180 gal build.

[Froster92]

This thread is to document mine and @destineyfoster's 180 gal build. Were looking to build a mixed reef. Mainly LPS and Softies with a few SPS Mixed in here and there. We had a 90 gallon about 6 years ago and when we moved we got rid of it. So most of the knowledge we had had been forgotten. We've wanted to put another tank up since we bout our house last year plus we have a 5 year old so we think it'll be a good learning experience for her as well. If nothing she'll enjoy watching the fish. She is beyond excited already and everday asking we are getting fishies.

Equipment we have already:
180 gal Tank 72"x24"x24" Dual Overflow
Reef Octopus XP- 2000 Skimmer
180 Pounds of Reef Rock, Dry
100 Pounds of Live Sand
2x 1950 gph Gen 3 Koralia Powerhead 2x 2450 gph Gen 3 Koralia Powerhead
40 breeder (Gonna make a DIY sump)
Jebao 18000 DCP Return Pump
36" Aquatic Life 4 bulb T5 Hybrid
400W Glass Heater
100 W Glass Heater
3x used black box LEDs
Apex Classic with Probes and 2 EB8 outlet.
Random assortment of smaller items, refractor meter, smaller pumps, test kits, etc.

Things to do:
Get another 36" Aquatic Life 4 bulb T5 Hybrid.
Upgrade Black Boxes to 32" Reefbreeders Photon V2 x2. (mind may change)
Build a stand. (we have some left over wood were gonna use)
Plumb tank once stand is built.
Build Sump.
Going to pick up a RODI on Thursday, planning to build some type of water change station in the future.
Still need to decide on and purchase salt.
Get a QT tank set up.
Get a heater with a temp controller.



Im attaching some pictures of some of the equipment and an aquascape that we put together, not sure if its any good or not. Also we want to thank the people who have helped us already. So Nancrab, Jones375, kilee1959, and Lex3. Thank you guys for helping us along the way on this adventure. Any advice or help is greatly appreciated, were pretty good at accepting criticism and willing to absorb any knowledge possible.

 

[Froster92]

@NanCrab @jones375 @kilee1959 @Lex3 Forgot to tag yall in the original post. Sorry.

 

[Froster92]

Update: So we've built a stand out of some leftover lumber. It started pouring rain while we built the stand. We also placed the center legs without taking into consideration placing the sump under and had to move them. Its not the prettiest thing but itll get the job done for now. I picked up a BRS 100gpd RODI. We purchased 99% of the plumbing just waiting on some bulkheads so I can begin plumbing. Decided to do a herbie overflow, although there are only 2 holes drill. Im just going to plumb the returns over the back of the tank. We ordered some some salt. Paint the back of the tank black with plastidip to avoid seeing the plumbing from the return. Also built the sump out of a 40 breeder tank. The aquascape we had built on the floor had to be moved and was changed around and is now in the tank. We also ordered a couple heaters that are being shipped now. Once we get the plumbing up and running should be ready to put some water in the tank. The wife also picked out a fish list.

Fish:
Sailfin Tang
Purple Tang
Hippo Tang (May swap one of the tangs for a Kole Tang)
Fairy Wrasse
Yellow Watchmen Goby/Pistol Shrimp Combo
Pairs of clowns (undecided on what kind yet)
Blue Spot Jawfish
Diamond Goby
Foxface

Attaching a few updated pics.
Still need:
Another 36" T5 Hybrid
2x 32" Reefbreeder Photon V2s
Plumb the tank
Cycle tank

 

[Trizzino]

Update: So we've built a stand out of some leftover lumber. It started pouring rain while we built the stand. We also placed the center legs without taking into consideration placing the sump under and had to move them. Its not the prettiest thing but itll get the job done for now. I picked up a BRS 100gpd RODI. We purchased 99% of the plumbing just waiting on some bulkheads so I can begin plumbing. Decided to do a herbie overflow, although there are only 2 holes drill. Im just going to plumb the returns over the back of the tank. We ordered some some salt. Paint the back of the tank black with plastidip to avoid seeing the plumbing from the return. Also built the sump out of a 40 breeder tank. The aquascape we had built on the floor had to be moved and was changed around and is now in the tank. We also ordered a couple heaters that are being shipped now. Once we get the plumbing up and running should be ready to put some water in the tank. The wife also picked out a fish list.

Fish:
Sailfin Tang
Purple Tang
Hippo Tang (May swap one of the tangs for a Kole Tang)
Fairy Wrasse
Yellow Watchmen Goby/Pistol Shrimp Combo
Pairs of clowns (undecided on what kind yet)
Blue Spot Jawfish
Diamond Goby
Foxface

Attaching a few updated pics.
Still need:
Another 36" T5 Hybrid
2x 32" Reefbreeder Photon V2s
Plumb the tank
Cycle tank

Cool looking stand. Are all the slats perfectly level at the surface? My only worry are boards being uneven and putting stress points on the tank for uneven distribution of the weight.

also gotta watch out for swelling, shrinking and warping.

 

[Froster92]

Cool looking stand. Are all the slats perfectly level at the surface? My only worry are boards being uneven and putting stress points on the tank for uneven distribution of the weight.

also gotta watch our for swelling, shrinking and warping.

We put a level on it and it looks pretty level. We used pressure treated wood so hoping for minimum swelling or warping. I’m no carpenter by any means but the wood was given to us for free so could t beat that price point.


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[TTTony]

Is that going in your house? My only thought is to have so much money invested in livestock and equipment and stand for something you’re gonna look at every day

 

[Froster92]

Is that going in your house? My only thought is to have so much money invested in livestock and equipment and stand for something you’re gonna look at every day

It is going in my house. I’m confused at what you’re saying.


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[silentdeath5]

I was thinking it might not be the best way to support the weight of the tank because there’s usually another piece of wood on each corner holding the weight. But I guess the top pieces would put the weight onto the posts

 

[Froster92]

I was thinking it might not be the best way to support the weight of the tank because there’s usually another piece of wood on each corner holding the weight. But I guess the top pieces would put the weight onto the posts

There’s a 4x4 on each corner and the 2 in the middle.


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[TTTony]

It is going in my house. I’m confused at what you’re saying.


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It sounded Like it was going to be unfinished looking compared to all the high-end livestock and high end supplies you are setting up , but after looking at the pictures it looks great ! congratulations

 

[Froster92]

It sounded Like it was going to be unfinished looking compared to all the high-end livestock and high end supplies you are setting up , but after looking at the pictures it looks great ! congratulations

Right now it’s going to be that way but we plan to put wood around with trim and cabinet doors


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[sharis100]

Only potential concern is multiple pieces of wood with tank sitting directly on top. When you bring the stand indoors, each piece of wood will react in minutely different ways from the other pieces of wood to humidity, temperature, atmospheric conditions that cause wood to expand and contract. When you have that much weight on these wood slat pieces, and if by chance they do not all expand and contract in sync, you might have pressure differences under tank causing a potential for weakness or stress long term. Have you thought of using a piece of structural or even marine grade plywood to go directly under tank with a leveling mat or something equivalent? One piece of wood should react similarly and not be as worrisome. Just a thought based on a few decades of experience from an .

 

[Froster92]

Only potential concern is multiple pieces of wood with tank sitting directly on top. When you bring the stand indoors, each piece of wood will react in minutely different ways from the other pieces of wood to humidity, temperature, atmospheric conditions that cause wood to expand and contract. When you have that much weight on these wood slat pieces, and if by chance they do not all expand and contract in sync, you might have pressure differences under tank causing a potential for weakness or stress long term. Have you thought of using a piece of structural or even marine grade plywood to go directly under tank with a leveling mat or something equivalent? One piece of wood should react similarly and not be as worrisome. Just a thought based on a few decades of experience from an .

I had not even considered that but now that you mention it that makes sense. I have seen where some people use different foam pads and stuff. I’m guessing I should pick something like that up. Do you have any suggest?


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[sharis100]

I had not even considered that but now that you mention it that makes sense. I have seen where some people use different foam pads and stuff. I’m guessing I should pick something like that up. Do you have any suggest?


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I am lazy these days and prefer to use the innovative marine pads made for tank placement and distribution of pressure that I know will work for sure and not take risks. Too many tank issues over the decades to deal with that anymore if I can help it at this point. Some people use a variety of products from the big box stores. I use the highest grade plywood I can afford from Home Depot and seal it with a marine grade sealant or paint for all my tanks, then I use the IM aquagadget pads and place my tanks on top - unless they already come with leveling mats like my anemone Fiji cube.
Perhaps another ARC member can share what big box store equivalents are available for leveling other than a tank specific mat that they have used successfully. I know some folks use a foam type product under their tanks on this site.

 

[Steve Burton]

I used this, should be available at Lowes or Home Depot

Owens Corning FOAMULAR 250 XPS Insulation Board - All Sizes

Please Note We Can Not Ship To The Following States: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington Owens Corning FOAMULAR 250 Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Insulation is a closed-cell...

insulation4us.com

 

[Froster92]

I used this, should be available at Lowes or Home Depot

Owens Corning FOAMULAR 250 XPS Insulation Board - All Sizes

Please Note We Can Not Ship To The Following States: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington Owens Corning FOAMULAR 250 Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Insulation is a closed-cell...

insulation4us.com

Thank you, I did pick some of this up it was pretty cheap. Had to cut it to fit it in my car. Got it under the tank now.

 

[Froster92]

Update: With some frustrations and a couple mistake here and there we got the plumbing done. We put some of that foam under the tank to help prevent what some were suggesting may happen. Due to us having to move the tank todo the plumbing my aquascape collapsed and I had to redo it. Think it still turned out ok. We are filling with RODI water now as I am planning on just mixing the water in the tank. Also one of my childhood best friends, @chipster131 decided to try out the hobby and has purchased a 90 gal tank. As he is also my neighbor, yes we bought houses next to each other he has been assisting me with building everything. So shout out to him as well.

 

[Froster92]

missed a couple pics

 

[civics14]

missed a couple pics

Black sharpie to that pink foam board?

 

[Trizzino]

Looks good. If it were my stand I would add 2x4 on the outer sides of your 4x4’s to support the weight all the way around. Right now the load appears to be on the 4x4’s. The perimeter border is screwed into the posts with nothing supporting it. You would have two 2x4 piece on each corner. It would also smooth out the frame so when you skin and add doors it will be much easier.

Rough sketch of what I’m trying to explain.