130 x2 -my 260g upgrade build (how to put leds on an 8' tank (1 Viewer)

[inigomontoya]

Got a wild hair, permission from the wife (seems to be a trend of tying tiling rooms and getting tank permission here) and put myself in for a heck of a day running to San Antonio and back with a Uhaul.

The result

Will become a build thread but figured I would show it off. Current tank is 130 and this is 8x2x2 or 240, doubled it 8O 42" stand is going to be a bit of work, but love the height. Did I mention a 7 foot sump! (including the 45g fuge). About 350g total. Will update later.

 

[BigRick]

Nice find. Who's tiling your rooms?

 

[oldmantran]

wow...good luck, man!

 

[Mark L.]

Awesome find. Can't wait for your build thread. This is the exact size I'm wanting.

 

[inigomontoya]

Thanks- here is what she looked like set up before I picked her up. I tend to rush things (such as getting permission Thu night, posting an hour later, commiting next day and picking up Sunday in a different city ). Plan to take my time on the transition (I will have to get rid of my, finally dialed in, 130g) and ensuring I get it set up the way I want- was happy with the last one and want to make sure it's the same with this.

For the tile, haven't picked it out/up yet. We used EZ floors for our carpet and they were cheap and good so will check them out. Suggestions welcome. Garage smelled like Galveston this morning so will probably be cleaning the tanks out sooner rather than later

 

[flexrac]

sweet deal, what did it set you back?

this is were my wife gets her tiles:
Floor & Décor Outlets
17211 North Freeway
Houston, TX 77090
(281) 893-3035
flooranddecoroutlets.com‎

 

[Ostentum]

Be careful with tile, its a much better choice than wood or carpet. Tile does have a water absorption rate, and grout is definitely not waterproof. I am looking into pvc based flooring. This stuff is 100% waterproof and great for heavy traffic areas also. I still might go with tile myself, but I am seriously considering the pvc based flooring.

 

[inigomontoya]

That's interesting on the pvc, will check it out. Someone else just mentioned floor and decor so will look into them- always hard to know whether to buy and look for installer or just go with the package. Don't know any installers so leaning towards package.
Back to the important part- the tank. It was a good deal, but not as good as some on the board right now. Thing was it had what I was looking for exactly, a taller stand for room (42" rocks- and I'm 6'4" so can still access), most importantly the dimensions I wanted 8x2x2- the absolute max that would fit into the only space I can put a tank, and the built in frag tank in the sump was a deal maker. Paid $1k for everything except the lights and skimmer, so tank, stand, sump, refugium/frag tank (45g-the one lit in the pic), 4 bulb t5 light retrofit for fuge/frag, plus pc light fixture for sump (one in pic), plus a few koralia 4's, plumbing, a mag 24 for return, a uv sterilizer with new bulb, and some other misc.
I seriously considered cliners and luxtralarges tanks, but if I was going to make the transition (because I really like how mine is dialed in) I wanted to get more than just a foot or two more- wanted the X2 factor.

 

[flexrac]

Nice!

 

[Mark L.]

That's interesting on the pvc, will check it out. Someone else just mentioned floor and decor so will look into them- always hard to know whether to buy and look for installer or just go with the package. Don't know any installers so leaning towards package.
Back to the important part- the tank. It was a good deal, but not as good as some on the board right now. Thing was it had what I was looking for exactly, a taller stand for room (42" rocks- and I'm 6'4" so can still access), most importantly the dimensions I wanted 8x2x2- the absolute max that would fit into the only space I can put a tank, and the built in frag tank in the sump was a deal maker. Paid $1k for everything except the lights and skimmer, so tank, stand, sump, refugium/frag tank (45g-the one lit in the pic), 4 bulb t5 light retrofit for fuge/frag, plus pc light fixture for sump (one in pic), plus a few koralia 4's, plumbing, a mag 24 for return, a uv sterilizer with new bulb, and some other misc.
I seriously considered cliners and luxtralarges tanks, but if I was going to make the transition (because I really like how mine is dialed in) I wanted to get more than just a foot or two more- wanted the X2 factor.

I agree. Might as well go as big as you can. I have a 100 gal right now and it got small FAST. 9 months ago when I bought it I thought it was going to be a big tank. Now it feels so small. LOL!

 

[flexrac]

you are not lying, my new 220 looks big to most and it's empty, my wife thinks it's small, she wanted a longer tank.
now i am thinking of ways to maximize space and have it look good.

 

[RockNReef]

Nice find...Jeff! I like the huge sump!

 

[Mark L.]

you are not lying, my new 220 looks big to most and it's empty, my wife thinks it's small, she wanted a longer tank.
now i am thinking of ways to maximize space and have it look good.

That's why I'm going long this time. I want the room for my fish to swim and to be able to have a nice aquascape with live rock while still having some open room/sand areas. I'm even contemplating 96x30x24 for a nice 300 gal.

 

[flexrac]

that's a really nice dim.

 

[Ostentum]

Thats the diminsions that I got, 96x30x24. Just waiting for him to get rid of all the livestock before I pick up the tank. 300g, and I am probably going to add another 200-300g in additional system. Already starting to grow out some additional SPS and LPS for the 300g just so I dont have to add all frags, but atleast have some mini colonies, since everything that I like grows fairly slow. Next house we are going to do a 144x48x36 in wall SPS dominated.

 

[inigomontoya]

I agree on the wider tank, more depth and gives you the chance to work more lagoons, etc into the design. I was constrained by the room and the fact my wife oddly wanted to put a dining room table in the fish, errr... dining room.
Did a quick leak test last night and all looks good, different set of issues working with this size. Want to roll it out to the grass to put on side and get all the sand out, but even that is a multi person operation (even on dollys) due to the rise on the garage, etc. Getting jugs of vinegar and planning on a major clean for my labor day weekend.

Oh and anyone want miracle mud? He has some in the fuge. I have heard mixed reviews and it will sit for long enough to die by the time I use it, so planning on dumping in the flower beds- if someone wants it come get it. I just took the water off it last night.

 

[TexanReef]

I'll take the mud.

And can offer to help you move that monster around if need be. I'm in the NW, too.

 

[inigomontoya]

Ok- spent labor day weekend prepping this all out, lot of work and fun. First thing was cleaning out the sump and all that miracle mud. This is after giving some to Scott- two large salt buckets

sump before

and after some elbow grease and half a jug of vinegar! Realized I don't have a pic after the full jug of vinegar, but got all the coralline off.

Well I figured a new tank needed more rock and bought a ton of new dead rock from JTR0510, not sure how much exactly but around 150-200 lbs.

multi-
So figured what's labor day weekend without some homemade beer!

and some muriatic acid to help brew it of course. Did a multi-bucket dip and scrubbed it down with a bristle brush, then soaked in muriatic acid, then dip, then baking soda soak, then dip, scrub and into the rubbermaid and trash can for cycling

This is up to Saturday morning...

 

[TexanReef]

Amazing how much that looks like an open fermentation.

Looking good!

 

[inigomontoya]

next day

Ok mods, suggestion, new website having a save function on posts, just lost thirty minutes of typing. Short version- you saw the before, some after

Sump-so is it that big or is the wife that short?

Final day- have to say I underestimated how much work this would be. Before

Sanded and primed inside and out, back and front.

Was thinking about staining it, love the look and want it to match the dark cherry table/chairs in my fish room (wife keeps trying to eat in there). Think it is just hard to get plywood to look good with stain unless you have an artistic bent, which we don’t. So went with a dark, leather brown paint color. Finished late, but here is a pic from next day. This was a chore, took 11 hours.

Everyone of you awesome plumbers take a look at the sump setup. I drew out a diagram and will post it for input as I think I need to re-plumb the whole thing. Don't want to but don't think the current setup is very efficient at all.