Hi everyone. I have been a member but not active for a few years. I thought it was time to post a build thread to my new 180 system. I have been keeping fish tanks all of my life. Back in the '80's I started keeping very small salt tanks while in college. Those were the days really no one knew what the heck they were doing. I had a 5 gal tank with a simple under gravel filter with a condi nem and a clown. I actually kept it for three years....with few water changes... Lousy fluorescent tube light... How the hobby has changed over the years.
I have messed around with small tanks for years. Then about ten years ago...I set up a 72 bow front that is still running today....and about three years ago a 125 corner bow.....still running in my home office. I went through a divorce and after coming up for air... I wanted to do a bigger tank. I was in the midst of remodeling my house a bit...which has led me to this build. So... Sit back and enjoy. I will try to share as much as I can... and I am always open to ideas....and constructive comments.
So here is what my front room looked like shortly after the divorce. It is right off of my home office where I work nearly 100% of the time. The office is to the left behind the pilar. The front windows are to the right.
This room was really never used....except by the two dogs and cats. Formal living rooms are really wasted spaces in my opinion... So I decided this would be a great place for a library....and a big flipping tank. My plan was a 125... But that soon changed to a 180....with a sump in the basement.
I removed the furniture and gave it away to Restore. Painted the rooms and replaced the carpet. I then got down to planning the tank and stand. I wanted a basement sump and something that was a real centerpiece of the room.
I contracted Matt from Sho Tank Aquarium in Mundelein IL to build the tank for me. I have seen his work over the years and always wanted something he built. The opportunity presented itself and the rest is I guess history. Here are a couple of pictures of Matt delivering the tank.
The tank was installed the first week of November. I had a ton of work to plumb and set the tank up long before I put water in it.
More to come.
I have messed around with small tanks for years. Then about ten years ago...I set up a 72 bow front that is still running today....and about three years ago a 125 corner bow.....still running in my home office. I went through a divorce and after coming up for air... I wanted to do a bigger tank. I was in the midst of remodeling my house a bit...which has led me to this build. So... Sit back and enjoy. I will try to share as much as I can... and I am always open to ideas....and constructive comments.
So here is what my front room looked like shortly after the divorce. It is right off of my home office where I work nearly 100% of the time. The office is to the left behind the pilar. The front windows are to the right.
This room was really never used....except by the two dogs and cats. Formal living rooms are really wasted spaces in my opinion... So I decided this would be a great place for a library....and a big flipping tank. My plan was a 125... But that soon changed to a 180....with a sump in the basement.
I removed the furniture and gave it away to Restore. Painted the rooms and replaced the carpet. I then got down to planning the tank and stand. I wanted a basement sump and something that was a real centerpiece of the room.
I contracted Matt from Sho Tank Aquarium in Mundelein IL to build the tank for me. I have seen his work over the years and always wanted something he built. The opportunity presented itself and the rest is I guess history. Here are a couple of pictures of Matt delivering the tank.
The tank was installed the first week of November. I had a ton of work to plumb and set the tank up long before I put water in it.
More to come.