ReefTECK's 120 Build Thread!

[ReefTECK]

So I've been building this thread in the local Greater Iowa Reef Society Forum and have had alot of good input from my buddies in the community. I've been wanting to open it up and show you all my hard work, my masterpiece, my 120.

I wanted to set everything up with the proper infrastructure in place, and I did so. First was to tear up some carpet and put in vinyl flooring to make clean ups easier, also, when my sump sits on the cool concrete it will help with cooling;



I built a 2x4 stand, which has been modified since this picture was taken, for added structural integrity, it's one solid beast! In this picture the flooring and edging are in place as well;



I got the tank used, and it needed some serious cleaning, I also decided I would remove the left side overflow, it takes up too much real estate, and the added drainage is unneeded in my opinion;



I stayed up all night running two new 20 amp breakers into the utility closet adjacent to the aquarium. Where they exited through the wall down the way they were fed into PVC conduit for added protection. This is the most jerry rigged component of the whole system as things are kind of crowded in the utility room, which may be against some code, but I'm not really worried, I should be able to keep things dry and organized;




Finally I got the stand and canopy completed, cleaned the tank and removed the left hand overflow box, and sealed the holes left behind with a 3/8" piece of acrylic and silicone;



I ultimately decided to build the canopy taller to accomodate the Lumenarc Mini III reflectors I added to the system, and I painted it all black, although I plan on re-painting/finishing the stand and canopy sometime this summer, (when I recuperate some more money);



End of first page posts on original thread. Next is the fun part!

[ReefTECK]

I made a wish list on my original thread;

Originally Posted by ReefTECK

So I've solidified my additions list:

Corals to add:
-Sunset Montipora
-Aussie Lord Acans
-Superman Montipora
-Red Planet Acro
-Roscoes Blue Acro
-Hyacynth Bridsnest
-Blue Millepora
-Marshall Islands Blue Bottle Brush
-Purple Acropora Formosa
-Pink Pocillapora

Coral "maybe" List:
-Turquoise Acro
-Tenuose
-Hawkins Blue Acro
-Borealis Acro
-Meteor Shower
-Plum Crazy

Fish to add:
5x Chromis
3x Disbar Anthias
Purple Tang
Flameback Angel

Also a few hardware upgrades add ons to complete within the next couple of months:
-A booster fan for exhaust in my utility room where the chiller will be
-LED's
And down the road:
-new electronic ballasts for my 400's

I used an excel spread sheet to map out my circuits and power usage;



Started some plumbing and ran a few wires into the utility room;





This is a view of the corner and how the tank sits adjacent to the utility room;



And finally after two weeks of lights on backorder yesterday I recieved my Lumenarc Mini III retrofit reflectors, new 20k XM 400 watt bulbs and lit up the sun!







I have a Nikon D90 so I can adjust the exposure in all sorts of ways to get a legible picture. However that last picture was probably the best, most accurate snapshot of the actual intensity and color balance shown by these bulbs and Lumenarc Mini III reflectors.

Pump comes Thursday, I got all the final little pieces of PVC that I needed this afternoon. Last big hurtle is going to be drilling my sump to fit in some bulkheads to run my skimmer externally.

Picked up a purple tang from a buddy of mine, he's gorgeous and good size too pix will follow he's in my 75 for now. Thanks Marco! and I scored Jeffy's Copper Band (who actually eats and is doing quite well in the 75) Jeff was taking some stuff including a Yellow Belly Blue Tang up to Hong's (Sea of Marvels) and I decided I had to have her, so as I've been filling the 120 with cultured water, oxygenating with a pump, and nuking it with SeaChem Stability all week, I decided to make shift a set up for the beauty. She's toughing it out in the 10" of water in the 120. She's a big fish (like 6") she can take it, and seems to be eating well and doing quite fine, still a little upset from the move (a little shy). The rest of the mob will join her this weekend I am planning!

[silentscream]

I like the look of the tank with only one overflow. What are the dimensions of the drain and return? 1.5" and 1"? That should be enough if you keep a low flow return. Looks good so far.

[ReefTECK]

Originally Posted by silentscream

I like the look of the tank with only one overflow. What are the dimensions of the drain and return? 1.5" and 1"? That should be enough if you keep a low flow return. Looks good so far.

Yeah it's way better this way!

3/4" return 1&1/4" drain. It's an AGA tank, company specifies each overflow box is said to handle upto 600gph, which I think is conservative, none-the-less I'm only aiming for about that much return flow. The important part is the motion in the ocean, I have two MP40's and a Tunze 6060 (2600gph) power heads for circulation throughout the DT.

Thanks for chiming in man!

[reef211]

Sweet, Tagging along. I have a 120 too.

[Imzadi]

Why did you cut so much of the carpet away? When I saw the first picture, I thought, 'Mmmmmm ... CUBE!'... but, issa no cube.

[Milky3]

Nice looking build so far, do you have a stocking list yet?

[jeff209]

Also tagging along

[ReefTECK]

Originally Posted by Imzadi

Why did you cut so much of the carpet away? When I saw the first picture, I thought, 'Mmmmmm ... CUBE!'... but, issa no cube.

I wanted to have a little wet space to work with in front of the tank.

Originally Posted by Milky3

Nice looking build so far, do you have a stocking list yet?

It's a migration from a 75. I have a couple of new additions already going into this tank.

List of what I have;

Fish:
Rainbow (H. melenarus) wrasse
Ocellaris Clown
Yellow Belly Hippo Tang
Purple Tang
Copperband Butterfly
Starry Blenny

Corals:
Monster Red Cap Monti
Monster Green Damicornis
Huge Acropora spp.
Good size Acropora Yongie (Green Slimer)
Tricolor A. Millepora
ORA Pearlberry Acropora
ORA Purple Valida
Tyree A. Nana
ORA Montipora Spongodes
ORA Purple Plasma Acropora
ORA Hawkins Blue A.
Pink Chalice
ORA Mini Duncans
Symphallia Brain Coral
Green Favia
Blue Polyped Green M. Capricornis
Green M. Cap
Huge Yellow Scroll Coral
ORA Miami Orchid Stag Acro

To add:
5 Chromis
3 Disbar Anthias
ORA Borealis Acropora
ORA Blue Bottle Brush Acropora
ORA Roscoes Blue
Tyree Purple Bonsai Acropora
Acan Lords
Tyree Sunset Montipora
Superman Montipora

Thanks for chiming in guys, stay tuned!