Hello from Madison, Wisconsin!

kstaley12 · Jan 27, 2022

Welcome to R2R! What an exciting build! Looking forward to seeing it.

Zach B · Jan 27, 2022

Welcome from Slinger

maceto · Jan 27, 2022

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!!

csnv · Jan 27, 2022

welcome to r2r, Madison.. that's a place i recognize, i lived in MKE for over 10 years.. Still come back every summer. I can't handle winters anymore..

Jimbhoy13 · Jan 27, 2022

Welcome to R2R and back to the salty world.

Karen00 · Jan 27, 2022

Welcome to the salty side (again) and welcome to the community. It sounds like you have a solid plan for your setup. I look forward to seeing it.

Mjl714 · Jan 27, 2022

Welcome, 200 gallon build sounds like a lot of fun. Goodluck and be patient!

Manny’s Reef · Jan 28, 2022

Hello and welcome to R2R. Glad to have you.

Fish Think Pink · Jan 30, 2022

ecjahns16 said:
Hi everyone! Just wanted to introduce myself. I maintained a FOWLR in college for about a year with not-great success (20 gallon display, 20 gallon sump, two ocellaris and two yellowtail damselfish). I was on a college budget and did quite a lot of DIY. It was fun, but I had a fair number of mini-disasters. That was close to ten years ago and I'm ready to try again now that I have a house and the budget to do it right. I'm starting to plan out a tank build for basement, looking at around 200 gallons of display tank. I've been "doing my research" on and off for a long time now and I'm excited to jump in.

I'm planning on having a tank built by customaquariums.com. Does anyone have experience with them? They're not far from me, so I could pick up the tank in-person, and it would be nice to support local. I like their H2Overflow/Stealthbox design, and the aluminum framing is interesting. They're a little more expensive that something like Glasscages. Are they worth the extra money? Thanks everyone!

Welcome! Glad you joined. Defer to others on that particular company and design. Our 180g glass tank is lighter than what you're considering, and we used a LFS with specialized equipment to move it in. When you say 'pickup' I giggled because it sounds so simple when written, yet either 4-6 super strong friends (who may never do another favor again afterwards) or moving company may be needed.

Have you considered starting your build thread? I found its a great place to document my tank's evolution for myself. Wish I had started documenting while in the planning phase, which sounds like you are still doing. I started tank first then joined, so I'm still finding myself going back collecting pictures & updating historically as well as current state. Once you create your first post in your thread and link it to your account, they will give you build badge (look left, under my ID)

This is a good reference book type online article I still review:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is no...

www.reef2reef.com

piranhaman00 · Jan 30, 2022

Fish Think Pink said:
Welcome! Glad you joined. Defer to others on that particular company and design. Our 180g glass tank is lighter than what you're considering, and we used a LFS with specialized equipment to move it in. When you say 'pickup' I giggled because it sounds so simple when written, yet either 4-6 super strong friends (who may never do another favor again afterwards) or moving company may be needed.

Have you considered starting your build thread? I found its a great place to document my tank's evolution for myself. Wish I had started documenting while in the planning phase, which sounds like you are still doing. I started tank first then joined, so I'm still finding myself going back collecting pictures & updating historically as well as current state. Once you create your first post in your thread and link it to your account, they will give you build badge (look left, under my ID)

This is a good reference book type online article I still review:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is no...

www.reef2reef.com

180 with 1/2” glass is easily moved with two men.

Fish Think Pink · Jan 30, 2022

piranhaman00 said:
180 with 1/2” glass is easily moved with two men.

Apparently Wisconsin men are stronger than Texas (and rest of country) men... I watched TWO men move my 180 gallon tank relocation from one home to another... and without the specialized cart that lifted, etc my tank would still be one city over, far from me. And it got IN that house with 4 huge men (barely got in... and no longer available for any other moving LOL ... tank move burned that bridge)

I'll have to go north some day day and check out Wisconsin men <wink> ... did have cheese curds at a TX bar before COVID - they said those yummy snacks were standard up your way!

Jeffcb · Jan 30, 2022

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!

piranhaman00 · Jan 30, 2022

Fish Think Pink said:
Apparently Wisconsin men are stronger than Texas (and rest of country) men... I watched TWO men move my 180 gallon tank relocation from one home to another... and without the specialized cart that lifted, etc my tank would still be one city over, far from me. And it got IN that house with 4 huge men (barely got in... and no longer available for any other moving LOL ... tank move burned that bridge)

I'll have to go north some day day and check out Wisconsin men <wink> ... did have cheese curds at a TX bar before COVID - they said those yummy snacks were standard up your way!

Just a joke

Kiwi reefer · Jan 31, 2022

Welcome to R2R

ecj16 · Jan 31, 2022

Fish Think Pink said:
Welcome! Glad you joined. Defer to others on that particular company and design. Our 180g glass tank is lighter than what you're considering, and we used a LFS with specialized equipment to move it in. When you say 'pickup' I giggled because it sounds so simple when written, yet either 4-6 super strong friends (who may never do another favor again afterwards) or moving company may be needed.

Have you considered starting your build thread? I found its a great place to document my tank's evolution for myself. Wish I had started documenting while in the planning phase, which sounds like you are still doing. I started tank first then joined, so I'm still finding myself going back collecting pictures & updating historically as well as current state. Once you create your first post in your thread and link it to your account, they will give you build badge (look left, under my ID)

This is a good reference book type online article I still review:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is no...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks for the info! I assume they'd help load the tank on the pick-up end but I'll have to double-check on that. And I'm planning on having a few friends over to help get it into position. I have been taking photos for documentation, I'll be starting a thread soon!