My First build Thread....

Watevadog5 · Sep 30, 2015

Well, like many of you guys and girls I have always looked at others tanks and said " Hey, why don't I do my own thread?" Well guess what? I decided to go for it, sure it may not be as nice as some others but we're all in this hobby to take criticism and improve right? It will probably be a slow go, as I think Im close to 2 months from the very first step to where I am now. I will include as many picture as possible as I know I myself love to see the steps it takes to get to where we are. Ill start off with my background.. Little over a year in the hobby. Had a 30L planted freshwater tank for many years and finally caved into saltwater. Very first tank was a 36G bow front with a HOB filter, and 1 set of Evergrow D120 LEDS. Don't even recall having a power head now that I think about it. Quickly got my hands on a 46 bow front and with that I have a HOB skimmer, HOB TLF phosban reactor and a WP25 for flow ( kept the LEDS even with some minor shadowing on the sides). Again nothing crazy as I didn't really understand as much as I do now. So a few months back a friend asks me if I want his old 90G acrylic tank and that's how it all started. With this upgrade I learned a ton about plumbing, mostly from fellow members on a different site. I am going with a ADHI 45 gallon sump, First chamber will house my skimmer which i decided on a Reef Octopus INT 150. Second chamber will most likely be a DSB along with some rock and cheato. Lastly I decided to go with the Jebao DC6000 internal return pump. I am also going to keep the TLF reactor. Thinking about upgrading to a dual reactor and running carbon and gfo but as of now just the gfo. For flow I just ordered 2 RW4's and as back up have the WP25. This was my first "real" build, so please all input is welcome, even if im doing something totally wrong. As of the time of this post, I have the stand complete, the tank level and plumbing all done. Just added the sand ( went black, hoping I like it) have about 10-15 gallons of water in the tank, as I am mixing more as I type. Aquascaping will be done shortly and then its on to the cycle. I will be adding a few pieces of rock from my established tank to help it along.

Watevadog5 · Sep 30, 2015

I bought a stand steel stand for the tank and decided to build this cover up. Pretty simple. 2x4's plywood and the facing is actually closeout flooring panels. I have tons of felt on the bottom to help it slide out. I have been thinking about making one side detachable but ill see how much of pain it is when it comes time for maintenance.

Watevadog5 · Sep 30, 2015

Watevadog5 · Sep 30, 2015

Drains are 1.5 and return is .5 put ball valves and unions on both lines as a precaution. I forgot to mention that the previous set up has a 2.5 foot spray bar hooked up to the inside part of the bulkhead on the return for added flow. Will post pictures when I get a chance.

Martyd · Sep 30, 2015

You may want to consider sealing the plywood in your stand. I'm not sure how it will react in a damp environment.

Watevadog5 · Sep 30, 2015

good idea... will be easy enough since I can slide the cover out.

Watevadog5 · Oct 1, 2015

just some quick pics of the pre-lim aquascape..

Watevadog5 · Oct 2, 2015

Woke up and decided I hate the scape. Going to re do it today.. Hopefully....

Watevadog5 · Oct 4, 2015

Some new toys... Anyone have these? Wondering if i should have each run on wave mode for 12 hours or try the master slave mode....

Watevadog5 · Oct 4, 2015

what do you guys think? Forget rock on right of pic.... Just the two islands. One to the left is a bit pushed back for a little dimension... Input??

Daniel@R2R · Oct 7, 2015

I like it! Following!

143MPCo · Oct 7, 2015

really like the look of the cabinet, nice job!

Daniel@R2R · Oct 7, 2015

I run the RW-12's on my 120. I have them in master/slave mode. I recommend whatever you set them on, link them up so it's easy controlling them together.

Watevadog5 · Oct 14, 2015

So I guess just a quick update.... finally made all the water I would need, got my water level in the sump where I wanted it and then of course I noticed the tiniest of leaks in my return bulkhead. shut every think down. put some silicon around the drip. I have a heater in tank and sump with flow going so not going to lose any time on the cycle. I am using rock that has been dead for months if not a full year. I have a few pieces of rock from my current tank with no corals on them that I will eventually put into the new tank to help it along. I have read different things when it comes to me getting a rise in phosphates using the dead rock... really not sure what to believe. currently have the API test kit for the 4 basics... going to be grabbing a red sea to check for cal mag phos etc... never in a million years did I think this build would take as long as it has. any info on the rocks leeching po4 would be greatly appreciated... moral support as well!!

Lord_Spice · Oct 14, 2015

Really like the stand very neat idea with the floor boards!

Watevadog5 · Oct 15, 2015

Finally got everything up and running. Guess what? Question time!!! I have a bit of a gurgling noise from my drain pipe... I think I have read drilling a small air hole in the top of the 90 that's right off the bulkhead would help.... Am I making this up or am I right? Also I'm thinking I may need to add water to the display as the level is halfway up the bulkhead... Ideas? Suggestions??

Watevadog5 · Nov 22, 2015

So obviously no updates in quite a while.... I think I have had every little thing possibly go wrong. Biggest issue was once the 90 was filled I noticed bowing in front and back as well as salt creep on a seam in the front ( tank was used by a buddy, strongly doubt he knew of the issues ) . I was looking at the tank just imagining it exploding in front of me and 90 gallons of water on my hard wood floor. Decided to scrap it, have half of it rained, all my rock is in a pail with a heater and power head so I wont be too far behind. I just picked up a 90 gallon Marineland with corner overflow. Now I will have to modify my stand. Anyone have the same tank? Any hints or tips I should consider when plumbing? Really hoping to have everything set up by Dec 1. I have tons of pictures, so don't worry!!