Leslie Tabor
Valuable Member
Hello and thank you for looking at my tank build! It will not be super technical, as I am learning as I go. This is not to be taken as "not prepared" however!
I started planning for a saltwater tank 10 years ago, then I ended up divorced, broke, and nomadic! Not a good way to start a tank. Fast forward to 2015 when I found my saltwater tank books. I read and researched until fall 2015 when I bought my first round of supplies...Radion Gen 3s, Vortech pump and powerhead, skimmer. I also have a Gyre 150.
Much to my new hubby's dismay! Then my dad helped build the stand, which if we ever have a tornado, is where I will be hiding! Finished it with trim and paint to match the living room. Wanted the opening in front as big as possible so we made the whole middle section a door with a decorative hidden seam. I have handles too, they have just not made it on yet!
Then there was some waiting....which was TORTURE!
and the plumbing...I am not a plumber, this is my first sump, this took forever for me to figure out! There was A LOT more waiting.
And FINALLY some fun with the rocks!
I wanted something super stable so I built these as 3 individual structures with dry rock from LFS and the Tonga flat rock from BRS. I set it all up on a folding table the same dimensions of my tank to make sure it would fit. The test was to shake the table...when it was stacked so nothing fell or shifted I glued it with Ecotech coral glue. Super technical. 
And that is the story of the beginning of my first fish tank! Go big or go home is my moto! I am going on 8 months and so far so good, no major issues...yet. I will throw in a few early pics but I need to be able to update this so I won't go crazy. I LOVE my tank, I am super OCD about it (I spend more time with the tank then the hubby) I would love comments, critiques, ideas...I want to learn! Thanks!
I started planning for a saltwater tank 10 years ago, then I ended up divorced, broke, and nomadic! Not a good way to start a tank. Fast forward to 2015 when I found my saltwater tank books. I read and researched until fall 2015 when I bought my first round of supplies...Radion Gen 3s, Vortech pump and powerhead, skimmer. I also have a Gyre 150.
Much to my new hubby's dismay! Then my dad helped build the stand, which if we ever have a tornado, is where I will be hiding! Finished it with trim and paint to match the living room. Wanted the opening in front as big as possible so we made the whole middle section a door with a decorative hidden seam. I have handles too, they have just not made it on yet!
Then there was some waiting....which was TORTURE!
and the plumbing...I am not a plumber, this is my first sump, this took forever for me to figure out! There was A LOT more waiting.
And FINALLY some fun with the rocks!
I wanted something super stable so I built these as 3 individual structures with dry rock from LFS and the Tonga flat rock from BRS. I set it all up on a folding table the same dimensions of my tank to make sure it would fit. The test was to shake the table...when it was stacked so nothing fell or shifted I glued it with Ecotech coral glue. Super technical. And that is the story of the beginning of my first fish tank! Go big or go home is my moto! I am going on 8 months and so far so good, no major issues...yet. I will throw in a few early pics but I need to be able to update this so I won't go crazy. I LOVE my tank, I am super OCD about it (I spend more time with the tank then the hubby)
I would love comments, critiques, ideas...I want to learn! Thanks!
