WatercolorsGuy's 250g build

WatercolorsGuy · Aug 7, 2013

Thought I would start a thread on this. Build will probably go fairly slow....however that is not really how my addiction wants it to go, lol
Tank is an acrylic 250g tank measuring 96"Lx20"Dx30"H.

More to come soon!

Duffam3434 · Aug 7, 2013

Ill be watching!!

revhtree · Aug 7, 2013

Sweet tank!

TD2K · Aug 7, 2013

nice. you haven't SEEN slow until you see our build. lol dang money tree we planted didn't take off like we hoped.

following along!

WatercolorsGuy · Aug 8, 2013

The stand in the pic came with the tank. I think I want to do something a little different.

I plan on using a 135 gal tank as a fuge/sump. This tank is 72"x 18"x 24". I would like to have the pump elevated off the floor about six inches.

I would like to have the front of the stand only to have supports at the corners, leaving the entire front accessible. The back could have multiple supports.

Question: I want to do a wood stand, what dimension of lumber should I go with to support the 96" span without any middle supports?
Are there any good plans available on the 'net? I have searched for them but am getting less than helpful sites.
Thanks

Salty heart · Aug 9, 2013

I dont know anything about how to build it--but I am interested to know what critters you plan on putting in it!! Congrats on the tank!! :smile:

WatercolorsGuy · Aug 10, 2013

Salty heart said:
I dont know anything about how to build it--but I am interested to know what critters you plan on putting in it!! Congrats on the tank!! :smile:

Going to be moving my 90g reef into it.
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111733

WatercolorsGuy · Aug 10, 2013

Anyone have ideas on the stand?

WatercolorsGuy · Aug 18, 2013

Started working on a new stand yesterday. It is going to be a little bigger and will have an area at the front of it which will overhang like a bar top where there will be room to have food and drinks while you watch the reef action.
I will get pictures soon. Stand is 98" x 25" x 42" , the top will be 98" x 38" x 3/4". Skin will be 1/2" & 3/4" Oak plywood. Stand will house the 135g sump as well.

SeahorseKeeper · Aug 18, 2013

I will be tagging along!!

WatercolorsGuy · Aug 25, 2013

Stand is going a little slower than planned. Life has gotten in the way.
But I am close.
I had pushed the stand back in the garage before thinking about pics...

Stand and side panels on the top

This is the top piece...

Another shot of side/end panels...

WatercolorsGuy · Sep 11, 2013

Stand is in the house. Going to skin the front and left side later. Got the 135g sump in the stand...adding water now. Was going to divide the sump up into chambers...but have decided against it, as I will probably be changing it out. I didn't take into consideration the 2x8 top construction and so the clearance between top of sump and top front cross member is too close for what I wanted. I will probably throw in the 125g tank I have at some point after I drill it. Sump is plumbed into the two 90g tanks upstairs and all is running great.
Note: top of stand is constructed with 2x8s, uprights are 2x6s. There will be a removable vertical brase in the front center of the stand. Sump base is 2x6s as well.

Duffam3434 · Sep 11, 2013

Looking Good!! Can't wait to see More!!

WatercolorsGuy · Sep 11, 2013

Duffam3434 said:
Looking Good!! Can't wait to see More!!

Thanks...me too!

revhtree · Sep 12, 2013

Good progress!

WatercolorsGuy · Oct 1, 2013

I got the 250g display up and running last week. The 135g sump has been online probably 3 weeks. Stand/bar is about 75% finished. Waiting for snow days to work on skinning the front of it and finishing the bar portion.

I have about 130 lbs of live rock in the 250 now and have another 75+ lbs cooking that I just bought.

Current occupants are:
1 7" Mimic Tang
1 4" Tomini Tang
1 6" Magnificent Foxface
1 3" Copperband bfly
1 3" Regal Angel
6 2" Green Chromis

The current 90g reef will be moving into this tank over the course of the next week along with all the current fish. With this will add about another 100+ lbs of rock.

Lighting is planned to be three 150w LEDs and two 200w LEDs (on tank in picture. Not how they will be suspended though.). This may change depending on how it works out.

Cadlights reactor and TIA1220 skimmer in sump. Sump is still plumbed into the two 90g tanks upstairs and will remain this way.

Thanks for looking.

Here is a current FTS:

Need to clean the sand residue off the tank so you can see a little better....ooops

WatercolorsGuy · Oct 5, 2013

90g reef has been moved into the 250g now.
Pics to come when the rockscape is finally set up the way I like.

Current fish occupants are:
1 7" Mimic Tang
1 4" Tomini Tang
1 4" Yellow Tang
1 4" Kole Tang
1 6" Magnificent Foxface
2 3" Copperband bfly
1 3" Regal Angel
1 2" Cherub Angel
6 2" Green Chromis
1 2.5" Bicolor Blenny
1 4" Midas Blenny
1 Mated pair of Ocellaris Clowns
1 Mated pair Azure Damsels
1 4.5" Christmas Wrasse
1 4.5" Melanarus Wrasse
1 2" Sixline Wrasse

WatercolorsGuy · Oct 7, 2013

Rockscape is not going to be as great as I had hoped. I am finding it a lot harder to get the look I want with corals already attached to the rock and I don't really want to remove everything from the rocks...soo it may have to stay the way it is until we move some day or until....who knows.