Mastiffsrule’s 180 Build. Now with colony growth pics.

[Mastiffsrule]

I have been doing so much work on my tank lately I figured I share my progression to date. The pix in the first few years are few. I lost a lot with phone and computer upgrades.

Anyway, hopefully I can put a story together from day one until now. I have pictures that will show the tank thru the years, a few diseases, and equipment changes.

I started my whole redo around Christmas so I figured I can continue a build thread from today on.

Here is the tank today.

This is the stand I built in 2008. I am not a woodworker or even good with tools. Plus I had no tools except Home Depot. I had them cut the wood. I used every screw I had and any glue in the draw. How it stays up I have no idea.

I got a Marineland 180 from a friend who does aquarium maintenance. I painted the back black in my garage. I still have black overspray on 2 walls. I was so pumped to get the tank on the stang I actually manhandles it myself from the garage to my stand in the living room.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

It will take some time to figure out the pics to show it’s progress, so for now let’s take a commercial break

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Today’s update

Found a few pix of the first years.

The Sohal tang and flame angel I lost a few years later to velvet. The Sohal was awesome. The yellow tang survived.

The hammer were starting to grow like crazy.

Below was the 90 I upgraded from. That was an upgrade from my 55. I miss the 90. It ran like clockwork. It ran retro fit vho bulbs in the canopy. It was not drilled. I used a canister and HOB overflow into a wet dry. Never had one issue with the overflow and it wasn’t the fancy new overflows like they have now.


The cup and hammer made it to the new tank. So did the large coral skeleton. What a mistake that was. It was a cleaning nightmare.

The Sealife System wet dry I used is from early to mid 90’s. I still think the wet dry was the best. I don’t think they are nitrate factories. My bioballs were never clogged up. The top had a tray for a filter pad.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

It will take some time to figure out the pics to show it’s progress, so for now let’s take a commercial break

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hi all, as always hope all is well. Was on the fence about keeping this updated, but I like pictures so,

So we came from the 90 to the begging of the 180

Marineland 180
I built stand and friend built wrap
Eshopps old style 300
Rio 2700 return
Dual durso
Mp 40
3 orig AI led
Vertex skimmer

Early days when my tank was still maturing and I was discovering new stuff. Thought this was a ghost



2014 is when the Dino first hit. Despite the belief Dino occurs at low nutrients I can say mine was not that one. I run No3 and Po4 high and it still hit. It came when I was laid up and couldn’t do maintenance





2014 was a great year as far as growth. Had crazy colonies all over.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Another break

 

[ScottR]

I love to see how tanks progress. Seems like it takes forever to see growth. But good husbandry leads to a beautiful garden.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Gutted around Xmas

 

[Mastiffsrule]

 

[Bleigh]

What did you do with your livestock when you gutted the tank?

 

[Mastiffsrule]

What did you do with your livestock when you gutted the tank?

Everything stayed in the tank or buckets. I ran the tank sumpless for a few weeks, first did the plumbing of new sump, then I moved up to redo the DT.

Tank around Dec. Rock wall, Dino all over, eshopps sump, lighting was bad

Tank today, still not done though

 

[Mastiffsrule]

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Short update,

Got my Sicce 3.0 hooked up to my Vertex reactor. Ordered 3 Kamoer Dosers and Equipment.

Forgot, hi all

 

[Mastiffsrule]

 

[Mastiffsrule]

So I left off last at gutted. The entire rebuild started due to a leaky bulkhead after hitting a pipe by accident. Figured after 10 years time for a change.

First step , got a Bashea 36ss and plumbing. Sump was first step.

It came with a free shirt

 

[Mastiffsrule]

 

[icedgxe]

I love seeing the progression of how your tank came to be what it is today!

 

[Fotocha]

Coming along great .... I'm sure kitty approves

 

[Mariette]

Hi all, as always hope all is well. Was on the fence about keeping this updated, but I like pictures so,

So we came from the 90 to the begging of the 180

Marineland 180
I built stand and friend built wrap
Eshopps old style 300
Rio 2700 return
Dual durso
Mp 40
3 orig AI led
Vertex skimmer

Early days when my tank was still maturing and I was discovering new stuff. Thought this was a ghost



2014 is when the Dino first hit. Despite the belief Dino occurs at low nutrients I can say mine was not that one. I run No3 and Po4 high and it still hit. It came when I was laid up and couldn’t do maintenance





2014 was a great year as far as growth. Had crazy colonies all over.

The ghost looks like Ursela’s “poor unfortunate souls” from the little mermaid

 

[Salty Lemon]

This is great @Mastiffsrule ! I can't wait to see more.