fanandy8
Community Member
Thought I'd start a build thread even though I've had the tank running for a couple months now. Its been a long time coming been slowly working on it for over a year. I am not much of a picture taker which my wife is always telling me I need to start taking more so we have pics of our two little boys growing up. So I don't have any pics of putting the thing together but I'll try to take some more and post.
The basics:
40 breeder bought during a Petco $1 a gallon sale
20 long sump also bought during Petco sale.
Tek T5 light 4x39 watt with ATI bulbs currently using 2 blue plus and 2 coral plus
Mag 7 return pump
Jebao wp25 and an older Tunze nano stream for flow
Ebo jager heater.
Skimmer is an older Aqua Medic turboflotor
ATO is a diy kit from aquahub using an aqualifter pump.
I drilled the tank for 2x1" bulkheads for drains made a homemade overflow box just like the gla....holes overflow. Also drilled for a 3/4" return. Painted back blue.
The stand is diy I made the frame out of 2x4 and skinned it with 1/4" plywood. Made the doors myself, my first time making doors, they turned out OK but know some things I'll do different next time. I made the stand oversized to hold a tank with a 48x18 footprint for if I very upgrade down the road. I like having the extra room around the tank to set things like when testing water or feeding. So I think when I do upgrade I'll just build another stand oversized.
I had glass cut at local hardware store for sump baffles and siliconed them into sump. I made three sections first is for drain and skimmer then middle will have a fuge with some rick and chaeto then return section with ATO.
Right now the skimmer I have works pretty good, pulls some nasty stuff out and smells like a sewage plant when I clean the cup. I'm thinking of upgrading it but now sure if I will.
The basics:
40 breeder bought during a Petco $1 a gallon sale
20 long sump also bought during Petco sale.
Tek T5 light 4x39 watt with ATI bulbs currently using 2 blue plus and 2 coral plus
Mag 7 return pump
Jebao wp25 and an older Tunze nano stream for flow
Ebo jager heater.
Skimmer is an older Aqua Medic turboflotor
ATO is a diy kit from aquahub using an aqualifter pump.
I drilled the tank for 2x1" bulkheads for drains made a homemade overflow box just like the gla....holes overflow. Also drilled for a 3/4" return. Painted back blue.
The stand is diy I made the frame out of 2x4 and skinned it with 1/4" plywood. Made the doors myself, my first time making doors, they turned out OK but know some things I'll do different next time. I made the stand oversized to hold a tank with a 48x18 footprint for if I very upgrade down the road. I like having the extra room around the tank to set things like when testing water or feeding. So I think when I do upgrade I'll just build another stand oversized.
I had glass cut at local hardware store for sump baffles and siliconed them into sump. I made three sections first is for drain and skimmer then middle will have a fuge with some rick and chaeto then return section with ATO.
Right now the skimmer I have works pretty good, pulls some nasty stuff out and smells like a sewage plant when I clean the cup. I'm thinking of upgrading it but now sure if I will.
