Salty build in SA

[Hammerheadz]

What's a new tank build without a build thread... An opportunity to journal the journey; might learn some things along the way from the community and hopefully I won't embarrass myself.

I've set up a few tanks in the last 14 - 15 years. Most in the 90 - 180 gallon range. After a recent move halfway across the country and a full part out of a 200g system I'm at the moment without a display tank and ready to start a new system.

Major factors driving my decision making on this build.
1. Chances are this tank will be taken down, moved and set up again once or twice in the next 5 years; hopefully all locally here in San Antonio. Need to keep size smaller than my norm. Need to be able to disassemble plumbing and set back up with relative ease.
2. Needs to be a quiet system. One of my boys is deaf and wears a hearing aid in one ear and a cochlear implant in the other. White background noise is bad for him and effects what he hears.
3. Don't want a huge power eater system or a system that cost tons to maintain. I'm all about spending the bucks up front on efficient system components and then keep the monthly maintenance cost relatively low.

I know it's all about the pics so will try to be pic heavy...

Frag tank... Corals in waiting... 40g breeder w/ 20g sump

 

[Hammerheadz]

(*EDIT* updated 10/26/16; Much has changed in my plan since this original post. Now updated to current plans...)

Basic Plan

95g Rimless 36L x 26W x 24T tank. 3 sides low iron; ½” glass. Building the tank myself. Local glass shop cutting my glass pieces for me.

36L x 26W x 42T Custom Stand. Building this myself. I’m a general contractor and carpenter by trade so this is all in my wheelhouse. I'm doing a "Beach Bum" finish on this one which I think will look pretty sweet. More on that later.

Trigger Sapphire 34" sump w/ matching 5g ATO tank.

Primary Hardware selections – Have most of this on hand… couple things to order still.

Lighting: 2 x Ecotech Radion XR30W G4 pro w/ RMS mount; 1 Ecotech Radion XR15 pro on refugium
Control: Reefkeeper Elite w/ net, PH, Salinity, Orp probes and ATO (For now... I have it already; Apex switch down the road possible); Reeflink will control all lighting and pumps
Flow: 2 x Ecotech MP40’s
Return: Ecotech Vectra M1 DC pump
Skimmer: undecided; Modified G4 ASM at start till I make a decision
Overflow: Synergy Shadow
Reactors: 3 x modified media reactors
Dosers: 2 x BRS Dosing pumps with 2 x 2.5L Bubble Magus tanks
Heaters: 3 x 300w FINNEX deluxe titanium heaters
Chiller: 1/3 HP JBJ Chiller

 

[Hammerheadz]

3 bills at Home Depot and I'm ready to start on the stand

 

[Hammerheadz]

Framed up the stand

 

[Hammerheadz]

Here's the Beach Bum look I'll be looking to recreate with this stand...

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Looking forward to the build!! I really like the beach bum look!!

 

[Hammerheadz]

REALLY SLOW.... but still happening.

Skinned frame with 3/4" ply and did some bondo work for a smooth clean looking finish.

 

[Hammerheadz]

Ready to get it trimmed out...

 

[Hammerheadz]

Now that I've got it trimmed out and primed I can see all the little imperfections in the wood and finish. Gonna do another round of finishing work on the wood and trim and then do a final primer coat.

 

[Hammerheadz]

Got my colors selected for the different layers of the finish...

 

[Hammerheadz]

Some changes from the original plan.

The biggest change is that I purchased the 50 Fusion Lagoon Innovative Marine Aquarium from BRS this week. Should get it in a week or two. Decided to not do the 80 rimless and custom sump.

Looking forward to my rock and sand that's being delivered on Thursday.

Have 2 x 20 pound bags of Fiji Pink Arag-Alive Reef sand coming; will probably not use all of it in the tank.

Also have 55 pounds of the Reef Project Rock 2.1 - Walt Smith rock coming.; I've never used it before but I've been hearing good things and I'm looking forward to using it on this build. I probably will not be using all of this as well but wanted to have some extra pieces to work with.

Final thing I have arriving this week is a few of the MarinePure ceramic Biomedia plates both in the 4" thick and 1" thick versions; will be using some in the sump and I'm going to experiment with using the 1" versions as bases for my aquascaping.

I've got a 100g rubbermaid stock tank filling up now with RO/DI so I can start cycling the rock, bioplates and sand as soon as it arrives Thursday.

 

[Hammerheadz]

Picked up some Polycarbonate rods and super glue gel for the aquascaping.

 

[Hammerheadz]

About 30-40 Gallons of RODI made up so far. Another 20 or 30 then I'm mixing salt. Rock and Live sand due to arrive by end of day today.

This is the tank I'm using to get some cycling going. 100 Gallon stock tank.

Also this rack is the future home of my QT tank and some frag grow out tanks.

 

[Hammerheadz]

Salt, sand and rock have arrived...

 

[Hammerheadz]

Let's see what we've got...

 

[Hammerheadz]

Really happy with the selection of rock. Some great looking pieces.

 

[blesk]

nice .

 

[Hammerheadz]

nice .

Thanks blesk...

I got 150 pounds of sand and the 55 pounds off rock in the 100 gallon stock tank last night. Ran a skimmer and filter sock on it for a few hours to clear everything up.

As of this morning it's looking crystal clear with dead on temp, salinity and PH. Hit the tank with a full bottle of Bio-Spira to get things going. The cycle begins...

 

[blesk]

Any pics of the setup please.

 

[Hammerheadz]

Any pics of the setup please.

Tank hasn't been delivered yet. Expecting it this next week. I'm in no hurry though. Also still waiting on my bio ceramic plates. Going to give all of this rock, sand and ceramic plates a solid cycle before I aquascape the lagoon.

Some coral pics from the frag tank...