My office 220 build

GamerDadof4 · Jan 28, 2020

We moved into our house about a year ago and my wife and I have both been itching to get a tank up. To scratch that itch - we discussed just getting a small 75 for my office until we found a tank we really liked. We thought about that for about 24 hours and every time we tried to go 'small' we end up upgrading; so we came across a deal on a 220 glass (standard dims - 72x24x30) with the stand.

Mixing Station in the garage with 5 stage RODI will have a PMUP in each can for ATO and automatic water changes. Running 3 3/8" tubing and an aquabus cable from the garage into the crawspace into my office for water changes and ATO.

I am a software engineer by day so I wanted everything to be automated. I had an Apex back in 2010 when I had my 24g cube and I knew I would be going back to them. Automation is a passion of mine so water changes will happen incrementally through out the week. And I bought the Neptune ATO kit so it will trigger the freshwater bin in the garage to top off. NO MORE BUCKETS!!!!

My whole house is automated... literally about everything I can do - even feeding my dogs - so when I am done - I plan on coming up with a wrapper around the Neptune API's to hook to my Google Home. I think I saw someone do something with it before and the built in Alexa just isn't my thing. So look forward to that!

Equipment -
* Eshopps Reef Sump RS-300 225-300 Gallon 36x14x16
* Red Sea Reefer Skimmer RSK-600
* Neptune Systems COR 20 Return Pump 2000 GPH
* 61" Hybrid T5HO 4x80W Fixture
* 2 x A360W-E Tuna Blue LED Aquarium Light (Wide Angle) - Kessil
* 2 x 80W 60” T5 Blue Plus - ATI
* 2 x 80W 60” T5 Coral Plus - ATI
* 2 x VorTech MP40wQD QuietDrive Propeller Pump
* 2 x VorTech MP20 QuietDrive Propeller Pump

Controller -
Neptune Apex Controller with
2 FMM Modules - 1 for main tank and 1 for 1 for mixing station
1 VDM
1 Lunar Module
1 WXM
3 PMUPS

Mixing Station
* MightyJet Midsize AIO DC Return Pump (538 GPH)
* Typhonn 5 RODI 5 Stage with ATO and Float Valve

My Office - the wall where the tank is going... bye bye 'love me' wall! (before)

The tank after unloading, getting ready for some TLC.
Those aren't scratches, just crappy photos

After:

Moving desk back to here - my Marine Corps wall taken down! Getting Ready!

Mixing Station in the garage complete:

jstephens24 · Jan 28, 2020

following. jstephens24 is my epic name if ya ever want to play. im on ps4

GamerDadof4 · Jan 28, 2020

This skimmer is massive!

After the new years - it was like an extension of Christmas!!

With the help of some amazing friends.... it is in!!!!

I am not making the same mistakes again - so ALL THE UNIONS!!! I have 9 in total. Don't worry about the white ball valve. I actually ordered replacements from BRS. Too many memories and bad stories on how hard those are to turn after a bit.

This was my home for a whole day as I ran the aquabus cable and the ATO, Water change tubing

GamerDadof4 · Jan 28, 2020

The 21st of January - water is going in!
I was able to get all the sand out with a pump that was still lingering from before. I was able to get most of the 'crustiness' off the back of the tank but the overflow was a different story... I tried everything to get it off but couldn't.

A look inside the canopy! I didn't like the support I was getting from the Kessil floating kit so I just added a little more beef. Since I have a hood it isn't noticeable. I wanted the freedom to take off the hood without having to remove the lights so I cut out the top of my hood and..