What's better than 1 tank?

[Fishdisease]

Long story short, today I was gifted a 125 gallon aquarium that has been established for 15 years but due to life getting in the way neglected for the last few months. So there's a run away button polyp issue, hundreds of blue mushrooms, tons of really good rock with anenomes, some SPS, leathers and others (but a lot of cyano). I'm pumped! I already have a 180 in-wall build that I completed a year ago and this will be amazing.

Here is the pic of my current tank in the wall and how I envision the new tank. I'm planning to make this new tank visible on both sides and build out the wall so it's an "in-wall tank" as well. I'll have the opposite side framed in andthe side facing us will have cabinet doors on the bottom and a large single hatch on the top so I can access the top and underneath of the tank easily. I have most of the gear I'll need to start (lights, powerheads, etc) and I plan to drain the newer tank into the current sump and split my return to take advantage of the overkill of a system I have on the first tank. But I have a couple of questions below that I could use opinions/help with.

I'm far too lazy for a proper build thread but I'll throw an update here every once in a while.

Here's the new-to-me tank. It was so glorious in it's day when I first saw it and I hope to bring it back but I know it'll be a lot of work. A lot of the bigger corals were taken out of it a few months ago to go to a smaller tank but there are a ton of other things still in there. Aside from regular maintenance the rockwork, substrate and inhabitants haven't changed in 15 years.

Questions:
1. The tank is not drilled at all but I would like to drill 2 drains. It's a hagen 125 that is at least 20 years old so I believe that neither the sides and bottom are tempered. If you had a choice would you
- A - Drill the drains into the bottom and build a full height overflow
- B - Drill the drains on the end and build a minimal overflow
2. I'll be using the loc-line U-tube returns because they are stupid easy. But I could drill 2 holes for the return. I don't see any advantage to that when the u-tubes are so easy. Any argument there?
3. Any suggestions about how to plumb this thing in general?
4. I've got a good handle on how we're going to move it and how to deal with the cyano. We'll be blasting off any cyano as we break down the rock, giving it a quick rinse then into new water. I'll be putting in new powerheads (or a maxpect Gyre if I can get a good deal on one) to increase flow. Also I won't be reusing the crushed coral, I have a lot of cleaned crush ready for this tank. But what are your suggestions for this?How do I minimize the nutrient load and potential mess in my system?
5. Have you done anything like this? Any general advice that I should know? What am I not considering here?

Should be fun, I think for me this hobby is about the journey, not the destination, so I look forward to the next few months with this one.

Cheers

 

[dantimdad]

I wouldn't drill the bottom.

Just run the plumbing like you only had one tank. Use a separate return pump or one large on and a manifold.

Your best bet would be to do lights out at first with just heater and power heads and do water changes until you are sure the rock has recycled.

 

[Fishdisease]

I wouldn't drill the bottom.

Just run the plumbing like you only had one tank. Use a separate return pump or one large on and a manifold.

Your best bet would be to do lights out at first with just heater and power heads and do water changes until you are sure the rock has recycled.

My current return pump is sufficient for both tanks and I had split the outlet when I built the system for water changes (that I never used) so that part is taken care of. I also have a second return pump (my backup) that I can throw in if the one I have now can't keep up.

For the rock we'll be immediately moving it to, and transporting in tubs of aged, heated saltwater to avoid a large bacterial loss. I've also added a second marine block into my sump in prep for any added load. Should I be concerned that just the move will require a re-cycle of the rock. I really don't plan on having it dry for any length of time.

Thanks

 

[atoll]

Here ya go found this pic on my phone.

 

[Fishdisease]

Here ya go found this pic on my phone.

So then tell me how you really feel...

 

[atoll]

So then tell me how you really feel...

About? The fish oil is just one part of many to my philosophy to keeping a reef tank

 

[Jay Norris]

Why not build an external overflow on the back, that way no need to drill the tank, unless you plan on using a closed loop system.

 

[Fishdisease]

About? The fish oil is just one part of many to my philosophy to keeping a reef tank

Hahaha, I couldn't decide if you were telling me about a supplement or that I was going to have to take my medicine!

 

[Fishdisease]

Why not build an external overflow on the back, that way no need to drill the tank, unless you plan on using a closed loop system.

Hmmm, I didn't really consider an external overflow because I drove every tank I've ever had so it just was the first thing I considered. I think the other reason drilling the side Works a little better is because I have very limited space on that side of the tank so getting into maintain it would be tricky. But I'll definitely look into external overflows tonight to see what the options are.