Pressing the RestStart Button: JonezNReef 180g 2.0 (plus 120g breeding system)

[JonezNReef]

So I am in the planning stages of changing out my entire fish room and set up. I currently have a 180g in wall with a separate 40gB system. I bought my first 180g in a hurry after cracking my 65g and ended up with a scratched up tank that worked. Also I kind of pieced the system together over time and tried a few different things. Over time it became a mess as far as plumbing and equipment. One thing I always hated about the tank outside of the scratches was the giant overflow inside taking up almost 2 sq ft of tank. My plan now is to take everything out of the fish room and start over.

I want to replace the current 180g with a new 180g that I recently bought. This one is scratch free and also hasn't been drilled yet so I can do whatever overflow I want. Also I had someone give me a 120g 6'x2'x16"acrylic tank that needs a bit of TLC. I would like to use this 120 to replace the 40gB system and make it a separate breeding system. The new tank will be moved over one and a half feet from the current 180s resting place. So I have to recut the wall and make a new stand. This is so I can run the 120 along the wall at the far end of the tank.

This is the current 180
https://vimeo.com/193308710
Good thing I didn't finish the wall yet. We were not sure what color we wanted the wall and what trim to use. It was a 65g and 40g in wall before the 180.
Here's the two before I up sized

I got the first 180 and before we could decide what we wanted to do with the wall I started talking about changing things anyways because of getting the free 120.
Here is the 120g Acrylic

It has a small crack in one corner but I plan on re finishing the front panel and lining the inside with opaque cast acrylic on the bottom, back and side walls. I also plan on dividing it into 3 sections giving each pair of fish about a 30g section.
This is a future project after I complete the 180g

Here is the 180g I just bought

 

[JonezNReef]

Pressing the RestStart Button: JonezNReef 180g 2.0 (plus 120g breeding system)

I plan on making a DIY ghost style overflow on a side wall like a peninsula tank. I have a HOB overflow I am considering modifying into one. The over all size of the boxes are close to the size of a 1000gph eshopps eclipse. So I am considering cutting the hob overflows top off and drilling holes for 1.5 inch bulkheads. I will add a gasket between each point the bulkhead passes through. Then adding a third drain hole in the back box so I can run a bean style drain.
Here is the HOB overflow

Needs to be cleaned up a bit but I think it could work. My current return after head loss is about 900gph

 

[JonezNReef]

So I decided that I am going to modify the HOB overflow. So I went ahead and ordered three 1 inch bulkheads, two 1.5 inch bulkheads, six 1.5 inch gaskets, and 60mm glass hole saw. I might get some weldon 40 or 1802 and use it to bond the bulkheads to the acrylic. But before I do that I would like to make sure that the overflow wont be too small so I will test it with the gaskets. If it doesn't work then I will be ordering some more acrylic to build my own ghost overflow.
So for now I am going to clean up the HOB OF and cut the top edge off of each box. Then I need to decide if I am going to drill the side like a peninsula tank or in the back. Its a in wall tank but I am leaning towards the end so I can also view the whole tank from the fishroom side. Also I need to figure out if I want the returns on the same side as the OF or on the opposite side.

 

[JonezNReef]

What Weldon would be best to adhere two sheets of acrylic together?

 

[dave.m]

Google is your friend. Weld-On #4 for Acrylics. It's available from amazon.com.

Dave.M

 

[JonezNReef]

I was asking encase there was a different one used. Also I wasn't specific, when I was asking about adhering 2 sheets I was meaning flat side to flat side not edge to edge. I have been googling a lot actually and haven't seen anyone specify when they did adhere two sheets this way. Only saw people using #4 for seams.

 

[dave.m]

I think if you roughen up the surfaces first it should work fine for flat faces. You could always try a test run first on some smaller scraps.

There are quite a few videos on Youtube about working with acrylic. You might find something helpful there, too.

Dave.M

 

[JonezNReef]

So I am waiting on the rest of the parts to get in so I can finish working on my overflow. Also these holidays have slowed things a lot. One plus is I have a week and a half off from work coming soon and hope to really get a few things done.

So in the mean time I am now planning on using my current 180 as a sump for the new 180 since the current 180 is scratched up like crazy. I plan on ordering 1/2inch glass for baffles but first have to figure out how I want to section off the 180 to get the most out of it being such a huge sump.
One idea is to make it a standard 3 section sump. First section being 12" wide by 18" tall for the drains and skimmer. Then a 48" by 18" section for a fuge and ATS. And the the last section a 12" section for the return pump and ATO. My other idea is I could tie in the 120g breeding tank and have the sump set up with a drain and skimmer section on both ends and then have the middle as a return and ATS section and just leave out the fuge completely. Still not very sure on this and might go with the first idea and just have 2 separate systems. Either way I will need to buy more wood and design a new stand so I can fit the 180 below as a sump because the current stand is only big enough for a 40gB.

Also I am working on setting up my temp tanks to hold everything until I get the switch completed. I will be using a 120 and a 65 gallon tanks or two 120's if my one doesn't sell but need to find a place in the house where I can do this without it getting I the way and angering my wife. LOL

 

[JonezNReef]

Pressing the RestStart Button: JonezNReef 180g 2.0 (plus 120g breeding system)

So I called Marineland and also checked with polarized sunglasses and made sure the glass isn't tempered just for ease of mind.
Today I worked on my DIY ghost OF. I went ahead and cut the old HOB OF down and added a third drain hole. Once the bulkheads get here and I will cut the holes in the tank And then cut the holes in the OF boxes

 

[siliconinja]

Hey Jonez! Following along


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[JonezNReef]

Pressing the RestStart Button: JonezNReef 180g 2.0 (plus 120g breeding system)

So I am trying to get ready for upgrading my fish room and tanks. I want to use the 120 as a temp holding tank while I swap out the 180s. So I cleaned up the 120g acrylic tank and started a water test. Before I could start the water test there was a small piece of quarter inch acrylic that was about 1" x 1/2" attached to the bottom of the tank for some reason. This was keeping the tank from sitting flush so I grinded it off and sanded it smooth before I started the water test. The overflow box had a pipe though it for some unknown reason and come to find out the pipe was busted so I couldn't fill the tank as much as I had hoped. Not sure what the owner before had it like that for but it will be an easy fix.

That is the pipe that was though the OF box so I took it out and now there is another thing to fix.[emoji849]
Here is a picture of the hole in the bottom of the OF after I took out the pipe. It's the size of a 1/2" pipe

So I am going to order Weldon 4 and 16 this week so I can patch that hole and the small crack in the corner. I plan on using acrylic that I cut from the HOB OF box for these.

First I will have to clean off the epoxy but as of right now it holds water even with these minor flaws.

 

[JonezNReef]

Hey Jonez! Following along


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Thanks for tagging along. Not sure if my setup will be half as nice as yours but we will see how it ends up. I know I am going to take your lead and take my time and make everything as nice as I can.


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[siliconinja]

Thanks for tagging along. Not sure if my setup will be half as nice as yours but we will see how it ends up. I know I am going to take your lead and take my time and make everything as nice as I can.


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Looks awesome so far, I respect the DIY hustle you will appreciate your setup more! Keep taking pics!


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[JonezNReef]

Pressing the RestStart Button: JonezNReef 180g 2.0 (plus 120g breeding system)

So today my glass hole saws, gaskets, and acrylic glue came in. Unfortunately my 1.5" bulk heads didn't and I found out today they ended up getting back ordered. So while I wait for that piece of the puzzle I will get done what I can.

The first plan of action will be to drill the glass and overflow boxes. If the tank is still together after I drill it I will move on to fixing the acrylic tank. If I destroy the tank drilling it I will take the rest of the day off to drink adult beverages until I can't remember what happened. [emoji481][emoji482]For the acrylic tank I am going to add a piece of acrylic inside the tank over where the small crack is in the corner. I will also add a piece over and under the hole in the overflow.
I plan on using the acrylic 120 as a temp holding tank until I get the wall and tank stand built and the new tank in place. But in order for me to get that done, that means I will have to move all the tanks and old stands in the fishroom out and build a new stand and set up the 120 in one day.

 

[siliconinja]

How did the drilling go?


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[JonezNReef]

Pressing the RestStart Button: JonezNReef 180g 2.0 (plus 120g breeding system)

Just drilled the 180 today and everything went very well. Also was able to get the overflow made and tested it out.

 

[siliconinja]

Nice!!! That looks great! I see you dropped the overflow on the short side there. The diy looks awesome, did you just use standard abs bulkheads?


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[JonezNReef]

Nice!!! That looks great! I see you dropped the overflow on the short side there. The diy looks awesome, did you just use standard abs bulkheads?


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Thanks it was quite nerve racking drilling the tank but glad it is done now. Yes I used just standard ABS bulkheads but it seemed to hold up fine when I tested it out.
Also I work on the 120 today and added a acrylic corner to the cracked corner and a piece to cover the hole in the overflow. Tomorrow I will give it a water test while I work on my fishroom.

 

[JonezNReef]

Pressing the RestStart Button: JonezNReef 180g 2.0 (plus 120g breeding system)

So today I did nothing because yesterday I got a few things done. Yesterday I moved my new 180 around next to the fishroom door along with my 65g that I started out with in the hobby.2 or 3 weeks ago I just sandwiched the crack on the glass so I could have it to hold things while I played musical tanks.

So then I drained and moved everything in the 180g and 40g sump in the fishroom into the 180 and 65g i had sat up just outside.

Then I took out everything but the 40gB frag tank.

Then I made a temp stand for the 120 and moved it into place.

Then I moved everything from the 180 and 65g that were outside and into the 120g. Luckily each time I was able to catch each Tang by hand and and move them quick and easy. At the moment the tank just has current pumps in it. I will finish plumbing it tomorrow and then start working on the wall and stand for the 180. At the moment all the fish and coral seem unaffected by the move.

 

[JonezNReef]

Pressing the RestStart Button: JonezNReef 180g 2.0 (plus 120g breeding system)

So I messed up when I was getting fittings and didn't get the right valve for the drain. Grabbed a 1 1/2 instead of 1 1/4 on the valve and 2 elbows. Lowes was closing early for New Years and I was rushed. [emoji849] Not to mention my daughter has had chicken pox for the past week. Ohh well for the time being I have current pumps and a heater in the tank and everything seems happy. On my way home tomorrow I will stop by Lowes and get the correct stuff. For now here is a video of everything just after feeding.
This is my first experience with an acrylic tank and so far I really like it. What gets it for me is how clear it is. [emoji848][emoji189]Almost makes me want to sell the 180 and get a custom acrylic.... almost. Lol. I turned the blues all the way down for my crappy phone camera [emoji327]
https://vimeo.com/197735625