sergebmw3 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Hi everybody that will be looking and following these Iam here to share my project that i have been working on. So i picked up a 180 gallon tank a while back, it had no stand and no hood. i built my stand and hood for $40 dollars thank you to CL. ( Craigslist) people on there had some nice wood that they were giving away. it took me about 2 days to have all everything ready in total. i put in 2 hrs here and there so it took a whole week to build if calculating the daily progress. I was worried about building my own stand but after doing a lot of reading and calculations it turn out Sweet and fun. love DIY projects. for the main frame i used 2x4 and plywood for the outside i used 8x4 sheets of finished sheets from Shur-Way there were each $10 and i got 2 of the stripes and then one sheet of the white sheet with holes. i have not yet drilled the tank to install overflows and return lines. I would love you ask you guys how would you drill the draining holes and return. I guess what iam trying to ask if where and how far from the top. i have all the equipment to drill and gly cause i work with acrylic, but not sure where to drill the holes on the tank i have 2x 1.5" bulkheads that i was going to use as drain and 1" as the return. As for the sump iam Building a 36x15x15 sump right now, and i will use a dart as a pump for the return, its the 3600 gph. so iam sure ill have to turn it down to get a good flow in the tank i,, probably use it to connect my refuguem later. ill post more specs the the equipment that iam going to be using and ask all of you what you think to get a good set up . thank you in advance for the help all those that will help :P Please help me pick a good stain color for the tank ? i cant make up my mind black or dark cherry ? cant seem to upload pics so here is the link to photobucket sorry for trouble http://s1099.photobucket.com/albums/g387/sergebmw2/?action=view¤t=photo4.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Serge, if you mouse over the individual pics in photobucket, a set of links should drop down, choose the one titled IMG and copy an paste that particular link into your post, and your pics should show up just fine. Like so: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted March 17, 2011 Author Share Posted March 17, 2011 HEY LOOK AT THAT thanks jgf86123 for the help with the pics ill Do that next time iam posting the pics i never knew that thank you once again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerv503 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Nice wood work and tank, i gotta see this once it's completely finish. Vin "Keep On Reefing" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted March 17, 2011 Author Share Posted March 17, 2011 thank you Tigerv503 it took a while to get that on and i got the wrong nails for the trim gun after about 30 min of playing with the gun ( having to pull nails as they got jammed) i realized i needed 18 Ga not 16 lol they are thinner. :P and es iam going to keep this updated now iam working on the sump. what size of fuge do you think i should get ? will 40Breeder work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danik Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Looking good so far, go with black. I had two black tanks and black looks good. MadMike's used black Formica on his 12foot tank and that totally looks awesome. The refugium it's not really needed but 40g is on a big side. I run a 40g refugium, but I have a fish room that had all the equipment. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted March 17, 2011 Author Share Posted March 17, 2011 Thanks Danik iiam going to think of teh color i love black as well and i think that it will look awesome :P as fa as the refugium i think ill just wait on that then for a little later project in the future :P thanks for the advice. iam thinking of running LED as well and MH what you think Danik ? i love your fish room i wish i had one like that :P well maybe when iam married and i move into my own house. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 25, 2011 Author Share Posted September 25, 2011 ok so i got rid of the tank in the previous pics and started all over with another 180. My friend had his 125 gallon crack and asked for mine cause at that time i didnt have it set up. so about a month ago i picked up a tank from reeftherapy (whistle) thank you for the great deal and the tank. it needed some cleaning and polishing so i got to it. after buffing the stand i made before i got the tank but i waited on the hood, because i wanted to fit like a glove. for my set up iam running 3 250 mh and no T5 or T12 just yet because iam waiting to get the T5 ballasts and bulbs soon. because i dont like noise in my house i plumbed everything to the garage where i have a 110 gallon sump. i have not finished plumbing everything to the end because i want to make sure that nothing leaks on the house side in the D Tank. For my return iam running a Dart with 4 1' pipes split 2 on top and 2 on bottom of the tank. i used the closed loop as a return because ill have enough flow as is. worst cause ill buy some MP60 later on. To control all of this i wanted to get the APEX but once i looked at the price i was blown away and got this instead it was $100 but i need a ph and temp prob. to get my clean water i purchased this for $130 with the PPM meeter and extra plumbing parts. its a 7 stage RO/Di system that works great and everything works great and perfect. ( its not the one from EBAY you get from CHINA that you have to drill holes in to get it to work i had to plug mine to the water source and wala (naughty)(naughty) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 25, 2011 Author Share Posted September 25, 2011 TODAY iam filling my tank and according to my calculations its going to take around 3 days to do this. 50 gpd system. its worth the money and the wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRENT Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Looking good. Is this a reef tank or fish only? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 26, 2011 Author Share Posted September 26, 2011 Trying to make it a reef tank !!! What are your suggestions on what I need to improve !!! --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.690531,-122.623241 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRENT Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Looks good so far. Lighting and flow are very important looks like you have the lighting handled. Maybe look into VHO's (this is what I'm adding to my next build). what are you going to use for flow? Trying to make it a reef tank !!! What are your suggestions on what I need to improve !!! --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.690531,-122.623241 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 26, 2011 Author Share Posted September 26, 2011 I have a dart pump that I split 4. Way 1" two on top and 2 on bottom both I'n different directions. What would u recommend I have the pics of flow posted --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.690527,-122.623350 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 After 1 day --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.690537,-122.623230 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 wow Serge...looks like it'll be amazing! thanks again for that, um...killer deal ((scratch)) on the sump! this should look pretty awesome when it's full of rock and lit up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 wow Serge...looks like it'll be amazing! thanks again for that, um...killer deal ((scratch)) on the sump! this should look pretty awesome when it's full of rock and lit up! You are welcome on that killer deal and thank for coming up half way. I hope it will be amazing once it's all filled with rock. I want to get dry rock mostly because I want to make my own arcs and coves and I will have the pics up when it's all the way full and has lights on. --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.690530,-122.623373 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 You are starting w/ a killer set up. Lots of room there to fill. What kind of fish you thinking about, because w/ that space you can get some really cool fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 You are starting w/ a killer set up. Lots of room there to fill. What kind of fish you thinking about' date=' because w/ that space you can get some really cool fish.[/quote'] Thanks it's a lot of room and a lot of fun just can't wait till this thing I's full and ready to cycle Ian not surebon the fish because I love big fish yet there are some smaller once that I love as well purple tang for sure trigger and Ian not sure on the rest. I found one for $229 this guy http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1379+380&pcatid=380 --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.690491,-122.623351 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 That is a gorgeous fish alright, but did you read his bio? FOWLR, he will eat your inverts. Really pretty though. Now I want a FOWLR tank just so I can get 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 I l ow right I saw that and was like o man maybe a 40b for corals and 180 for fish --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.690425,-122.623447 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 That's a toss up, because you gotta love the corals. All the really cool fish are big and aggressive though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 So 2nd day I'n making H2O --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.690476,-122.623223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate213 Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Looking good. The wait for the RO/DI to fill up is a killer. It's worse than waiting for the cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 Hahahaha Nate so true !!! It's like come on already fill up. Let's hit the road. --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.690522,-122.623242 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 If nothing in ones life has taught them patients, this hobby will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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