Zagzoo71's 1 year 180g in the wall project

[Zagzoo71]

Thought I share my 1 yr project in my new poolroom I just built in my basement. Decided to get back in the marine hobby by installing 180g tank in the wall! For those of you in the eastern ohio or western pa.. elmer's gave me a heck of a deal on a 180g and a 125g brand new under 1k! Awesome LFS!!!

here is the construction phase:

Nice open long wall:


2x6 construction of the stand:


Drywall to protect wall, had to remove 1 basement support pole and add 1 pole to each side of stand:




Love cutting hole in a wall 1 month old.. lol wife loved that!

 

[Zagzoo71]

Then added 3/4" plywood to top of stand and then underneath bottom section, 125g sump will be directly under the 180g. Then used Kiltz to waterproof stand and wall:



Nice black trim around tank:

 

[Zagzoo71]

For the sump I am using a 125g tank, plan is to have 3 return lines into sump and overflow into 2 filter socks. First compartment will hold around 70g for skimmer and I am going to do my water changes as well in it. Installed a bulkhead fitting in the end to train it. Middle section for refuge i.e. cheato and extra rock, third compartment for submersible return pump. I am going for a everything in the sump as possible! Using 1/4" arcylic for the dividers.



Return and filter sock area:


Adding Dividers:




Finished sump:

 

[Zagzoo71]

First let me say.. I really hate drilling 3 holes in a brand new tank! Anyways, going to install a bean animal overflow that will be coast to coast in tank. Local acrylic fab shop made it for me reallllly low priced, didnt think about it till i installed it.. accidentally used smoke instead of black and forgot to have bottom of overflow clear. Notice nice and neat sump under tank in stand.



Started return plumbing having 2 return lines on each side of tank and overflow installed, went thru stand to save space:


Bean animal plumbed in:


Plumbing complete, made a removable drain line from tank to wall, just in case furnace or hot water tank have to come out..

 

[Zagzoo71]

Didn't take alot of pictures, decided to try a 3d rock wall around the sides and back of tank. The thinking here was (a) not to see workshop thru back of tank (b) not have to worry about cleaning the sides and back of tank under overflow. From my last in the wall tank, cleaning the sides was a pain the butt.

Ended up using 12 cans of waterfall expanda foam (which is fish save and no seal with epoxy is required) egg crate 50lbs of sand. 4 panels about identical 1 panel different? different batch of foam? I let it cure in my workshop for 3-4 months, installed into tank, filled in the seams, had cut outs for power heads.




Started off with 150lbs of rock.. when I fill the tank gonna add some cured rock to help jump start the cycle:

 

[IvanTheTerrible]

Very nice work. Can't wait to see it finished.

- Ivan