My 180 Propagation Build.....

mike_dani · Feb 25, 2011

Hey there NARC

I have had another great idea on how to save some moneyâ€¦â€¦..
I decided that I needed to build a propagation system and ordered some glass HMMMMMMMMM Sounds like fun. Years ago I used to build and repair aquariums so I started to build them again.

I decided on a 180 gallon tank with the dimensions of 96X24X18T the bottom of the tank is made with 1/2 and the sides are 3/8 inch glass, I used some Â¼ inch to add gussets to the corners and Â¼ glass for the center braces. The center braces are side by side so I can section off the tank into two four foot section for whatever I might need it for.

I used a 100 gallon Rubbermaid container as a sump with a Reeflo Super Dart Gold pump for flow. From there the water flows into the tank with three returns, one of them connected to a 1 HP chiller. I have a calcium reactor (home made) and a My Reef Creations MR-2 Skimmer. I am using one four foot 6 bulb ATI T-5 fixture and one two foot 4 buld ATI T-5 fixture for lighting.

The tank will cycle using 100 gallons of tank water 100 pounds of Marco dry rock and 25 pounds of live rock along with some sponge filters from the 300.

Here are a load of picturesâ€¦â€¦ Enjoy I know I have

On Feb. 16th I built the stand and received the glass, on Feb 14th I dry fitted everything and on Feb 19th siliconed it all up. On Feb 23rd I added the gussets and the center brace and today Feb 25th I finished all of the plumbing and added water turned it on and as of now all is good.

mike_dani · Feb 25, 2011

sprinklerdudes · Feb 25, 2011

looks like it is really coming together, are you going to add braces from the back of the stand to the floor?

mike_dani · Feb 25, 2011

sprinklerdudes said:
looks like it is really coming together, are you going to add braces from the back of the stand to the floor?

No I dont plan on it, I am sure it will be plenty strong being tied into 7 studs on the long side and 4 studs on the short end. You are the second person to ask this so I will think about it again......

hawkinsrgk · Feb 25, 2011

You have come a long way on this since last Sat.

I really like the way you did the spacing in the braces for the eggcreate

youngtimothy · Feb 26, 2011

very nice, propagation is suce a great thing. nothing is better then growing things large enough to cut!

mike_dani · Feb 26, 2011

hawkinsrgk said:
You have come a long way on this since last Sat.

I really like the way you did the spacing in the braces for the eggcreate

Thanks man, the spacing was just one of many good ideas

mike_dani · Feb 26, 2011

youngtimothy said:
very nice, propagation is suce a great thing. nothing is better then growing things large enough to cut!

I agree, my 300DD is just getting so full I needed to sell off some things or just start up a propagation system so instead of making some money I decided to spend more. This hobby is like CRACK always needing more and more and more.........

H@rry · Feb 26, 2011

Way ta go Mike. I didn't know you were planning a project of this scope. Good luck with it. This might be an opportunity to DIY a LED setup!

mike_dani · Feb 26, 2011

H@rry said:
Way ta go Mike. I didn't know you were planning a project of this scope. Good luck with it. This might be an opportunity to DIY a LED setup!

Thanks Harry, this project started so fast that nobody knew not even me until the glass showed up.

As far as the LED's they are ordered but I am waiting to finish some other things before I get to many projects going at once.

Troylee · Feb 26, 2011

Nice stuff mike keep the pics coming man!!!! Gotta love the diy.....

H@rry · Feb 26, 2011

mike_dani said:
this project started so fast that nobody knew not even me until the glass showed up.

Well, who ordered the glass then? :confuse:

mike_dani · Feb 26, 2011

Troylee said:
Nice stuff mike keep the pics coming man!!!! Gotta love the diy.....

Thanks Troy. That pump I hit from you over the summer is working perfect.

And Ummmmm might need to get some sticks from you, you know the nice ones.

mike_dani · Feb 26, 2011

H@rry said:
Well, who ordered the glass then? :confuse:

That's a great question I think Kyleigh did

mike_dani · Feb 26, 2011

Here is a video of the flow in this thing. The left side is very high flow for SPS and the right side is low flow for LPS and softies....

orthokardia · Mar 1, 2011

tagging along. that is a great size tank.

mike_dani · Mar 2, 2011

I decided to add four inhabitants on Saturday. The only problem is they just didn't survive longer than six hours.

I transferred them to another water vessel but unfortunately it got way to hot and they turned bright red. So we ate them and they were good.

H@rry · Mar 2, 2011

Mike, you ain't right! :beat_shot:

mike_dani · Mar 2, 2011

H@rry said:
Mike, you ain't right! :beat_shot:

H@rry I have never made a claim like that only because it would be an all out lie.

mike_dani · Mar 2, 2011

Had a busy day yesterday. Added a dedicated 20amp service to the prop tank and tied it into my generator. I added a USB center to piggy back into my Neptunes Apex controller and a dedicated RO/DI line for the sump.

Above the tank is four outlets however I will only need one and a USB outlet.

And under the stand is the same but will also have an RO/DI line coming out of the second box that's not in.

Here is an overall photo with my little helper in the way again