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180 Gallon Tank Build (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter AquaNerd
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I like that I'm a consultant.
Brandon, did you see how I grounded my reflectors? You may want to consider that as you're wiring everything up. Reference
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1149632
and
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f233/-gt-156-gallon-reef-build-lt-92079-9.html#post1108497
Brandon, did you see how I grounded my reflectors? You may want to consider that as you're wiring everything up. Reference
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1149632
and
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f233/-gt-156-gallon-reef-build-lt-92079-9.html#post1108497
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AquaNerd
Guest
update:
i now have the tank completely full of water and the return pump is running. water is flowing through the sump and the powerheads are churning.
i'm so freaking glad to get the rest of the water in this thing.
i've added another koralia #4 bringing me up to two as of now. i'm borrowing a mag 9.5 from jlord1 (thanks jason!!!) until i can afford to drop some dough on a mag 12 or 18.
now i have to finish the lights and hang them. then it's off to galveston to empty my 90.
i now have the tank completely full of water and the return pump is running. water is flowing through the sump and the powerheads are churning.
i'm so freaking glad to get the rest of the water in this thing.
i've added another koralia #4 bringing me up to two as of now. i'm borrowing a mag 9.5 from jlord1 (thanks jason!!!) until i can afford to drop some dough on a mag 12 or 18.
now i have to finish the lights and hang them. then it's off to galveston to empty my 90.
skeeter76
Guest
Brandon, I have a mag 18 or 24 (not sure which) lying around here somewhere you are more than welcome to, ...
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AquaNerd
Guest
update:
ok, so i got all my lighting equipment hooked up. i was having lighting issues, so i had to trim the light rack back a 1/8". it was just a tad too long and the bulbs weren't getting a good connection. easy fix. my dad later came over to help me take the canopy off so i could mount all my lights. yes, the canopy is that heavy. well, the tank finally has some lights in it. i used a pair of sun lifts made by sunlight supply that way i can raise or lower the light rack to fit my needs. if i need in the tank i can simply raise the lights to the highest point within the canopy. when not fiddling in the tank, i can lower the lights to as close to the water as i want.
i never originally thought six 60" bulbs would be enough. but after looking at the tank with the lights on, it's so bright. i don't have the bulb combo that i originally wanted, but it's good for now. i'm running (from front to back):
-actinic+
-actinic+
-aquablue+
-midday
-aquablue+
-actinic+
it's a little more white than i originally wanted. i plan to swap one of the aquablue+ with a pure actinic. but it looks good and you can see if from outside very well. it lights up the whole patio too! i'm very excited about it. all i have left is to get a skimmer (leaning asm g4x for now) and then transfer all the livestock. i have had prodibio running in the tank since day 1 and my sand is already live. i can see all the little bubbles in the sand indicating at least some bacterial metabolic activity. i even saw my first collonista snail. i know it's no big deal seeing as how i've probably got a million in my 90, but it's certainly a start.
well, i'll quit blabbering. here's some pics...and i hope you enjoy the aquascaping:
ok, so i got all my lighting equipment hooked up. i was having lighting issues, so i had to trim the light rack back a 1/8". it was just a tad too long and the bulbs weren't getting a good connection. easy fix. my dad later came over to help me take the canopy off so i could mount all my lights. yes, the canopy is that heavy. well, the tank finally has some lights in it. i used a pair of sun lifts made by sunlight supply that way i can raise or lower the light rack to fit my needs. if i need in the tank i can simply raise the lights to the highest point within the canopy. when not fiddling in the tank, i can lower the lights to as close to the water as i want.
i never originally thought six 60" bulbs would be enough. but after looking at the tank with the lights on, it's so bright. i don't have the bulb combo that i originally wanted, but it's good for now. i'm running (from front to back):
-actinic+
-actinic+
-aquablue+
-midday
-aquablue+
-actinic+
it's a little more white than i originally wanted. i plan to swap one of the aquablue+ with a pure actinic. but it looks good and you can see if from outside very well. it lights up the whole patio too! i'm very excited about it. all i have left is to get a skimmer (leaning asm g4x for now) and then transfer all the livestock. i have had prodibio running in the tank since day 1 and my sand is already live. i can see all the little bubbles in the sand indicating at least some bacterial metabolic activity. i even saw my first collonista snail. i know it's no big deal seeing as how i've probably got a million in my 90, but it's certainly a start.
well, i'll quit blabbering. here's some pics...and i hope you enjoy the aquascaping:
FISHSTICK
Guest
Looks like everything is moving along well...nice!
Kind of neat how that rock looked like a pebble until you stood next to the tank. That really put it all into perspective!
Great looking tank so far, brutha!
Great looking tank so far, brutha!
goby1kanobi
Guest
8O :cool1: 
Good Job Brandon!!
So excited for you.
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AquaNerd
Guest
it's done! i've broken down the 90 and moved all of its contents over to the 180. i was super surprised to find that i don't even need to add anymore rocks. there was plenty in my old tank so i didn't have to break the bank adding more. and i must say it looks great. i have never really loved the rockwork in my old tanks, but i love this aquascape. it's still too clowdy to take pics. i have to switch out the filter socks to help. skimmer should come in on wednesday. going budget sort of with an asm g4x. it should do the job.
i was fortunate that i didn't have any die off. all the fish and corals made it.
i'll try to snap off some pics tonight or tomorrow and update. i still have a lot of equipment to hook up...no biggie. one thing i'm disappointed in is the lack of magnet strength on my koralias. they barely stay on. looks like i'll have to go with some tunzes or vortech again. so...more money to spend.
i was fortunate that i didn't have any die off. all the fish and corals made it.
i'll try to snap off some pics tonight or tomorrow and update. i still have a lot of equipment to hook up...no biggie. one thing i'm disappointed in is the lack of magnet strength on my koralias. they barely stay on. looks like i'll have to go with some tunzes or vortech again. so...more money to spend.
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AquaNerd
Guest
ok, here's the pics as promised. i really like the rock work, but you can't really see it due to the cloudiness. and the rock kind of looks like crap, but oh well.
Metzzen
Guest
wow that looks awesome. Maybe with the new house will come a new tank for me!!!!
We shall see....the bank is the determining factor for sure.
We shall see....the bank is the determining factor for sure.
looks good, but you need to clean the glass. I really like the brain maze you've got.
I really like the brain maze you've got.
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AquaNerd
Guest
the tank looks much better today. i left the lights off all day to help everything adjust. the filter sock did a great job of clearing up the water. more pics to come maybe.
jlord1
Guest
loo' i'm to tired to drive over there , so post some clear pics already!
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AquaNerd
Guest
tonight...i promise. i just snapped off a few decent shots. but they look like crap compared to seeing it in person.jlord1 said:
Hey Brandon,
How did you attach the endcaps to the aluminum angle brackets? I was thinking about drilling and tapping 1/4-20 holes on 47.5" centers then bolting the endcaps down with 1/4-20x.75lg cap screws. It's just alot of machine work for something so trivial so I thought I'd see how you did it first.
How did you attach the endcaps to the aluminum angle brackets? I was thinking about drilling and tapping 1/4-20 holes on 47.5" centers then bolting the endcaps down with 1/4-20x.75lg cap screws. It's just alot of machine work for something so trivial so I thought I'd see how you did it first.
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AquaNerd
Guest
all i did was drill a small pilot hole where i wanted to mount the standoffs, then i just drilled a larger screw into it. the screws i got were way too long, but i don't care. if i had to do it again, to perhaps clean it up, i'd use nuts and bolts as opposed to screws, but it really doesn't matter.
