All right now, I guess since my buddy Jimmy will never figure out to use his computer. I'll go ahead and start this build thread for him. Since his build truly does deserve a thread. Lets start from the beginning. Jimmy was sitting there checking out the local for sale section like he does every day, probably six times a day. Feeling the need to spend some money on fish/coral or some supply that he probably doesn't even really need. There it was BAMMMMMMMM! Greg to local fish store owner was selling his six hundred gallon fish only cube. The little hamsters started running like they were main lining Red Bull in Jimmy's head.
Jimmy gave me a call and says "What do you think about me turning the 600 gallon cube into a reef?" I proceeded to tell him for the next month. "DON'T DO IT, IT'S TOOOO BIG". You would have to be insane to even attempt to turn a fish only tank into a reef of that size. You'll need to drop all kinds of cash on pumps, ballast, bulbs, wiring, end caps, PVC, PVC glue, bulkheads, spa-flex, lock-line, buffing, chemicals, salt, RO filters, DI resin, fish, rock, paint, powder coating, aluminum, rivets, light diffuser, wood, molding and sand. It all went in one ear and out the other. Jimmy could picture the giant reef inside of his house.
So the next Saturday there we were at the store before opening hours loading up Jimmy's new (used) cube onto a buddy's trailer. That was a job all in itself. But we managed to get it done. We dropped off tank in Jimmy's garage for now. The stand was dropped off a few days later at the powder coaters. The steel stand was in pretty rough shape. It had some major rust, beyond surface rust and was really showing its age. It was beyond the standard spray paint job. It needed to be completely sand blasted down to bare metal and some minor repairs.
So a week later, they called and said the stand was ready for pick up. We decided to go with something a little different than the usual generic black or blue. Since the tank is going to be a complete and total rebuild. Were going to do it right, and give it a pizazz. The stand is was powder coated bright red. It came out awesome. It cost a decent chunk of change since they had to put some man hours into it, but it was well worth it. I looks like a new car.
Here are a few pictures of the stand when I picked it up from the powder coaters. I'll get some better pictures later and update this thread a little more. We have a pile of goodies sitting in the garage just waiting for the big set up. I'll tell a little more later. Its not worth it, going into to much detail with out the pictures to back it. I know were all picture junkies.
I'll start with a picture before we tore it down at the fish store.
Jimmy gave me a call and says "What do you think about me turning the 600 gallon cube into a reef?" I proceeded to tell him for the next month. "DON'T DO IT, IT'S TOOOO BIG". You would have to be insane to even attempt to turn a fish only tank into a reef of that size. You'll need to drop all kinds of cash on pumps, ballast, bulbs, wiring, end caps, PVC, PVC glue, bulkheads, spa-flex, lock-line, buffing, chemicals, salt, RO filters, DI resin, fish, rock, paint, powder coating, aluminum, rivets, light diffuser, wood, molding and sand. It all went in one ear and out the other. Jimmy could picture the giant reef inside of his house.
So the next Saturday there we were at the store before opening hours loading up Jimmy's new (used) cube onto a buddy's trailer. That was a job all in itself. But we managed to get it done. We dropped off tank in Jimmy's garage for now. The stand was dropped off a few days later at the powder coaters. The steel stand was in pretty rough shape. It had some major rust, beyond surface rust and was really showing its age. It was beyond the standard spray paint job. It needed to be completely sand blasted down to bare metal and some minor repairs.
So a week later, they called and said the stand was ready for pick up. We decided to go with something a little different than the usual generic black or blue. Since the tank is going to be a complete and total rebuild. Were going to do it right, and give it a pizazz. The stand is was powder coated bright red. It came out awesome. It cost a decent chunk of change since they had to put some man hours into it, but it was well worth it. I looks like a new car.
Here are a few pictures of the stand when I picked it up from the powder coaters. I'll get some better pictures later and update this thread a little more. We have a pile of goodies sitting in the garage just waiting for the big set up. I'll tell a little more later. Its not worth it, going into to much detail with out the pictures to back it. I know were all picture junkies.
I'll start with a picture before we tore it down at the fish store.
