Tony's Innovative Marine 200EXT Build

[QuickrdenU]

I like the deskmate tank you have!!

Thanks. They’ve been helping by allowing me to practice everything on a smaller scale. Both of them cycled in about 12 days with Dr. Tim’s and I learned what type of epoxy not to use! Haha. Just waiting on some little quarantined fish and pods to get here so the tanks can mature a bit before I grab some coral and inverts.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Thanks. They’ve been helping by allowing me to practice everything on a smaller scale. Both of them cycled in about 12 days with Dr. Tim’s and I learned what type of epoxy not to use! Haha. Just waiting on some little quarantined fish and pods to get here so they can mature a bit before I grab some coral and inverts.

Oh, that didn't take long to set up!! I've been looking at them recently, might get one later on down the road once I have more space in my apartment haha

 

[QuickrdenU]

I keep about 3" between wall and rock. Front, back, sides. I have a tunze mag scraper and it's sizable.
I like to look down the back from the side of the tank sometimes. If you scape it right, there's always something to look at from every angle.

Yeah that’s kinda what I was thinking. I don’t want to have any issues not being able to access spots around the tank, either with the scraper or a siphon.

I’m more nervous about building the scape than I should be because I hate wasting money and I’m a bit of a perfectionist to a certain extent. But I think I’ve done all I can to prepare. I’m even going to try making some foundation rock using carbide blades on the hacksaw, sawzaw, and grinder…

I’ll probably go half way up the height of the tank and possibly more in areas. I think I’d rather have a better home for the fish than tons of room for eventual sps. But we’ll see. Might end up with a rock wall…

 

[Dburr1014]

Yeah that’s kinda what I was thinking. I don’t want to have any issues not being able to access spots around the tank, either with the scraper or a siphon.

I’m more nervous about building the scape than I should be because I hate wasting money and I’m a bit of a perfectionist to a certain extent. But I think I’ve done all I can to prepare. I’m even going to try making some foundation rock using carbide blades on the hacksaw, sawzaw, and grinder…

I’ll probably go half way up the height of the tank and possibly more in areas. I think I’d rather have a better home for the fish than tons of room for eventual sps. But we’ll see. Might end up with a rock wall…

Escaping is hard sometimes. I have a vision but it never comes reality when gluing. There's a thread on r2r about a scaping and the 1/3 rule. It's a good read with lots of ideas.

 

[QuickrdenU]

200lbs of Marco Rock

 

[Dburr1014]

Check this out before you do anything.

 

[QuickrdenU]

Check this out before you do anything.

Thanks!

It is so tempting to just stack the rocks up and let it ride. But these rocks are huge. I have to start breaking them up.

 

[tritonpower]

I recently setup a 40 breeder and I just stacked the Marco rocks. Sure is handy when you want to move things around to just pick them up. I am tempted to try it when I get the 200 gallon tank but not sure about that.

 

[QuickrdenU]

Still waiting on the tank. My tubes of epoxy finally arrived so I guess I can start scaping….

Just ordered an Apex Pro, Aqua 57 UV, another pump, 4 Versa dosers, and a couple MP40’s.. I’ll be so happy when I’m done buying gear!

 

[Devaji]

Still waiting on the tank. My tubes of epoxy finally arrived so I guess I can start scaping….

Just ordered an Apex Pro, Aqua 57 UV, another pump, 4 Versa dosers, and a couple MP40’s.. I’ll be so happy when I’m done buying gear!

nice pick up, but I know that was not cheap. ouch .

 

[Devaji]

nice pick up, but I know that was not cheap. ouch .

just a thought are you going to be running any other wave makers on this tank?

for my IM 200 pen. I have 2X mp40s + 2X 350 gyres not sure i will run all 4 tho as it will be a FOWLR

in your case you might need something on the short end flowing back to the mp40s?
flow is the only thing I hate about peninsula tanks.

if your like me and hate having any pumps on the short end might swap out the mp40s for mp60s...uggg I know there is double the price.
or just add a few jebao cross flow pumps to the mp40s they should last a few years.

 

[QuickrdenU]

just a thought are you going to be running any other wave makers on this tank?

for my IM 200 pen. I have 2X mp40s + 2X 350 gyres not sure i will run all 4 tho as it will be a FOWLR

in your case you might need something on the short end flowing back to the mp40s?
flow is the only thing I hate about peninsula tanks.

if your like me and hate having any pumps on the short end might swap out the mp40s for mp60s...uggg I know there is double the price.
or just add a few jebao cross flow pumps to the mp40s they should last a few years.

Yeah, I really have no idea. I know I’m going to need more flow for sure but I’ll wait until I get the water and aquascape in it to figure it out. A pair of gyres and probably 2 more mp40’s? I don’t know.

Maybe 2 mp40’s on the back pushing through the rock to the front, the gyres up top, and an mp40 on each side?

In the meantime, I played with some black plastic sheets today and made these overflow compartment covers and a new light cover for the deskmate 3.8’s. I like how they turned out. I was already growing some algae back there without them. All little things to help me prepare for the big show I suppose!

 

[Devaji]

Yeah, I really have no idea. I know I’m going to need more flow for sure but I’ll wait until I get the water and aquascape in it to figure it out. A pair of gyres and probably 2 more mp40’s? I don’t know.

Maybe 2 mp40’s on the back pushing through the rock to the front, the gyres up top, and an mp40 on each side?

In the meantime, I played with some black plastic sheets today and made these overflow compartment covers and a new light cover for the deskmate 3.8’s. I like how they turned out. I was already growing some algae back there without them. All little things to help me prepare for the big show I suppose!

nice man! looks great. those little tanks are cool.

smart, wait and see what you need. the pair of Mp40s will get you through the cycle and 1st few months anyway .
my plan in theory is mp40s on the outside and gyres in the middle under the overflow that is why i went with the ext. IDK we will see.

 

[QuickrdenU]

nice man! looks great. those little tanks are cool.

smart, wait and see what you need. the pair of Mp40s will get you through the cycle and 1st few months anyway .
my plan in theory is mp40s on the outside and gyres in the middle under the overflow that is why i went with the ext. IDK we will see.

Thanks! Do you have your tank yet? I’d love a peninsula but my home didn’t have any options for one really.

 

[Devaji]

Thanks! Do you have your tank yet? I’d love a peninsula but my home didn’t have any options for one really.

nope not yet i am thinking towards the end of the month.

oh for some reason I was thinking you got the peninsula. in that case 2X mp40 on both sides "should be fine for a while.

 

[QuickrdenU]

Good to know! Thanks

 

[italquam]

TIME TO AQUASCAPE!!!
Any opinions on how far I should keep it from back and side glass for flow and easy cleaning? I plan on having quite a bit of room in the front. 200 pounds of marco rock should be here today.

In my experience, enough room for a good size fish to swim straight across. My current tank , I made the old error of piling rock along the back and regret it. However, switching to a larger tank soon and will no longer stack against the back. I would say a good 4 inches away at minimum

 

[QuickrdenU]

In my experience, enough room for a good size fish to swim straight across. My current tank , I made the old error of piling rock along the back and regret it. However, switching to a larger tank soon and will no longer stack against the back. I would say a good 4 inches away at minimum

Yeah, I’m thinking of having 3 or 4 inches in the back with it being pretty open in the front. I’d love to do a large/long and kinda low overhang on one of the rocks leaving a good bit of exposed sand under it on one of the sides. I think that would look really cool if I can do it. I like gobies and sand dwelling stuff. I don’t think I could ever do bare bottom because of it. I’m gonna have to sell most of this rock though unless I end up smashing it all! Ha

 

[Devaji]

TIME TO AQUASCAPE!!!
Any opinions on how far I should keep it from back and side glass for flow and easy cleaning? I plan on having quite a bit of room in the front. 200 pounds of marco rock should be here today.

I see you have really good taste in hobbies too. reef tanks and mountain bikes! oh yeah!

 

[QuickrdenU]

I see you have really good taste in hobbies too. reef tanks and mountain bikes! oh yeah!

Yeah. I want to move to Bend, Oregon so I can get out everyday but our timing is always terrible. No way we’re moving right now with these rates!