Lance A. Lot's Basement Build

[Lance A. Lot]

I would say that this is mostly about my 180 display tank but, a lot of activity has been happening with my 75 gallon tank lately. Both of these tanks are connected through a shared sump. I started this build about a month after buying my first house. I guess plans for a larger tank were in the making while I was finding a house to begin with. I crossed several houses off the list because they didn't have the right space for a large tank.

This is my local club members helping me move the 180 all half inch glass tank to the basement.

I didn't even have to do much.

I even had help moving the stand down the stairs.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

The space where I demolished an old bar and took out a wall to put the tank

 

[Lance A. Lot]

This is my favorite picture from building my tank. Every time I explain how big the tank is I show this picture.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

If you want to see all the details about cutting out the internal overflow, plugging the holes, building an external overflow box, drilling new holes, and a lot of other details they are all on my build thread on the other popular reefing page under the same name. I am just trying to get this one up to speed.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

One of my more intuitive methods of leveling the tank. Two racing jacks and a couple of 2x4's. Before all of this I had to take a jack hammer to the floor and try my best to level out all the bumps.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Made the stand a little nicer.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

frame work around the front side of the tank.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

I found this old laundry drying rack in the basement when I moved in. I decided to "upcycle" it and make it a retractable lighting rack. It now holds 3 kessil A360We, a reefbright fixture, and a 2 bulb T-5 fixture.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

I built my own sump under the stand so I didn't have to try and fit it through the stand legs. The sump holds about 60 gallons full but normally may only have 35-40 gallons in it. The big mistake I made in this design was only drilling one hole for a 1.5 inch outlet. I should have drilled 2. I have a really powerful return pump that will overwhelm the plumbing from the glass sump to the 100 gallon horse trough next to it.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Started working on the aquascape:

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Had a visitor drop in and knock a bunch of rocks over.

He somehow found his way into the HVAC crevice above my tank and fell in. Later discovered an opening to it from under my front porch where a hole was cut to allow the sump pump line out. This opening under the porch was filled in with concrete. No more visitors have dropped in since this incident.

Don't worry I preformed a catch and release in a field about 2 miles away.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Getting some external work done.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Built a mixing station and put in a slop sink.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

added a little flair to the outside with some granite.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

built a nice step in the back so I can get in the tank and work a lot easier.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Did a do over on my return plumbing because it wasn't very good. Came out looking like this... A little happier with this.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Added some under tank lighting so I could see what I was doing back there. It gives you an idea of what my layout is.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Changed up the aquascape since being knocked around by a baby possum. Also cut some black acrylic to hid the outline of the external overflow box.

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Built some screen tops

 

[Lance A. Lot]

Made cord and apex stuff prettier...