PJ's 125 gallon Bucket List build

[PJs_Bucket_List]

After making a classic newbie mistake 7 months ago and buying a new, undrilled 45 gallon tank, I knew I would be upgrading at the earliest opportunity. My husband, being the ever accommodating sweetheart he is, bought a used setup for me for Christmas, and brought it home on New Year's Eve. It's an older setup with older equipment (we're on a tight budget due to my medical expenses), but it's big, it's mine, and it's going to be absolutely amazing!

What I have (so far)
125 gallon Aqueon reef-ready tank w/dual overflows 72 1/2"L x 18 1/2"W x 22"H
Wood stand 72 1/2"L x 19"W x 28"H
75 gallon glass DIY 3-section sump tank
2 heaters
Marineland Penguin Pro 375 HOB filter
AquaC EV-180 Protein Skimmer
Danner MD18 Pondmaster mag-drive 1800gph return pump
Danner Pondmaster 700gph pond-mag utility pump for the skimmer
72" fluorescent light fixture, holds 8 bulbs (4 blue, 4 white)
Large tote full of reef rock and coral skeleton
Tote half full of sand
Various sections of PVC, fittings, valves, etc from previous setup

*1st tank picture is from a website. Same model as mine. I'll post a fts later
*Photos are from previous owner, where the setup was in storage

 

[Hunna]

Best of luck! Lmk when you’re ready for the mushrooms I’m giving you. They will help fill out all that space a tiny bit

 

[project1004]

Congrats~. That’s really nice size tank. It along enough to give any fish good stretch of runs!

If I were you, I would keep your current setup and cycle this new tank separately until it goes thru some ups and downs. (It may be few month but this will also help your current tank more mature as well). I would add your everything coming out from your current tank to be added to new tank to help with cycling. That’s including gunks.

For dry good, that they were all stored and some are outdated, make sure you have spare or emergency plan handy.

 

[project1004]

I’m always afraid to use “used” dry rocks that are from strangers. I think they usually give more hard time (dealing with Phosphate and Nitrate) than anything else we use that are 2nd hand. So consider new dry rocks so you start off clean slay~~.

 

[PJs_Bucket_List]

Despite feeling pretty rough this weekend and barely having the energy to get up, I didn't want to let another weekend pass with no progress on this tank. I decided to tackle the long overdue task of testing and cleaning the skimmer and pumps. The skimmer and smaller pump work just fine. Skimmer is cleaned up and ready to go, and I'm starting the pump cleaning with a good soak. Unfortunately, the return pump is a no go...ouch for my wallet. I'm not so thrilled with the seller, who promised it "works great!", my other half, who picked up this setup and didn't make sure things worked, and myself, for not doing this stuff sooner. But it is what it is. Looks like I'll be adding a return pump to the list of things I have to acquire in order to make this glass box a "realistic" ocean reef diorama .