72 gal bowfront build

[Gravesj1s]

Hi, thought I would share pixs of my build. This space was originaly a closet. I am still working on trimming out here and their. The striplights are just temps ,I have a ATI powermodule coming in2 weeks.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1029.jpg


http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1028-1.jpg


http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1030.jpg

I designed and built everything from rough cut cherry,maple-curly maple. I also, built the sump. It is sitting under thei backwards but I didn't notice when I took the pixs.
thanks for looking ,steve

[Gravesj1s]

The doors are actually 4 doors per unit hinged together so I could get a sump in and out easier. The center braces are also false. Actually screwed to the double hinged door ,again easier to work under their. The wetbar was actually so I had a place for ro unit, topoff reservior..ect....
any comments certainly welcome.
thanks for looking,steve

[Gravesj1s]

Kinda wanted to show the doors in operation . I hope this helps someone someday with their build. I see alot of people unable to get sumps in&out of their stand.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/2008187.jpg

[Gravesj1s]

ok, looking for suggestions:

Thinking about a substrate, if any . I mainly plan on a mixed reef.Not sure what the common opinion on these boards are but would welcome insight.
I have 2 korolia 4 and a mag7 for sump circulation.(skimmer has dedicated 3500 sendra.
All I can think of asking right at the moment.

[downhillbiker]

i think your flow sounds good. i have the 72 bowfront, and have 2 korallia 4's and it is great. i have a 750GPH return, which after head loss is really around 400GPH. my skimmer is HUGE and has a sedra 9000 mesh mod needle wheel, but that doesn't affect the system one way or another. looks good. i like the 2 tone of the stand, but ditch the corny clown fish in the top.

[almees]

Great looking stand and build. Keep the pics comming.

[JoeyTheReefer]

looks like it will turn out nice keep up the work i got a 72 bow too
i would go with the sand

[mg426]

Nice job !!

[Gravesj1s]

Thanks guys.

What kind of substrate did you guys use ? I want to use a layer of sand but worry it will swirl into the water column.I had that problem in the past.....what do you guys think?

[Gravesj1s]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13722740#post13722740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by downhillbiker
i think your flow sounds good. i have the 72 bowfront, and have 2 korallia 4's and it is great. i have a 750GPH return, which after head loss is really around 400GPH. my skimmer is HUGE and has a sedra 9000 mesh mod needle wheel, but that doesn't affect the system one way or another. looks good. i like the 2 tone of the stand, but ditch the corny clown fish in the top.

LOL, agreed, clownfish gone. It was a fathers day gift from my 4 year old daughter. It will have to hold its sentimental value in another room.

On another note ,any substrate in your tank? If so, do you have any problem with it swirling into the water column?

[Gravesj1s]

I do have another question:

Live rock, everything I see looks like base rock . I would like to find some good quality rock that has actual life onit.
any recomendations or other ideas?
thanks, steve

[fishkillers]

nice!

[downhillbiker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13724280#post13724280 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gravesj1s
LOL, agreed, clownfish gone. It was a fathers day gift from my 4 year old daughter. It will have to hold its sentimental value in another room.

On another note ,any substrate in your tank? If so, do you have any problem with it swirling into the water column?

Well, here is something for you to get an idea from. The color is a little off, and it is really much brighter, but the rock and sand is accurate, LOL. I have about 1 1/2" of fine sand in the bottom, and used mostly base rock and a couple pieces of live rock. The live rock will seed the base rock soon enough. After a couple months you will have coralline everywhere. Save yourself some money and get mostly base rock. With the high flow, which you also have, you can see that I have aimed the powerheads upward, and have them about 1/3 down from the top.

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm107/downhill_biker/downhill_biker%20tank%20pics/2008%20Reef/acan059.jpg

[Gravesj1s]

Nice tank,
yeah, the more I think about it ,the more I want a sand bottom. Definately thinking base rock ,too.
thanks for the pic.
-graves

[Gravesj1s]

Well I am happy to say my ATI power Module will be here in less than 2 weeks. Its been a long wait 4-1/2 months.

I also, got water in the tank now and cycling. Did some mods here and their ,overall coming along nicely. I will add some more pics soon.
-Graves

[saltwatermadnes]

yeah looks great, i have a 72 as well and the mag 7 works great as a return. I did about 1/2 in of sand on the bottom of mine just for visual appeal but ultimately up to you.. keep it up, looking forward to new pics

[Gravesj1s]

Saltwatermadnes, thanks for the reply.I was just checking out one of your posts. Your setup looks good, from what I could see of your sump.Good luck with it.

[crusing52]

Great start. I just set mine 72 up eight months ago. I used aragonite sand 100 lbs. I used dead sand and seeded it with a few buddies tanks. I have 80 lbs of rock in the tank now. I have some more rock cycling. not sure where i'm putting it all. Probably put most in the sump. For the sump I used the old tote. I got a large contractors tote from home depot. It holds about 25 gallons. I hide it on the other side of the wall. Plan on setting up a ten gallon fuge too. But I need o finish this side of the basement first ... For flow I use two aquaclear 70. The return is a queitone 4000 . Here are a couple of pics of mine. I hope this helps..
http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk95/crusing52/Cardinal0001.jpg
http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk95/crusing52/Cardinal0002.jpg

[Gravesj1s]

-crusing52,
Thanks for the pix. Your tank looks nice.Good luck with finishing the basement,I know what a pita that can be sometimes. I finished my basement 2 years ago. Worst reno project ever. It seemed everything had to be rerouted,moved..ect..(hot water tank,duct work..Glad its done.lol

[Gravesj1s]

-Geez just when I thought I was in the clear............"leak".

[Gravesj1s]

another leak.......

[crusing52]

Is it leaking at the corner. Mine leaked there. I resealed the whole tank with black silicone.

[crusing52]

I spaypainted the back and sides black also.........

[Gravesj1s]

no not leaking at from the tank. thank god.I bought a used skimmer (venturi type)and modified it to work with needle wheel pump.Its some of the fittings that leak. I don't understand it, I tested it and everything worked before filling the tank with water.I got it ripped apart now and working on it.

I was going to spray paint the back but decided against it. At the time it was cold out and I had to doit outside.NY has some of the strangest weather.O'well, Ive been keeping up with the pixs now so have some new ones soon.
-Graves

[crusing52]

Thats not to bad of a leak. I bought my skimmer used also. I got so excited in the parking lot where I bought it.........I dropped the collection cup and the the thing just smashed into four pieces. I use an aqua-c The older type. No air injector fittings

[Gravesj1s]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13783908#post13783908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crusing52
Thats not to bad of a leak. I bought my skimmer used also. I got so excited in the parking lot where I bought it.........I dropped the collection cup and the the thing just smashed into four pieces. I use an aqua-c The older type. No air injector fittings

Lol, yeah that sounds like something I've done.
Now that I think of it, that definately sounds like something that would happen to me today.LOL

On another note I got the skimmer about ready to test(think I'll use both hands to carry it over to the tank) Re glued all the fittings ,tefloned and a little love and some luck ,I should be good to go.

[Gravesj1s]

Some pixs of the skimmer I'm in the process of modding. I only paid 20.00 on craigslist(venturi injector).I gutted in of everything but the inlet and outlet ,basically just the shell. I then added some fittings,sendra 5000 nw pump. It really is nicer than it looks in some of the pix,not the best but it should work.

I was having some issues with getting it to work, I finally figured it out if you notice in the pix I have the pump outlet going up,over and then down. It simply will not funtion that way. The air would colide and form large bubbles by trying to force the air down,it would build up then suddenly release alarge bubble colapsing the foam in the reaction chamber.In the process of reworking the skimmer now , so Ill show some pixs later of what I did different.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1079.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1080.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1081.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1030.jpg

last pic you cansee what I did wrong.
-Graves

[Gravesj1s]

I decided to go with this as substrate :

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1077.jpg

Basic lfs bought,I seeded it with some live sand:
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1076.jpg
Actually surprised to find some snails and hermit crabs in the live sand I added.Really tiny ones.

I started to play around a little with the rockscape while the tank was filling. I really dont like what I ended up with so I plan on changing.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1074.jpg

I bought one peice of live rock to seed the tank,working on that tonight.heres the peice:

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm255/gravesj1s/HPIM1075.jpg

Ill post some more when I get the skimmer back on and rock situated.
thanks for looking and advice always welcome.
-Graves

[Gravesj1s]

Its been a year since I setup posting some updates soon.
-Graves