Garrett's 80 Gallon Shallow Reef Build

[Garrett W.]

Hey there everyone! It's time for my new build! I am going with the Deep Blue 80g Rimless Shallow Reef tank! I ordered it from FishTanksDirect and am just waiting on it to be delivered at this time. I have a club member from my city currently building me a wood stand which will be delivered in the next few days and I'll be staining with a dark wood color. I was able to score a 40b with baffles already installed for a cool $20.00 and now just need to give it a real good vinegar bath and clean up. Ill be posting photos and updates as the system comes together and nears completion.
Photos listed are of my current set up, new sump, and stand in the process of being built.

 

[Diesel]

That will be a awesome upgrade, congrats my friend looking forward to a great build thread and don't be shy on asking questions and putting more pics on the thread.

 

[Garrett W.]

That will be a awesome upgrade, congrats my friend looking forward to a great build thread and don't be shy on asking questions and putting more pics on the thread.

Thank you much Diesel. Its still in the acquisition process so don't want to flood with pics so early on haha. The tank should hopefully be here by next week which will give me time to stain the stand and give the sump/protein skimmer one heck of a vinegar bath.

 

[Garrett W.]

My stand has arrived! Great quality birch wood. Time for a stain and paint on the inside. Still waiting on an update on my tank delivery.

 

[Garrett W.]

Skimmer has been delivered! Local club member who built my stand threw in the skimmer for a steal. I won't have an issue with an SPS dominant system and heavy bioload. Beer can is for size comparison. Tomorrow I will be getting vinegar for the sump bath and stain for the stand. Tank should be drop ship delivered next week!

 

[Garrett W.]

Vinegar bath and stand pretreat time!

 

[Garrett W.]

Second coat of stain applied. One more to go on Sunday. Vinegar bath is cleaning the sump and skimmer well.

 

[Garrett W.]

So I've received word from fishtanksdirect that my tank will arrive next Thursday (2/9). Time to get the sand and sock holder for the sump. I also need to get egg crate for the return pump enclosure I'm going to build in the third chamber of my sump. Once the tank has arrived I'll get more rock and start the cycle.

 

[Garrett W.]

Inside of the stand has been blacked out and did my 3rd coat of stain on the outside. The tank has been delivered as well! It took them an extra 2 hours after the delivery window for it to arrive. Ill post pics today after its been moved into the house and set on the stand.

 

[Garrett W.]

Possible Live Stock List

1. Pair of Ocellaris Clownfish (already in my current set up)
2. Mandarin Goby (already in my current set up)
3. Pair of Bartlett's Anthias
4. Yellow Tang
5. Leopard Wrasse
6. Diamond Goby (won't be introduced until tank is established for 3 month minimum)
7. Flame angel or Coral Beauty (possibility, not confirmed)

Total Fish = 8 to 9

CUC
fire shrimp (already in my current set up)
astrea snails (already in my current set up)
a few hermits (already in my current set up)
a couple turbo snails (already in my current set up)
2 fighting conchs (already in my current set up)

This will be in an SPS dominant system with 3 hydra 26's over it and one beast of a skimmer in the sump. Feel free to chime with your thoughts or comments.

 

[Garrett W.]

So the tank has finally been moved out of the garage and into the house. Spent a good hour cleaning out the sump/skimmer from the vinegar bath. I will have to dremmel off about a quarter inch of support on the stand as my plumbing is getting caught but almost half way through the build! Time get sand and a TON of water.

 

[GraphicReefer]

Cant wait to see some water in this one! I almost went with the 80!

 

[Garrett W.]

whew, what a fun past couple of days! I borrowed a fellow reefers dremel in order to sand down one of the supports on my tank to accommodate the plumbing. I spoke with the person that built the stand and they said it shouldn't be an issue sanding it down. Covered my sump with a big black trash bag and got to work. Took a little over an hour but I got it down enough to fit the plumbing. Today is the day i go pick up my 100 lbs of sand and a big bucket of aquavitro salinity. My next day off (Sunday) will be spent making multiple trips to the LFS for RODI water.

 

[GraphicReefer]

Haha I had to do the same with my stand

 

[pelphrey]

Tank looks awesome on that stand!

 

[Garrett W.]

Haha I had to do the same with my stand

I was originally going to hand sand it down, so glad i didn't or it would have taken FOREVER lol.

Tank looks awesome on that stand!

Thank you. It was my first time staining something so I just kind of jumped in and went for it haha. Went with the color Bombay Mahogany and did three coats. it has a really nice dark red tint to it and high gloss.

 

[Garrett W.]

dang, what a day yesterday. Made four trips to my local LFS to get water and fill my tank. Filled 21 five gallon buckets with water and schlepped it in my little Yaris back to my house. I ended up having a gremlin in my plumbing system (tiny leak in down plumbing) that took three hours and a bit of cursing to stop. I'll post some pics once the tank has cleared up. I'll be picking up two Hydra 26's either this afternoon or tomorrow.

 

[Garrett W.]

The tank is now fully operational! Got two hydra 26's (non-HD) for a heck of a deal from a fellow club member and picked up the rail system from my local LFS. I'll be adding a third hydra 26 to the system in the next couple weeks. The cycle is in full swing now and I should be able to transfer everything from my 40 breeder soon.

 

[Garrett W.]

Cycle is in full swing. Did a water change on my 40b and used that water in the new tank. Also took a hunk of LR from the 40 to help the cycle process along. Hoping everything settles down in the next week or so, and then i can begin the fun of the transfer.

 

[Garrett W.]

Tested my water yesterday and got the following results:
pH - 8.4
Nitrates - approx. 5 ppm
nitrites - 0 ppm
Ammonia - 0 ppm

with those results i decided to toss an SPS and LPS frag into the tank and will monitor them over the next few days for stress or bleaching. If all goes according to plan i should be able to transfer everything by the end of this week/beginning of next.