Miketay89
Community Member
This setup began about 12 years ago when I found an ad for a used 120 gal RR aquarium. My wife and I had just built a new house and I had always had aquariums but I was ready for a larger one. So off I went and bought this 12o gal aquarium brought it home and put it in my basement and began dreaming about the setup I was going to have. I even began putting together the aquascape with some homemade rock. But I never set it up. I think that I wanted the perfect setup so badly that I just couldn't find the time to build the perfect stand and find the perfect place in the house. I still had aquariums just not the big show tank.
Fast forward 12 years, we have moved and built another house so this time I am definitely going to setup my 120. It was sitting in the basement of our new house when I went down to check the measurements for the stand that I was getting ready to build, then I saw cracks in the plastic supports all around the aquarium, 2 on the top and 1 on the bottom. I couldn't believe it they must of happened while moving it from house to storage and then to our new house. I knew that my plan of setting this up in our master bedroom was a bad idea so I came up with a new plan.
There was a sale going on at a large aquarium store on the very day that I discovered the cracks in the plastic. 30% off all aquariums. It was destiny, so off I went to buy a new 120. I didn't get it though, after looking around I decided to get the 150H instead. So I will put the 150 in the bedroom and I will use the 120 in the basement as kind of a display sump/refugium.
Of course my wife's first response to this plan was,"I thought we couldn't use the 120". But my thinking is that there is no drywall and no wood floors down there to ruin so if it springs a leak it shouldn't be that big of a problem. Hopefully it won't. I know if all 120 gallons let go at the same time we will have a problem somewhere, but surely that won't happen.
I am starting with the basement. I am going to get all of the support equipment in place and running before I even begin on the stand for the 150. So far I have built the stand for the 120 and an electrical/dosing stand.
I didn't get a lot of pictures during the building, actually I think this is the only one.
I just finished the elec/dosing stand tonight and began getting things connected.
I have the 120 running all of the rock and sand. Some of it will stay there and some will end up in the 150. So I should have a minimal cycle once I connect the 150 up to the system.
That's where I am so far, still have a lot to do. I thought it would be fun to document the process here and also get some ideas from others. I still have some tidying up to do on this, but the next big step will be the mixing station. Thanks for checking out my build.
Fast forward 12 years, we have moved and built another house so this time I am definitely going to setup my 120. It was sitting in the basement of our new house when I went down to check the measurements for the stand that I was getting ready to build, then I saw cracks in the plastic supports all around the aquarium, 2 on the top and 1 on the bottom. I couldn't believe it they must of happened while moving it from house to storage and then to our new house. I knew that my plan of setting this up in our master bedroom was a bad idea so I came up with a new plan.
There was a sale going on at a large aquarium store on the very day that I discovered the cracks in the plastic. 30% off all aquariums. It was destiny, so off I went to buy a new 120. I didn't get it though, after looking around I decided to get the 150H instead. So I will put the 150 in the bedroom and I will use the 120 in the basement as kind of a display sump/refugium.
Of course my wife's first response to this plan was,"I thought we couldn't use the 120". But my thinking is that there is no drywall and no wood floors down there to ruin so if it springs a leak it shouldn't be that big of a problem. Hopefully it won't. I know if all 120 gallons let go at the same time we will have a problem somewhere, but surely that won't happen.
I am starting with the basement. I am going to get all of the support equipment in place and running before I even begin on the stand for the 150. So far I have built the stand for the 120 and an electrical/dosing stand.
I didn't get a lot of pictures during the building, actually I think this is the only one.
I just finished the elec/dosing stand tonight and began getting things connected.
I have the 120 running all of the rock and sand. Some of it will stay there and some will end up in the 150. So I should have a minimal cycle once I connect the 150 up to the system.
That's where I am so far, still have a lot to do. I thought it would be fun to document the process here and also get some ideas from others. I still have some tidying up to do on this, but the next big step will be the mixing station. Thanks for checking out my build.
