TOTM quality 6' SPS tank for under $1k? The 5.56 build thread; AKA a really bad idea

[mannyhernz]

Fun thread!
I got 20$ you get penalized at the home stretch(20-25months)[emoji12]


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[five.five-six]

Fun thread!
I got 20$ you get penalized at the home stretch(20-25months)[emoji12]


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IDK, I have a stack of dead presidents piling up from selling used stuff and I have all the HW and rock I need. I have a good supply of kalkwasser and 2 part supplements, GAC, GFO and DI resin etc...


If I catch a bug to buy a CaCl2 reactor, that could sink me.

 

[five.five-six]

New total $759.20

New total $759.20

Arrrggg!!! The Home Depot trips are killing me, I probably need to redo my WTS thread and start selling more or get stuff on eBay

Piano hinge and wood for the front of the stand $62.64

Rebuilt my stand with 2 more vertices and a rim joist across the back. I have just enough room for a 40 breeder for a sump and found one on socali reefs for $30 I'll be selling my old sump.

You may also notice a plane base molding 2" high across the back, I'm going to seal the base with silicone so the stand will hold a few gallons of water from my floor in the unlikely and unheard of event of a spill LOL.

I really like access to under the stand so the entire pannel folds up on a piano hinge now. All that's left is to sand and fill and for my wife to paint it. I hope to be filling it this weekend and at 25GPD membrane it should be just about full when my salt shows up on Wednesday.

Yes, I'm working in the foye, I moved operations from the patio yesterday due to a torrential downpour middle of 108 degree heat SMFH.

 

[BigT75]

Impressive so far the stand with the piano will be hecka nice , yeah here in Palmdale we got it to it was insane and muggy


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[five.five-six]

Oops!

Oops!

I am putting rock and water in the tank this weekend but I forgot to order reef cement or anything like it. What els can I use? Would bondo be good?

I have some marine grade fiberglass patching material that's like bondo.

Impressive so far the stand with the piano will be hecka nice , yeah here in Palmdale we got it to it was insane and muggy


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Yea, I really like haveingfull access to wht I'm working on. I have been at this long enough to know that if husbandry is a PITA it won't get done. I installed my own RO/DI station in the garage to that end because useing the kitchen RO unit is a PITA

 

[bobafet1]

Arrrggg!!! The Home Depot trips are killing me, I probably need to redo my WTS thread and start selling more or get stuff on eBay

I cringe when I hear you say you're getting wood from Home Depot. That's the lowest grade stuff you can buy. When you have a chance go to Peterman Lumber in Fontana. You'll get a lot better plywood for the same price, if not cheaper then Home Depot. They also have a pile of messed up sheets at a great discount in case you don't need a full 4'X8'. They carry a ton of exotic wood species as well. Well worth the trip.

 

[Jimbo327]

Good thing you are not charging for labor. But seriously, you are doing a great job trying to piece together a big reef tank. I might be moving into a bigger place in the next 6 months, so might be able to set up a real tank. I'm really blown away with all of the different equipment and high cost. 1 LED is $700, and you will need several for a big tank...that's already way over $1K. I think $2K-$3K is more realistic.

 

[five.five-six]

Good thing you are not charging for labor. But seriously, you are doing a great job trying to piece together a big reef tank. I might be moving into a bigger place in the next 6 months, so might be able to set up a real tank. I'm really blown away with all of the different equipment and high cost. 1 LED is $700, and you will need several for a big tank...that's already way over $1K. I think $2K-$3K is more realistic.

You can get enough metal halide for a 5' tank for $350 if you keep your eyes pealed.. there is a strong argument that halide is better for the coral

 

[Jimbo327]

Halides give off a lot of heat though, so cooling may be a problem. And electricity is also way pricey in So. Cal.

 

[five.five-six]

Hottest woman I've ever met painted the stand today

We put it together and now its filling 25GPD

 

[BigT75]

Looking great man you both doing a amazing job can't wait to see the end results


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[five.five-six]

Halides give off a lot of heat though, so cooling may be a problem. And electricity is also way pricey in So. Cal.

There are ways to deal with heat, with this open top, I plan on not even having a chiller and my watt meter reads 402 watts to run the 2 halides, which is enough to grow anything I want in this tank.

 

[five.five-six]

I awoke early this morning to the aquariest's most dreaded sound.

Water dripping fast.


It was just my RO/DI filling my tank.

 

[five.five-six]

At roughly .5 inches an hour, I estimate the sump will be full in about 40 hrs.

 

[Jimbo327]

Whew! Scared me with that water dripping.

You do some quick work, ha. If it was me, that stand would take over a month since I'll start and stop too often. I think with your dedication, you will make this challenge a success. I'm still amazed how you got that tank off the stand...who is helping you lift all of these heavy equipment? Lots of reef buddies near by?

 

[five.five-six]

Whew! Scared me with that water dripping.

You do some quick work, ha. If it was me, that stand would take over a month since I'll start and stop too often. I think with your dedication, you will make this challenge a success.

we have 3 differant gallons of white paint, wife didn't like any of them. Had to spend $32 at Home Depot. It's going to be a challenge LOL

I'm still amazed how you got that tank off the stand...who is helping you lift all of these heavy equipment? Lots of reef buddies near by?

In one of those photos you can see a gray electricians cart with my company name on it, it's just the right height. Wife helped lift on and off the cart and just roll it arround, easy peasy.

 

[mike810]

I awoke early this morning to the aquariest's most dreaded sound.

Water dripping fast.


It was just my RO/DI filling my tank.

Worst sound for any reefer, had me going there.

 

[five.five-six]

IDK, I have a stack of dead presidents piling up from selling used stuff and I have all the HW and rock I need. I have a good supply of kalkwasser and 2 part supplements, GAC, GFO and DI resin etc...


If I catch a bug to buy a CaCl2 reactor, that could sink me.

Oops

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2650171

 

[mike810]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[marioensf]

So you have enough space for a 48-ish tank right?
I cut a while back a regular 30G tank because I don't like the height of it; get a 50g tank and cut a few inches off of the top.
Home Depot has a Ryobi 4" glass/tile saw, pricey but it does the job.
Just be careful when removing the top plastic, sharp blades will take care of the silicone.
I used the top plastic rim as a straight edge then removed the glass pieces off of the trim. Added baffles and have a sump.
http://www.bareefers.org/forum/attachments/007-jpg.6334/
http://www.bareefers.org/forum/attachments/cam01464-jpg.6523/