Der ABT 156g Build

[Der ABT]

Recently moved and will be starting a new tank and wanted to document the progress/process or lack their of....hopefully i get further than my last attempt which never happened.

 

156g oceanic (5x2x2) starphire in wall

2x250w Radiums (possibly 400w if its not enough light) most likely with some LED supplimental and a couple of t5s

not sure on sump or anything else yet, most likely a 50g breeder.

waterblaster return (hy5000 or 7000)

Various Avast Marine products (CS-1 with recirc, media/biopellet, kalk reactor, calcium reactor)

Mp40's, tunze 6080's etc for circulation in tank.

A frag tank will be plumbed in a as well at some point, either the current 30 breeder or a 40 breeder is planned.

 

If you know me you know it will be an SPS dominant tank (who woulda thought different) but will be a mixed reef. Bare bottom for sure with a bunch of zoa's and hopefully several clams

 

already started a fishroom build out plan, need to start building it up/waterproofing it some. Want to do a floor drain but that plan go veto'd so im doing to do the best i can without one.

here is the general plan that will be adjust as we go along

 

BIIIIIG THANKS to GioNova we somehow got this into my car with jsut the two of us, Luckily i did not kill him (LOONG STORY..well not really). but Many thanks to him for helping move it and giving me the opportunity to upgrade.

 

Plan is to cut out the overflows and either drill the back pane or side pane for an internal coast to coast (i would love an external but i think that will be more work then i want to do). The 2 offset center overflow boxes just take up ALOT of room and i am not a fan of them, hopefully the cutting wont be as annoying as i think it will be, plan on leaving a bit around the bottom seal so i dont destroy it and it wont be seen anyways.I would really like to have it on the side pane but im thinking that may not be the best option if i ever try to get rid of the tank and upgrade again but i think ill end up with the side pan drilled for a Herbie style overflow as it will just take up less room and i think it will look better (and may be able to do an external if i got on the side pane as well.

 

Need to cut the wall it will go into out, prep the fishroom (same room as furnace and my new office) and then transfer all of my current system over....hope to get this done within the next month or 3....gonna be lots of work and alot of updates..

 

Here are some pics of the tank at least proving its in my possesion.

(and no thats not the correct stand its just sitting on it for the time being

[surf&turf]

Awesome upgrade Evan, Congrats!!

[Sharkey18]

Wow. Nice plan.

[Ryan S]

Woohoo! Subscribed!

[Amuze]

Nice pick up. Look forward to the build. I had an acrylic tank that size once.

[zoozilla]

Subscribed.

[trockafella]

So.. Any updates from the holiday break..?

[Der ABT]

Unfortunately only a small one....i have the stand now too...

been trying to get the apartment rented so thats been my main concern, need to get some electrical/plumbing work done ASAP so as soon as it is done i will be back on the tank....and looks like i have 2 weeks to get that done so life will be better after thats done.

 

i have the tools ready for cutting out the overflows and hope to start that tonight.

now that i have the stand i will be able to do the measuring for cutting the wall etc and then get the epoxy down....looks liek ill have to reframe the wall cause there are metal studs in there now unfortunately...but shouldnt be too bad...i hope.

 

going to have 3 1 inch holes to drill in teh back of the tank, Anyone know what size drill bit i need to use, shuold it be for the sch80 (48mm i think) or abs (45mm)...im guessing 45mm but any suggestions/reasons to go bigger ??

 

 

and then will have an internal coast to coast built out of acrylic most likely. so first i have to get the overflows removed then i can drill, remove the paint etc from the back panel andthen the tank should be ready.....

[Der ABT]

Well finally got a little work done last night (all the other build threads showing people close to done with their build has made me feel bad), cut off the internal overflows, just need to clean it up and get the silicon off the back wall, was suprisingly easy to remove. hopefully the silicone and rest o fhte plastic will be easy to remove as well

Definately opens up ALOT more space in the tank....next will be drilling the back wall for overflows. and scraping off the black paint

[Coral Hind]

Nice progress, I'm glad I could help motivate you.

 

I also think internal overflows like those are a waste of valuable space.

[roni]

Looking good. I know how you feel. All these nice builds and the end of football season are getting me back into working on my own tank. we need to get together sometime soon and let the kids and wives hang out and get some tank stuff done

[steveoutlaw]

Looks good so far. Looking forward to following this thread.

 

 

So what is to happen with the holes in the bottom of the tank where the plastic overflows were? You could always do a small closed loop or even use them as returns to get a bunch of flow behing the rockwork.

[Origami]

I also think internal overflows like those are a waste of valuable space.

I wholly agree.

 

Did you ever figure out what size hole you needed for the back wall? What kind of overflow are you going with?

[Amuze]

Looks good so far. Looking forward to following this thread.

 

 

So what is to happen with the holes in the bottom of the tank where the plastic overflows were? You could always do a small closed loop or even use them as returns to get a bunch of flow behing the rockwork.

 

This idea is the best. I would make one return closest the the corner aimed for that side of the rock work and run piping under the sand along the back all the way to the other side for the far return.

[Der ABT]

Tank will be Bare Bottom....had a tank with sand and liked it alot but ever since going bare bottome things were just easier.....

 

 

My plan right now is to put in bulk head and close off those holes.....im going to be running mp40s for flow inside the tank and possible one of my tunze 6080s as well.

I plan on drilling the back of the tank for a coast to coast internal overflow (or a central coast to coast for 2 or 3 feet) and doing it like Coralhinds old set up with an inbox looking overflow.

Will drill 1 inch drain holes (most likely 3 of them) and try out the herbie method

 

i had planned on putting in bulkhead and then using a ball valve to shut them off/seal them or just putting a threaded cap on the end in case i change my mind it would be easy to just add the plumbing inside...

 

never had a closed loop so didnt really think about it, every time ive seen one i was not a fan of it....Sean was pushing me towards a closed loop too....guess it would be easy to sell those mp40s i have and change it up if i want to.

 

 

 

I have had NO time to work on the tank, its killen me......but got alot of plumbing and electrical work (and only got shocked once because of a broken outlet) on the apartment which has a deadline for this week....have to run some cat5 tonight/tomorrow and then hopefully this weekend the work on this will start....

 

Plan right now is to start painting/sealing the fishroom, and cutting the back of the wall to start framing everything in...once this is done ill have to finish painting/sealing everything as best i can

 

hopefully i at least get things painted this weekend and maybe the wall cut so i can start the framing and eventually get the stand in place and leveled....

 

really want to get the tank up before new years but at the rate ive been working ill be lucky for 2014.

Edited December 11, 2012 by Der ABT

[Amuze]

really want to get the tank up before new years but at the rate ive been working ill be lucky for 2014.

 

lol. you'll still beat me to it.

[BowieReefer84]

Just do it! haha

[Ryan S]

Evan - how about a new FTS of the old tank? It's still cranking right?

Edited December 17, 2012 by Ryan S

[Der ABT]

90g and 30 are still up and running on autopilot with no waterchanges since the end of sept.....finally things are dialed back in (besides forgetting to clean my regulator....but finally got that all situated and those that lost color when i had a ph probe issue are coloring back up weekly

rest is just getting overgrown and shading everything else out. (not really complaining but a few of my nicer ones are just getting shadowed because i havent been around to cut things back....i am just adding top up water and kalk and really only get to mess with the tank 1 time every two weeks or so.....algea has been a slight issue but nothing terrible......need to do a large water change in the near future but am hoping to get some work done on the 156 so i can just get it transferred into that.

 

Ill try to get a few updated shots (probalby be a crappy cell pic) but its really not the best looking tank for fts with all the stupid frag racks ive put up....that are FULL.....

 

Also got a little 30g up and running at the new house, ill take a pic in a min and maybe start a new thread for it...

[Der ABT]

well at least i can show my daughters tank that has water in it (and a couple trial frags)

its a 30ish g cube like 22 by 19 by 22 or3, evergrow d120 custom layout (only plan on softies and trying out sps frags in case they work), old aquacremora that i had in the garage, mp20 and a heater....just getting thru the cycle and plan on using this as a qt-ish/transfer tank for my main but my daughter talked me into doing a little more

the clowns are from Fazio and are freakign awesome, slow growing but some great personality and colors

thru a couple of zoa frags in there to try them out, but them in a little early but they are comign back around (and i had the lights up a little too bright at first)

here are a few crappy cell pics...

 

 

Ill snap some pics of the 90 when im back over there.

[jimlin]

are you going to install a sump on that cube?

[Der ABT]

no plans for that, its either going to be a QT/hospital random softie tank, or ill just plum it into the eniter system (its drilled on the side well kinda over drilled with a 2 in ) so its undecided the fate of this tank just yet....also depends on what my daughter wants to do with it, she really likes the clowns and the bangaii, so we shall see what comes of it, definately going to be alot of Zoas in there and maybe an anemone for the clowns beend too longs since ive had one.

[roni]

Looks great! My daughter has decided that the 270 is her tank so she doesn't get another tank My RBTA seems to split frequently. Let me know if you want the next clone.

[Der ABT]

Sealed a few things over the weekend still need to put down the epoxy...hard to do with a pregnant wife/daughter and fumes but hopefully ill find an excuse for them to be out of the house for a few days.

 

took a couple of dirty pics of the 90g.....i think i win for the most overcrowded tank....and dirtiest...did the first water change since october which is hard to admit but tihngs are groing well, finally getting the colors back after some alk issues. FTS are hard to get because of where the tank is.

really dont have any extra room pics arent the greatest and the color is a little off but what can ya do

some other randoms sorry for the blue hue but didnt have time to set thewhite balance

[Der ABT]

added a new fish to the 90g too (thanks Monkiboy)....my B&W lost its mate that was a freaking awesome Onyx but am happy to report that there is a new couple....they wont swim more then 7 inches from each other at ANY point in time.