I have been wanting to put a build thread together for my tank for quite some time, so today seemed as good a time as any to start it.
Back in November 2012 we were shopping at Exotic SuperPet in E Hartford and bought a rare Six-Barred Disitichodus for our tropical community tank. It ended up being their anniversary sale and to make a long story short we won the grand door prize a 55 Gallon Deep Blue reef ready tank, stand, top and light. Having always wanted to start a saltwater tank me and my wife (Aquamama13) were stoked.
We picked up the tank the next day and brought it home and put it in the basement. That would be it home for the next several months. Being that we didn't know much about marine tanks we needed some time to research setting this tank up. Not to mention Christmas was right around the corner so we didn't have the cash to sink into it to get it up-an running.
So over the next several months I spent most of my free on my iPad researching Reef tank setups, livestock and equipment. By the time our tax refund came I had just about figured out where we were going to put the tank and what equipment we would buy. So at this point I spent a bunch of time on Amazon and added all the equipment I would need (or so I thought).
The hardest thing about this particular setup was that the stand only has 9" width to it which really limited our sump options. I finally found that the Aqueon Pro Flex 2 sump would fit in the cabinet if I took the top of that cabinet off. Only downside is once it is in there.....that's it.
Finally in March 2013 The Day came to put it all together, how exciting!
Checking the Sump for leaks:
Adding water to the tank!! Or course with all my research I still was a newbie and added city water!!
Sump plumbing and Skimmer - Coralife Super Skimer 125
Sump shot with Refugium
And Finally a Full Tank Shot let the Cycling begin!!
I will keep adding more of the progress I made..
Back in November 2012 we were shopping at Exotic SuperPet in E Hartford and bought a rare Six-Barred Disitichodus for our tropical community tank. It ended up being their anniversary sale and to make a long story short we won the grand door prize a 55 Gallon Deep Blue reef ready tank, stand, top and light. Having always wanted to start a saltwater tank me and my wife (Aquamama13) were stoked.
We picked up the tank the next day and brought it home and put it in the basement. That would be it home for the next several months. Being that we didn't know much about marine tanks we needed some time to research setting this tank up. Not to mention Christmas was right around the corner so we didn't have the cash to sink into it to get it up-an running.
So over the next several months I spent most of my free on my iPad researching Reef tank setups, livestock and equipment. By the time our tax refund came I had just about figured out where we were going to put the tank and what equipment we would buy. So at this point I spent a bunch of time on Amazon and added all the equipment I would need (or so I thought).
The hardest thing about this particular setup was that the stand only has 9" width to it which really limited our sump options. I finally found that the Aqueon Pro Flex 2 sump would fit in the cabinet if I took the top of that cabinet off. Only downside is once it is in there.....that's it.
Finally in March 2013 The Day came to put it all together, how exciting!
Checking the Sump for leaks:
Adding water to the tank!! Or course with all my research I still was a newbie and added city water!!
Sump plumbing and Skimmer - Coralife Super Skimer 125
Sump shot with Refugium
And Finally a Full Tank Shot let the Cycling begin!!
I will keep adding more of the progress I made..