150 Gallon Tank Build!

[Reel North]

Hey all

I have finally jumped into the saltwater pool!!

Ive been reading about it for years, and just could not stand to set up another freshwater tank.

I spent the last week building and finishing the stand. Sheeted in Maple ply with hard maple trim. The canopy has been painted and sealed white inside. Tomorrow I finish the trim and begin to varathane it.






I built a sump from a 55g tank.

Skimmer is a reef octopus and a sicce pump that does 950 gph.

Lighting is 2 Ecotech Radions G2. I just could float the third one right now, but will be adding it.

I had some reef rock that i used as bases for the larger rocks.

Spent today plumbing the RODI unit. I hadn't done plumbing in 3 years, and I messed up my first joint (yes. water spray lol)

I got that fixed up and got the unit running. Its a Vertex 100 gph with a digital readout. it hooked up easily and water is now going into the tank.

I purchased 95 lbs of dry rock today so I could get the types of pieces that would make the aquascape what I have envisioned. I also had about 50 lbs of live rock from a friends old tank. Im going to pick up 20 or 30 lbs of live rock on sunday and get this party started!!!

The rock work is not done. I still have more to add.

I will update this thread as it moves along

[MKReefTank]

Nice stand! Any chance you have stand build plans? I am looking to build my own stand/canopy for a 180 gallon and am looking for ideas/blue prints.

[rfgonzo]

Congrats, looks good!!!!!!

[Reel North]

I Dont have plans. I watched a you tube video and made it better lol

I do have some pics of just the frame. Ill try to upload them tomorrow

The frame was just the standard 2x4 with the corners reinforced with 2x6 vertical. The top was 2x4 with bracing 16" on centre.

Is your 180 a corner overflow?

If so you will need to notch the inside corner legs to allow for the overflow pipes. Im glad I had a wood chisel!

[Reel North]

Here it is full of water

And here it is with the canopy



I got the radions hooked up (so easy) and have a couple of dead shrimp in for the cycle

Love it!!

[rfgonzo]

Did you cure your rock before cycling?

[StevieD]

What are the dimensions of the 150?

[Reel North]

It's 72 x 18 x 27

Most
Of the rock was dry. I had 30 lbs of cured live I put in

[StevieD]

I had one just like that...doesn't look 27 tall though...nice work though

[rfgonzo]

I don't see any doors on the canopy, Does the whole front just flip open?

[Reel North]

Yes. The whole front just hinges upward. It gives me lots of room to get into the tank and do maintenance. I painted it white inside both to seal it and reflect the light.

[Dan90]

nice job.

[shadd]

Damn that stand and hood are good looking!!!!!!!!!!
I wish i could do something to cover my black stand

[MWalton91]

Amazing! Any thought out plans of livestock yet?

[Dan90]

Originally Posted by shadd

Damn that stand and hood are good looking!!!!!!!!!!
I wish i could do something to cover my black stand

You can skin you stand and build new doors. I am building one soon for my company. It will be knotty alder. I will post some pictures when I start it so you can see the process. Basically there is a point in a new build that would be the same as refacing.

[Reel North]

I have completely redone the rock work in there now. I didnt like what I had in the photos lol.

I ended up using a bit less rock, and made more overhangs for corals and some caves for the fish.

I have some small snails on the glass now and I believe a little orange feather duster. Amazing what starts to show up!

As far as stocking goes, here is what I am thinking of

Fish

2 percula clowns and 1 hippo tang (nemo and Dori for my kids......)

For my wife and I, we are looking at the following in no specific order

Blue throat trigger
Purple tang
Yellow tang
Sailfin tang
maybe some chromis

Im still researching fish, so any input from more experienced members (which is everybody!!) is more than welcome, as well as any input on my list above.

I was looking at a Naso tang, but they just get way too big and need a lot more room than I can give them right now.

Corals

Hammer
Torch
Zoos

and again any input would be great, as well as placement (I will post another pic of the new rock work once I get home tonight)

CUC

2 fighting conch
2 emerald crabs
8-10 turbos
couple of cleaner shrimp

Again..... suggestions

I am very excited to start adding some livestock, but I am only a week into the cycle and havent even bothered to test the water at this point.

As far as reskinning your stand, take a look at a thin face board to cover the existing and trim it out as you like. As mentioned by Dan above, you will need new door, but they are easy to make with a KREG JIG.

I did 6 coats of varathane, sanding lightly between each coat. The last 2 coats really made the maple pop.

I can hand sketch my plans out if you like.

[JAnwyl]

Those are beginner corals (not to say they aren't very nice) Look at Ricordias (they are considered beginner corals but I would say they are the nicest looking corals out there)

I think emerald crabs are great.

Maybe look at three spot goby (someone help me here) I had one that would take mouthfuls of sand and sift it through mouth. Was awesome fish (maybe 2-3 inches long)

[JAnwyl]

Clowns were some of the best fish I had. They hosted my hammer coral

[Keitho109]

Nice tank and love the wood working. Ill tag along for this build to watch the live stock come in and the tank mature

[whosurcaddie]

Looks amazing man enjoy the new journey.

[Reel North]

Last night I added 10 micro sized dwarf blue leg hermits. I SWEAR they never stopped moving for a couple hours. Fascinating. I know it was a little early, but couldnt help it lol

[danderso]

Very nice build. Read everything you can on here especially the stickies. Then 3 months in - read them again! Even after years in the hobby we can sometimes forget the basics and bad habits form. Will be watching this one!

[Reel North]

no pressure lol. This is by FAR the best website for reefing on the web. Ive been reading it on and off for at least 3 years now.

Im picking up one of the Tunze osmo top offs on Tuesday.

Today i got a 7g container for my top up (food grade) as well as a 50g food grade container for my water change water (to hold premixed saltwater) It comes with a ball valve and a locking cap to prevent evaporation.

This hobby is very exciting. Even watching the sparkles on the water in an essentially empty tank is relaxing.

I look forward to actually listening to you all and learning, and learning....... etc

[Reel North]

oh. Update for day 12.

The glass is covered in little white critters. They are very tiny, but quick. The back glass is also covered in what looks like bubbles, but I believe its pods. Also saw some tiny white worms on the glass.

There is what I believe to be a small feather duster living on the sand in what appears to be a rubble shell made from the aragonite bottom material.

The brown algae is really coming along strong now.

There is LIFE!!!

[JAnwyl]

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml If you have any hitchhikers.