Reef Build 2013

[Rhino]

The title says it all. Preparations are officially under way tonight for my new reef tank which is poised to get started right around the first of the year. I caught the wife on a good day when we the topic of Christmas presents came up for each other a few weeks ago. She already knew what she wanted and secretly so did I. So I did some bargaining. After many lengthy discussions, we agreed on what we would be getting for one another. So after being drug to a jewelry store to purchase what I believe was called an "enhancer" for my wife's wedding set, I came home and placed an order for my new tank through aquabeta. Andy, the owner, was a huge help. He even went as far as emailing me about questions I had during the middle of Sandy, he is located in NY. The only downside to the agreement made between my wife and I is that in order to get the new tank I had to agree that I could not have the tank until Christmas. It is sitting on my dining room table taunting me at this very moment. So I thought about postponing a build thread until after I could actually use my tank, but I thought it would be a little more fun to start a very vague build to occupy me. Luckily the wife was nice enough to let me get the tank out and start taking some measurements so I can get a stand build underway in the next few days. Now as we all know every thread is worthless without some pics, so below you will find some teaser pics. More details will come in the next day or so. Enjoy!

 

[schooleyosis]

Awesome. Gotta love early Christmas presents. What size tank is this???

 

[revsgirl]

Fun!! I'm following! :D

 

[Rhino]

I have some extra time today so hear are all the details for the build. The tanks is a JBJ 30 gallon Rimless Biotope. This tank is absolutely beautiful. I love everything about this tank so far. I am changing the outputs to Innovative Marine Spin Streams, which I already have.

The lighting for this tank is still a little up in the air. I would really like to get the JBJ Unibody fixture or the AI Nano Sol Blue. However, I have a FishNeedIt 30" 4x24 watt T5HO fixture that is less than 5 months old. So I am also really considering just keeping it for now and just changing out the bulbs to ATI. Now since this is a 30" fixture and the tank is only 24" this would cause some overhang that I want to avoid. I have contacted Simon at FishNeedIt and he is trying to get me just the hollow body for the 24" fixture, since the insides and the external ballasts are the same as the 30", so that I can just swap all the internals over. If he can find me one I am sure I will just do this for now, just to save money.

Apart from the IM Spin Streams I also have 2 Hydor Koralia Nano 425's that will be going into the tank as needed for extra water flow.

Heat will be provided by a 100 watt Aqueon Pro Heater.

I am still up in the air on a lot of things about this tank, I will be bringing these up for discussion later today and over the next few days. In the mean time, here are some more pics, enjoy.

 

[fireman23]

Nice so far. If you decide to sale light. Let me know

 

[schooleyosis]

Sweet!!!

 

[Rhino]

Nice so far. If you decide to sale light. Let me know

Will do.

 

[Rhino]

Sweet!!!

Thanks!

 

[Dowtish]

This is self torture! having to wait until Xmas...:squigglemouth:

 

[Rhino]

This is self torture! having to wait until Xmas...:squigglemouth:

Tell me about it :squigglemouth:. She is wanting me to package it back up so that I can unwrap it on Christmas, what a terrible idea! :sad:

 

[quigimon]

Tell her you have to cycle it ;-)

 

[Rhino]

Tell her you have to cycle it ;-)

Ha, I am working this angle as well as others. Right now I am trying to convince her that it has to stay out so I can take measurements for building the stand. I also am working on convincing her that the tank has to be leak tested on the stand that it is going to be use on lol. I can stretch out my stand build that way I don't have to put it back up.

 

[bknapp]

This is self torture! having to wait until Xmas...:squigglemouth:

A month and a half is nothing, try having a 110 sitting in pieces in your dining room for almost 5 months...

Aww.. who am I kidding this does suck! At least you know you're getting a fun Christmas present.

 

[Rhino]

A month and a half is nothing, try having a 110 sitting in pieces in your dining room for almost 5 months...

Aww.. who am I kidding this does suck! At least you know you're getting a fun Christmas present.

That is enough to drive a man to insanity. Yeah we have an agreement on Christmas presents, I buy what I want and she gets credit and she buys what she wants and I get credit lol. This works out best for the both of us.

 

[gmoney243]

Ha, I am working this angle as well as others. Right now I am trying to convince her that it has to stay out so I can take measurements for building the stand. I also am working on convincing her that the tank has to be leak tested on the stand that it is going to be use on lol. I can stretch out my stand build that way I don't have to put it back up.

Love it!! Great plan rofl.

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

 

[fireman23]

Just accidentally destroy box

 

[Rhino]

Just accidentally destroy box

See I left it out in purpose hoping the dog would destroy it. The one time I need him.....he won't touch it.

 

[Rhino]

So here are some more pics of the tank. Specifically the spin streams, media baskets, and overflow section.

 

[Rhino]

Some more pics, I love the way JBJ packaged the glass tops in a Chinese newspaper lol.

 

[Rhino]

Update:

The wife has agreed to let me have the tank now instead of waiting for Christmas! :bigsmile: Tomorrow I am going to start building my stand as long as everything goes as planned. I have a question for everyone tonight though. I am going to be buying an RODI unit so I no longer have to run to the lfs. I would like to know what RODI units everyone is using. Thanks everyone!