60 gallon shallow 4 foot tank

[Ronnyking]

Hello all and greetings from Belgium.
I finally started to build my new aquarium. It's a 4 foot shallow tank of approximately 60 gallons (220 liter). (48" x 20" x 16") or 120cm x 50cm x 40xm.
Custom made aquarium on a Red Sea reefer 350 cabinet and with a reefer 350 sump. Finished the plumbing today. Waiting for my lights and tomorrow I'm gonna start my scape with dry rock.
Some pictures:

Aquarium arived.

Almost where it will be in the room

Plumbing done today. I'm no expert, but I'm satisfied withe the result.

I'm also working on a DIY controller using an ESP32 and some code I wrote with the help of ChatGPT.
Code to be found here: https://github.com/Odaller/ESP32Reefcontroller

Next job: making filterfloss holders instead of those filter socks...

A few years ago I had a Red sea reefer 250 which I sold due to home renovations:

 

[Fenral]

Nice - I wish I had time to code a controller... get by with the hydros..

/Following along

 

[Mas0n]

Love long shallow tanks! Looking good.

 

[Ronnyking]

Added a removable panel for pump control boxes, doser and self made controller:

First attempt at a scape. What do you guys think? Extra needed left or right? Got stones for days...

 

[ackshee]

Following along because I love shallow tanks. :)

 

[BristleWormHater]

Added a removable panel for pump control boxes, doser and self made controller:

First attempt at a scape. What do you guys think? Extra needed left or right? Got stones for days...

Looks great make sure you attach everything well! Also once the tank is filled putting encrusting corals in the areas where you glued the rocks helps cover up the glue and will secure the rocks too.

 

[Ronnyking]

Received my new lights today: 4 led bars (2 "reef day and 2 "blue plus) to supplement my 3 Noopsyche k7 pro II lamps. There will be no shortage of light! (picture at 1% brightness)
Now to make a good mount with inox tubes to hold it all together.
The rocks are all glued together aswell, once the lightmount is fixed, the tank can be placed in its dedicated position and the rocks can be placed in the tank.

 

[cagribayram]

This size is the tank size I want to use the most. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Received my new lights today: 4 led bars (2 "reef day and 2 "blue plus) to supplement my 3 Noopsyche k7 pro II lamps. There will be no shortage of light! (picture at 1% brightness)
Now to make a good mount with inox tubes to hold it all together.
The rocks are all glued together aswell, once the lightmount is fixed, the tank can be placed in its dedicated position and the rocks can be placed in the tank.

Good luck with the mount!

 

[Reef Puncher]

man i have a tank the same gallons, but mine is only 3 feet long, i really wish i did a shallow 4 foot like you did.

 

[Ronnyking]

Good luck with the mount!

Thanks, I plan on using two inox L-shaped holders fixed on the backside of the stand. The L-shaped holders will be able to move up and down to get the best suitable height. I wonder where to best put them, either at 15 3/4 in of either side or at 3 ¹⁵/₁₆ in of either side. What would you choose?

 

[kevgib67]

Best of luck with your build, following.

 

[Ronnyking]

Progress with the mount.
L-shaped Inox holders which can be moved up and down installed.

Lights fitted on an aluminium tube which slide onto the L-shaped holders. (too high mounted right now, but only as a test).

The space in the middle will be occupied by the Noopsyches.
The weight makes the whole a bit shifted. Would I use something on the backside between the glass and the metal bars? A piece of wood, or plastic? Or will this put too much strain on the glass?

 

[Ronnyking]

I finaly got water! Pleased with the scape. Maybe a bit too high or too full? Currently only using the noops for lichting.

 

[kevgib67]

I finaly got water! Pleased with the scape. Maybe a bit too or too full? Currently only using the noops for lichting.

Love the scape, don’t change a thing!

 

[Ronnyking]

My stocking list idea:

2 Amphiprion ocellaris (clown)
1 Gramma loretto (Royal Gramma)
1 Chrysiptera springeri (Springer's damsel)

1 Ecsenius midas (Midas Blenny)

1 Ctenochaetus tominiensis (Tomini tang)

1 Paracheilinus carpenteri (Carpenter's flasher wrasse)

1 Pseudocheilinus hexataenia (sixline wrasse)

maybe room for one more? -> Nemateleotris decora (purple firefish)

I would love a Mandarin as well, but I won't get it until I am sure I have enough pods... (which may be never, since I want wrasses as well)

What do you guys think?

 

[bmizell]

I’m in your exact position right now with my SR60. I want wrasses AND a mandarin. I may have to cultivate pods/phyto. I like that you posted pictures of the stocking list idea. Looks like a great one.. will the wrasses mess with hermits? I may be “borrowing” this list.

 

[Ronnyking]

Long time since I've posted. I had a battle with Dino's but for the moment, it seems to be under control. Let's hope it stays that way.
Some pictures with normal and under blue lights:

 

[Ronnyking]

New update.