120g Craigslist tank restoration

Finally, I found a 120g for a used price $200.
She’s the ugliest most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on. I’m going to strip the two overflows, add a ghost overflow and oh so much more to get this one wet again. I decided to put my money towards reputable equipment, instead of the glass box. (Good timing considering frameless tanks are losing fashion, dang you Red Sea.)
My previous tank was a cadlight 60g and just a frameless beauty. That tank grew coral but limped by with basic equipment. (Lighting,Powerheads, manually dosing) Time to flourish and establish a low maintenance 120g for this reefer.


Today’s 120g specs!

Filtration
-6 stage RODI by Brs
-Skimmer Q3 DC by aquamaxx
-Avast marine spyglass reactor
-2 gallons of marine pure bio spheres
-bio pellets by ecobak
-Distilled Vinegar 30ml/day
-2 marine pure plates
-1 marine pure block
-1 xport Brick seeded with mb7 by brightwell
-1 liter of matrix by seachem
-aquascape made of pukani,staxx,fiji,caribsea
-Brs black media reactor
-Rox.8 Carbon daily
-Gfo by kolar labs

Supplements
- Alk,Ca,mag by ESV dosed hourly by KamoerRemote F4pro
-Fuel by seachem 20ml/daily

Equipment
-2 Hydra 32s by AI
-2 XF 350s by maxpect
-1 Return pump DCP15000 by Jebao

Plumbing
-1 modular marine overflow Bean animal with 1 1/4” drains
-2 returns 1 1/2 inches
-1 manifold powering 3 reactors and main return

Fish food
- Nori, LRS herbivoreLRS fish frenzy,krill,mysis,squid,brine shrimp,golden pearls,cyclops,calanus

Previous filtration methods no longer in use
-diy algae scrubber
-Gfo by rowaphos when needed
-co2 scrubber
-filter floss
-skimmer sn-143qp by skimZ
-High capacity GFO by BRS
-AF1 by aquamaxx
-nopox by Red Sea

Stocking list
-Hippo Tang
-Yellow Tang
-Tomini Tang
-Blunthead Wrasse
-Puddingwife Wrasse
-Canary Blenny
-Twinspot blenny
-Royal Gramma
-Mono
-Lyretail Anthias
-Blue Chromis
-Pair of Ocellaris Clowns
-Lamarck Angel
-Melanurus wrasse
margarita,trochus,Nass,Cerith
-Pencil & Pincushion Urchin

Here is how it looks now! 8/2022

Dual LowBoy Frag Build starts here pg. 34-

Build Thread - 120g Craigslist tank restoration

Finally, I found a 120g for a used price $200. She’s the ugliest most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on. I’m going to strip the two overflows, add a ghost overflow and oh so much more to get this one wet again. I decided to put my money towards reputable equipment, instead of the glass...

www.reef2reef.com

DIY stand- https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-stand-first-timer.681397/

Previous build thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/setting-up-new-60g-cube.335836/

 

[NowGlazeIT]

My friend hauled back a 125g acrylic for me for about $200. I spent almost 2 weeks just polishing it, it was way too much work but I am glad it did come out pretty good. However, I would have spend a bit more money on a better used or new one. Never again! But congrats on your newly aquired tank and keep us posted.

Thank you and your right. There is definitely a line between saving money and time and labor. This will be more fun then labor for me, but when I built my algae scrubber I regretted not buying one. I’m still not done painting that algae scrubber and I’ve tried 3 times to get it right now. Scraping off the paint each time;Blackeye

 

[JasonK84]

I got this 120 with stand, canopy, and wet dry sump for $225. Haven’t got it up and running yet but had to jump on the deal. Debating if I want to keep it or flip it now though. Leak tested already and mostly cleaned up. If I do keep it I’ll probably go ahead and redo the silicon.
Stand and canopy is made of 3/4” solid oak

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I got this 120 with stand, canopy, and wet dry sump for $225. Haven’t got it up and running yet but had to jump on the deal. Debating if I want to keep it or flip it now though. Leak tested already and mostly cleaned up. If I do keep it I’ll probably go ahead and redo the silicon.
Stand and canopy is made of 3/4” solid oak

Score!!!

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Nice wood work I would keep the canopy at least haha

 

[JasonK84]

Score!!!

Most definitely! I know what the cost of a new 120 with stand and canopy is because end of 2018 I bought one. Here’s my Planet Aquarium. Tank, stand, canopy, and glass tops cost just over $2,700.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Thank you and your right. There is definitely a line between saving money and time and labor. This will be more fun then labor for me, but when I built my algae scrubber I regretted not buying one. I’m still not done painting that algae scrubber and I’ve tried 3 times to get it right now. Scraping off the paint each time;Blackeye

Glad you enjoying it and that’s all it matters!

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Woke up this morning with a slight doubt about the back wall not being tempered.

Doubt remover!

 

[Bills beginning]

What type of tool is that you used to remove the overflow? Looks easier to use than just a razor blade.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

What type of tool is that you used to remove the overflow? Looks easier to use than just a razor blade.

That’s called a pipe knife. I use this to cut caulking from windows when replacing old framing.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

If you just run some black paint over the back it should blend in fine. Even if there is a slight difference you won’t be able to tell once it’s covered in coralline.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

If you just run some black paint over the back it should blend in fine. Even if there is a slight difference you won’t be able to tell once it’s covered in coralline.

Hahah good point dude thanks!

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I got everything cleaned off and ready for caulking

Then I went ahead and roughed up the glass with some 80 grit for better adherence

then nice and heavy with the RTV

 

[NowGlazeIT]

After cleaning the inside I noticed one of the caulk joints failed to adhere partially

I used a shin to get a straight edge cut and then I’ll clean off any old residue and re caulk

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Update

I used the acrylic sump that came with the tank purchase to design the baffles

Made a chamber to hold filter floss

Built a mini stand for my ATO to sit on and hide my wires

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Modular marine 1800 overflow arrived today

Even came with instructions, how bout thaha

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Gotta love those tax returns haha

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Got some plumbing done on the returns last night

I got these from @Dierks now I got some screens to build

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Screens with 3D print doors/cord cut outs, curtesy of @Dierks. Thanks dude, these worked out perfectly.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I ordered some glass online to build the sump. Came in good shape. I will order from this company again $8 a square foot for 1/4

Everything is tempered but the side panels