mountainfish
New Member
I haven’t kept fish for over 15 years, something in me decided I needed to change that. After getting two freshwater tanks going about 10 months ago, I decided I wanted to really challenge myself and get a reef tank going. I also am a hobbyist carpenter and so I wanted to build by stand instead of buy one. I also am trying to do this without spending an absolute fortune, but also do it right the first time. This thread will be a work in progress and will continue to show my latest additions/changes.
I started with a Petco 75gal tank during their 50% off sale for my main tank, and then a 20gal long tank for the sump. Saw the don’t drill sticker on the bottom of the 75gal tank, but tried anyways to drill the back (after calling Aqueon directly and being told sometimes the back is tempered and sometimes it’s not), it shattered and so I had to get an expensive piece of glass for the back (3/8 thick and had the holes cut in for me), I then siliconed it on after I pain stackingly removed the shattered panel off.
I built a 2x4 frame for the stand, then wrapped the stand with Knotty Alder. I routed a channel around the bottom edge of the top and wired in a light changing led strip with Bluetooth control and individual segment color changing abilities. With the doors, I really challenged my wood working skills and I made raised panel doors on a table saw. Then all of the doors are wired with relays and magnet switches to allow any one door to open and turn on both lights inside the sump area.
In the sump I ordered a baffle kit and then added my own acrylic piece to spectate it into 5 chambers. The spot right after the filter socks is going to eventually have a protein skimmer and the spot with the sand is going to be the refug. I am using Marco rock and Carib Sea special grade sand, and hope to add coralline algae in a bottle from Algae Barn soon.
As of this initial posting I have a quarantine tank setup with my pair of fancy clownfish which I just got two days ago. The display tank has been cycling for about 2.5 weeks now and hopefully will be done soon. I bought my lights (2 of the Nicrew 150), but am waiting 4 months (advice I have heard about from BRS TV) to turn them on, so I don’t even have them mounted yet. This is going to be a softy and lps tank, maybe one day I will get real adventurous and make it a full mixed reef tank and do sps.
I started with a Petco 75gal tank during their 50% off sale for my main tank, and then a 20gal long tank for the sump. Saw the don’t drill sticker on the bottom of the 75gal tank, but tried anyways to drill the back (after calling Aqueon directly and being told sometimes the back is tempered and sometimes it’s not), it shattered and so I had to get an expensive piece of glass for the back (3/8 thick and had the holes cut in for me), I then siliconed it on after I pain stackingly removed the shattered panel off.
I built a 2x4 frame for the stand, then wrapped the stand with Knotty Alder. I routed a channel around the bottom edge of the top and wired in a light changing led strip with Bluetooth control and individual segment color changing abilities. With the doors, I really challenged my wood working skills and I made raised panel doors on a table saw. Then all of the doors are wired with relays and magnet switches to allow any one door to open and turn on both lights inside the sump area.
In the sump I ordered a baffle kit and then added my own acrylic piece to spectate it into 5 chambers. The spot right after the filter socks is going to eventually have a protein skimmer and the spot with the sand is going to be the refug. I am using Marco rock and Carib Sea special grade sand, and hope to add coralline algae in a bottle from Algae Barn soon.
As of this initial posting I have a quarantine tank setup with my pair of fancy clownfish which I just got two days ago. The display tank has been cycling for about 2.5 weeks now and hopefully will be done soon. I bought my lights (2 of the Nicrew 150), but am waiting 4 months (advice I have heard about from BRS TV) to turn them on, so I don’t even have them mounted yet. This is going to be a softy and lps tank, maybe one day I will get real adventurous and make it a full mixed reef tank and do sps.
