JMRs 220 Gallong Build (fist reef tank)

[John Michael]

This build all started when one day I was on YouTube and came across the 52weeks of reefing from #bulkreefsupply and I got really interested. I’ve have fresh water tanks for years with great success so why not go for a new venture in reefing. I decided to check on Facebook for some reef ready tanks. I said to myself I’ll get something between a 75 gallon- 120 gallon tank. I ended up finding somebody that wanted to sell this tank

I said that looks like a good size. To later find out it was a 220 gallon tank. OMG....!!!!! Huge tank. I didn’t think much about it intill i saw the daem thing! Did I bite off more then I can chew? The seller was asking for $450 for the tank alone. Seamed like a great deal. After talking to the guy for a few weeks we agreed on $350 bucks for the tank. He just wanted it out of her house.
I went to the guys house and inspected all the seals and seams looking for anything wrong. Tank was perfect and solid. So brought it home with me.

Is time to buy or build a stand. I quickly realized that stands are pretty daem expensive and would be better to build one. I’m pretty handy so figured let’s do it. Looked up some plans and measured what I needed and went to the Home Depot.
I decided to go with 2x6 for extra strength because I want a open front for sump area.
This area for me should be just as impressive as the tank I want to build.

And the stand is done and I place where I want it in my house. Since I have a great spot for it.

I layed down a furniture pad I have a bunch of to protect my floor. I’m gonna go buy a foam Matt or something for the top of the stand. Now I just gotta cut out the wood for the inside of the stand so that I can get the tank up on top of the stand and ensure it’s leveled and safe.
Next week I’m gonna give the tank a good bath and paint the back and bottom of the tank black like I do with all my tanks in my house.
I have a question: trying to decide on two sump set ups! Please vote and give me some opinions and advice on a good Sump gonna buy it next week.
These are the two choices
Bashsea SS48
With ATO and Refugium To size.

Or
Geo SU46R Pro-plus

What do you guys think?
I’m leaning towards the Bashsea!
But like how clean the Geos are!
Hmmm!

What do you guys think so far?

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Wow, that thing looks FANTASTIC!!!

 

[John Michael]

So just a quick update, I got the tank into the house and painted the back.
I still haven’t decided to purchase a sump yet but I need to make a choice this week.

Gonna push it back against the wall and
Next week gonna go get some rock and sand and start designing the tank.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

So just a quick update, I got the tank into the house and painted the back.
I still haven’t decided to purchase a sump yet but I need to make a choice this week.

Gonna push it back against the wall and
Next week gonna go get some rock and sand and start designing the tank.

Looking good, what sand are you going with?

 

[John Michael]

Looking good, what sand are you going with?

Im thinking Caribsea ocean direct original Grade. What do you think?

 

[John Michael]

 

[hdsoftail1065]

No experience with the original grade. I'm mostly putting feelers out to see what others are thinking about going with. I have Caribsea figi pink in one tank and hawiaan black in another. We are eyeing a reefer 250 and trying to figure out what sand to go with on it.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Looking great!

 

[coralcity]

looks great can't wait to see the finish product

 

[John Michael]

Alright so so far to a little of a slow start but we are getting pretty much everything we need next week. But here is what we have going in so far. This week I received allot of goodies that I started getting on the tank. Let’s start with Flow.
I opted in to do (2) Maxspec Gyre fx330 with controller and (2) MP40’s

I think for now this should be enough for what I need. What do you think?
I also picked up this Marine Aqua 12,000 return pump for added flow as well.

Now lighting:
I picked up second hand (3) Kessil a360 with controller

I initially was going to go with Radion Lights but came across these for a really good deal so I’ll try this out for now and see how they perform. What do you think?
Still cleaning up all the wires and zip ties.
Heating:
I got (2) finnex 500w heaters and a inkbird temp controller for

Do you guys this this is enough heating power? Usually my house is around a comfortable 68 degrees in the Summer

Filtration:
I got this Eshopp s-300
And next week I should be receiving my custom sump i ordered from Julian @Crystal Reef Aquatics. I decided to do a custom sump instead of a manufactured sump because I wanted to make sure i got everything exactly how I wanted it.
This is pretty much what it should look like once I get it.

Can’t wait to make a video of this getting installed.
I also have 251lbs of dry rock coming in from Florida Dry Rock this week. Any ideas on aquascape?
I still haven’t figured out sand options hurt, all I know is that I will be putting sand into the tank. Looking for something that’s not going to blow around much with medium flow and also looks clean.
I purchased a new RO/DI unit from Liqua Gen. So far these have really good ratings and more economic as well. I’ll update you on water mixing station once I get that all together. Not in a rush just yet for that.

Even comes with booster pump!
I might purchase a water saver kit to reduce waste water. Worth it?
Power:
I bought on Amazon (2) DJ switch boards for power control. So far everything works great and this is where all my controllers will be placed.

once everything is in place. Definitely going to have good cord management. I hate disorganized cables.
I’m going to cover the entire tank with High Gloss wood. Think this should be good to cover everything up...
What do you guys think so far? . It’s been 3 months of collecting equipment and research on what I want to do. But sometimes i feel like I’m just winging it.
The most difficult part that I’m most afraid of doing is the plumbing of the tank.
Building a manifold and plumping the stand pipes and return lines into the tank and then plumbing everything in the sump.
Just not sure if I should get somebody with allot more experience to help me out with this. Pizza and Beer anybody? Once I get the sump next week I’ll prob be able to figure out everything I’m going to need for plumbing this bad boy and then decide on what to do.
This is pretty much where I’m at with everything so far. What do you all think about it? Should I change anything? Am I missing anything?
I’ll post next week my thoughts about livestock. I already have a pretty good list. I think I need some help with figuring out the order in which it should be stocked.
And then I’ll explain my quarantine set up!
Well that is it for now guys.
Happy reefing!

 

[Crystal Reef Aquatics]

Great looking build! Thanks for choosing Crystal Reef Aquatics for your sump!

 

[John Michael]

Holy cow.
I just plugged in my all my expenses so far into the aquarimate app. Over the past 3 months I’ve been getting all the equipment and supplies here and there, I just spent $500 in plumbing supplies today alone from @Bulk Reef Supply and still have so much in my wishlist to get as well. But I just saw the total today as a whole! It was shocking! And the worst part is. The tank doesn’t even have water in it yet! And I still have tons of things to buy, 200lbs of sand , more plumbing, salt, quarantine tanks and equipment (gonna be replicating @FishOfHex quarantine set up with 6
Tanks)
I’m super excited that I’m so close to start cycling the tank. Probably next 2 weeks and I’ll be up and running. Any good tips on aquascaping?

 

[John Michael]

RO/DI system is on the wall. Ready to go!!!!
Now waiting for water storage pump and plumbing.

Hope I connected everything up the right way. Looks right. Let me know!

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Holy cow.
I just plugged in my all my expenses so far into the aquarimate app. Over the past 3 months I’ve been getting all the equipment and supplies here and there, I just spent $500 in plumbing supplies today alone from @Bulk Reef Supply and still have so much in my wishlist to get as well. But I just saw the total today as a whole! It was shocking! And the worst part is. The tank doesn’t even have water in it yet! And I still have tons of things to buy, 200lbs of sand , more plumbing, salt, quarantine tanks and equipment (gonna be replicating @FishOfHex quarantine set up with 6
Tanks)
I’m super excited that I’m so close to start cycling the tank. Probably next 2 weeks and I’ll be up and running. Any good tips on aquascaping?

Looking really good so far! Excited to see how this one turns out!

 

[asting]

I like the stand! Good build so far.

 

[John Michael]

So finally the sump is here!
It’s a custom @Crystal Reef Aquatics sump.
Build quality is amazing. There kind of a weird story to this sump. This is actually sump#2 that they sent because the first one was cracked on the back. They made it right by sending me a new one. This has been in the works since March. Finally it has arrived safe and sound and I can start plumbing this bad boy! so happy!

Updates to come

 

[John Michael]

Update on the RO/DI and Salt water mixing Station! I decided to get a water booster pump for the RO/DI system to help with better water production and removed the permeate pump. Everything has been tested and it’s working like a champ. I also have the 3 stage DI resin upgrade that I haven’t installed yet but I will eventually. I’m gonna do the final measurements and cuts to shorted the front so I don’t trip on it and then add a union on the intake on the pump and then just glue it all together so we can be ready to make some water. What do you think? Any feedback?

 

[Crystal Reef Aquatics]

So finally the sump is here!
It’s a custom @Crystal Reef Aquatics sump.
Build quality is amazing. There kind of a weird story to this sump. This is actually sump#2 that they sent because the first one was cracked on the back. They made it right by sending me a new one. This has been in the works since March. Finally it has arrived safe and sound and I can start plumbing this bad boy! so happy!

Updates to come

Glad this one got there safely! Looking forward to the rest of your build!

 

[jp_75]

Looks really sharp!