Saying Hi and Details of my tank

[Tampico96]

Hi all

I started a salt tank on a shoestring budget. Not at all what is needed or suggested in this hobby. I am resourceful. That helps. The tank I already had. Have a few actually.

I chose to go with the 75. I also had a 150 I could have used, but thought the 75 was the better choice and least expensive choice to try out. I just started work on the 150. Again with the same budget concerns.

The stand is homebuilt. Boy did I learn alot. I have spent a few years here on central just reading. I thought that I knew what I wanted in a homebuilt stand. I was wrong on alot of things.

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq66/tampico96_photos/P1010283.jpg[/IMG]


The mh light bar was built by me with a remote ballast box in the basement.

 

[Tampico96]

Stand build continued

Stocking the tank

 

[trippkid]

Very nice setup. Are you going to be doing SPS corals? A couple of us are really into them. You definitely have the lighting for it. It looks like it is coming along pretty good for you. Hope to meet up with you sometime, maybe see you at the swap. Have a good day.
Matt

 

[Tampico96]

I plan to goto the swap. Its my oncall weekend so we will see how that turns out. I hope to meet with some other local reefers while there.

Not so sure about the sps. I set it up so I had the option to do some. Think the tank is capable of supporting them, just not so sure that the maintenance provider (me) has the experience to pull it off. Starting off slow. with the softies right now. Hope to move over to the 150gal long I have, just need to get the nerve to drill it.

 

[reeftard73]

give it time,you'll do SPS.

 

[lpkenneys]

WoW...Looking good!

 

[Tampico96]

Thanks for the comments.

No way I would have been comfortable paying for a factory aquarium tank and stand. I do like how the stand turned out, but like I said. building it and using it taught me alot about what I like and dont like in stands. First thing for the 150 build is to have the doors overlap so that light does not leak out between door and frame. The 150 is going to have ATO too. maybe even a basement sump. New hard wood in dining room and newbie salt tank has caused its moments of stress

Stand build cost was about $150 with alot of recycled material. The lights are the same thing. I bought the bulbs... Ballasts came out of parking lot light demo. light frame was scrap from machine constuction at work and the reflector was salvaged from the parkinglot lights as well as the mogals.

Ballasts are housed in a stainless Rittal Cabinet mounted on wall in basement. What overkill, but it was dented and could not be sold. Rescued from the salvage truck.

I'm resourceful. So if there is something non aquaria anybody needs, give me a a shout. I just may know a source for it.

 

[saltaholic]

Hey that looks really nice. Lot of really nice local reefers around this area. Will be neat to watch your tank progress. I think your stand looks nice:thumbsup:

 

[feefer2]

Looks good nice stand

 

[m0nk]

Nice setup, and it sounds like this is the hobby for you... the dyi stuff makes it more fun.

 

[Tampico96]

I do love DIY Built a rack today to put in sump..

 

[saltaholic]

The diy and the techy stuff (equipment) is huge portion of why I love the hobby. I sometimes find myself staring at my sump and the stuff in it.....oh god I think I have it bad:hmm4: