Another build thread! For the past few years I have been growing extra corals in a 55g that was previously a hospital tank. The absolute worst sized tank ever constructed. I had a 48x18x8 frag tank. Since I got rid of that tank I have missed it greatly. Last week while on a trip to Detroit I picked up a zoo meds lowboy.
This tank is definitely "off the shelf" quality but for the price I have no complaints. There is nothing you can just buy in this price range with these dimensions. That being said there certainly is some sloppy construction as far as silicone, the trim isn't perfect and even the glass doesn't have a perfectly flat feel. The glass is thin enough that one person can comfortably carry this, but 2 makes it much easier given the dimensions 48x24x10.
I have wanted one of these tanks since they came out, now I finally have one. Surprisingly there are not a lot of reviews on the tank itself despite being out a number of years. At this price, I paid $159 USD, anyone who has space for one should get one. I don't actually do a lot of coral selling locally, but I have started bringing large numbers of frags with me when I make a trip back to the Toronto area where I'm from and the cash / credit will pay for new corals. Long term I would like to greatly expand my grow out potential but that will have to wait until I am in a more ideal location. Living out in the middle of no where does give me plenty of time to play around with tanks and one thing I hate in displays is frag racks. My display tank is corals on display and my frag tanks are corals growing out. There are lots of corals in my display that need trimming but I've had nowhere to put them.
I do have some other tanks, a nano tank, a 90g that just isn't quite right but I am very happy and proud of my main display tank see https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/112-gallon-mixed-reef-is-looking-like-a-reef-again.309857/
I am hoping this build will take 3-4 weeks.
Tank at the store - Sea World Inc in Detroit is one of the largest fish stores I've ever been in. Maybe the largest. So much dry goods - with good livestock selection as well.
Their show tank.
Just a few quick pictures to show some sloppy craftsman ship. I know some people would complain but there are no scratches on the glass, while I haven't filled it yet I assume it holds water fine. The small silicone line scared me as I thought it was a crack.
The bottom the silicone is even worse. The only one that bothers me is the glass edges not feeling perfectly flat. None of these issues effects my happiness with the tank. There were smaller seapora frag tanks for more money I could have bought or a custom tank if I wanted to spend even more.
I have started to get things ready, and this weekend I hope to get a bunch done and be 3-4 weeks max away from getting frags in the tank.
This tank is definitely "off the shelf" quality but for the price I have no complaints. There is nothing you can just buy in this price range with these dimensions. That being said there certainly is some sloppy construction as far as silicone, the trim isn't perfect and even the glass doesn't have a perfectly flat feel. The glass is thin enough that one person can comfortably carry this, but 2 makes it much easier given the dimensions 48x24x10.
I have wanted one of these tanks since they came out, now I finally have one. Surprisingly there are not a lot of reviews on the tank itself despite being out a number of years. At this price, I paid $159 USD, anyone who has space for one should get one. I don't actually do a lot of coral selling locally, but I have started bringing large numbers of frags with me when I make a trip back to the Toronto area where I'm from and the cash / credit will pay for new corals. Long term I would like to greatly expand my grow out potential but that will have to wait until I am in a more ideal location. Living out in the middle of no where does give me plenty of time to play around with tanks and one thing I hate in displays is frag racks. My display tank is corals on display and my frag tanks are corals growing out. There are lots of corals in my display that need trimming but I've had nowhere to put them.
I do have some other tanks, a nano tank, a 90g that just isn't quite right but I am very happy and proud of my main display tank see https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/112-gallon-mixed-reef-is-looking-like-a-reef-again.309857/
I am hoping this build will take 3-4 weeks.
Tank at the store - Sea World Inc in Detroit is one of the largest fish stores I've ever been in. Maybe the largest. So much dry goods - with good livestock selection as well.
Just a few quick pictures to show some sloppy craftsman ship. I know some people would complain but there are no scratches on the glass, while I haven't filled it yet I assume it holds water fine. The small silicone line scared me as I thought it was a crack.
The bottom the silicone is even worse. The only one that bothers me is the glass edges not feeling perfectly flat. None of these issues effects my happiness with the tank. There were smaller seapora frag tanks for more money I could have bought or a custom tank if I wanted to spend even more.
I have started to get things ready, and this weekend I hope to get a bunch done and be 3-4 weeks max away from getting frags in the tank.