a quick couple pics when I first put it up. But that was just for ideas.

This is just to show some DIY stuff for other people in the hobby that might want to try some of these projects.

Tank Info
Standard 180 6X2X2 Dual Overflow
Sump is an Eshops RS200 w/7" filter sock
Frag tank is a 40 Gallon Frag Flat with a Current 4x39Watt T5
Skimmer is a Bubble Magus BM220 W/Swabbie
Lighting = 3 X Ai Hydra 26 W/ 4 X 80 Watt T5HO Suppliments
Flow = 1 MP40, RW15
Scape = About 75-80lbs or Real Reef and Marco rock
Pumps = 1 DC6000 Return for DT, Mag 9.5 for Frag and Accessory sump
RX's = Member Built Calcium RX controlled by Apex, BRS dual RX for Carbo and TLF 150 for Po4 remover

I purchased this tank with no canopy and couldn't decide for the longes rather I was going to put a canopy over it or run the LED's on arms leaving the tank open. In the end I built a canopy mainly for evap and jumping fish. I also love the coral coloration of t5's. And I am not a fan of screens over a tank. So after the plumbing the first real DIY project was the Canopy and why I started this post.

Jeffm59 inspired me on a few of his cabinet/canopy builds. Luckily for me the day I started this Jeff way available to give me a hand. And boy after starting the project with him, I am glad he was. Like most people who haven't done anything before but think they can I turned to youtube. So I went to the Home Depot with plans in my head of how I was going to build it after watching all the DIY videos. After one call to Jeff all that went out the window.

The result is an beautiful full canopy that really matches the stand the guy I bought it from had built by a custom cabinet maker. The bottom cabinet is a 3 piece unit and built extremely well. The top is 2 1" layers of melamine with a 3/4" hardwood top layer. Which makes the top itself almost 3" thick. He also did an awesome job on the cabinetry itself. All the bottoms are melamine and sides are 2 layers of 3/4" plywood thick with exception of the back which is 1 layer of 3/4" hardwood ply. 4 front doors with the middle 2 giving a 45" opening with 2 glass doors. Kind of old school OAK look, but I like it.

OK, the top is built of 3/4" Furniture grade plywood that I got on sale at HD for $37. The one downfall to it is the top layer is super thin. So instead of sanding after the stain I steel wool it. The main cost of the canopy build came from the Trim/Molding and Stain/Clear. I wanted the LED's 12" off the water, but didn't want a super tall canopy. So we mounted them on top of the canopy. I cut holes just a tiny bit smaller than the Ai 26's and mounted Aluminum L bracket on the sides to prevent the light from moving around or being able to fall through. This also kept a little heat out of the inside. I built one large front door to get as much room for adding/removing things. I used magnet mounts to hold it on. So far I am really impressed at how it looks and works.

Here are a few pics of the build and how it sits now. Lots more work to do. Will post plans and livestock specs tomorrow.

Also a HUGE thanks to Jeff for his help. I had no idea the cost of materials in a build like this. And the knowledge of cabinet making. I used to work in a woodshop when I was a teenager and believe Jeff has probably forgotten more than I have ever learned. Most of the stuff that I thought was amazing in how it was put together compared to the youtube videos I watched jeff thought was childs play. I could not have made it look even close to this nice without his help/ideas. Along with the forced child labor i think its my nicest setup so far.. :dance:

Where I started

<a href="http://s177.photobucket.com/user/sjhdeh_photos/media/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150525_055019_zpsii0oicl0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w218/sjhdeh_photos/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150525_055019_zpsii0oicl0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150525_055019_zpsii0oicl0.jpg"/></a>

Base canopy before stain

<a href="http://s177.photobucket.com/user/sjhdeh_photos/media/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150604_145550_zpsibl3tpzk.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w218/sjhdeh_photos/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150604_145550_zpsibl3tpzk.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150604_145550_zpsibl3tpzk.jpg"/></a>

3 coats of semigloss combo paint/primer

<a href="http://s177.photobucket.com/user/sjhdeh_photos/media/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150604_164032_zpspeorjwti.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w218/sjhdeh_photos/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150604_164032_zpspeorjwti.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150604_164032_zpspeorjwti.jpg"/></a>

2 coats stain

<a href="http://s177.photobucket.com/user/sjhdeh_photos/media/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150604_182522_zpsuau3os31.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w218/sjhdeh_photos/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150604_182522_zpsuau3os31.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150604_182522_zpsuau3os31.jpg"/></a>

child labor on the door

<a href="http://s177.photobucket.com/user/sjhdeh_photos/media/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150604_182506_zps3ofo4b7f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w218/sjhdeh_photos/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150604_182506_zps3ofo4b7f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150604_182506_zps3ofo4b7f.jpg"/></a>

How it looks on the tank


<a href="http://s177.photobucket.com/user/sjhdeh_photos/media/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150606_170734_zps2q9n2sjx.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w218/sjhdeh_photos/Reef%20Tank/180%20Build/20150606_170734_zps2q9n2sjx.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150606_170734_zps2q9n2sjx.jpg"/></a>

Will try and get better pics tomorrow..

 

[TigeBell]

Nice job sam. Definitely looks better with water in the tank. How long did the tank tank to cycle?

 

[greenhead]

Since the rock had been in the 93 with the same amount of livestock and also all together in the curing tank it never had a chance for any of the bacteria to die off. Also the system in the closet got filled with rock from the 93 and stayed running the entire time. After filling and mixing the 180 I tied it to the frag/sump system and without anything at all in the 180 I slowly blended the 80 gallons with the new 180 gallons. That was after making sure all elements in each system matched pretty close. The only change I saw in the existing system was a bloom of coralline algae. Which tells me water changes must add more trace elements than I thought. After letting the 2 systems run together for a week I added 90 lbs dry sand after rinsing it well with rodi water. I let that run for a couple days and transfered everything from the holding system to the 180. So far no signs of a cycle and it's been 2 weeks. Just some diatom blooms on the sand and glass. But coral and fish are extremely happy. I wouldn't have done it this way had it not been for the existing system and rock I was using as the rock cycled 90 days with no fish in the 93 and has been a couple months with fish hooked to the closet frag/sump system.

 

[Saltwaternooby]

Looks great Sam, hows that sailfin doing? Perfect match between that canopy and the stand.

Needs more rock.

 

[robert s b.]

Looking good Sam!

 

[greenhead]

Sailfin is doing great in qt. Eats like a machine.

All the rock from the old 150 has been cooked in acid and is currently cycling in the garage with a wp40, skimmer and even a chiller..lol.. should be more rock than I need. But I plan on using some acrylic rod and building a few cool structures out of the pukani and real reef before o put it in the new tank.