My 185gal build in progress (lots of pics)

[cvermeulen]

i like the smalish size of the gravel. its going to look awesome

Thanks! I spent a LOT of time trying to find some stuff that was just the right size. It's tough to get anything that's not quite sand but not quite gravel. Most places sell either 3/8" gravel or fine sand. This is a #6-14 mesh mix, although I think most of the particles are closer to #6 than #14.

I would have used just sand, but I want to use a high flow RUGF, and I didn't want sand jets being blown about!

 

[cvermeulen]

Cheap labor! Taking all the labels off the fittings in my RUGF piping:

I zap-strapped some eggcrate to 6 of the fittings to keep the piping off the tank floor, and installed it in the tank.... note this required me to climb a ladder up and get into the tank. I'm starting to second guess my decision to make this thing 3' deep...

Gravel, rinsed. It will still make the tank murky as hell I'm sure, but the first few days of RUGF and fine filter bags should take care of that.

I also moved the sump into the house under the stand. Hopefully I'll have manpower here after work tomorrow to help me move the (350lb) tank into the house!)

 

[cvermeulen]

I find it funny how the computer desk you see the corner of in that last picture is preeeeety basic compared to the finishing effort you see on the tank stand. That said... yes, I build a lot of my furniture out of framing lumber

 

[Rbishop]

Looking good!

 

[rwilliams254]

Fits great!

I use my sone for cheap labor too...a cookie here, a sucker there, a sticker here.... it's great and saves me time and $$.

 

[samsmom]

For substrate for my tank I went to a local company in town, ask how much for 100 lbs of pea gravel and about 25 lbs of sand for my 15g tank, he said for amounts that small, just HELP my self!! So I did.

 

[Slappy*McFish]

I find it funny how the computer desk you see the corner of in that last picture is preeeeety basic compared to the finishing effort you see on the tank stand. That said... yes, I build a lot of my furniture out of framing lumber

I thought it was a work bench.

 

[cvermeulen]

I thought it was a work bench.

I's a high class computer desk... made from a door and some 2x4's

 

[rwilliams254]

I's a high class computer desk... made from a door and some 2x4's

...your wife must be so proud.

 

[cvermeulen]

...your wife must be so proud.

The ol' lady made me build her one too! :headbang2: