125 Tank UPDATED PICS!!!6/16/09---Last Page

[coraline79]

Here is some more! Got a lot of the major stuff done including the canopy. Things I still need to do are, plumb the ATO, plumb the ace made reactors, and electrical/cable management.

Pics are on the last page.

[ErikH]

Awesome! I love getting a new tank! I can't wait to go pick mine up this weekend! Toss some Koralias in there, to me, it's cheaper and less headache than a traditional closed loop. Others will disagree, but I am a low maintenance type. Less is good, as long as it is easier. :) The lights are the hard part, and if I am not mistaken that's an 18" depth on that tank right? Should be perfect.

[coraline79]

Yes 18in deep. I hear you on the korallias. I have one k2 in my 30 long and it is great! I also have a spraybar type return I built too for circulation. I think I will run 2 k4's in the 125. How do I setup a return witht the Calfo overflow? Do I drill the side as well?

[coraline79]

so I am looking at ehiem, ocean runner, quiet one, or mag pumps. I am assuming I want to theoretically cycle my tank about 10 times an hour, so I need at least a 1000-1200gph return? All of these pumps run about the same price, so which one is the best bang for buck?

[JLiu]

Don't for get to calculate into the equation how much head you will lose because of height of the return and how much flow your overflow will allow when selecting your pump.

[coraline79]

all the higher flow pumps from thesse vendors don't lose a whole lot of head at 4 feet, about 100gph.

[Kristy]

Cool news! What do you plan to put in the new 125g?

[Fish4life]

Kristy is spot on. Your set-up will largely depend on what you intend to keep. Biggest piece of advice i can offer is to say to plan the tank from inside-out. Sounds to me like you might be going lps-softie tank? If you want to do sps and have any success with it, you will need to upgrade lighting and flow to at least 250w and 25-30x turnover, respectively. I would go with mag pumps or eheim. I would also build my own stand (so you can make room for all the upgrades i.e. ca reactor/kalk reactor/phosban reactor). I run a closed loop through an OM SS, i like it but i also run 2 k3's. closeloop intake gets gunked up pretty easy. I turn over about 50x hourly.


hope this helps. good luck. I love settin up new tanks!

cheers,

kurt

[Gilbert]

you should just build your own stand that way you are a 100% sure it secure and you could add shelves to mont power cords and reef supplies. some sumps dont fit in standard stands

[coraline79]

I will be going with some sps, some softies, and some fish. I really wanted this larger tank for the fish, but not for a fish only tank. the 175's are supposed to be great for the depth-18in. I am also going to be running 156 watts of t5, and 192watts actinic pc's. That totals out at 873 watts, or 6.98 watts per gallon. I didn't know I was supposed to cycle the tank that many times an hour. So you are saying I need to pushing 3-4000 gallons per hour?

[coraline79]

Just figured out my lights are Blueline SeaStar pendants, and custome sealife ballast.

[coraline79]

Yesterday I finally ordered my tank as mention in my other post, and today someone finally answered my request for a crappy tank on craigslist. I got a used 55 for 45 bucks. I haven't tested it yet, but the guy said it held water. I guess now i need to get the baffles for the sump. I also am going to try to order the Quiet One 6000, and a 2 little fish guys pho reactor tomorrow or monday. So by next friday, I should have the tank(drilled), the return pump, the lights, the sump, and the reactor. Once I have the tank at home I will frame the stand. Can't wait!!

[coraline79]

OK! I think I have enough stuff to throw some pics up here. I have purchase quite a but of equipment, so I will list the items and follow with some pics. I now only really need my return pump, and to build my stand/canopy.

Items:

125 Long Marineland Tank w/ black silicone
55 Gallon tank converted to sump w/ black silicone
Reef Octopus nw-200(just got it today!)
The 3 175 watt MH's w/ ballasts
6x 16 inch pc lights all actinic
2 Single tek reflector retro t5ho's w/ advanced ballast
110gpd RO/DI unit(installed)
aqua 15watt UV sterilizer
2 Koralia 4's
Auto Top Deluxe High/Low top off
2 Ace Made reactors
1 Ace Made 4 foot Calfo

I am sure some other stuff, but I can't think right now. That is pretty much it though...Now the Pics!!!

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/Aquariums/newtank1.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/Aquariums/CIMG9332.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/Aquariums/CIMG9333.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/Aquariums/CIMG9334.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/Aquariums/CIMG9331.jpg

More to come!

[clone]

looks and sounds like a perty sweet system,what will you be stocking it with?do you have a fish list yet?
that skimmer will do you well,its been working great for me.

[BioCube14]

how much did that water general RO DI setup run you? what does the TDS read?

[coraline79]

looks and sounds like a perty sweet system,what will you be stocking it with?do you have a fish list yet?
that skimmer will do you well,its been working great for me.

I don't have a fish list yet, I am going to transfer a clown and a naso I have from my smaller tank. I am going to do a little sps, and lps. I have one leather i am going to have to move over since it is so large. I really want a lot of swimming area for some larger fish though. I cant wait, but I got about 2 weeks till I can really get moving on the project.

[coraline79]

how much did that water general RO DI setup run you? what does the TDS read?

I bought is part of a package from fish4life. I paid a little over 200 for that, the ato, and the uv sterilizer. The tds reads 6ppm after just the ro filtration, and 2ppm after all filtration.

[clone]

thats cool,im loving the open rock work look right now as well

[coraline79]

thats cool,im loving the open rock work look right now as well

Do you have pics of your tank, I am looking for ideas right now.

[clone]

i do but arent very good pics at all,you realy cant see the depth of the tank so it kindda looks like it all togeather,but if you want to see some that i posted awhile back look in the photo fourm i have some in their

[coraline79]

after I posted, I searched your posts and I remember your build. Very cool!!!

[bimmerzs]

I didn't know I was supposed to cycle the tank that many times an hour. So you are saying I need to pushing 3-4000 gallons per hour?

Just remember that you should not try to get that turnover rate with the return pump or you could run into a serious microbubble issue. You tunze/vortech/closed loop etc., to get your in-tank turnover rates.

Cheers,

[coraline79]

I have made a little progress, and am very close to getting this thing up. I purchased a pump from BigKGlen, an Iwaki 70(awesome deal), so I had to do away with the all tempered glass sump. I ran across the deal of a a lifetime at AD, 2 sumps, all acrylic 55gallons each, one in decent conditiona nd one in close to good condition for 15 bucks!!! They were a little large for my stand(Ace made it !) so I called Ace and he cut them down for me, reinforced them, and fixed some weaknesses on them, for again an unbelieveable deal. I have the stand stained, the back of the tank painted, the overflow installed, and a handful of the bulkheads installed. So here are some pics!!!

Sump
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/Aquariums/CIMG9387-1.jpg
Fuge
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/Aquariums/CIMG9389.jpg
Overflow
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/Aquariums/CIMG9391.jpg
Tank
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/Aquariums/CIMG9392.jpg

[coraline79]

The refugium is going to sit about 6 inches higher than the Sump, and as you can see there are 2 bulkheads(actually one bulkhead and one hole at the moment) installed in the fuge as overflows. They will drain into the sump chamber, and return to the tank via the bulkhead in the rear. I am going to pick up my other bulkheads this week and get to plumbing.

Once I finish plumbing, I am going to test run everything. Once everything is good, I am going to bouild the canopy and mount up all my lights.

[Kristy]

That's pretty much identical to our layout of sump and separate refugium, which sits 6 inches higher and overflows back into the sump. (Ace helped us with our plumbing, so that could be why...) Works like a charm! Have you started plumbing it yet?

[coraline79]

no plumbing yet. I have to get 2 more 1.5 inch bulkheads, and one more 1 inch. Once I have them all, I will plumb this week.

[jrodriguez]

so a 55g would be better with a sump?

[coraline79]

I never thought I would be so happy to spend lots of money on plumbing parts, but here I am, giddy!!! I went to both B&B, and Lowes today, and got 2 great deals!!!

B&B:
I got bulkheads for a super deal at least 3 to 5 bucks off each sticker price

Lowes:CHECK YOUR LOWES FOR THESE AWESOME DEALS!!!!
2" dual union ball valves on CLEARANCE...$8.83 each!!!!!
1 1/4" dual union ball valves on CLEARANCE...$5.53 each!!!!

I went in for 1 1/2", but at $16 a piece the formentioned super deals WILL HAVE TO DO.

PIC's
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9393.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9394.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9395.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9396.jpg

Test Fitting Bulkheads
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9397.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9398.jpg

[coraline79]

I think I should also add that almost everything I have purchased for my tank has been a great deal. Some of the highlights:

2 55 gallon sumps from AD $15 for the pair UNBELIEVEABLE
Ace modifying both sumps for well below what he could have charged me.
Me robbing Ace again for the awesome stand.
BigKglen hooking me up with K4's $30 for the pair if I would go pick up the penductors he bought from Mike. + the Iwaki 70 for $100
Darth with countless good deals+free driveway talk
Free Ace hotline for dumb questions

And the list goes on.

[coraline79]

I am finally seeing things come together! I have the drain plumbing completely mocked in!!! I just finished the last pieces, and I am pleased. I only need to add some metal straps for support once everything is permanently in place.

Next on my list is the return plumbing, but enough jibber jabber, on to the pictures:

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/plumbfront.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/plumbingtopclear.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/uvplumb.jpg
And one final pic to give proportion to my giant 2 inch double union ball valve with my giant head:
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/giantunion.jpg

[coraline79]

A quick rundown on the plumbing:

If you are looking at it from the front the right hand drain is connected directly to the sump with the 2 inch double union valve inline. All the pipe on that drain is 1 1/2". On the right drain I ran 1 1/2" pipe down the back, and the reduced it to 1 1/4". There I put a 4 way cross in with 1 1/4" double union ball valves somewhere on each line; the left side is a drain to the fuge. The center drains to the sump and has a T off of it reduced to 3/4" for the UV sterilizer which is controlled by a 3/4" double union ball valve. The right outlet has a 1/2" barb that I am going to attempt to gravity feed my reactors with. Most likely though it will be my water change drain, and the reactors will be fed by a T off the return line with a ball valve for control.

[coraline79]

Anyone know a cheap place to get locline?

[subsailor]

Looking good man! Need to get that thing filled and running.

[subsailor]

Champion lighting has decent prices on locline

[coraline79]

Looking good man! Need to get that thing filled and running.

I am trying, but my wife is in school right now, and I am taking care of my 15 month old by myself. She makes it very difficult to move on this thing.

Thanks for the skimmer, by the way. I still have to get together the gate valve mod.

[RayAllen]

Looking very good man, excellent job.

[princer7]

Anyone know a cheap place to get locline?

I've ordered through http://www.modularhose.com and was able to get all the pieces needed.

[coraline79]

Thanks for the input guys, and thanks for the comment Ray! I will have more on Sunday most likely.

[RayAllen]

Did you squash your thumb working on the tank? Ive had a coupld of tank injuries, lol.

[coraline79]

actually I was making an ice chest, and I was nailing some tin. got it pretty good!! nail is falling off now.

[ErikH]

Niiiice..... :) Aside from the clean plumbing, I really like that stand. You will have a large water volume, so it should make it easy!

[coraline79]

The stand is all Ace. He gave me a killer deal, and I stained and finished it.

[rotti71]

Impressive to say the very least! Nicely done!

[AdamZC]

The stand is all Ace. He gave me a killer deal, and I stained and finished it.

Ace built a great cabinet that looks like an extension of my hood and stand for my 180. He does great work.

[RayAllen]

Any new progress/pics?

[coraline79]

filled it with water and have it running right now to look for leaks, but no pics.

[coraline79]

Here are the Pics:
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9675.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9677.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9678.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9680.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9679.jpg

I hope yall like it, I sure do!!!! I have a ton of cable management to do, timer installation, Refugium light installation, and media reactor setup, but those things are much easier that getting here.

[coraline79]

I am not sure if you can tell, but I ended up retro fitting 2 175watt metal halides, 4 32watt PC actinics, and 2 54watt T5HO's with individual reflectors. Currently I have a hodge podge of bulbs, but eventallyI am going to replace all t5 and pc bulbs with actinic's and the MH's right now have 10k's, I think 12 will probably get me what I am looking for. I have one nice bulb that I can't find another like. It is a Coralvue 50/50 single ended 175watt 10k. I really want another one of those, but I can't find one online. That gave a bluer look with 10k par.

I have also added the gate valve mod to the Reef Octopus nw200. This is an absolute must for this skimmer.

[RayAllen]

Looking good. Will look especially good once you stain the canopy to match. Are you going to stick with the 2 islands or change it up?

[g-ray]

It is really looking nice!

[coraline79]

Probably going to stick with the 2 islands, but I am going to add some smaller rock at the back between them at some point. I want some big water for the fish to swim in.

[Joshua]

Hey is that home made trim on the top of that stand or do they sell that? I need something thicker like that for mine so that I can cut a groove in it to go over the boards I used for the top of my stand.

[coraline79]

that is a homemade stand, courtesy of Ace. I am going to mimic that trim on the canopy tonight before I sand it down and apply the first coat of stain.

[Joshua]

Yeah I know the stand is, just wondering if he bought the trim or custom made it. Please update with pics of that canopy when you finish!

[hobogato]

i made it joshua.

looks great joe!

[Joshua]

Ah shucks making things harder on m! lol... Thanks for the info.

[coraline79]

Ah shucks making things harder on m! lol... Thanks for the info.


I live in northwest SA(northwest crossing) if you want to come by and take a look at it. Ace showed me how easy it was to make it, and I am going to be duplicating it tonight around 7:30pm for the canopy. Things like that are what intimidated me into getting him to make it for me, but it can be done if you have something to copy.:bigsmile: I copied his technique for the stand on the canopy as far as the decorative framing goes.

[Joshua]

Awesome, yeah I'd love to come by and check it out. I've got everything down except for that trim.

[coraline79]

Yeah I know the stand is, just wondering if he bought the trim or custom made it. Please update with pics of that canopy when you finish!

PM'd you my info.

[subsailor]

starting to come together.....finally.. Good job man.

[coraline79]

starting to come together.....finally.. Good job man.

Emphasis on the finally!!!!!! I started getting things together for this in the beginning of May...hahaha 7 months of laziness. Other guys on here knock what I did out in a weekend.!!!

[coraline79]

I finished the trim on the canopy last night, but I was too tired to find the camera. My neighbors probably hate me for ripping 1x4 at 10pm, but I was too close to stop. Now I just have to sand and stain. I should be able to sand, and apply first coat this evening. I will post pics regardless of how far I get.

The Short list of its left to complete are as follows:

Media reactors setup-already have them together, and also have a MJ900 to push water through them. just need to connect everything.

Setup auto top off deluxe-still need to purchase the 18 gallon tall tank from texas tropic

Need to do some cable management and get timers in place-already purchased.

last but not least-when my battery backup is charged fully-plug up power heads and return pump to it.(APC Smart UPS 700) Once I get new batterys for my APC Smart UPS 1500, I am going to wire the skimmer and all lights minus Metal Halides to it. This shouldsupport thetank for a 2 hour power outage.

[coraline79]

OK. canopy is done!!! first coat of stain is on and it is lookin nice. traded ruben for the small fuge light that fits perfect. Anyway, here are the pics. I am loving it! diatom starting to show and tons of little things starting to grow on the glass.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9754.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9755.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9756.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9757.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/CIMG9758.jpg

[RayAllen]

Very nice!

[jrsatx20]

I'm glad it fit the way u wanted.

[coraline79]

cool! Thanks for the swap Ruben, and thanks for the comment Ray.

[FireWater]

Looks very nice. Feels better and better the closer you get to being finished doesn't it?

[jrsatx20]

looks great. makes me wanna work harder to get mine up n running

[coraline79]

It feels awesome! I havethatfeeling like when I set my 30 up, and I was staring at the rock everyday waiting to see what was going to come out of it, or when it was going to get some purple on it.

[ianmoede]

looks great

[txav8r]

Looking great! Glad its all comming together!

[Nunzy]

Looks great. One idea I did on my canopy that worked great is use some white outside porch paint and paint the inside of the canopy. It helped reflect the light and made cleaning salt creep easier. Just a thought!

[coraline79]

Looks great. One idea I did on my canopy that worked great is use some white outside porch paint and paint the inside of the canopy. It helped reflect the light and made cleaning salt creep easier. Just a thought!

Thanks, but I'm going to install metalic reflective mylar at the advice of ace. The the whole inside is reflective!

[coraline79]

New pics of the tank, and its slow progress. Sorry for the crappy pics, but all i have is a point and click digital camera. I am wrapping up a battle with some hair and the tank is a little dirty, but I saw the camera and thought it was time!!!

Full Tank Shot
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/fulltank.jpg
Devils Hand
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/devil.jpg
Duncans(4 heads)
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/duncans.jpg
My old finger leather laid itself out in this tank it has 4 main trunks that are about 12 inches each
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/finger.jpg
Frogspawn
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/frogspawn.jpg
Zoas
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/greencenter.jpg
More Zoas
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/pinkcenterzoa.jpg
Tank Shot with awesome torch in the background
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/joegen4e/ts1.jpg