HairyGary
Why do all your fish look like trout?
First off, I want to thank everyone here on Reef2Reef for contributing on this forum. Reading threads and everyone's experience has been invaluable in maintaining my existing reef and planning this new adventure.
So here goes...
I have, like others, been in and out of reefing over the years due to work and family commitments. Well the time has come again (ok it came about 3 years ago) to get back into it. The last larger reef I had up was in 2010 or so that did not last long due to those work commitments. It was a bare bottom SPS 40 breeder with minimalist rock work.
Fast forward to about 3 years ago when one of my daughter's wanted a small tank so I bought her a Fluval Spec V and had fancy guppies. Well that turned into a nano mixed reef. So in the fall of 2016 I bought an Innovative Marine Fusion 20 and am now outgrowing with monti's and birdsnests growing off the glass. Everything has been trimmed back considerably.
While I have greatly enjoyed the nano experience, I found it tough to maintain proper parameters at times and, honestly, I want more fish. I love corals but fish within a reef is where it is at for me. In fact I plan to stuff my next tank with fish and mostly wrasse.
So that leads to this build thread. My current 20 gallon is in a corner next to my bar in my finished basement so I thought it fitting (ok my better half wanted to keep it there for interior design purposes) to go with the biggest tank I could fit in the space. After looking at different aquarium builders etc, I ended up with a new Marineland 93 rimless cube. Well I bought it used from my awesome LFS here in MN (shout out to Jen, Doug and the crew at New Wave Aquaria), but ended up warrantied so I got new.
However, I really dislike the manufactured stands so I used my DIY skills and built a stand. I started with a 2x4 frame and Kreg jig. A little overkill probably but I can sleep at night now. The skin is 3/4 maple with crown moulding and 3/4' ply on the top. The top is removable for transport etc.
The inside is painted with appliance epoxy and waterproof expandable caulk. I had to use my buddy's heated garage to finish as it gets a little cold for paint to dry outside here in Minny. I was directed to use cream based paint and to spray so I did that but it ended up a little too white.
So I ended up with this gray tone for a stand color and love it!
That leads to the doors. I wanted something a little different and to be recessed so I made my own out of maple 1x3 and 3/4" x 3/4" square dowels. Oh and I stained them.
So now you ask, are you keeping them open? Nope, I picked up some glass and used mirrored spray paint but also antiqued them by flicking water and vinegar mix.
The doors ended up like this.
Now we are up to date. This weekend I plan to dry fit plumbing and finish working on electronics board. It will be affixed just inside the door on the right, just to the right of the sump.
That's it for today. Oh and I am also building a water station in my utility room at the same time so double the plumbing fun.
So here goes...
I have, like others, been in and out of reefing over the years due to work and family commitments. Well the time has come again (ok it came about 3 years ago) to get back into it. The last larger reef I had up was in 2010 or so that did not last long due to those work commitments. It was a bare bottom SPS 40 breeder with minimalist rock work.
Fast forward to about 3 years ago when one of my daughter's wanted a small tank so I bought her a Fluval Spec V and had fancy guppies. Well that turned into a nano mixed reef. So in the fall of 2016 I bought an Innovative Marine Fusion 20 and am now outgrowing with monti's and birdsnests growing off the glass. Everything has been trimmed back considerably.
While I have greatly enjoyed the nano experience, I found it tough to maintain proper parameters at times and, honestly, I want more fish. I love corals but fish within a reef is where it is at for me. In fact I plan to stuff my next tank with fish and mostly wrasse.
So that leads to this build thread. My current 20 gallon is in a corner next to my bar in my finished basement so I thought it fitting (ok my better half wanted to keep it there for interior design purposes) to go with the biggest tank I could fit in the space. After looking at different aquarium builders etc, I ended up with a new Marineland 93 rimless cube. Well I bought it used from my awesome LFS here in MN (shout out to Jen, Doug and the crew at New Wave Aquaria), but ended up warrantied so I got new.
However, I really dislike the manufactured stands so I used my DIY skills and built a stand. I started with a 2x4 frame and Kreg jig. A little overkill probably but I can sleep at night now. The skin is 3/4 maple with crown moulding and 3/4' ply on the top. The top is removable for transport etc.
The inside is painted with appliance epoxy and waterproof expandable caulk. I had to use my buddy's heated garage to finish as it gets a little cold for paint to dry outside here in Minny. I was directed to use cream based paint and to spray so I did that but it ended up a little too white.
So I ended up with this gray tone for a stand color and love it!
That leads to the doors. I wanted something a little different and to be recessed so I made my own out of maple 1x3 and 3/4" x 3/4" square dowels. Oh and I stained them.
So now you ask, are you keeping them open? Nope, I picked up some glass and used mirrored spray paint but also antiqued them by flicking water and vinegar mix.
The doors ended up like this.
Now we are up to date. This weekend I plan to dry fit plumbing and finish working on electronics board. It will be affixed just inside the door on the right, just to the right of the sump.
That's it for today. Oh and I am also building a water station in my utility room at the same time so double the plumbing fun.
