I'm Baaaacckkk, 150g Build

[Lenin]

So after my tank failure about 3 months ago, I'm back with a new build, this time is going to be a 150 gallon acrylic tank, it's drilled and I will be using a sump, it's a 40x18x18 with a wet/dry part and it will have a refugium, it will be in a black 48x24 stand.

The Tank
I've been cleaning it, was being used as a reef aquarium, getting some hard algea out, I'm still undecided to sand the whole thing to get all scractches out, will decide after it's been cleaned.

http://media.use.com/images/s_2/ffe66237b867e8aaf386_7.jpg (http://www.use.com/ffe66237b867e8aaf386?p=7)
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/ffe66237b867e8aaf386_6.jpg (http://www.use.com/ffe66237b867e8aaf386?p=6)


The Sump
I'm right now letting it dry, I had to cut part of it because it was too big to fit in the stand, it will hold about 40gallons
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/ffe66237b867e8aaf386_5.jpg (http://www.use.com/ffe66237b867e8aaf386?p=5)

The first media going in, 5L of eheim media
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/ffe66237b867e8aaf386_1.jpg (http://www.use.com/ffe66237b867e8aaf386?p=1)

The Stand
I had to cut a little bit of the sides since I needed for the sump plumbing, it has a power strip already on it, and also a light in it.
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/ffe66237b867e8aaf386_2.jpg (http://www.use.com/ffe66237b867e8aaf386?p=2)
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/ffe66237b867e8aaf386_3.jpg (http://www.use.com/ffe66237b867e8aaf386?p=3)
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/ffe66237b867e8aaf386_4.jpg (http://www.use.com/ffe66237b867e8aaf386?p=4)

[Skip]

you never left to me! :)

[Lenin]

See I know you're nice, no matter what everyone else says.

It will be housing Discus, some tetras, and a few more amazon fish to keep them company, I will paint the background white, will be using manzanita and sand, very basic, going to keep it simple.

I'm open to sugestions right now.

[joeymac]

40x18x18 isnt a 150g tho is it?

[joeymac]

OOhhhh I guess you mean the SUMP is 40x18x18.

Lol I got ya. I thought somethig was off since ur stand was 48x24.

[Lenin]

Yeah, sorry about that, that's the sump, the tank is 48x24x30

[Lenin]

OK, so working on the sump, still 24 more hours for the silicone to cure, I made the egg crate dividers, and place the media to see where it will go, the first one will be mechanical filtration, next will be scrubbings for the wet/dry part, next eheim porcelain going thru another mechanical to get in the refugium, the refugium will have lava rock and a poret wall to go into the pump, I will place some water sprite in the refugium also.


http://media.use.com/images/s_2/feacc243cc035e4a3476_1.jpg (http://www.use.com/feacc243cc035e4a3476?p=1)
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/feacc243cc035e4a3476_2.jpg (http://www.use.com/feacc243cc035e4a3476?p=2)

[Lenin]

So finally cleaned the tank and placed it on the stand, pics are a little dark, not enough lighting, will take another one after I hang the lights

http://media.use.com/images/s_4/ececa4e5f0ae3d3cd438.jpg (http://www.use.com/ececa4e5f0ae3d3cd438)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/2ed2c006a092dd8cb290.jpg (http://www.use.com/2ed2c006a092dd8cb290)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/b5f6778e258241344077.jpg (http://www.use.com/b5f6778e258241344077)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/c57f3d19075f4557b889.jpg (http://www.use.com/c57f3d19075f4557b889)

[Craigmax]

well done so far. I'm putting together a used 125 long myself after putting my 55 in storage before buying my home. have to get some old red paint off and test to ensure it's sealed. The silicone in it looks new. I want to go with a sump also. Looking for a 30 or 40 gallon tank now. Good luck with your build.

[Lenin]

Thanks, I wish you luck on yours also.

[Billy Vu]

Hi Lenin,

Just out of curiosity. Where and how much did you pay for the tank?

Cheers,
Billy

[Skip]

nice!!!!

[Lenin]

The tank cost me $150 it was a dollar a gallon from a person from a local reef forum in Austin, the stand cost me $120 from a LFS going out of business and the sump also from someone in the reef forum for $50. So I've been getting all this very cheap, it's Karma coming back, awesome.

BTW the pics don't do justice on how awesome this thing looks



Hi Lenin,

Just out of curiosity. Where and how much did you pay for the tank?

Cheers,
Billy

[nwehrman]

Looks good!


Nicole

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lenin]

Ok so I hanged my lights today, I will add another adjuster to add a few inches and lower the lights since right now you enter the room and go, bright light!, bright light!.

http://media.use.com/images/s_4/8cb8673ad1f3eae67502_1.jpg (http://www.use.com/8cb8673ad1f3eae67502?p=1)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/8cb8673ad1f3eae67502_2.jpg (http://www.use.com/8cb8673ad1f3eae67502?p=2)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/8cb8673ad1f3eae67502_3.jpg (http://www.use.com/8cb8673ad1f3eae67502?p=3)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/8cb8673ad1f3eae67502_4.jpg (http://www.use.com/8cb8673ad1f3eae67502?p=4)

[Lenin]

So finally is running, all plumbing has been done as right now I started the fishless cycle
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/012d922cecb167f12928.jpg (http://www.use.com/012d922cecb167f12928)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/62c920872031c36f8748.jpg (http://www.use.com/62c920872031c36f8748)

[darkknight87]

Looks nice..I wouldnt mind trying out the wet/dry system one of these days. I guess I worry Id screw it up.

[MightyEvil]

Looking forward to seeing the progress!

[Skip]

http://www.madtomatoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Facebook-Like-Button-big.jpg

[Lenin]

So just a small update, waiting for the manzanita to stop floating, the tank is still cycling, the sump has the heaters a powerhead, the light timers, placed the blue leds for nightime.
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/6d9b692093fedad752ad_2.jpg (http://www.use.com/6d9b692093fedad752ad?p=2)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/6d9b692093fedad752ad_1.jpg (http://www.use.com/6d9b692093fedad752ad?p=1)

[Rummy]

Sweet!

[Bud]

what kind of plants are those?

[Lenin]

Plastic plants

[tonytheboss1]

waiting for the manzanita to stop floating

:bandana: It's gonna take awhile. I actually weighted my stump down to keep it in one place

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/tonytheboss1/IMG_0369.jpg

[Lenin]

The manzanita is now in place and I finally did an aquascape that i liked, I will place an update tomorrow. It took about a week for the wood to go down.

What took me a while is getting the pieces where I would like, and I really like how it looks, I can't believe the tank still has about 2 weeks to cycle, I have high nitrates, nitrates and amonia, so getting there.

[Lenin]

Update, tank is in the middle of cycling, nitrates, nitrites and ammonia are up to the roof, the manzanita has settle, the aquascape is finished (need a better pic), only thing I need to work with the tank is getting better water flow, any ideas are welcome, it has to be moving but gentle at the same time.

The refugium, it get mechanical filtration thru 3 matala filter pads, then wet/dry into scrubbies and I'll be adding 2g of bioballs a reefer gave to me, then it goes thru 5l of eheim ceramics, into the refugium, the base is full of a gravel that is PH neutral and is good for growing good bacteria, the heaters and I have two sponge filters being seeded in there, and water wisterya growing in it, another matala filter is dividing it from the rio 3100 pump.


http://media.use.com/images/s_4/292762861cf0f88481f6_1.jpg (http://www.use.com/292762861cf0f88481f6?p=1)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/292762861cf0f88481f6_2.jpg (http://www.use.com/292762861cf0f88481f6?p=2)

[MightyEvil]

I feel that the ceramic media is going to give you hell because it will be very hard to clean when needed. You probably should have thought of a way to pull them out easily like putting them in a sock or something of the sorts... just a little detail i thought about when i saw your setup, other than that, its good!

[Lenin]

That media should never be cleaned, it's not being used as a mechanical filter only as a biological, the matala pads are the one's that should be cleaned and those are about every six months.

[ZX10R]

I would ditch those pot scubbies I used them for a few years also and in the long run they caused a lot of problems with keeping my water clean. They get junk trapped in them which after a long time really makes the water nasty unless you clean them often.

[Lenin]

That's the only thing I'm iffy with, if the matala don't work good enough I might just change it for bioballs

Sent from my M9300 using Tapatalk

[Lenin]

OK, I was worried about water flow, I didn't really have any except from the top where the return was, but too much debri in the bottom of the tank and I scored this, now my water flow issues are resolved.
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/58832a15e3682dd48679.jpg (http://www.use.com/58832a15e3682dd48679)

[Lenin]

OK, so at what time do you think you have gone overboard?, new add the tunze 6100 with controller
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/bab1fed0ababee562d0e_1.jpg (http://www.use.com/bab1fed0ababee562d0e?p=1)
Update on tank, still cycling
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/bab1fed0ababee562d0e_2.jpg (http://www.use.com/bab1fed0ababee562d0e?p=2)

[Len]

I really like the wood in that tank and the overall look is very clean.

[Lenin]

Just for perspective this is how this tank use to look like
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/ba6b074cb18c441bef05_1.jpg (http://www.use.com/ba6b074cb18c441bef05?p=1)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/ba6b074cb18c441bef05_2.jpg (http://www.use.com/ba6b074cb18c441bef05?p=2)

[ZX10R]

Wow huge difference tank looks so clean now

[Lenin]

It used to be a saltwater tank, he was having issues with algae and since it was acrylic he couldn't keep up and just wanted to get rid of it

[Lenin]

So final update on the build, had a lot of problems with the dual T5's, too much light, bulbs were lasting about 2-3 months, and finally last week it looked like one of the contacts for the bulbs on the fixture was melting, so I upgraded to LEDS.

http://media.use.com/images/s_4/e0c7581a2a0121961416_3.jpg (http://www.use.com/e0c7581a2a0121961416?p=3)
http://media.use.com/images/s_4/e0c7581a2a0121961416_4.jpg (http://www.use.com/e0c7581a2a0121961416?p=4)

[Skip]

beamworks?

[Lenin]

Yes, it's the chinese version of the marineland leds, I got it on ebay, for $75 with tax and I received the next day, the seller is just outside of Houston. It looks pretty good

[Skip]

sweet.. i am getting 2! :)

[Second Hand Pat]

Sweet tank Lenin, will be awesome with discus.

[Lenin]

Here's the seller, there are a few selling the same one's. I liked the reviews and rating for him.

http://stores.ebay.com/topdogsellers

[Lenin]

Yeah, that's what I'm going for, simple with a great filtration system, and as you saw I'm working on the discus on a small tank, and will transfer them when they're at least 4" into this tank, It's been a while setting up, and it's worth it, the wife likes the look.

The next update will be when a do a semi automatic water change system, I'm still looking at my options, and I have time.

[Skip]

thanks!

[Second Hand Pat]

Yeah, that's what I'm going for, simple with a great filtration system, and as you saw I'm working on the discus on a small tank, and will transfer them when they're at least 4" into this tank, It's been a while setting up, and it's worth it, the wife likes the look.

The next update will be when a do a semi automatic water change system, I'm still looking at my options, and I have time.

I will be curious as to what you cook up. I could use something like that on the 230.

[ZX10R]

Any discus stocking ideas yet?

[Lenin]

That's my guppy project

[ZX10R]

That's my guppy project

I just seen that other thread after I posted here oops!!

[wavesurfer]

Nice tank and great setup Lenin! Looking forward to more updates! :)

[Lenin]

So I discover that I now have snails in my sump, must of come with the water sprite.

Oh well, I just hired the professionals.

Oh BTW I discovered that my CRS are living in there also, and seem to be happy.

[Lenin]

Quick update
http://media.use.com/images/s_1/5e81eae7141b5f8bd697_1.jpg (http://www.use.com/5e81eae7141b5f8bd697?p=1) http://media.use.com/images/s_1/5e81eae7141b5f8bd697_2.jpg (http://www.use.com/5e81eae7141b5f8bd697?p=2) http://media.use.com/images/s_1/5e81eae7141b5f8bd697_3.jpg (http://www.use.com/5e81eae7141b5f8bd697?p=3)

[Skip]

them Vals are looking good!!!

[Lenin]

There are 5 or 6 of those valentines that have excellent shape and are growing great, the guppies are also doing good, there are 3 blue diamonds, one blue turq which look good also, the other one's are still too small to judge yet