Joes 36 gallon bowfront "budget" build

[jdack]

Hello everyone. I ended up moving across country, again, and at the time ended up selling my 60 cube and setup to a friend for dirt cheap. So what i have started now after a couple years of getting used to the new state and job, is a simple 36 gallon bowfront "budget" build.

What i have-

36 gallon top fin bowfront aquarium and matching stand.

5 stage RO system (modified with a t after the ro membrane so i can have drinking water for the house AND DI for the tank)

Black acrylic paint, roller for the back and 1 side (due to where its located and common viewing angle)

What i have ordered -

Amazon order

200 watt hygger controllable heater
Seachem tidal 110 (literally just for the "media" capabilities.
API SW test kit - basic, not reef, yet
Dual DI stage and resin
100 ft of ro cable, for less dragging of buckets/cans
Gfci power strips
Microbacter 7
Fishless fuel
Nexgen 2 ato
2 cheap powerheads that will be replaced with wavemakers after a month, before fish. 480 gph each.. supposedly..

BRS order
30 pounds dry rock
3 pieces foundation dry rock
Mortar kit
Superglue
40 pounds of dry special grade sand

There may be more, will update if there is.
Future plans are glass lid or custom mesh screen (i will have to design and 3d print the pieces for this i bet, bowfront and all)
Lights, and skimmer. Planning on aqua bullet 3, and vipar spectra 165w led.

I used the term of budget build and not cheap build becuase even with this, ive outstripped my budget, if i do more at this time my wife will NOT be happy lol.

Currently painting the back and side while i wait for supplies to get this started.

Thanks for reading, if you do,
Joe

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[jdack]

Im also keeping an eye out for a stand/desk etc to put under that window, that has an area inside i can setup a sump and use a hob overflow, if i end up needing one. Maybe something a 75 or 90 gal can go on when i move to a bigger location in a few years.

 

[jdack]

Worked on painting it in slow thin passes, just got some edges to clean up, but couldnt resist getting it back on the stand.

Also tested level ness at top of tank currently, back os higher than the front and corner, which is nice, ill only need to shim the front 3 pads.

Also recieved some supplies, my ro di dual canisters, the 100 ft ro line, heater and top off. Rest is arriving today with the brs order tomorrow. Got some work to do this weekend (mon/tues)

 

[jdack]

Figured id share my stocking plans, gonna keep it light since this is basically a nano still. Center of the focus is a goby/shrimp pair, classic tiger snapping/pistol shrimp and yellow watchman goby (paying attention to genus for best pairing results)

1 firefish
2 to 3 green chromis
1 blenny, prob a tailspot

Various assortment of shrimp and reef "safe" inverts.

Going to cycle the tank with microbacter and fishless fuel, let the ugly phase come full swing, add a few snails and the firefish or blenny first. After they settle in and the bacteria catches up will be the next one, blenny or firefish, and then chromis. After its seasoned up ill do the pistol and goby.

Ill be heavily aquascaping for the next couple weeks, going to bust 50 to 90 percent of the rock up and make a structure that i can call my own, with lots of pass throughs, caves, ledges etc. Will prob only use 15 to 20 pounds of the base rock. Will fill the tidal 110 up with marinepure, prob balls or those "new" gems, or just rubble rock that i crwate. and cut to fit coarse sponge for easy and cheap replacement.

Ato reservoir will be a 3 or 5 gallon bucket, fits perfect in the stand actually.

 

[PacoPetty]

Hello everyone. I ended up moving across country, again, and at the time ended up selling my 60 cube and setup to a friend for dirt cheap. So what i have started now after a couple years of getting used to the new state and job, is a simple 36 gallon bowfront "budget" build.

What i have-

36 gallon top fin bowfront aquarium and matching stand.

5 stage RO system (modified with a t after the ro membrane so i can have drinking water for the house AND DI for the tank)

Black acrylic paint, roller for the back and 1 side (due to where its located and common viewing angle)

What i have ordered -

Amazon order

200 watt hygger controllable heater
Seachem tidal 110 (literally just for the "media" capabilities.
API SW test kit - basic, not reef, yet
Dual DI stage and resin
100 ft of ro cable, for less dragging of buckets/cans
Gfci power strips
Microbacter 7
Fishless fuel
Nexgen 2 ato
2 cheap powerheads that will be replaced with wavemakers after a month, before fish. 480 gph each.. supposedly..

BRS order
30 pounds dry rock
3 pieces foundation dry rock
Mortar kit
Superglue
40 pounds of dry special grade sand

There may be more, will update if there is.
Future plans are glass lid or custom mesh screen (i will have to design and 3d print the pieces for this i bet, bowfront and all)
Lights, and skimmer. Planning on aqua bullet 3, and vipar spectra 165w led.

I used the term of budget build and not cheap build becuase even with this, ive outstripped my budget, if i do more at this time my wife will NOT be happy lol.

Currently painting the back and side while i wait for supplies to get this started.

Thanks for reading, if you do,
Joe

I am looking forward to following your build thread! I am also in the process of doing a 36 gallon bowfront build and I am painting the back of the tank today.

 

[jdack]

Hello everyone. I ended up moving across country, again, and at the time ended up selling my 60 cube and setup to a friend for dirt cheap. So what i have started now after a couple years of getting used to the new state and job, is a simple 36 gallon bowfront "budget" build.

What i have-

36 gallon top fin bowfront aquarium and matching stand.

5 stage RO system (modified with a t after the ro membrane so i can have drinking water for the house AND DI for the tank)

Black acrylic paint, roller for the back and 1 side (due to where its located and common viewing angle)

What i have ordered -

Amazon order

200 watt hygger controllable heater
Seachem tidal 110 (literally just for the "media" capabilities.
API SW test kit - basic, not reef, yet
Dual DI stage and resin
100 ft of ro cable, for less dragging of buckets/cans
Gfci power strips
Microbacter 7
Fishless fuel
Nexgen 2 ato
2 cheap powerheads that will be replaced with wavemakers after a month, before fish. 480 gph each.. supposedly..

BRS order
30 pounds dry rock
3 pieces foundation dry rock
Mortar kit
Superglue
40 pounds of dry special grade sand

There may be more, will update if there is.
Future plans are glass lid or custom mesh screen (i will have to design and 3d print the pieces for this i bet, bowfront and all)
Lights, and skimmer. Planning on aqua bullet 3, and vipar spectra 165w led.

I used the term of budget build and not cheap build becuase even with this, ive outstripped my budget, if i do more at this time my wife will NOT be happy lol.

Currently painting the back and side while i wait for supplies to get this started.

Thanks for reading, if you do,
Joe

I am looking forward to following your build thread! I am also in the process of doing a 36 gallon bowfront build and I am painting the back of the tank today.

Nice! Good luck, i have high humidity and the acrylic is still tacky feeling here, after a whole 24 hours lol. My rocks and stuff arrive today, so i went ahead and made a template for my scape.

 

[PacoPetty]

Nice! Good luck, i have high humidity and the acrylic is still tacky feeling here, after a whole 24 hours lol. My rocks and stuff arrive today, so i went ahead and made a template for my scape.

I love making cardboard templates for my aquascapes! I have been doing that for years. I just made one last night for my 65 gallon reef tank and now I am making one for my 36 gallon bowfront.

 

[jdack]

Rocks and stuff arrived, gonna bust em open after i eat, crossing fingers for some gems!

 

[jdack]

 

[jdack]

 

[jdack]

Heres the baseline flow i came up with, already pretty happy about it. Posted in aquascape section for advice about improving it.

Nothing is glued yet, liking the small caves and longer arch pattern. Gaps in the arch will be filled with rubble and mortar, sand added as well.

Will start "final" build today on the template, superglue each piece as i go, then mortar last.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

I am following along with interest. I have the same tank, but started it a few months ago as a complete novice. Here is my tank thread, if you're interested:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/budget-beginnings.1133800/

 

[jdack]

Awesome, i will check it out and follow! Thanks for reading!

 

[jdack]

I am following along with interest. I have the same tank, but started it a few months ago as a complete novice. Here is my tank thread, if you're interested:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/budget-beginnings.1133800/

^

 

[jdack]

Had to revise, tank size and the fact thay i just wasnt able to recreate it. Happy so far, lots of rock left to add on to the height and make a small island in the front.

 

[jdack]

After mortar. The left piece isnt connected, ill just throw a bit of glue on it when i move it to the tank. Once in the tank ill prob add some small pieces here and there.

 

[jdack]

Dual deionization unit installed, installed off a 50 gpd 5 stage with tank system. Line going from the ro membrane to the auto shutoff is where i put the T, going to a valve, then to the DI, then to another valve, then an inline tds meter. Seems to be working, meter reads 2 for a few secs from discharge then down to 1 to 0

Hard to tell in the second picture, but that "line" is a water level, theres air trapped in there that wont evacuate. Idk if that will affect anything.

 

[jdack]

May add some more but i am inclined to say its enough. Plenty of coral growth room.


Going to rinse the sand for a bit then get it in, in a few batches tonight.

Gotta diy a hook for the ro line (100 ft line, no more dragging cans, or buckets!)

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

May add some more but i am inclined to say its enough.

Restraint is the better part of valor! I do like that you still have space in front for a few rubble islands.