So I decided it should be about time to get a build thread going. The build was started, then postponed, then temporarily set up, and needs to be finished.
After outgrowing the 90 gallon after a little over a year (I have a very bad problem with buying frags, I need rehab) we started looking around for a big tank, that wouldn't break the bank and still fit in our awkward house. Our house is full of windows, tons of them. Due to this we do not have a single wall that is 8ft in length. We ended up stumbling upon a craigslist ad for a 265g set up complete. Drove over, looked at the tank, It was in super great condition, it just needed some cleaning. The stand was one of the highest quality stands I have seen in person. So we decided this was the tank for us. The 90 gallon sits in a nook in the room we refer to as the "library" (the original intent for this room was to be just that, nice marble floors, leather seating, bookshelves surrounding the room) The plan was.... err.. simple? The carpet had to go. We opted for tile, mainly for its spill resistance. I can be a bit of a klutz, and during water changes or leaving ro units on all night or every other mishap you can think of, there ends up being a lot of water on the floor, this ruled out carpet, hardwood and laminates. The closet next to the 90 gallons nook currently houses the RO unit, the water storage containers, shelving for all the other desired supplies to keep a happy tank up and running. Back to the "simple plan", we knew where the 265 would go, and while the carpet was up, I had this brilliant (terrible) idea, to cut up the concrete, plum the tank to the closet for water changes, top offs, etc etc. So there was the plan. We get the carpet all torn out, the floor is prepped, walls painted. Then I ended up getting hurt at work and cant lift or do anything over 10 lbs, so the renovations get put on hold.Here is where dilemma number 1 comes in. During this time, a 300dd falls into my lap. We debate it for a while, talk it over, stare at the two tanks and we decide the 300dd is the new way to go (despite it sticking out further into the room) The 90 gallon is too stuffed, and we get tired of trying to balance an 80 gallon holding tank and the 90 gallon display tank in 2 separate rooms. So we decided to set up the 265 as a temporary tank where we can keep everything happy in one place until we can finish the room and get the 300dd set up and running. Well, now that we have the 265 up and running, we have fallen in love with it all over again. Everyone is in love with the aquascaping and I don't want to loose it or change it. So dilemma number 1. Keep the 265g and try to some how figure out a way to move it across the house without destroying everything, or continue with the original plan and go the 300dd route.
I am very pleased, and happy with the 265g. The stand is 42" tall, which puts the top of the tank at 72", which admittedly makes it a pain in the *** to do anything in the tank. It requires an 8ft ladder for almost anything. We'll start from the bottom up. Sump set up is a 30 gallon acrylic sump, connected to a 40g breeder refugium. Returning the water upward is a jebao dc12000. I have the return system set up so that it has 3 by pass valves to run into reactors or whatever I decide I need extra water flow for. Currently its running with a marineland 300 skimmer, which I am looking to replace. One of the bypass ports feeds a UV sterilizer which then feeds into the GFO reactor and returns back into the sump. We purchased a GEOS 618 (?) calcium reactor and currently have everything in place to get it up and running and online (dilemma 2) Up top, are 1 jebao rw15's. My original plan for lighting was to go with kessils. After talking to the Kessil rep at reefapalooza, I decided this might not be a good idea. Its not reassuring when the rep of the company isn't sure that the product will work for you set up. Basically they only have a 24"x24" spread at 36" or what not, not to mention the odd length of the tank at 84" He wasn't so sure that the PAR at the bottom of the tank would really be sufficient, everything up top would be happy, and then there was the issue of running overlapping lights. I decided that this experiment was too expensive to undertake. A set of 3 D120s came up on the local forums for $80 so I snagged them up until I can figure out another option. Currently its the 3 d120's and 4 36" t5s. Growth and coloration are incredibly. Minus the shading that is driving me nuts under the cross braces. Helping keep me sane is a ReefKeeper elite (bring on the groans and sighs from the haters) the build and set up is nothing fancy or spectacular.
Now the dilemmas. I believe I covered dilemma number 1 pretty well between the two tanks. There was a third option I looked into which was getting a custom tank built in the dimensions of the 265, but adding 6 inches to the depth, essentially 84"x30"x30" but once I got the quote, I decided maybe not.
Dilemma number 2. On the 90 gallon I would drain magnesium like crazy, calcium a little bit but my biggest issue was always magnesium. So I decided when I go big, I'm definitely running a calcium reactor to keep all my levels in check. Fast forward to today, and triton is the new hot trend going. After looking into it and talking to a few people, I think I have decided this is they way I want to go. The cost evens out, and the theory behind it is pretty sounds. My biggest hurdle is, where on earth am I going to keep 3 10 liter dosing containers. This aquarium stand is a legit piece of furniture and I would hate to ruin that by placing plastic jugs on the ground next to it. I would love to just keep the dosing on containers in the closet, but I seriously doubt any dosing pump will be able to make it to the tank. I thought About building a book case to store the containers in, but even then this would have to be placed far enough away that the doors for the stand will still be able to open for access to the sump. There isn't much room inside the stand for containers unless I find a new home for the GFO reactor. Now for a little back ground about the room and then back to the dosing container issue. The room was originally an outside patio. The previous owner of the house had it closed in and turned into the room that it is today. hence the funky slap, the sliding glass doors that used to be dividing the room and the wall that the tank will be going on used to be an exterior wall and is cinder block. I could drill through the cinder block and go into the room behind the tank, but unfortunately that is the kitchen, and unless I can figure out how to sacrifice a cabinet I don't think thats going to happen.
So thats where we are at as of today. Hopefully soon I can get some more progress notes and pictures going on. I will share a little about the room and the tank set up visually now. (please don't mind the mess, its a construction zone and we are coming off the holidays... )
DSC01820 by Titan-Uranus, on Flickr
Here is the room during the first part of the renovation. You can see the 90 gallon in its nook, the aquarium closet, and our wonderful blue shag carpet.
DSC01819 by Titan-Uranus, on Flickr
DSC03017 copy by Titan-Uranus, on Flickr
Here is the room as of now, with my amazing photoshop skills detailing the dimensions of the two tanks and where they would be in the room and also the plumbing of the pipes between the closet and the tank.
DSC03018 copy by Titan-Uranus, on Flickr
IMG_20141106_185204422 by Titan-Uranus, on Flickr
Here was me, after scrubbing the glass and leak testing the tank.
DSC03019 by Titan-Uranus, on Flickr
Here is the stand and tank. Most of the trim is still pulled off and needs to go back on once it finds its final resting place. The tank did not come with a canopy so I built one. I still am working on matching the trim to the stand and then I need to stain it to match.
iyX28I6 by Titan-Uranus, on Flickr
Here is the sump set up when I was still trying to get everything plumbed in.
DSC02884 by Titan-Uranus, on Flickr
A full tank shot to help aid in the dilemma of moving this tank (I have an idea on how to move it but everyone thinks i'm insane.)
DSC02893 by Titan-Uranus, on Flickr
and a link to the stocking list etc etc.. titanuranus's 265G
After outgrowing the 90 gallon after a little over a year (I have a very bad problem with buying frags, I need rehab) we started looking around for a big tank, that wouldn't break the bank and still fit in our awkward house. Our house is full of windows, tons of them. Due to this we do not have a single wall that is 8ft in length. We ended up stumbling upon a craigslist ad for a 265g set up complete. Drove over, looked at the tank, It was in super great condition, it just needed some cleaning. The stand was one of the highest quality stands I have seen in person. So we decided this was the tank for us. The 90 gallon sits in a nook in the room we refer to as the "library" (the original intent for this room was to be just that, nice marble floors, leather seating, bookshelves surrounding the room) The plan was.... err.. simple? The carpet had to go. We opted for tile, mainly for its spill resistance. I can be a bit of a klutz, and during water changes or leaving ro units on all night or every other mishap you can think of, there ends up being a lot of water on the floor, this ruled out carpet, hardwood and laminates. The closet next to the 90 gallons nook currently houses the RO unit, the water storage containers, shelving for all the other desired supplies to keep a happy tank up and running. Back to the "simple plan", we knew where the 265 would go, and while the carpet was up, I had this brilliant (terrible) idea, to cut up the concrete, plum the tank to the closet for water changes, top offs, etc etc. So there was the plan. We get the carpet all torn out, the floor is prepped, walls painted. Then I ended up getting hurt at work and cant lift or do anything over 10 lbs, so the renovations get put on hold.Here is where dilemma number 1 comes in. During this time, a 300dd falls into my lap. We debate it for a while, talk it over, stare at the two tanks and we decide the 300dd is the new way to go (despite it sticking out further into the room) The 90 gallon is too stuffed, and we get tired of trying to balance an 80 gallon holding tank and the 90 gallon display tank in 2 separate rooms. So we decided to set up the 265 as a temporary tank where we can keep everything happy in one place until we can finish the room and get the 300dd set up and running. Well, now that we have the 265 up and running, we have fallen in love with it all over again. Everyone is in love with the aquascaping and I don't want to loose it or change it. So dilemma number 1. Keep the 265g and try to some how figure out a way to move it across the house without destroying everything, or continue with the original plan and go the 300dd route.
I am very pleased, and happy with the 265g. The stand is 42" tall, which puts the top of the tank at 72", which admittedly makes it a pain in the *** to do anything in the tank. It requires an 8ft ladder for almost anything. We'll start from the bottom up. Sump set up is a 30 gallon acrylic sump, connected to a 40g breeder refugium. Returning the water upward is a jebao dc12000. I have the return system set up so that it has 3 by pass valves to run into reactors or whatever I decide I need extra water flow for. Currently its running with a marineland 300 skimmer, which I am looking to replace. One of the bypass ports feeds a UV sterilizer which then feeds into the GFO reactor and returns back into the sump. We purchased a GEOS 618 (?) calcium reactor and currently have everything in place to get it up and running and online (dilemma 2) Up top, are 1 jebao rw15's. My original plan for lighting was to go with kessils. After talking to the Kessil rep at reefapalooza, I decided this might not be a good idea. Its not reassuring when the rep of the company isn't sure that the product will work for you set up. Basically they only have a 24"x24" spread at 36" or what not, not to mention the odd length of the tank at 84" He wasn't so sure that the PAR at the bottom of the tank would really be sufficient, everything up top would be happy, and then there was the issue of running overlapping lights. I decided that this experiment was too expensive to undertake. A set of 3 D120s came up on the local forums for $80 so I snagged them up until I can figure out another option. Currently its the 3 d120's and 4 36" t5s. Growth and coloration are incredibly. Minus the shading that is driving me nuts under the cross braces. Helping keep me sane is a ReefKeeper elite (bring on the groans and sighs from the haters) the build and set up is nothing fancy or spectacular.
Now the dilemmas. I believe I covered dilemma number 1 pretty well between the two tanks. There was a third option I looked into which was getting a custom tank built in the dimensions of the 265, but adding 6 inches to the depth, essentially 84"x30"x30" but once I got the quote, I decided maybe not.
Dilemma number 2. On the 90 gallon I would drain magnesium like crazy, calcium a little bit but my biggest issue was always magnesium. So I decided when I go big, I'm definitely running a calcium reactor to keep all my levels in check. Fast forward to today, and triton is the new hot trend going. After looking into it and talking to a few people, I think I have decided this is they way I want to go. The cost evens out, and the theory behind it is pretty sounds. My biggest hurdle is, where on earth am I going to keep 3 10 liter dosing containers. This aquarium stand is a legit piece of furniture and I would hate to ruin that by placing plastic jugs on the ground next to it. I would love to just keep the dosing on containers in the closet, but I seriously doubt any dosing pump will be able to make it to the tank. I thought About building a book case to store the containers in, but even then this would have to be placed far enough away that the doors for the stand will still be able to open for access to the sump. There isn't much room inside the stand for containers unless I find a new home for the GFO reactor. Now for a little back ground about the room and then back to the dosing container issue. The room was originally an outside patio. The previous owner of the house had it closed in and turned into the room that it is today. hence the funky slap, the sliding glass doors that used to be dividing the room and the wall that the tank will be going on used to be an exterior wall and is cinder block. I could drill through the cinder block and go into the room behind the tank, but unfortunately that is the kitchen, and unless I can figure out how to sacrifice a cabinet I don't think thats going to happen.
So thats where we are at as of today. Hopefully soon I can get some more progress notes and pictures going on. I will share a little about the room and the tank set up visually now. (please don't mind the mess, its a construction zone and we are coming off the holidays... )
DSC01820 by Titan-Uranus, on FlickrHere is the room during the first part of the renovation. You can see the 90 gallon in its nook, the aquarium closet, and our wonderful blue shag carpet.
DSC01819 by Titan-Uranus, on FlickrDSC03017 copy by Titan-Uranus, on FlickrHere is the room as of now, with my amazing photoshop skills detailing the dimensions of the two tanks and where they would be in the room and also the plumbing of the pipes between the closet and the tank.
DSC03018 copy by Titan-Uranus, on FlickrIMG_20141106_185204422 by Titan-Uranus, on FlickrHere was me, after scrubbing the glass and leak testing the tank.
DSC03019 by Titan-Uranus, on FlickrHere is the stand and tank. Most of the trim is still pulled off and needs to go back on once it finds its final resting place. The tank did not come with a canopy so I built one. I still am working on matching the trim to the stand and then I need to stain it to match.
iyX28I6 by Titan-Uranus, on FlickrHere is the sump set up when I was still trying to get everything plumbed in.
DSC02884 by Titan-Uranus, on FlickrA full tank shot to help aid in the dilemma of moving this tank (I have an idea on how to move it but everyone thinks i'm insane.)
DSC02893 by Titan-Uranus, on Flickrand a link to the stocking list etc etc.. titanuranus's 265G
