60 Gallon Cube build thread

McLaughlin4 · 02/19/2008, 09:16 PM

Hello ,

I was out of the hobby for some years but I'm getting my feet wet again . I thought I would start a build thread to try to give back to someone else what I have learned from this site over the years . With that said lets begin

I just finish building the stand and canopy for the tank which is a 60 gallon cube tank 24x24x24. I have also bought most of the equipment needed to run this tank but thought along with pictures of the tank,stand and canopy . I would list what I have so far so that if I'm missing anything I will have it for the initial set-up . Here is what I have :

Skimmer: MRC R-1
Skimmer Pump- Blue Line HD 40
Return Pump: Blue line HD-55
Geo Kalk Reactor
Chiller
2 rubbermaid feedtanks one for a fuge and frag tank the other for the sump
Lighting : 250 watt DE retro kit for inside the canopy along with 2 24 inch T5 retro kits on each side and 2- 4 inch 4 led moonlights.
bulkheads
lockline
6 stage Ro-Di water filter
Rubbermaid Brute garbage can
Auto top off w/ float valve
2 Hydor Koralia #2
300 watt heater

So is there anything I might have forgot ? If so let me know, and feel free to give me any advice you might find helpful. The tank is going to be plumbed into the basement so the fuge sump set up is the next big step. Enjoy the pictures :

Oh yea I have yet to step into a LFS to buy anything I have it has either been ordered online or purchased from someone on here , thanks to those of you that sold me stuff.
TANK

Stand not yet totally finished need to fill nail holes and stain

Canopy also need sto be stained and nail holes filled

This is just all the equipment waiting to be used

Jeff · 02/19/2008, 09:20 PM

This is going to be nice!

ren501 · 02/19/2008, 09:38 PM

nice stand and canopy..... you do some nice work!! tagging along for this one...

Wrassemeister · 02/19/2008, 10:50 PM

+1 on the stand and canopy work, nice job... looks like it will be a nice tank

tikireefer · 02/19/2008, 10:53 PM

What brand is the tank? What kind of overflow are you going to be using? Looks great so far.....you did an awesome job on the stand! tagging along also....

NewSchool04 · 02/19/2008, 11:39 PM

Do you have any access to the top of the tank through the canopy?

mcliffy2 · 02/20/2008, 12:12 AM

Looks really nice, especially the cabinet work. A couple thoughts:
1) I second the question on front or side access. If you don't have it already, I'd build in access from somewhere besides the top of the cabinet. I have a top only access tank now and working in the lower region of the tank is next to impossible.
2) With all that nice equipment, why have big clunky looking koralias? I would go with 2-3 modded Tunze 6025s, or maybe think about getting 1 vortech and putting a sea swirl on the return to randomize the flow.

McLaughlin4 · 02/20/2008, 09:52 AM

Thanks for the nice words , as far as access thru the canopy I have made it so that the canopy can be flipped up and rest on the tank allowing full access to the tank. I can also access the stand via that front panel being able to be removed . Are the Koralias's really that big? I thought haing one on each side of the rock work on the back of the tank would make them somewhat hidden but also allow for some good flow . I hope to have everything hooked up and running a water test sometime this weekend . Let me know if you think there is anything I might be over looking . Thanks Jim

02/19/2008, 09:16 PM	#1
McLaughlin4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,435	60 Gallon Cube build thread Hello , I was out of the hobby for some years but I'm getting my feet wet again . I thought I would start a build thread to try to give back to someone else what I have learned from this site over the years . With that said lets begin I just finish building the stand and canopy for the tank which is a 60 gallon cube tank 24x24x24. I have also bought most of the equipment needed to run this tank but thought along with pictures of the tank,stand and canopy . I would list what I have so far so that if I'm missing anything I will have it for the initial set-up . Here is what I have : Skimmer: MRC R-1 Skimmer Pump- Blue Line HD 40 Return Pump: Blue line HD-55 Geo Kalk Reactor Chiller 2 rubbermaid feedtanks one for a fuge and frag tank the other for the sump Lighting : 250 watt DE retro kit for inside the canopy along with 2 24 inch T5 retro kits on each side and 2- 4 inch 4 led moonlights. bulkheads lockline 6 stage Ro-Di water filter Rubbermaid Brute garbage can Auto top off w/ float valve 2 Hydor Koralia #2 300 watt heater So is there anything I might have forgot ? If so let me know, and feel free to give me any advice you might find helpful. The tank is going to be plumbed into the basement so the fuge sump set up is the next big step. Enjoy the pictures : Oh yea I have yet to step into a LFS to buy anything I have it has either been ordered online or purchased from someone on here , thanks to those of you that sold me stuff. TANK Stand not yet totally finished need to fill nail holes and stain Canopy also need sto be stained and nail holes filled This is just all the equipment waiting to be used

02/19/2008, 10:50 PM	#4
Wrassemeister Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Glenview, IL Posts: 1,182	+1 on the stand and canopy work, nice job... looks like it will be a nice tank __________________ -Peter- Thou Shalt Love Thy Wrasse Current Tank Info: 34g rimless sps

02/19/2008, 11:39 PM	#6
NewSchool04 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Go Bears! Posts: 7,629	Do you have any access to the top of the tank through the canopy? __________________ 180 w/ Tek 8 bulb T5 fixture 2 6105 Tunze w/ 7095 controller Tunze Wave Box

02/20/2008, 12:12 AM	#7
mcliffy2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downtown Chicago Posts: 4,093	Looks really nice, especially the cabinet work. A couple thoughts: 1) I second the question on front or side access. If you don't have it already, I'd build in access from somewhere besides the top of the cabinet. I have a top only access tank now and working in the lower region of the tank is next to impossible. 2) With all that nice equipment, why have big clunky looking koralias? I would go with 2-3 modded Tunze 6025s, or maybe think about getting 1 vortech and putting a sea swirl on the return to randomize the flow. __________________ 238g 60x36x26, 100g sump/fuge, 30g frag, 23g skimmer sump, 4 Vortechs, ATB L, Sfiligoi 12x54w T5 Bulb Combo: Super actinic, 6 Blue Plus/AS 22k, Fiji Purple, 2 Aquablue special, 2 Aquascience Duo

02/20/2008, 09:52 AM	#8
McLaughlin4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,435	Thanks for the nice words , as far as access thru the canopy I have made it so that the canopy can be flipped up and rest on the tank allowing full access to the tank. I can also access the stand via that front panel being able to be removed . Are the Koralias's really that big? I thought haing one on each side of the rock work on the back of the tank would make them somewhat hidden but also allow for some good flow . I hope to have everything hooked up and running a water test sometime this weekend . Let me know if you think there is anything I might be over looking . Thanks Jim __________________ Confucius says " Baseball is a strange sport, how does a man walk with four balls ?"

02/19/2008, 09:20 PM	#2
Jeff Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 11,907	This is going to be nice! __________________ Always remember.... any time you reef, you also reef with every reefer that reefer has reefed with. Mitch 2/18/10 IWNFT343F Current Tank Info: Innovative Marine 20

02/19/2008, 09:38 PM	#3
ren501 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: illinois 60543 Posts: 170	nice stand and canopy..... you do some nice work!! tagging along for this one...

02/19/2008, 10:53 PM	#5
tikireefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Sandwich, IL Posts: 465	What brand is the tank? What kind of overflow are you going to be using? Looks great so far.....you did an awesome job on the stand! tagging along also....