Yev's 240g build and fishroom.

[Yevoc]

Hello all,
Long time lurker first time poster. I have kept fish since I was 5 and have been in and out of saltwater since the early 2000s. I have had upwards of a 150g reef tank in a rental which.... I don't suggest (RIP deposit). Well flash forward years... I bought a house with intentions of going big.

I currently moving from a 54g corner to 240g. The 54 wasn't the most successful tank I have ever done but it was there cause it fit in the old house and has survived a move. So it served its purpose.

I had original planned a 250G Marineland DD tank. Listed on the sign in my LFS for years. When actually went to order it I found out that they had stopped making the DDs. Ugh. Fell in love with the 36" front to back on that tank. So I decided to have one built.

After poking around I decided to go with @Joe Glass Cages and crew.



Disclaimer: This is my dream not yours so some of my choices may be more "frugal" than some lol. Don't follow for the grade 2 titanium screws. There likely won't be any.

 

[Yevoc]

So the house I bought had a basement den with an attached "office". The office is only 7x8 so I didn't want to work in a closet so it had been basically used as storage.

This is the starting point.

Love the house but this room was ;Vomit.

Carpet was old and musty. This country rustic wood paneling was not my style. In negotiations with the misses she wanted me to remodel the den if I was putting a large permanent structure in the room so the project has expanded from a fish tank to drywall and carpet as well.

 

[Yevoc]

We have some time before the tank arrives so I got to work on the fish room. Carpet out. I removed the rough hewn wood pieces leaving the paneling. Like 4 coats of paint.

and added rubber flooring

This is the interlocking stuff and I have a extra package in case I damage it.

 

[Yevoc]

So like I said I am generally don't go off the deep end when it come to boutique gear. However since this is my end game I did splurge here and there and some of my new toys started to come in.

Every tank with a sump I have done to this point has had a Rubbermaid Walmart tub as a sump until now.

The Trigger Systems Triton 44.

It is a mighty prudy $500 tub that holds water

I wanted a huge fuge check, better organization than a walmart tub check, this is my first spurge item.

 

[Yevoc]

Also side note that sump has also as many gallons as my current display lol.

 

[revhtree]

Looks to be a fantastic dream build! Thanks for sharing and welcome!

 

[Yevoc]

Ok more gear. I went back and forth with the skimmer for a bit. I had been a Reed Octopus customer since before it was cool and it is was is currently on the 54g but dang big Reef Octo skimmers have got pricey.

I ended up with one of the new Red Sea Reefer 900s.

This was $500 something versus 7 to $900. I couldn't resist firing it up to test.

Dumped some skim from the 54g in the tub and it was skimming in minutes.

I agree mostly with with the review on BRS:


Pros:
Value for money.
Easy of adjustment.
Neck cleaner.
Nice drain line.
Quiet for an AC pump.

Cons:
No 1/4" cell cast acrylic here. This skimmer is entirely molded plastic. It makes the skimmer a tad flexy. Particularly its largest size.

AC motor was quiet but not as quiet as DC pumps (IDC it will be in a fish room for me).

All in all it really felt like they spend a lot of time on the small things and this was designed by someone that uses skimmers on the daily.

 

[Yevoc]

Another spurge for me.

Pulled the trigger. I want a 10 year tank I want to know as soon as possible if something is wrong.

I've done this long enough to know what the main tank killers are and I still had a heater die in the off position and kill coral in the 54G. I would have had nice Acro colonies to transfer to this tank if not for that.

Currently it is set up on the 54g and I am learning the ropes.

 

[Yevoc]

So last weekend I built and painted a sump stand.
Installed water proof FRP on the corner.
and punched a hole in the non-load bearing brick wall between the 2 rooms.

Sump and hardware added.

 

[Yevoc]

So the last bit for the day.

I went back and forth on lighting. Man remember my OP were I said I really want that deep front to back tank.

Yeah 36" is a ***** to light. Everything is set up to light 2 foot chunks.

So what like 6 Radion XR 15s. 3 of the big Orpheks...

Wait how much.....

$2500 for the Ecotech....plus 6 diffusers and no mounting hardware.

Um no.

I ordered a Reefbreeder Photon 50 V2+

So I am going to go with a high mounting height (BRS testing sugested) and see what kind of spread I get.

I picked up a Coral Box Doser, battery back up, and 2500gph Apex-ready return pump.

I have been impressed by all of the Reefbreeder stuff. Good prices, American service and warranty.

Since I have no real super sensitive corals currently I am going to see how the spread works out and likely either get a second fixture or maybe t-5s.

 

[Yevoc]

Hello @RocketEngineer ,
If I may bother you for your time.

I did review your mega thread and I was wondering what your suggestions on my tank stand would be for my 60"L x 36"W x 24" H 240 gallon tank?

Stand I am looking at building would be 60.5"L x 36.5"W x 30"T. The tank is a bit of a tub I am wondering if I need any special allowances for the 36" front to back?

as per the thread...

(2) Red - Upper Rails: Length = W
These will be sized according to length: 2X4 for 48" or less for smaller tanks (Rule of thumb is 75g-90g); 2X6 up to 72" with 125g-150g being acceptable; For longer spans and larger tanks 2X8s are recommended.

So length wise I am in the 2x6 range but gallon wise I am in 2x8s?

2x8s top and other than that fine?

or

Since I am not using the space under the stand I don't really care if there are cross braces any options there?

 

[RocketEngineer]

2X8 for the reds and yellows, 2X4 for the rest should do fine. Good luck.

 

[Yevoc]

And through the magic of television...

 

[Yevoc]

The scale of this system always seems lost on camera. This got a whole lot more real with the stand in the room.

Fish get to spy on the new home from their old home.

Set for next week. Carpet out. Dry wall finished behind the stand. I unfortunately have to do half the room behind the new tank and then wait until the old tank is down to finish the second half of the room.

 

[Yevoc]

Not a lot tank news this week. Got a couple pumps in. Got my Triton kit.

Spent Friday pulling carpet tack strips held done with concrete nails. Fun times.

The carpet is out. Drywall has started

Mostly a construction week.

 

[Yevoc]

So first half of the drywall is done and painted. Trim to follow.

My salt buckets are paying sweat equity for the new flooring.

Finishing the flooring (minus the old tank section) will allow me to get back to using room again so I looking forward to finishing the vinyl planks.

 

[drtechno]

Vinyl planks are a revelation for fish rooms now I did my entire fish room with them. Easy to do (my wife actually did it with my 10 year old and it literally came out perfect even though they had never done it before), water proof, replaceable, looks good and cost effective.

 

[Yevoc]

Yeah I like it. It wasn't bad other than the heart burn installing it

 

[fishguy242]

coming along nicely,following along..

 

[Yevoc]

So another weekend down. Calling this the end of phase 1. End of most of the construction minus the corner with the old tank.

Floor done, trim done. The new tanks corner is basically tank ready.

Looking forward to the tank and getting back to tank related projects.