My 375 gallon money pit!

[TampaReefer79]

So I figured I'd start a build thread here in addition to my local club section to get more views, posts, opinions, and such.

I wanted to start out by saying that if my tank becomes half as beautiful and successful as most in this section, I'll be one lucky guy! Most of the tanks here in this section are just jaw dropping.

I've been keeping reef tanks for a few years, have learned tons...but have plenty more to master. I'm far from the days of power compact lighting with Aquaclear powerheads doing pretty much nothing. lol

So for a little history of my tank...I bought it in Orlando and got it home a few months back. I've been collecting gear for the build ever since. Oh, and I'm STILL in the middle of sanding the acrylic. Biggest pain in the rear ever. I'm buying new next time...either that or paying someone to do this. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. lol

I know that pictures are what you all like so much, so I will be adding tons of pics to my thread...I don't want to see those cool updates from you folks telling me to add some pics! If I get those posts, then I'm not doing my job.

Here is the tank with it's previous owner:

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Tank1.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Tank4.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Tank2.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Tank3.jpg

The tank is a 96x30x30 peninsula and has a single overflow on the one non viewing panel. There are (4) 1 1/2 inch bulkheads in the overflow, 2 drains, 1 return, and 1 emergency drain. This is how it was plumbed previously, and I've left it alone so far.

[TampaReefer79]

So getting the tank, stand, and canopy home was a job and a half. I had a lot of great help though. The first issue was figuring out how to get the tank home. I had a member of my local club nice enough to help out. We took his truck and trailor out and picked up my new baby.

Then we had a whole bunch of great folks volunteer to help me get it in the house...which was the first issue we ran into. 8 foot long tanks aren't that easy to get in your house. Here is a few pics of WHY it was an issue...


As soon as you walk into my house, there is a wall:


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Door1.jpg


I have sliding glass doors in my bedroom that it would fit through...but then the tank would be stuck in my bedroom:


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/door3.jpg


But it was nothing a little removal of the garage door frame couldn't fix!


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/GarageDoor2.jpg

[TampaReefer79]

We got the tank and stand in through the garage and into the house!


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Tank.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Tank2-1.jpg


And another great big thanks to all of my helpers! (not pictured but just as helpful were Sue, Tara, and Allison)


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/TankMovers.jpg

[TampaReefer79]

Then I just started buying equipment. I decided on the following:

3x250 watt single ended 20,000k Radiums in LumenMax Elite reflectors on BlueWave ballasts for lighting - supplemental T5 setup will be ordered soon.

Neptune Apex controller with the Lunar Module.

SWX300A with the Askoll pump for skimmer.

2 Tunze Waveboxes with some Tunze 6200's on a Tunze 7096 controller for water movement.

Tunze Osmolator for top off.

MRC CR2 Calcium reactor, 10lb CO2 tank, CO2 regulator, Pinpoint PH controller.

Geo Kalk reactor.

TLF Phosphate reactor 550 for carbon/phosphate media if needed.

250lbs of Key Largo dry rock from MarcoRock.

Air, Water, & Ice "The Cube" RODI unit that was plumbed to have the waste water run back through the unit. It came with dual 100gpd membranes.

150 gallon rubbermaid stock tank from Tractor Supply for refugium (maybe).

100 gallon rubbermaid stock tank from Tractor Supply for holding top off water.

[TampaReefer79]

I'll update further in a little bit!

[reefman66]

Tagging along. Good luck on the build. Lots of pics please!

[Dtronic]

Looking forward to more pics and nice equipment list!

I was thinking about buying this tank, but decided on my 225 starphire.

[TampaReefer79]

The skimmer is almost as big as my daughter! lol SWC300A.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/skimmerpayton.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/newskimmer.jpg

[TampaReefer79]

Bluewave 7 to run 2 of the Radiums...


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/bluewave.jpg


And a Hamilton to run the 3rd bulb...according to Reefgeek, they are the same ballast. (yet the Hamilton was much cheaper than the Sunlight Supply brand as far as single ballast)


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Lighting3.jpg


Got 3 of these, hope I like them...


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Lighting4.jpg

[TampaReefer79]

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Lighting2.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Lighting1.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Lighting5.jpg

[TampaReefer79]

Then the Key Largo dry rock from Marco Rock came. This rock is INSANE!!! I love it!


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/rock4.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/rock3.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/rock2.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Rock1.jpg

[TampaReefer79]

Air, Water, & Ice "The Cube" 200 gpd RODI unit...

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/RODI.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/RODI2.jpg

[TampaReefer79]

Then I started putting some rock together. I used zip ties and epoxy.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/Aquascaping.jpg


I'm not completely done, I still have to go back and put some epoxy over the remaining viewable zip ties.

[TampaReefer79]

These are a few shots down the 30x30 inch panel looking down the 8 foot length...


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/aquascaping6.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/aquascaping2.jpg

[TampaReefer79]

Finally...WATER!! And the rest of the aquascaping pics to follow. Man it's hard aquascaping a peninsula! The rock has to look good from THREE sides rather than the usual front panel only.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/aquascaping3.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/aquascaping4.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/aquascaping5.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/aquascaping7.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/aquascaping8.jpg

[nuccadoc]

Looks fantastic! Keep the pics coming!

[Bax]

TampaReef79

If this is the tank Iam thinking of, it's had two previous owners and was the reason i pulled the trigger to buy my 30x30 8 footer.

Nice pile of equipment so far, looking forward to your build!

[tfp]

wow! very nice and i love the dimensions :D.

[palmer373]

everything is looking nice so far! do you plan on having it as a reef or fowlr? and whats your proposed stocking list?

[TampaReefer79]

Looks fantastic! Keep the pics coming!

Thanks and will do! ;)

TampaReef79

If this is the tank Iam thinking of, it's had two previous owners and was the reason i pulled the trigger to buy my 30x30 8 footer.

Nice pile of equipment so far, looking forward to your build!

I'm not sure if this is the tank you're thinking of...I bought it from Pacific Reefs in Orlando.

wow! very nice and i love the dimensions :D.

Thanks!

everything is looking nice so far! do you plan on having it as a reef or fowlr? and whats your proposed stocking list?

With that lighting? :eek1: lol, it BETTER be a reef. Ummm, my proposed stocking list is as follows:

fowleri tang
dussumieri tang
chocolate tang
purple tang
powder blue tang
achilles tang
vlamigii tang
unicorn?
sohal?
barien?
desjardini sailfin?
blonde naso?

scribbled rabbit
magnificent foxface

purple firefish
regular firefish

anthias

wrasses

chromis

pistol shrimp/goby

regal angel
bellus angel
watanabei angel

blueheaded jawfish


And I guess I shouldn't have said that this is the 'proposed list'. What this is, is a list of fish I'd LIKE to have. I've narrowed it down to this list. Now I just need narrow it down farther...things like cost, availability, compatibility etc. So this list will obviously shrink again. It keeps getting smaller and smaller until I am left with what I can keep comfortably. :beer:

[Bax]

Thanks and will do! ;)



I'm not sure if this is the tank you're thinking of...I bought it from Pacific Reefs in Orlando.



. Ummm, my proposed stocking list is as follows:

fowleri tang
dussumieri tang
chocolate tang
purple tang
powder blue tang
achilles tang
vlamigii tang
unicorn?
sohal?
barien?
desjardini sailfin?
blonde naso?
:beer:

That's nice list of tangs, personally, I'd drop the sohal & desdardini for attitude and the unicorn for its size to leave room for the vlamingi and naso.

I believe PacificReefs got it from mflab who designed and built that sweet stand and light rack.

Either way, it's a really nice tank! :celeb3:

[TampaReefer79]

That's nice list of tangs, personally, I'd drop the sohal & desdardini for attitude and the unicorn for its size to leave room for the vlamingi and naso.

I believe PacificReefs got it from mflab who designed and built that sweet stand and light rack.

Either way, it's a really nice tank! :celeb3:

Yes mflamb built the stand and canopy! That's the one you were thinking of. Although there used to be a glass tank that was on this stand, which was broken and then an acrylic replacement was used...which is what I have.

[TampaReefer79]

Finally got my lighting done. I got tired of waiting so I just went ahead and did it myself. It's NOT the professional type job I wanted, but I think it will do.

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/lighting1-1.jpg



http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/lighting2-1.jpg



This is where the ceiling fan used to be...

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/lighting3-1.jpg



http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/lighting6.jpg



http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/lighting7.jpg



http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/TampaReefer79/lighting8.jpg

[bigreentractor]

how many lbs of rock did you get??

[TampaReefer79]

250lbs in a 375 gallon tank.

[tangers]

Good to see this tank up and going again! You probably don't know who I am, but I actually owned the tank before pacific reefs. I never got a chance to get it up and going ($$$$) so I sold it to him. Looks real nice! Glad to see it as a penninsula again too
!

[bullitr]

good job! i love the skimmer i use to have that and its great .
i am sure this built will be great!
question did you ever get the 6305?
i am building a similar tank 96x36x29
thanks

[TampaReefer79]

good job! i love the skimmer i use to have that and its great .
i am sure this built will be great!
question did you ever get the 6305?
i am building a similar tank 96x36x29
thanks

What 6305?

[bullitr]

What 6305?

tunze 6305 stream

[TampaReefer79]

tunze 6305 stream

HAHA, I know what a 6305 is...you asked me if I ever got it and I was asking you what you were talking about.

[Desertdweller]

great start, looking good. Congrats...

[woofu]

nice...

[bigreentractor]

any updates? I am dying to see how the rock work looks after getting settled in!

[Gogandantess]

What's the latest?