80 gallon Deep Blue Rimless Edge build

[nanokeeper]

Hello everyone. I’ve always enjoyed the built threads here so I thought I would share the setup process of my new tank. Here is a little story of how I got to this point in the hobby. For the last two years I’ve had my livestock in my old 40 breeder sump on the floor in my dining room.
[URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/0BFA342A-CBA7-4FC2-B21B-1533AE1026EE-3395-00000409A3D997BA_zps42f271a5.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/0BFA342A-CBA7-4FC2-B21B-1533AE1026EE-3395-00000409A3D997BA_zps42f271a5.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
Before that I had a SPS dominated 90 gallon setup for about 4 years. I broke it down due to lack of time and only kept my favorite livestock and put them in the sump. With the 90 I always hated working with the height of the tank and stand combined.
I almost sold the stand with the tank because of the 18†front to back width, but when the time came to do it I couldn’t because of sentimental value. My Dad and I built the stand together about 10 years ago. I was new to the hobby back then and didn’t realize when we built it that I would always regret not building the stand to accommodate a 24†wide tank. We built the stand to have sides that connected to the hood and covered the corner overflow and because of that design I couldn’t modify the stand to accommodate a 24†tank.
I originally had the 90 gallon setup in Florida and then broke it down when we moved to North Carolina. It didn’t take long for me to get the itch again and set it up here in NC. Here is a picture of what the 90 gallon used to look like.
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/IMG_0570.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/IMG_0570.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
I’ve always wanted a shallow rimless tank that was 48â€x24†with the light hung above it. That look has always looked so clean to me. A few months ago I realized that if I cut the sides off and put a piece of wide granite on top that I would be able to have a 24†wide tank. The night that I had the idea about it I jumped on Craig’s list and found a perfect piece of granite that already the correct size. It only needed the ends polished and it was good to go. It even has some green in it that matches the color of the walls in my office. Here’s how the transition went.
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/8C5D6AF7-7256-4599-876F-A8A38015BC0D-1155-0000012EBDA491B9_zps0a6dc075.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/8C5D6AF7-7256-4599-876F-A8A38015BC0D-1155-0000012EBDA491B9_zps0a6dc075.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/E0997E08-9859-4F63-9BD0-0A2B4DF0EB3D-1155-0000012EC86601E5_zps99c09e05.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/E0997E08-9859-4F63-9BD0-0A2B4DF0EB3D-1155-0000012EC86601E5_zps99c09e05.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/F80FFAFD-E81F-482B-8C7B-384BB1CE28CE-1155-0000012EAF2F2149_zps413ae54d.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/F80FFAFD-E81F-482B-8C7B-384BB1CE28CE-1155-0000012EAF2F2149_zps413ae54d.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/D3FA3303-155D-42B8-98EC-4F1D275BDEE4-1155-0000012ED513052F_zpsa0584ba1.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/D3FA3303-155D-42B8-98EC-4F1D275BDEE4-1155-0000012ED513052F_zpsa0584ba1.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]

I travel for work now so I thought that I would just put a small tank on the stand to keep maintenance low. I bought a 45 gallon Marineland cube and transferred the livestock from the sump to the new tank. As soon as it was set up I realized that I had made a mistake. The tank was taller than I wanted and was already too full.
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/859393DD-2B0E-443E-B45B-7BFA07EE6574-1155-0000012E18346B94_zps9fb2d91d.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/859393DD-2B0E-443E-B45B-7BFA07EE6574-1155-0000012E18346B94_zps9fb2d91d.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/AAC67790-276F-4FA2-9BD4-43229E3AFC01-5419-0000063F73CDBEC7_zps2e988e6b.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/AAC67790-276F-4FA2-9BD4-43229E3AFC01-5419-0000063F73CDBEC7_zps2e988e6b.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
I mulled it over for a few days and then decided to pull the trigger on an 80 gallon Deep Blue Edge with the Opti-White front glass panel. It’s a beautiful tank and the size/design that I’ve wanted for about 6 years now.
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/FA1A73AF-5979-4EDB-A2FF-E62C8388B7AE-1155-0000012BB1D8B7EE_zps6cf013a4.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/FA1A73AF-5979-4EDB-A2FF-E62C8388B7AE-1155-0000012BB1D8B7EE_zps6cf013a4.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/EDE49031-FA98-48FE-8293-DDBDDFEE2B3B-1155-0000012B87C21317_zpsbdf86747.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/EDE49031-FA98-48FE-8293-DDBDDFEE2B3B-1155-0000012B87C21317_zpsbdf86747.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]

One of the problems that I have with the tank sitting on the granite is that the tank has to be drilled out of the back. As soon as I got the new 80 gallon home, I immediately drilled two 1†holes out of the back to accommodate a Herbie over flow design and silicone some pieces of acrylic over the existing holes top and bottom. I was very nervous to drill holes in a brand new tank, but it was my only option.
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/A47904B4-38D2-4B5D-9611-9CD382D1097B-1155-0000012B9AA23233_zpsec173d3a.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/A47904B4-38D2-4B5D-9611-9CD382D1097B-1155-0000012B9AA23233_zpsec173d3a.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/9BE51D84-EF2F-40A9-A2F4-8B5651DB4C9C-1155-0000012BA1A261D4_zpse8a03c3f.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/9BE51D84-EF2F-40A9-A2F4-8B5651DB4C9C-1155-0000012BA1A261D4_zpse8a03c3f.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
I’m currently making saltwater and will be setting up the tank and transferring the livestock in the next few days. Here are some pictures of the sump. The 40 gallon breeder was always a little too big for me to fit a top off tank in the stand so this time I siliconed in some glass baffles on the left of the sump to make that a top off section. It holds about 15 gallons which should last about 2 weeks. I bought a weather resistant LED light to put over the chaeto and it has exploded in size in the last two weeks.
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/1808A4C8-E0BB-4CF9-9B8C-0F080956DC1F-1155-0000012BC5338D5E_zpse6534958.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/1808A4C8-E0BB-4CF9-9B8C-0F080956DC1F-1155-0000012BC5338D5E_zpse6534958.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
[IMG][URL="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/623FB2C5-68CD-4134-8D58-A3CC5FFC3D87-1155-0000012BB99128F0_zpsb646471b.jpg%5b/IMG"]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk273/pthunell/623FB2C5-68CD-4134-8D58-A3CC5FFC3D87-1155-0000012BB99128F0_zpsb646471b.jpg[/IMG[/URL]]
I’ll update as soon as the tank is setup. There will be an almost brand new 45 gallon cube for sale next week. ;-)

 

[nanokeeper]

Well that didn't work right. How can I edit the page to fix the pics??

 

[nanokeeper]

Here’s the switch over that I did this weekend. I’ve decided that I’m not happy with the sea swirl so I will be getting rid of that for a controllable Tunze 6095 nanostream. The lights are temporary until I figure out what route I want to go. I have a 250 Phoenix halide pendant that I may use supplemented by some royal blue LEDs. Or I may just go full LED. Not sure yet.

 

[MarvinsReef]

following...

 

[Irish-corals]

wow looking good

 

[nanokeeper]

wow looking good

following...

Thank you both. I wish I could edit the first post to fix the pictures. I accidentally clicked Submit instead of preview.

 

[LILBUDDHA]

Uh Oh . Someone has more room for new additions . LOL
Super job on the stand . Granite gives it the PRIMO touch .
I like sea swirls but using one on a rimless can be distracting to the eye .
It"s still not too late to use the over flow return . Ur off to a good start ..

 

[nanokeeper]

Uh Oh . Someone has more room for new additions . LOL
Super job on the stand . Granite gives it the PRIMO touch .
I like sea swirls but using one on a rimless can be distracting to the eye .
It"s still not too late to use the over flow return . Ur off to a good start ..

Thanks P! I'm running the Herbie method with two drains so the over flow return is out. I do hate to mess up the clean look of the rimless, but I'll just put a small elbow in place of the sea swirl and call it a day.

 

[skinz78]

That's a sweet looking tank, I look forward to the updates!

 

[creefer]

Following.....

I really like the 48 x 24 footprint. My next tank will be close to these dimensions. I look foward to seeing what you do with it.

 

[nanokeeper]

That's a sweet looking tank, I look forward to the updates!

Following.....

I really like the 48 x 24 footprint. My next tank will be close to these dimensions. I look foward to seeing what you do with it.

Thank you both. I've wanted a tank of this dimension for about 8 years so I understand. I need to figure out what lights I'm going to go with. Right now I'm running the 24" LED/T5 DIY hybrid that I was using on the 40 breeder and it's not enough obviously.

 

[nanokeeper]

Overdue update

Finally got my lighting figured out. Picked up an ATI Sunpower and a Reefbrite strip. Mounted them last night.

 

[jcdeng]

nice looking tank, love the clean look of the ati with reefbrite. Did you drill into the light fixture to attach the reefbrite? Also, why not use ecotech pumps? they give a even cleaner look inside the tank.

 

[creefer]

Nice work, nanokeeper! Looks great. I've been considering adding some reefbrites to my ATI as well. Love the ATI by the way. I have a 6 x 39W sunpower and it really pumps out the light.

 

[nanokeeper]

nice looking tank, love the clean look of the ati with reefbrite. Did you drill into the light fixture to attach the reefbrite? Also, why not use ecotech pumps? they give a even cleaner look inside the tank.

The ATI has holes that line up almost perfectly with the brackets on the reefbrite so no need to drill the ATI. There are a few reasons why I don't use Ecotech pumps because I have in the past. The main one is that I think they are overpriced for their reliability. I also have this tank in my office and need it completely quiet so the noise factor is an issue. I've used Tunzes for years and never had a pump break. They are bullet proof and will always get my money, even if they are a bit of an eye sore.

Nice work, nanokeeper! Looks great. I've been considering adding some reefbrites to my ATI as well. Love the ATI by the way. I have a 6 x 39W sunpower and it really pumps out the light.

Thank you very much. It took me a long time to decide on lighting and I'm happy with my decision. I plan to add another reefbrite to the back of the ATI as I add more corals and they grow in.

 

[LILBUDDHA]

The ATI has holes that line up almost perfectly with the brackets on the reefbrite so no need to drill the ATI. There are a few reasons why I don't use Ecotech pumps because I have in the past. The main one is that I think they are overpriced for their reliability. I also have this tank in my office and need it completely quiet so the noise factor is an issue. I've used Tunzes for years and never had a pump break. They are bullet proof and will always get my money, even if they are a bit of an eye sore.




Agreed ... For that kind of money, u would think they could make it quiet ... LOL
Glad to see the update . Thought u got lost in the mix somewhere . What color is the reefbrite ?
I would rather use a white/blue for more shimmer but some ppl like the pop the blue gives ya ... ??

 

[nanokeeper]

The ATI has holes that line up almost perfectly with the brackets on the reefbrite so no need to drill the ATI. There are a few reasons why I don't use Ecotech pumps because I have in the past. The main one is that I think they are overpriced for their reliability. I also have this tank in my office and need it completely quiet so the noise factor is an issue. I've used Tunzes for years and never had a pump break. They are bullet proof and will always get my money, even if they are a bit of an eye sore.




Agreed ... For that kind of money, u would think they could make it quiet ... LOL
Glad to see the update . Thought u got lost in the mix somewhere . What color is the reefbrite ?
I would rather use a white/blue for more shimmer but some ppl like the pop the blue gives ya ... ??

Hey P. I'm still hanging on to this crazy hobby. I think I've finally got a tank that I plan to keep for a while.

Regarding the Reefbrite I bought the RB this time. I agree with you and I plan to get the mixed white/RB next and mount it to the back of the ATI. That should give a nice mix of T5s and LEDs.

Thanks for posting. I need to check out your thread again.

 

[LILBUDDHA]

Pete...where r u ?

 

[nanokeeper]

Pete...where r u ?

All over the place man. Had company at the house for a week, then I've been out of town for the last two weeks for work. New job is keeping me busy. I'll have to update this thread with some pics when I get back so that it doesn't die........

 

[nanokeeper]

Long over due update. Picked up some corals and a few pics of the existing ones.