120g Craigslist tank restoration

Finally, I found a 120g for a used price $200.
She’s the ugliest most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on. I’m going to strip the two overflows, add a ghost overflow and oh so much more to get this one wet again. I decided to put my money towards reputable equipment, instead of the glass box. (Good timing considering frameless tanks are losing fashion, dang you Red Sea.)
My previous tank was a cadlight 60g and just a frameless beauty. That tank grew coral but limped by with basic equipment. (Lighting,Powerheads, manually dosing) Time to flourish and establish a low maintenance 120g for this reefer.


Today’s 120g specs!

Filtration
-6 stage RODI by Brs
-Skimmer Q3 DC by aquamaxx
-Avast marine spyglass reactor
-2 gallons of marine pure bio spheres
-bio pellets by ecobak
-Distilled Vinegar 30ml/day
-2 marine pure plates
-1 marine pure block
-1 xport Brick seeded with mb7 by brightwell
-1 liter of matrix by seachem
-aquascape made of pukani,staxx,fiji,caribsea
-Brs black media reactor
-Rox.8 Carbon daily
-Gfo by kolar labs

Supplements
- Alk,Ca,mag by ESV dosed hourly by KamoerRemote F4pro
-Fuel by seachem 20ml/daily

Equipment
-2 Hydra 32s by AI
-2 XF 350s by maxpect
-1 Return pump DCP15000 by Jebao

Plumbing
-1 modular marine overflow Bean animal with 1 1/4” drains
-2 returns 1 1/2 inches
-1 manifold powering 3 reactors and main return

Fish food
- Nori, LRS herbivoreLRS fish frenzy,krill,mysis,squid,brine shrimp,golden pearls,cyclops,calanus

Previous filtration methods no longer in use
-diy algae scrubber
-Gfo by rowaphos when needed
-co2 scrubber
-filter floss
-skimmer sn-143qp by skimZ
-High capacity GFO by BRS
-AF1 by aquamaxx
-nopox by Red Sea

Stocking list
-Hippo Tang
-Yellow Tang
-Tomini Tang
-Blunthead Wrasse
-Puddingwife Wrasse
-Canary Blenny
-Twinspot blenny
-Royal Gramma
-Mono
-Lyretail Anthias
-Blue Chromis
-Pair of Ocellaris Clowns
-Lamarck Angel
-Melanurus wrasse
margarita,trochus,Nass,Cerith
-Pencil & Pincushion Urchin

Here is how it looks now! 8/2022

Dual LowBoy Frag Build starts here pg. 34-

Build Thread - 120g Craigslist tank restoration

Finally, I found a 120g for a used price $200. She’s the ugliest most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on. I’m going to strip the two overflows, add a ghost overflow and oh so much more to get this one wet again. I decided to put my money towards reputable equipment, instead of the glass...

www.reef2reef.com

DIY stand- https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-stand-first-timer.681397/

Previous build thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/setting-up-new-60g-cube.335836/

 

[NowGlazeIT]

 

[Ippyroy]

Looking good. Congrats on finding a great deal. Following along.

 

[Sailfin11]

Looks like a fun build! I bought a used 120 about year ago from Craigslist but ended up selling it because I was worried about the silicone. I did get a lot of good equipment out of the sale though. Good luck with the tank -- I'm following

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Looking good. Congrats on finding a great deal. Following along.

Thank you!

Looks like a fun build! I bought a used 120 about year ago from Craigslist but ended up selling it because I was worried about the silicone. I did get a lot of good equipment out of the sale though. Good luck with the tank -- I'm following

I’ll take all the luck I can get on this one!

 

[NowGlazeIT]

These are well built but big space hogs

 

[kapnkush608]

Did you check if the glass was tempered before you started ripping out overflows?

 

[italquam]

Good luck , I am in similar situation with a used tank as well

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Did you check if the glass was tempered before you started ripping out overflows?

Yes and the bottom pane is in fact tempered

 

[italquam]

How are you going to plug up the bulkheads?

How is the silicone on the tank?

 

[NowGlazeIT]

How are you going to plug up the bulkheads?

How is the silicone on the tank?

Silicone is good. The seams are thick and unscathed. When i use silicone in construction the stuff we use is rated for 30 years. I Think Red Sea used a bunch of expired silicone for all those fails to go on. That or they underestimated glass thickness for contact.
I’m going to lay 1/4 inch glass across the holes and seal it with RtV silicone

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Behind the overflows is clear glass so I need to either find a black spray paint to match it up or strip the back completely of paint and redo it.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

How are you going to plug up the bulkheads?

It will look something like this. One on each side with a few inches of coverage each direction.
there is already silicone on this piece because it used to be part of a duel pane window. Perks of glazing at a company that does not know how to measure correctly haha

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Good luck , I am in similar situation with a used tank as well

Feel free to post your progress here if you’d like. We can make this the Craigslist “nightmare or dream tank” thread ;Smuggrin

 

[Ippyroy]

I wish Craigslist was actually a thing where I live.

 

[jsvand5]

Behind the overflows is clear glass so I need to either find a black spray paint to match it up or strip the back completely of paint and redo it.

I’m sure if you just spray the bare areas you won’t be able to tell a difference.

Do you think 1/4” glass will be good enough? I’m sure it’s fine but I’d want to match the glass thickness of the tank.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Do you think 1/4” glass will be good enough? I’m sure it’s fine but I’d want to match the glass thickness of the tank.

1/4 inch is the thinnest I could go and sleep good at night. Ill go heavy on the silicone and make sure that the glass is spotless prior to installation. Matching the glass thickness would be ideal. I’m going to fill the tank up and let it sit a while in the garage,to check for leaks.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I wish Craigslist was actually a thing where I live.

I actually feel your pain there. My town can be small in some aspects. Saltwater and specific hobby’s fall into those aspects. So naturally I had to look in the bigger cities 100-150miles away from where I live.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

My friend hauled back a 125g acrylic for me for about $200. I spent almost 2 weeks just polishing it, it was way too much work but I am glad it did come out pretty good. However, I would have spend a bit more money on a better used or new one. Never again! But congrats on your newly aquired tank and keep us posted.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I’m sure if you just spray the bare areas you won’t be able to tell a difference.

The rest of the back wall does look well painted. Nice and shiny looking from the inside too, so I would hate to strip it if I don’t need too. Tomorrow I will pick up a can of black spray paint and try to match it up.