We are UPGRADING, going MUCH bigger

[mcshams]

Hello fellow reefers!

So, if there is a way to waste money fast is this hobby, it is to be on your 4th tank since October 2019. Yep, 1 year...4th tank. My wife has always wanted a salt water tank for years. In October I bought her our first tank, a 24-gallon AIO tank. By Christmas it was full. We out grew it FAST. Come Christmas, we purchased a 90-gallon near-cube tank, and set it up be February, converting the smaller cube into anemone tank exclusively. My build photos (in my name area below show those tanks at some point in their development)

In June (I think) we purchased a 40-gallon cube used from a fellow reef2reefer to make more room for the anemone tank (previously the 24-gallon AIO). That transition went about as bad as you could do a used tank. The tank was awesome, but my putting it together not so much. I should have replaced the bulkheads, or at least the gaskets. I should have water tested it... I should have braced the drain pipes to support them, but alas, I did not. So I dealt with 3-5 leaks over the course of 4 weeks, but nothing catastrophic. Ultimately, the total volume of that tank (display and sump) easily doubled the previous 24-gallon and had better equipment so it was a joy to care for comparatively.

NOW FOR THE UPGRADE. My wife and I have always discussed a long peninsula. I love being able to walk around the tank. So much display area when you have access to two sides of a six foot tank. But we knew that between livestock and equipment, we had already invested a LOT of money into what we had. I was perusing the reef2reef forums for sale items, and low and behold I met a fellow US Marine selling a 165-gallon peninsula with custom sump/stand for a price that had me interested.

Our goal is to build it up, transfer the contents of the 90-gallon and 40-gallon tanks, so that we have 1 large peninsula. I am building: custom light bar with type-15 80/20 extruded aluminum. Custom side panels for the stand (likely to start in December). A custom control panel of 1/2" HDPE... and more. We are so excited.

Here are some photos.

I will be water testing tank after replacing all bulkheads and gaskets this weekend. I should be finishing control box this weekend. I will be updating the build as we go!

Picture of all saltwater tanks. The two on right are in my signature bar and will be joined into the larger tank.
tank as we purchased it!
my beautiful wife with light bar base
tank!

 

[PokeFish]

Looking good!

 

[Pistol Peet]

Just curious why does the picture of tank as we bought it looks so much bigger than the setup one in the last picture looks way wider? Promise not trying to be rude or inconsiderate just curiosity

 

[TriggerFinger]

Congrats on the upgrade! What are the dimensions of the new tank?

 

[Pistol Peet]

Also welcome to the reefing bug I'm good luck with you guys is new set up looking good so far the things in the background looks awesome to

 

[mcshams]

Just curious why does the picture of tank as we bought it looks so much bigger than the setup one in the last picture looks way wider? Promise not trying to be rude or inconsiderate just curiosity

Likely the angle in which the photo is taken. At an oblique angle, the tank looks shorter.

 

[Pistol Peet]

Likely the angle in which the photo is taken. At an oblique angle, the tank looks shorter.

I c the tanks in the back ground are looking

 

[mcshams]

Congrats on the upgrade! What are the dimensions of the new tank?

Outside measurements of the display are 73" x 26" x 22". I think this calculated to 165-gallons for the display. The stand is 6 inches longer to accommodate the overflow box. The stand is 39.5" high.

I have not measured the sump as for the gallon capacity, and it will depend on our height of water. I am debating on 9" due to protein skimmer, or making it 11" for added water and placing skimmer on a base.

 

[mcshams]

We are building our control panel/box with 1/2" HDPE (high-density plastic). The back is not on currently, but it will be latched so that I can remove the entire back to access the power supplies for each light/pump/gadget, etc.
Since my wife and I like gadgets, and although there will be several holes in the box, we installed an electronic cabinet fan with a temperature sensor that will keep airflow through the box as you see in the pictures here. It was an Amazon purchase for $49.
UV sterilizers x 2 are hanging up above the sump against the frame (not pictured as they did not turn out well (2 x 40W) in series.

 

[MERKEY]

Congrats on the upgrade!

Fill that bad boy up with corals and fish hahaha

 

[mcshams]

Did water test this weekend. No leaks. We are on pace to fill it up with salt water and transfer fish and coral next weekend.

 

[mcshams]

Ok. So this weekend was a LOT of work. We transferred the contents of our 90gallon and 40gallon tanks into our new (new-used) tank. There are a few things unfinished:
1. We need longer cables for the wavemakers so they are not plugged in currently. They are ordered.
2. The cable management is not completed yet due to the fact that our protein skimmer cable needs to be longer as well (same style cable, so it's ordered)
3. Colored plastic tags are going to be placed on the outlets to mark each outlet.
4. I've ordered plastic nametags 1"x3" to be placed on control panel above each controller that indicate: Pump L, Pump R, Wave L, R, C (left, right, center), Skimmer, Temp, etc.
5. Lastly, panels to cover the tank are my winter project. I have big ambitions for these.

Our tank and sump carry 200gallons (+/- 5 gallons).
Equipment: 2 x Various 6 pumps.
40 W and 25 W Aqua UV plumbed in series with Sicce pump
3 x Geissman Vervve lights on 80/20 extruded aluminum floating cantilevered rail.
Tank is 72"Lx 26"W x 22"H (165 gallon display) by Crystal Dynamics
Wavemakers will be 2 x Octos 4 in back, and one other in the front yet to be decided. There is a cheaper one in front at the moment.
Skimmer is Octos REGAL 150sss and it's on a 3" lift to keep water level at 7.5" to 8" where we dial it in nicely.
4-part doser is an F4 Pro Kaomer.
2 x 300W Eheim heaters currently run on Inkbird.
Refug light is Kessil a380 (I think that is the number)
We run 2 smaller AquaMaxx GFO in sump reactors.

Things we might add: I am giving consideration to a ClariSea Gen 2 roller, but I am doing research on which one might work best (I'll take any advice from fellow reefers).

So far, everything seems to be doing fine. It took a LOT of time this weekend to get it done and get the house clean as well as the garage. I had to clean out the other two tanks as well and get them ready for sale. (So if you are looking for a tank... keep your eyes peeled!)

 

[mcshams]

Just updating a few photos. We received our larger new ATO tank from Advanced Acrylics. Holds 13 gallons. Cleaned a few things up. Panels will be built over Christmas break.

 

[mattgsa]

I'm really looking forward to seeing updates on the tank.