Tvu's(Josh) new 180 gallon build (1 Viewer)

[Fish Keeper82]

I agree and even said that in my comment.
The point is as a package he did not get what he paid for. You don't need to spend extra 1000's of dollars for simple height and size requests. This is a package deal.

 

[Fish Keeper82]

Nice progress tvu!!! Can wait to see it come together.

 

[tvu]

What did you paint the back with? It looks super clean.

I ordered it that way.


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[tvu]

Everything is looking great. I want to do scheduled 80 plumbing for the grey look on my new system. Maybe I'll get some colored pvc from BRS. Yours looks good against that black background.

I bought my plumbing from BRS except the reducers which only come in white from Home Depot.


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[Reefahholic]

Ahh ok. Well they did a good job on the back.

Who gets stand height or deminsions wrong? Apparently somebody in the shop is an idiot.

 

[tvu]

Well progress has slowed down a bit since I am waiting on some additional plumbing parts from BRS.

I did get to pick up these goodies on Sunday morning. I'm pretty stoked

My plumbing plans had many modifications. I can't see how since my diagrams were so detailed lol

Also 3/4" parts don't come in schedule 80 or anything but white or off-white so I improvised and painted them black

Then I started on the return.

I'm hoping to finish and start leak testing this weekend. Only problem is I don't have 180 gallons of RODI water to fill the tank (was planning on throwing in salt and mix too if no leaks). Well at least I can test the return plumbing from the sump.



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[tvu]

Everything is looking great. I want to do scheduled 80 plumbing for the grey look on my new system. Maybe I'll get some colored pvc from BRS. Yours looks good against that black background.

After the fact, I found out that lowes has grey schedule 80 parts [emoji31]. Then again everything shipped to your door is nice also.


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[reefanatik]

Nice Build so far tvu. I also got a 180g PA tank with a 20" synergy overflow. Like you I was very disappointed with the Silicone job. It wasn't as clean looking as I thought it would be. The areas that bother me the most are on the top. It still bothers me when I look at it but I try not to and just enjoy the tank. I still haven't skinned my tank and canopy so once I finish it I'm hoping that it will be a more out of site out of mind thing. Either way your tank and build looks great.

 

[clownsrcoo]

I have a eurobraced PA ~180g tank too with crap seams. I have lots of little bubbles too along the vertical seams also which has really got me paranoid. I had them put their own external overflow box on the tank and ran my drain lines and returns through the box. So the weir had to have (2) holes put in it for the returns to poke through and they forgot to cut those holes. It was delivered with out them and I had to dremel them myself. I won't buy another tank from them either.


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[tvu]

I wish there were posts about PA tanks or if there were I should've read them.

Anyways show me your PA 180g tanks clownsrcoo and reefanitik. Maybe you can give me some great creative ideas.

I'll be done plumbing later tonight I hope. I wouldn't be so bad but the manifold threw a routing curve ball for me. Dang thing is so big and weights so much that I have to do extra support and better placement for it.


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[Reefahholic]

does scheduled 80 come in 1" and up?

 

[Regg]

Lowes have 1inch thats what im using on my build

 

[tvu]

Yes they have 3/4" to 1.5" I think but just the common parts. No spigot(street) fittings and non-standard.


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[tvu]

Man what a day. Zoo with the family, grilled and worked on the tank. I'm totally exhausted but I got all my plumbing done and some water in as planned.

While working with the PVC I often wondered why I didn't take the easy route with the plastic hoses.

Tested the return plumbing from the sump and thank God, no leaks. I got about 60 gallons in tank and sump so about 160 more to test my drain plumbing.

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[tvu]

I also picked up 2 more fish for my 2nd quarantine tank. 1st is probably the ugliest yellow tangs I've seen with shortened fins and showing some HLLE but I figure he'd be my rescue project and likely will recover with some TLC. Also I picked up a juvenile imperator angel with some personality and eating but showing white spots. Both are eating well the 1st night so 2nd and 3rd night I slowly dosed 2 doses of copper each to full strength.

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[Reefahholic]

Looking great man!

Sometimes it seems like a tank will never get done. I'm building a 75/g right now. Designing the sump in my head tonight and doing a few sketches on paper. Stand is near complete. I just need to hang the doors and paint.

Money is my issue right now, but not for long. Ready to get this thing up and running.

 

[Regg]

That plumbing is nice

 

[tvu]

Looking great man!

Sometimes it seems like a tank will never get done. I'm building a 75/g right now. Designing the sump in my head tonight and doing a few sketches on paper. Stand is near complete. I just need to hang the doors and paint.

Money is my issue right now, but not for long. Ready to get this thing up and running.

You definitely got some skills. Can't wait to see your completed stand. You should've built me one [emoji106]


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[tvu]

That plumbing is nice

Thanks Regg. When you do yours use as many unions as you can. It helps with connection alignments. Cost a little more but definitely worth the frustration free return.


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[Reefahholic]

You definitely got some skills. Can't wait to see your completed stand. You should've built me one [emoji106]


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Your stand looks good man. I've built so many now I'm burnt out. Honestly, I absolutely hate working with MDF. Never again! I used 3/4" like recommended for the ADA style and it's just so heavy. Not to mention, I hung the doors and had them looking half way decent and then the screws pulled out of the MDF. I cut a 4.25" strip of regular 3/4" plywood to use where the doors attach so that doesn't happen again hopefully. Some how, not sure how it happened, but one door is off. It doesn't fit flush even with euro hinges that can be adjusted 3 different ways. Some how the stand is out of plumb a little on the right corner. Not sure how it happened because I'm very precise with all my cuts and plumbing things up. All that said, I just need to fill the screw holes, hang the doors, and paint this thing and pray it looks clean. I'm Hoping the 4.25" strip I joined to the MDF won't show too much. I think after I get some wood filler and sand it down it will be fairly clean looking and not show the crack all that much. Gonna cut new doors in case the other ones are warped. Not sure if it's out of plumb or warped. Almost looks like both. All I can say is if you ever build a stand, try to use quality 2x4's and plywood. 3/4" Maple is what I'm gonna replace the doors with.