Bigfish93's 193 build/journey

[Bigfish93]

Well after years of reading all the different posts on here and on other sites, I finally get to start my reef build! Just warning you now, this build will take a while since I don't have the funds to buy everything that I want at once. But I'm glad that it has finally started! :bigsmile:
I figured I wouldn't start this post until I had pictures to post, because who likes a post with no pictures??? Not me

My goal in starting this post is to have people help me through some of the design aspects of this build, because I am by no means any kind of expert. I am hoping that people will learn from the process of building my dream tank as I have learned from others.
Here is of some of the things I have or want.
1. 62x30x24 LeeMar aquarium with a external overflow.
2. Custom 32 in steel stand- wanted steel so that it would give me more space under the stand.
3. Custom sump- not sure who I am going to go with yet.
4. Vortex Alpha 200 skimmer.
5. Reeflow super dart gold.
6. Vortech pumps
7. Lighting? No idea yet. Will be the last thing I buy. Still not sure if I'm sold on LED's yet.

So here we go!

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Congrats on the build! Looking good so far.
I think you would like LED's is you get them.
Love the tank.
Have fun reefing!

 

[Bigfish93]

It will be a year or so before I buy the lights so im sure led technology will change a bit in that time period.

 

[Bigfish93]

Just finished painting the stand.

 

[Badfish83]

Love the dimensions. I just set up a 64"x30"x24"

 

[Bigfish93]

Nice! Yeah I'm glad I went with the 30" in depth. Do you have any pictures of your setup?

 

[Badfish83]

Yeah the 30" definitely made aquascaping better.

 

[Bigfish93]

Here is a pic of my water station setup. Took me a while to figure out how to run the filter from the second floor of my house into my garage, but I eventually figured it out.

 

[Bigfish93]

Now what color to paint the background???

 

[Clearwater]

Classic. Just had a tank built similar by lee mar like this. But without the teeth in the overflow. Looks like a bean animal. Talk to Tyler at elite aquatics about your sump. He built me an insane high flow sump. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Kody72]

Classic. Just had a tank built similar by lee mar like this. But without the teeth in the overflow. Looks like a bean animal. Talk to Tyler at elite aquatics about your sump. He built me an insane high flow sump. You won't be disappointed.

+1 Tyler built my sump and its amazing. I also have a 60x30x24 Rimless with EO

 

[Bigfish93]

Classic. Just had a tank built similar by lee mar like this. But without the teeth in the overflow. Looks like a bean animal. Talk to Tyler at elite aquatics about your sump. He built me an insane high flow sump. You won't be disappointed.

Yeah I went with the bean animal after all the reviews I had read about it. Once I get my skimmer and return pump then I will start designing the sump. EA seems to make a great product. Will have to look into them when I get to that point.

 

[Bigfish93]

Clearwater/Kody72, do you guys have pictures of your setups?

 

[Fin]

Really nice tank and stand. Looking forward to following the build.

 

[Clearwater]

That's the tank

That's the sump.
I will have a build thread shortly when I get some time.

 

[Bigfish93]

Really nice tank and stand. Looking forward to following the build.

Thanks fin! Im glad to finally be building It. Its been many many years in the process.

 

[Bigfish93]

Clearwater, looks like a good start to a great setup. Sump looks amazing. What are the dimensions?

 

[Clearwater]

48x30x22 tank
38x18x21 sump

 

[Kody72]

Display 60x36x30T

Frag tank 60x30x24T

EA sump 60x16x30T

 

[Fin]

All of those tanks and sumps are sweet! Makes me want to ditch my poor 8 year old Oceanic 140. :bigsmile: Looking forward to watching the come together.