The "She Said Yes!" 120 Gallon Build

[dangles]

Most updated tank photo:

Keep reading for the details and progression


For my original Innovative Marine 50 gallon AIO build, click HERE.

Also please check out my pico mangrove build HERE

Details and Process

This will serve as my new build thread. It will be slow to get started as I gather all the gear but once Black Friday hits the pace will pick up dramatically!

Long story short, my fiancé just built a house out in the country. It makes the most sense for us to sell my house and move in with her once we get married (yeah we're the old fashioned type). I suggested the possibility of upgrading my current 50 gallon AIO tank to a 4 ft 120 gal tank because it would fit PERFECTLY in the spot we've picked out for it. There's even a laundry room on the other side of the wall where I can set up a large controller board and possibly even the RODI setup. Plus... there's no better time to upgrade than when you move! She didn't put up any fight at all

My philosophy guiding this build is to automate and back up as much as possible, provide some more space for some fish I couldn't keep long term in my 50 gallon, and not become a slave to the maintenance of the tank. I travel a decent amount, and I work 24+ hours at a time. I don't want my fiancé to have to manage things while I'm away.

My plan for the 50 gallon was to pretty much focus on LPS. But with this bigger tank, and the lighting I have planned, I may shift focus to some hardy SPS as well as some LPS and shrooms. A 4-foot tank with SPS lighting also opens the door for a clam, which I'd REALY love to do!

Here's what I have planned so far:

Tank

Planet Aquarium rimless 120g w/ internal external overflow and stand

Sump

Tideline 36 (a little large for the tank size, but I'm going to ATTEMPT to go sans-skimmer, relying instead on a filter roller and refugium)

Rock/Sand

Marco dry rock (cooked in a dark tub with dark-rubble from my current tank)
I'm leaning toward TBS live sand. I'm really digging the look/makeup of their sand (the big chunks and such) and I wanna give the "live" stuff a go.

Filtration

ClariSea SK3000 G3 filter roller

Refugium lit by an AI Blade Fuge

Reef Octopus Classic 110EXT recirculating skimmer (intentionally undersized because of the filter roller and refugium). I will not install this until nutrients demand it. As of 12/5/24 this has not yet been installed.


Pumps/Flow

Return pump: Dual EcoTech M2 pumps, one S2 going straight to the tank, and an M2 going through the UV and a small manifold. One of the M2 pumps will flow through UV and on to the display, the other will flow through a manifold and then to the display.

I ultimately landed on a single M2 with a second M2 for backup purposes.

Powerheads: Ecotech MP40mQD x2


Lighting

2x AI Prime 16 HD

2x AI Blade Grow 48"

Controller

Neptune A3 Apex
- FMM
- MXM
- EB832 x2
- LLS15 for the sump

Topoff/Dosing

Neptune ATK Gravity-fed from the fresh water in the mixing station (RIP Jake )

Neptune DOS #1
- Dosing head 1: Kalkwasser (possibly adding an Avast Kalk Stirrer)
- Dosing head 2: TBD (phyto, All For Reef...) This second head has been integrated into the AWC system now that I added my pico mangrove tank into the AWC system

Neptune DOS #2 for auto water changes

Temperature Control

BRS Titanium heaters x2

Inkbird Wifi thermostats x2

RODI/Mixing Station

Brute 44 gal trash cans x2 65 gallon water tanks

Vectra L2 (definitely didn’t need a pump this big!)

BRS 7-stage 150 gpd RODI system with auto flush, auto shutoff and booster pump

Misc

Avast Plank autofeeder

Ecotech battery backup x2, one for each MP40 (will be replacing the shotty lead acid battery in these with LiPo batteries)

Ecoflow River 2 battery backup for the return pump

Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt UV sterilizer (Not currently running as of December 2025)


I'm going to be having a couple of engineer friends help me design and build a dope controller board and cabinet. One of them has a wood shop, the other has a 3d printer, and CNC router/laser cutter. All of those will come in REALLY handy!

Anyway, hopefully you all will enjoy the process along with me

 

[dangles]

It begins…

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Congrats and best of luck my dude.

 

[billyocean]

4 foot tank versus a 6 foot tank is no different in terms of maintenance...lol.

 

[dangles]

I think I've settled on my scape...

Based on the location of the tank, it will mostly be viewed from the front and right side.

 

[dangles]

Since I still have a few months until I order the tank, I'm going to set them in a tub of heated/circulated saltwater and dark-cure them with some rubble from my current tank until it's time to set up the tank.

 

[JohnNYC8]

The aquascape looks great. You're putting together a really nice build.

 

[Ottoson]

That's exciting. I was reading a thread about the Ecotec Battery backup I thought I would share https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ecotech-battery-backup-life.660378/ some people are having better success with deep cycle batteries, I'm not sure myself. I use a computer uninterruptible power supply for small sicce pump and powerhead I have. Just wanted to bring to your attention, best of luck with your tank set up.

 

[dstockwell]

Lookin good !!

 

[dangles]

That's exciting. I was reading a thread about the Ecotec Battery backup I thought I would share https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ecotech-battery-backup-life.660378/ some people are having better success with deep cycle batteries, I'm not sure myself. I use a computer Uninterruptible power supply for small sicce pump and powerhead I have. Just wanted to bring to your attention, best of luck with your tank set up.

Yeah I had read that. I plan to replace the internals at some point and keep the housing so it still looks purty and matchy-matchy

 

[dangles]

I made one change to the front of the left structure…

It makes that area feel a little less crowded this way.

I reinforced all the major connection points yesterday, and today found a large tub to cure the scape. I filled it up, put a heater and cheap pump in, as well as some dark rubble from my main display. Hopefully 3 months of dark curing will make my path a little easier when I fire up this tank!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Love the aquascape!

 

[dangles]

My LFS (Matt’s Corals in Columbus, OH) had a Labor Day sale this weekend…

20% off in stock Tideline sumps - which happens to be the sump I decided on!

So here it is, freshly leak tested and washed:

This is the 36” model (41 gallons, although I’m not sure if that’s filled to the brim or what).

I plan to “Bubba” it a little and remove the filter sock holder. I’m going with a filter roller instead.

I’m also going to have a buddy CNC some lids for the other chambers to match the one on the left (with smaller cutouts for the equipment I plan for those spaces of course).

 

[Idech]

Anything new in your build ?

 

[dangles]

Anything new in your build ?

Not really yet. My rock is still cooking.

I did put together a shopping list and sent it to the owner of my lfs. He’s giving me 10% off for buying so much through him

I was going to wait for Black Friday but he said Planet Aquariums has not historically marked down their Mega Matrix series, which is what I’m getting. I may order it all sooner in that case!

 

[dangles]

The frame for my controller cabinet

This will be up against the wall in the laundry room behind the wall the tank will be up against.

The frame itself will be painted white. The top and bottom 1’ spaces will have solid cabinet style doors installed for storage. The large middle section will have 2 doors each attached to the outside edge and will be made of 1.5” wood stained vertical slats.

I found a local source for white 4x8 sheets of 1/2” expanded PVC board (the same material Adaptive Reef makes their controller boards out of). One of my good friends has a large CNC router he’s going to help me use to make custom cutouts on the PVC board for all the components.

The controller board itself will be 32” wide by 70” tall, and nest in the large middle section. It will be mounted using 2 TV mounts so I can pull the whole thing away from the cabinet to access all the wires on the back.

I’m REALLY starting to get excited about this build

 

[dangles]

This will be the rough layout of all the components on the controller board

“Overkill” is the name of the game!

 

[dschuffert]

Congrats and enjoy building out the new tank!

 

[rahger]

ayyy this is gonna be sick!
can't wait to see more!

 

[dangles]

ayyy this is gonna be sick!
can't wait to see more!

It would be a real shame if I end up sucking at keeping a reef tank