New home, new build!

[motortrendz]

I'm going through post this in separate posts in my thread for each section of this build, I took alot of pics and I decided to share it with you guys now that the 2 months of building is complete

So usually when we (reefers) move into a bigger home we instantly go twards a bigger build.. and eventually I will. Lol
So this build starts with my old 92g corner tank that I had in my old place, some of you have seen it.. well when I moved the stand fell apart and I figured I was gonna go bigger anyway so it didn't matter. Well I didn't so I started looking for a stand for my tank that could fit my 54g custom sump.. found a guy on CL selling what he said was a 92g corner tank with stand and canopy. For dirt cheap. So I drove to Philly to get it and realized the tank was not a 92 bc the back didn't go into a stair corner It had a back pane hat cut out a triangle.. I figured no big deal I only wanted the stand and canopy anyway, and figured I would just build out the back of the stand to support the tank. So I took it and almost told him to keep the tank. Well I get home and I lay the canopy on top of my tank and it's 1/2" short and the radius of the front glass were different. And the tank wouldn't sit on the stand even if I modified it.. so I decided to use the tank that came with it and go all out. But this tank is only about 75-80g. So the first thing in had to do was strip the stand and refinish it. So I sanded it all down stained it with a cherry walnut and then added about 15 coats of polyurethane to seal the entire unit. I also painted the inside of he canopy white to better reflect the light.

 

[Zippy69]

Looking good. I remember your old tank from the group buy! I had a 55 that I painted a very reflective silver to all light. I think (IMHO) it was a little better than the white I have in my current tank. Following along as I like the tank shape, and it refreshing to see with all the grey outside.

 

[motortrendz]

So the second step now was to figure out how I'm going to filter this bad boy and what will fit in the stand. So I went with a 20g tank, added baffles and making sure I didn't waste an inch of real estate inside the stand. So I had to notch the stand to let the tank sit back far enough for the doors to close (only part that really sick about a corner tank is triangular shape doesn't leave alot of room for rectangles) I also needed to make sure I could fit my filter socks, my Diablo 200 skimmer (yes it's rated at 250g, bigger is better!) My zeovit reactor (1.5l) my ATO floats, the carbon reactor return pump and oh yeah my calcium reactor. I also need to make sure there was enough room for my manifold, my controller, and my vortec controllers for my MP's.

 

[motortrendz]

I also had to drill the tank (and yes I had a post asking for help) but I maned up and bought good glass bits, modeling clay and got er done. I used the H2Overflow kit which was featured on reef builders. Great kit by the way. With syphon break returns. After installing that and running all my plumbing it was time for sand and rock. Which I got from a local friend who imports the whitest sand and a guy from Facebook Billy Hayes who got me the dry rock for my tank I also got 2 full spectrum led panels (ebay specials) after filling it up and doing a freshwater test I found a leak on a seam in the back about 6in from the bottom. I had to drain the tank and cut the seam out, reseal it and pray.. after letting it cure, and filling it back up, no leak! Thank god.

 

[motortrendz]

So now it's cycling, I have my qt system in the basement for both fish and coral. I aquired a 55g deep blue double vision tank which I'll be using for my fish qt on one side and my photon/nebula clown pair home on the other. I'm also using a deep blue 30g rimless for my coral qt. I'm using a 6 stage air water ice Ro/Di which I'm about to replace bc I get phosphates coming through my unit. I just got a spectrapure 180gpd 6 stage double DI with booster pump, auto flush valve and pressure switch. So hopefully that will fix my issues with that. I also added a salt mixing station as well as a slop sink to have somewhere for waste water ..
So that's where we are up to, tank is cycling now for about 3 weeks and is almost ready. Thanks to zeo.

 

[jgraz]

Beautiful job Mike. Can't wait to see this up and running and possibly in person now that your all if 5 mins away.

 

[motortrendz]

Lol yeah man. I haven't seen yours yet either hah I work around the corner from you and live 5 min away now ha but we'll get together soon.

 

[Mike S]

Its coming along nicely Mike

 

[motortrendz]

Thanks Mike. Your help definitely made some parts easier. Lol.

 

[mrehfeld]

When I setup my 54 gallon corner I learned a lot of the lessons you have. Trying to squeeze 10 lbs of stuff into a 5 lb. bag make you get creative. Wire and hose management becomes paramount. I hung reactors from the top frame and my controller to the door. Good luck with the build, I'll be tagging along.

 

[kschweer]

Looking good mike!

 

[motortrendz]

I used up all he real estate available. I even notched the reactor base to fit the angle of the corner so it would fit I side the cabinet. When I had my 92g I was able to custom make a 54g into a sump with a huge fuge and had lots of room for my reactors. And what didn't fit like my dosers and chiller sat behind my couch. But this unit sits in my front hallway so I can't have anything exposed.

 

[motortrendz]

These are my clowns that are in qT now. They're called mocha frostbite. Only me and one other guy has them. They came from a breeder in Florida who only had 6 of this pattern. So I got 3 and he got 3. The rest showed other traits. The parents are true Darwin (f) and S.A. Frostbite (m) pic of parents included.

 

[motortrendz]

A few more pics of the build. Enjoy!

 

[mrehfeld]

Wow that tank was made for that corner.

 

[motortrendz]

Yea lol it definitely was. Now you know y I stayed with this tank instead of trying to make the 92 fit. It would have stuck out about an inch past the hall door. I even have enough room with his tank to fit he mp10 dry side on the outer edge. I have an mp40 in the back wall facing out. I was thinking about the gyre but not sure how it would work on a curved tank and I'm not a fan of wires in the tank. I feel like I graduated from that when I stopped using a cansiter filter lol

 

[grink]

Great job

 

[trivan]

Looks great, those clowns are really nice.

 

[motortrendz]

Added some frags today.

 

[kschweer]

Looks great man. How are those clowns doing?


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