J-Dog

Nice looking corals! I've never really been into chalices, but maybe with a bigger tank, I'll need to add a few. Great colors, but might be a little too spendy for me

Thanks for all of compliments, it really means a lot. I am planning on putting some plywood between the tank and the stand, for a little more stabililty. And the way the room is laid out, no one will be able to see any plumbing behind the tank, unless they are trying to find it (nono)

I hope it becomes my all-time favorite too! :p

Thanks for the input, but I used plans from an engineer who had a DIY plan on either Reef2Reef or Reef Central (same plans Finch used on his stand). I'm not saying the plan is full-proof, but I hope it is, since I don't want my stand to collapse one day (sad). My next step is to stain and seal the stand, then add the doors. I'm hoping I can get it all done by this weekend.

Got a surprise package today...160 pounds of Bahama Aragonite Sand! The reef calculator I used said I would need about 90 lbs for a 1 inch sand bed, so a little extra won't hurt. I couldn't find a better deal, since all I had to do was pay the shipping, while the sand was free! I also added some center support to my stand. I'm still not sure what u guys were asking about earlier, when u mentioned my stands bracing (scratch). Maybe reefnjunkie while chime in and let me know, but the top of the stand is identical to the bottom structurally.

Shouldn't be too hard to plumb...I'll just use a hole saw to cut openings where I need them. I can't see myself plumbing it first, then putting the back on afterwards....that seems kind of tricky.

Titus, I plan on hanging the fixture for now and seeing how much light spills into the room. If it gets too annoying, then I will build a canopy, but it will be tricky since the wall is at an angle. So I might need a professional to handle it, if I can't figure how to build it. This is what I have to deal with....

I'm not sure what u mean (scratch).......Do u see something wrong with my stand design?

Lighting As u guys well know, it took me forever to figure out my lighting. Well, I decided to go with an ATI Powermodule! I got such a smokin deal, I couldn't pass it up (naughty).......I ended up with a 10 bulb 48" fixture, plus I ordered a few extra bulbs so I can experiment and get the right color combination. This should give me plenty of coverage to grow SPS, and also allow me to grow lower light corals on the sides of the tank. I am also planning on supplementing the fixture with a couple of LED strips, for more color, and hopefully a little bit of shimmer.

Sump My main man, Matt (mattv), was kind enough to build my custom sump. It ended up being 40x20x16 with a built in refugium. He did a great job!....thanks again Matt:p

tank stand My buddy helped me build the custom stand I needed to fit my special room. The stand still needs doors, but they should be done soon. It also needs to be stained and sealed, so I still have a lot of work ahead of me. Here is the basic stand.... Here is the stand with some molding and base board

As most of u know, I'm in the process of putting my first system together. I've been taking my time to make sure I do things right for my first build....and tonight I decided to start my thread. My tank should be built and delivered sometime next week. I decided to try a company based in Seattle, called Clear Fabrications, and Jason has been more than accommodating every step of the way. I have also picked up a few items along the way and started building my custom stand. I have tried to take lots of pictures, so I can share my experience with everyone here. Here is a link to Clear Fabrications thread on Reef Frontiers, showing pics of my tank being built... http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f116/j-dogs-new-tank-63859/#post660653

I've seen Matt's LEDs in person and they are amazing. Beautiful color on all the corals, along with great growth. Things look even better when he puts on the blues....makes everything look electrified. Makes me wanna get LEDs

Nice looking tank....and great looking rock!

I know this is an old thread, but I saw these pics and thought they were awesome. I wanted to find out if all of these fish were reef safe? I thought someone told me the Emporer angel was not reef safe, but I wanted to check since it's such a beautiful fish.

I can see the top of the water moving back and forth....was that it? Doesn't really seem like much

Am I supposed to be seeing a wave in your video? I don't even see the Vortech's....am I missing something? (scratch)

Yeah John, the bucket should be fine since I gave u established water from my tank. And since u have no bio-load, your ammonia levels shouldn't get any higher.

Ooops, my bad

You might want to list a price

Enjoy that rock! I can't wait to see pictures of it in that new tank

Can u post some pics of the 250w pieces?

Wow, what an amazing system (drooler)......I don't mean to sound nosey, but how the hell do u pay to keep such a large tank running? I love seeing these large, masterful tanks, but I always scratch my head when I think how much money must go into one (scratch). Maybe I need to get a second job (whistle)

Looks great! I wish I could have a bigger tank (sad)