120 Gallon Plexi-Glass Tank Build.

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felixpaws

AC Members
Jan 10, 2009
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Pocatello, Idaho
So, I bought a 120 acrylic tank:dance:, and I'm going to try to chronicle my adventures. It's a 4'/2'/2' tank, with single overflow, in the center of the tank, and a wet dry, converted to a sump. It has(I think?) 145lbs. of live rock, and about an inch/inch, and a half of 1 to 2 mm aragonite sand, a G skimmer,and a 4 bulb Compact light fixture, 2 hydor rotating deflectors, and a Visi-therm heater. It, also came with an old T8 light fixture housing retro fitted with 4 Stunner led strips. He gave me all kinds of stuff with it(algae scrapers, nets, powerheads, water pumps, additives, medications, pipe brushes, arm length aquarium gloves, a gravel vacuum, a scratch removal kit, a couple of books, and a bunch of other assorted aquarium supplies.) It came with a stand, but I can't use it, because it's so tall, it doesn't fit in my room in the basement. I plan to have a stand built or modify the stand to fit my room. I plan to add pictures, tomorrow. The live rock is sitting in a barrel, and trash can, with heaters, and powerheads to keep it alive. I vacuumed the sand before removing it. Man, it was filthy:(. Cyanobacteria covered everything, and there was algae covering parts of the glass. We emptied the tank, and took out the sand, and live rock, yesterday, moved the tank, and stand, today. The bulbs in the fixture were 2 years old. There were fish, coral, starfish, a pencil urchin, snails,a feather duster, and an anemone in the tank, so, I moved the coral, anemone, feather duster to my 75 reef, the pencil urchin to my 20H(couldn't get it off of the live rock), and traded in all the fish to my LFS. This was a early birthday present:woot:. My birthday is April 4th. The pump on the skimmer is broken. I'm trying to decide if I can add my little 10/12 gallon acrylic tank, as a refugium, attached to the sump. There is no space for chaeto. in the sump, now. This is awesome for me, since I was trying to convince my parents to allow me to convert my 75 cihlid tank to a reef, and he decided to let me do this, ha!:worthy: Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!!! I'm trying to soak the skimmer pump in vinegar to release the frozen impeller, but I have little hope of it working. $90 or so for a new pump, sheesh. I plan on making it a mixed reef, with LPS, a few SPS, Softies, Zoas, mushrooms, and possibly the bubble tip anemone that came with it. I might trade in the anemone, don't know, yet. Sorry, for the long post, but I'm super excited! I was thinking an anthias, a dottyback of some kind, a flasher wrasse, a few gobies(citron, cleaner?, and maybe someone could suggest a few nice ones), a few others, but I don't remember most of the cool species. Suggestions? I plan to upgrade the lighting to T5HO, but at a later date. Suggestions? Any, and all welcome. I hope no one gets offended if I shoot them down, but I really do value your opinion. I plan on two phosban reactors, filled with GFO, and carbon. It, also, came with a top off float valve, which I plan to plumb to a bucket for top-off(I use well water, no RO/DI, but I plan to buy a DI unit, at some point, from petsolutions.com or use a di unit from bulkreefsupply.com, if you can use it, without an RO unit.) I never thought I'd get a tank of this size, and acrylic no less! Please, let me know what you think, thanks!:)
 

Cheech

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Jan 13, 2000
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Montreal, Canada
you struck gold! congrats on the tank.

It seems like you pretty much covered your angles.. As always, take it slow, keep researching, and you should be fine!

Looking forward to seeing pictures and progress updates!

Oh and Happy Birthday!
 

felixpaws

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Jan 10, 2009
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Pocatello, Idaho
IMG_7438.JPGIMG_7447.JPGIMG_7441.JPGThanks, for the birthday wish! I think you may have moreIMG_7440.JPG faith in my abilities than I do. Lol! Here are some pictures of the live rock in barrels, to keep it alive. The G-2 skimmer(minus the broken pump). MeIMG_7448.JPG, and the tank, before I took it own, to move it. The stunner led lights, and some assorted light fixtures, bulbs, etc. The cleaned tank, on it's back. IMG_7439.JPGThe sump(not sure what size it is, but it barely holds the skimmer). The stand. My water mixing barrel, and styro. boxes left over from moving live rock.IMG_7436-cropped.JPG

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felixpaws

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Jan 10, 2009
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Pocatello, Idaho
The tank came with a colt coral, some kind of red coral, a feather duster worm, and an anemone(I believe a bubble tip). I'll try to post pictures of those, in my 75, when they feel better, and open up. I'm amazed they're alive at all, since the original owners light bulbs were two years old, and only compacts, over a 120. The anemone is all shriveled up, and really small. He said it shrank over time. Not surprised, at all. He was using odyssea bulbs, too. Another negative. I emptied my 75 cichlid tank of catfish, and cihlids, and traded them in at my LFS, Monday. Drained the 75, and cleaned it up, last night. Was up, until 4:30AM. Slept too late, today, then did a water change on my 75 reef, and 20H frag tank. Tried to call a neighbor who welds(brother of the guy I bought the tank from, by the way), but he never answered. Can't set the tank up, until I build a stand or restructure the stand I have. I hate waiting. Hoping the water change will allow the coral I transferred from the 75 to open, and thrive, instead of them being all closed up, and unhappy. Need to save up for the skimmer pump or buy a used one that will work for a 120 gallon. Need to go to bed. Starting to get loopy. Feed the fish, dose the additives, sleep for two days. Hauling sand, live rock, water, a mega-heavy stand, with steel angle iron frame, 120 tank, and all the other equipment has made me a bit exhausted. Lol, and I thought this would be easier than working on cars, until the wee hours of night! Oh, well. What do i know about cars, anyway? I'm lucky I have a truck that runs, sheesh.
 

felixpaws

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Jan 10, 2009
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Pocatello, Idaho
IMG_7584.JPGIMG_7576.JPGIMG_7585.JPGIMG_7575.JPGIMG_7582.JPGIMG_7577.JPGHere's how the stand looks, after I removed the wood, and the bottom portion of the stand. Some of the welds broke, up top, due to poor welds, from the original owners of the tank. I have a couple of people in mind to re-do the welds, and to weld the bottom back together, with the new dimensions. I don't plan on putting the wood back on, but plan to put black, polyester curtains, around it, instead. It will help with air flow, around the sump, and if I need to, I can put a big box fan next to the sump, to cool it down. It gets pretty hot here, in the summer. I'm in a basement, so, it's not as bad as it could be, but it still gets warmer than it should in my room. I have two, 4 bulb compact fixtures, and the led stunner set-up, but the bulbs on one of the fixtures are too old, and one of the ballasts for the other is shot, so, I'll need to replace it. I plan to switch the old bulbs for new, and buy a ballast, at the beginning of next month(hopefully). I should get the stand built, next week, and be able to start filling it with freshwater, by the end of next week. I need to buy vinyl tubing, to re-do the return, and I need some more loc-line to do the return the way I want. Anyone have cheap loc-line they want to get rid of, in 3/4" size? I need 2 6 link segments, a 3 way splitter, and a couple of round nozzles(so, I can add a couple of hydor water deflectors to them). I borrowed a skimmer pump forma friend who bought a new pump for his skimmer. I'm a little worried it will be too powerful, though. It's for a G3, and I have a G2 ASM skimmer. The live rock is still in a barrel, with the sand, with three pumps, and a heater in it. Did a large water change on the barrel, on Wednesday. I plan to mix, almost, all new water, when I fill it. I'll fill it with freshwater, and check the plumbing, and stand for leaks, and if it'll hold, then turn it all on, and add salt. It'll be faster, than mixing in barrels, and easier. Grocery list:Salt, Loc-line, vinyl tubing, GFO, two hydor water deflectors, and possibly a red sea wavemaster pro(if I have enough for one, after I buy everything else). So far, so good. The waiting is driving me nuts! These are pictures of the cut stand, the sump, with skimmer, the wood around the angle iron stand, and drawers that were in it. I'll try to post updates, as they happen. I sold my 75 gallon for $80 to a friend, for they're albino corn snake. Was glad I could sell it so quickly. I can use the cash, for new parts, for the 120. I'm afraid to use the scratch remover, that the guy I bought it form gave me. I'd hate to make the scratches worse! I'll try to buff out a couple on the side glass, with it, and see how it goes.

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felixpaws

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Jan 10, 2009
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Pocatello, Idaho
Here are some more pictures of my progress. It's taking forever! I, finally, had someone re-weld the stand. The stand hangs over in the front some, and I'm a little concerned. The original IMG_7833.JPGowner had some wood on the front, that I removed, and now, it's just angle iron. I painted it, and now, I have to wait for two days, while it dries compleIMG_7858.JPGtely. I hooked up the protein skimmer, and put light grid under it, because it's a bigger pump, so, it raises the skimmer body some. I siliconed a ro/di IMG_7862.JPGattachment to a bucket, for the ato(it's just a bucket, attached to a float valve on the sump). There's also a picture of the tank on it's back with most IMG_7842.JPGof the equipment attached or in it. I'm worried my live rock is not so live anymore. Sigh! Oh, and I almost forgot! A couple of pictures of the frags IMG_7838.JPGI have, ready to go in the tank. That kenya tree is a frag from my 75, and is bigger than the frag that I got of it, which the girl at the store scraped oIMG_7860.JPGff with her pinky nail. I've had the mother colony for around 5 months, maybe less. I have two compact 4 bulb light fixtures to put on the tank, but needIMG_7836.JPG to buy a ballast, and bulbs for the second fixture. I plan to use eye bolts to secure the stand to the wall, and maybe chains or a cable, just in case. IMG_7827.JPG I hope to set the tank up in three days. I'll hook up the plumbin, and fill it with freshwater, and do a leak test, then, if it's okay, I'll mix in the salt, and let it heat up, and mix, overnight, then I'll add the sand, and live rock. Sheesh! I didn't think it'd take a month to get this thing going. There's not a whole lot more to do, now. I may add a 10 gallon plexi-tank to the sump, as a refugium, but it may be a while. I'll post more as I go. Enjoy!

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greech

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May 13, 2009
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Sounds like you have done your homework and progress is looking good. Your hard work will pay off so keep it up! Also, that is a really nice tank size!
 

felixpaws

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Jan 10, 2009
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Pocatello, Idaho
Thanks, greech. I put the stand in my room, today, and put the sump underneath. It's a tight fit, and I barely have room for the two heaters I'll need to keep it warm. I put two eyebolts in the wall, and attached wires to them, for stability. Put plastic around the wood shelf, underneath, and the top piece of wood that goes under the tank. I had to cut up two of the doors, from the stands previous incarnation, for the shelf. I hooked up the top-off bucket, and put a little water into it, to check for leaks, and none, so far. I may decide not to add the ten gallon 'fuge. If I want to add two chemical media canisters, I'll need the room the ten would have taken up. (maybe) I hope to set the tank on the stand, tomorrow. I'll hook up the plumbing, and add water, to test for leaks. I need to order a new heater, salt, and perhaps a couple of hydor rotating water deflectors(if I decide to go with two maxi-jet 1200's, instead of two koralia 750's or bigger koralia's). I'll let the tank cycle, for a month, and buy some snails, and fish a couple of weeks before it's done with it's cycle, to put in my 20H quarantine/frag tank. I'm trying to decide on fish, for the 120. I don't want to go with anything that's in my 75. I'd love a few anthias, a bicolor psuedochromis(or something similar), a kole yellow eye tang, a cool looking blenny, a goby of some type, no damsels or chromis, and some kind of shrimp. Maybe another cleaner shrimp or something different, if I can find something interesting. Any suggestions people? I have a 120, and I'm not sure how to fill it! Worst part is, I picked all the fish I thought were the coolest for my 75. Most of the common fish I like I have, and the uncommon fish don't come into my lfs that often, so, I'm not sure I could get them. I could special order them, but I don't know what I'd want. Hmmm. What size should i go with, if I get the koralias? I have two 750's in the 75, now, and they seem to work well. I'm getting close to having this thing set up. I'm hoping the tank isn't too front heavy. It could tip forward, I'm afraid. When I put the tank on the stand, I will shim the stand, using metal washers, to level it. It sits on carpet, with a concrete floor, so, it's fairly level, already, but it still needs some leveling. The nice thing about a four foot tank is it's a standard size, and lots of people have four foot light fixtures. I can put two or three light fixtures on it, and use compacts, and have plenty of light. I'll try to post more pictures, tomorrow. Thanks, for looking. Any advice or comments are appreciated.
 

zgoldsmith23

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Sep 20, 2010
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Great filtration man! Glad to see you did your homework. I can't wait to see the finished product!
 

felixpaws

AC Members
Jan 10, 2009
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Pocatello, Idaho
Thanks! If all goes well, I hope to have it all ready to add water, by tomorrow night. I'm a little worried that it will tip over or that the plumbing won't get set up right, that I'll crack a fitting or not be able to figure out how to prevent an overflow of the sump or the tank, that I'll spray water everywhere when I turn it all on, that the pumps will be too powerful for the skimmer, and return, that the amount of salt i have on hand won't be enough, that all the life in the live rock is dead, that the sand in the barrel with the live rock will have turned bad after the month it's been in there, that it will turn out to be a really noisy tank, and I won't get any sleep since it's in my bedroom, that the cheap odyssea compact fixture, and bulbs will fizzle out, that the heater I have at the moment won't heat the water enough, that the canister filter I'll have to use for the time being won't fit in the sump space, and be able to be used, that the powerheads, and pumps I have for circulation won't be nearly enough for the size tank, that I don't have enough live rock for my liking, that after I set it all up, it will come crashing down on me or my floor, that the slight bowing of the front glass will mean that the tank won't last for much longer, and when I fill it the bowing will be more pronounced than I hope, that the ballast I need for my other compact fixture will be unavailable when I go to order it, that I won't be able to find the fish I want, and that all these problems will not get resolved. Of course, it's a process, and so far, I've gotten all sorts of stuff done that I didn't think would get done. The sheer amount of little stuff, and the few big things seem like they'll never get done, and then, all of the sudden I'm working on the next problem. It's true what they say. Only bad things happen fast in a reef tank. I figure it will all work out, but until then...wurruh, wurrah. Tomorrow is another day.
 
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