TJ's Reef
Valuable Member
It's been a long break from the forum's and now that I'm back thought I'd share the build process to what has become my best attempt in creating a moderate sized "dream tank". Like a lot of seasoned Reefkeeper's each new build gives us hope and a thrill to do it even better than the last. And like many on this journey try to take it slow and methodical, not hurrying decisions on purchases and or construction... the best we can or at least to the extent of their/our personal patience level. On this build everything was going to plan..... all the way until it was NOT anyhow.
So, moving on I had already expended a fair amount of time and money on improvements to the last build, a used acrylic 125g (60"x 24"x20") that I built furniture quality stand and canopy for plus a unique LED lighting array that fully covered this footprint. So wanting to go bigger yet reuse the furniture and lighting I opted for increased height and a HUGE upgrade in going with the latest generation of the Ghost Overflow from Reef Savvy in place of the over sized corner overflow boxes. The typical self debate in to go with low iron glass or acrylic ultimately going with quality 3/4" acrylic as that is what I'm comfortable with, both in maintenance of and ease in fabricating. I started gathering the materials in the Spring of 2015 and began construction in December around Christmas time. Made all my MDF patterns and prepped the acrylic for assembly by routing to size creating a HUGE acrylic blizzard like mess in the garage. then with the help of some very good friends solvent welded the aquarium together with everything going perfectly. At the beginning of construction time frame there was the front seam on the old 125g that was starting to fail, but not particularly alarming to begin with, by the beginning of January it had become a "real" concern so even with the many months of planning and preparations "things" progressed much faster than I anticipated at the 11th hour. The only real casualty of this expedited schedule is that I was unable to take the appropriate time in planning and fabricating my own sump design, instead modifying a existing new one with an added plumbing dump/filter sock chamber.
I'll start the 2nd post of this with an updated or current specs list like I've seen and liked on other's build threads and keep current as they've done as well. And for this first post show the first decent FTS and the most current one to as a comparison.
January 19, 2016 and first day with fish introduced.
Cheers, Todd
So, moving on I had already expended a fair amount of time and money on improvements to the last build, a used acrylic 125g (60"x 24"x20") that I built furniture quality stand and canopy for plus a unique LED lighting array that fully covered this footprint. So wanting to go bigger yet reuse the furniture and lighting I opted for increased height and a HUGE upgrade in going with the latest generation of the Ghost Overflow from Reef Savvy in place of the over sized corner overflow boxes. The typical self debate in to go with low iron glass or acrylic ultimately going with quality 3/4" acrylic as that is what I'm comfortable with, both in maintenance of and ease in fabricating. I started gathering the materials in the Spring of 2015 and began construction in December around Christmas time. Made all my MDF patterns and prepped the acrylic for assembly by routing to size creating a HUGE acrylic blizzard like mess in the garage. then with the help of some very good friends solvent welded the aquarium together with everything going perfectly. At the beginning of construction time frame there was the front seam on the old 125g that was starting to fail, but not particularly alarming to begin with, by the beginning of January it had become a "real" concern so even with the many months of planning and preparations "things" progressed much faster than I anticipated at the 11th hour. The only real casualty of this expedited schedule is that I was unable to take the appropriate time in planning and fabricating my own sump design, instead modifying a existing new one with an added plumbing dump/filter sock chamber.
I'll start the 2nd post of this with an updated or current specs list like I've seen and liked on other's build threads and keep current as they've done as well. And for this first post show the first decent FTS and the most current one to as a comparison.
Cheers, Todd
