My 125 gallon from 75 gallon upgrade build

[Samsquanch]

After 2 years running my 75 gallon mixed reef I've upgraded.

I got this beautiful tank with the stand and canopy from a LFS

I painted the back with black enamel paint, I didn't paint the over flows just for ease of maintenance down the road and if I ever have to fish anyone out of the back

I decided on the Tigger System CR-44 sump for my build. Im very happy with the build quality and sump layout. Tigger packaging was also some of the best I've seen.

Plumbing was next. There was a couple things I learned plumbing my 75 that I wanted to change on the new tank. I had a 3 port manifold on my return on the 75 gallon that I never used. On the 125, even though I'm gonna eventually run a calcium reactor im not taking up space adding a manifold to this build. The biggest thing I wanted to do was add soft plumbing between my bulkheads and the hard plumbing. If I bump the plumbing in my 75 it causes the bulk heads to drip occasionally, on the new tank with the soft plumbing I can put alot of force on the plumbing without it causing stress to the bulkheads. I also added soft plumbing between the pumps and hard plumbing to reduce vibration.

Useing kits from Home Depot i put together screen tops

All pushed into position and ready for water

Im hoping to have the tank ready to start moving everything over in the next 2 to 3 weeks. Im not in a huge hurry and I dont want to risk anything in the move. I'll be updating again after I have some more progress.

 

[Zach B]

Very nice! Looks like an awesome upgrade

 

[Samsquanch]

Very nice! Looks like an awesome upgrade

Thank you!

 

[Samsquanch]

I've made alot of head way on my 125 upgrade, the tanknis now up and running and I've moved everything over from the 75.

4 bags or caribsea sand and about 40 pounds of dry rock

I had 2 Kessil a360x's over the tank but I wanted to go hybrid and run T5's. I installed a 2 bulb 80w T5 retrofit kit on the canopy to supplement the Kesssel's.

Once the temperature and salinity were correct i stared moving rubble out of the sump to start seeding the new tank. Throughout the week everyday I'd move over more and more. After I started seeing copepods on the glass I went for it and moved the whole tank over, It took all day to move all the rock, live stock and equipment.

As of 1/24/21 my new 125 gallon mixed reef is up and running. I'd never call this complete but as for major work the tank is done. Im not in a hurry but I want to buy another Kessil to get complete coverage over the whole tank, maybe with the money from selling my old tank I'll buy one.

 

[Smokeshow]

Very nice. I'm also about to upgrade my 75 to a 125. Only issue is my 125 is currently home to 2 fw oscars and some firemouth cichlids. Doing a double tear down and clean and swapping them.

 

[P-Dub]

Looking good!

 

[Buckster]

Doesn't it feel awesome to upgrade!

 

[guntercb]

Great job! Your plumbing looks professional. Keep up the good work.

 

[Samsquanch]

Great job! Your plumbing looks professional. Keep up the good work.

Thank you very much. My plumbing was so delicate in my last build, if I bumped something it would make a bulkhead drip water. I went all out this time and made sure everything was out of the way and very sturdy

 

[Samsquanch]

I've done a lot of work over the last 2 months.

I traded my old tank, sump and stand for coral! 19 pieces mixed between acro's to zoas

Im not going to say I finished my lighting because I'm planning on adding 2 more 80w T5's. I did how ever add my last Kessil a360x.

I added a automatic feeder and a food mixer that I made with my 3D printer and PVC

I dont wanna hear about the cable's, it's out of the way of water and I know where everything is lol.

I added 4 dosing pumps, im currently dosing Aquaforest 3 part CAL ALK MAG daily and Acropower 3 day a week

I took the plunge, I got a Apex! With the Apex I also got a Trident. So far I really like having the system, the Trident is really nice to have multiple tests being run daily. Eventually I want to get some leak detectors and maybe the auto top off kit.

 

[Samsquanch]

4/8/21 Took advantage of a Easter sale at WWC lol

Playing with my phone trying to get some better pictures than my Polyp labs clip-on filter. I like the way the blues still show vs the orange tint.
Samsung Note 10 Pro mode

Polyp Labs clip-on filter

 

[Samsquanch]

It's is now a double build thread! I tore down my old 55 gallon planted tank. I'm turning it in to a display refugium. The plan is to have it planted with sea grass and feather Caulerpa as well as moving Kenya tree and some gorg's over. I have a file fish that started eating zoas that's gonna live there and may eventually try getting a pair of sea horses, my girlfriend is always asking me to get some.

A added bonus to doing this is I was about to hide my ATO reservoir under the refugium stand

The 55 is tempered glass, im going to replace a side panel with one that's drilled for the over flow and return. Im also going to re-seal it with black silicone to make my display.