Mole's Return: 240 Wide

[Mole]

Just want to get this thread started, so here goes...

Equipment list:

72"L x 30"W x 24"H, Eurobraced Peninsula Tank from Miracles Aquariums- drilled for Synergy Reef 20" Shadow overflow (will add details later)
20" Snyergy Reef Shadow overflow
customized Advanced Acrylics S152 sump (will add details later)
Reef octopus Varios 8 return pump
4x AI Hydra 52HD
61" Aquatic Life T5 Hybrid fixture (to go with the Hydras)
Zetlight E200S refugium light
Reef Octopus Regal 250INT 10" internal skimmer
Skimz CM122 Calcium Reactor (I wanted to do more SPS this go round)
BRS Dual Chamber Media Reactor
2x JBJ True Temp 1000w heaters
Apex Controller with an extra Lab Grade Ph Probe for the Calcium reactor (to drive the whole thing)
2x VorTech MP40QD
Aqua UV 57w UV Sterilizer
Tunze Osmolator ATO
10g Advanced Acrylics ATO reservoir
150lbs of dry Fiji Pink sand
200ish lbs of Marco rock

After two years in a 65g I decided I wanted a bigger tank and if I was going to go bigger then, I was going to get the biggest tank I could manage to fit into the house without knocking down walls. Last April I ordered a custom, 240 wide (72"L x 30"W x 24"H) from Miracles Aquariums. As the only place I had to put it was on one specific wall in the basement, I had already plumbed the length of the house (the basement was unfinished when I made the decision to go bigger) for water changes from the fish room about 60 feet away. Since it was going to be right inside the door at the bottom of the stairs, I chose to go with a peninsula so all of the plumbing would be less visible and the view coming down the stairs would be unobstructed (except for one MP40QD mounted at that end for flow) and much more pleasant.

Just finished setting tile in the basement. The tank will go on the far wall which is also tiled with slate. If you look at the middle of the wall you can see the water change plumbing below the GFI outlets.

Basement still needs trim and touch up but, the tile is done.

The Big Boy tank arrived unscathed.

 

[Mole]

I wanted to make sure that one person could move the stand so, I built it in the garage and made it so everything bolts together. The legs bolt to top and bottom of the stand and the front, back and side panels unscrew complete.

The front and side panels are boxed in for reinforcement and attached to the frame of the stand with half a dozen screws per box.

Yes, I put arrows on it because I have occasional brain farts.

I lost the pictures of moving the tank from the garage into the house. Needless to say, it took six people to get it through the door (30" wide tank with a 32" wide door), egyptian roll it across the floor (we used pvc pipe to roll it from the slider to the front of the stand), and then lift it onto the stand. A couple of shims and about ten minutes later, it was level. Then I filled it half way to let it settle for a few days and checked level again. It hadn't budged.

Front panel installed (in hindsight I should have waited until the sump was in before I put on the front panel).

Sump and all of the other goodies in the sump then the last side panel is installed.


Time to set matching tile one the front and side panel (facing the doorway, the other side I'll leave as painted plywood to mount the power control units). So, I went to the local woodworking supply store and found some really nice pieces for the corners and got them mounted. On a side note, if you remember, I stated all the the panels would be removable separately. I only attached the corner pieces to the side panels. I wanted to make this setup as easy as possible to move when the time came (hopefully not any time soon).