Lance's 225 gal tank

Lance · #1 12-10-2008, 06:26 PM

I wasn't going to do a tank journal because firstly, I take crappy pictures; secondly, I hate all that copy and paste stuff; and lastly, I type very slowly. But, I do like tank journals, so I decided to do a shortened version. Anyway, enough blah, blah, blah and on with the build.

I bought this tank last summer from a friend of Anthony's (Seahorse Fanatic), who for various reasons couldn't use this size tank. To make a long story short, I got a brand new tank, lights, and a cutom-built stand for a good price and the gentleman was a pleasure to do business with.

The tank is a 225g Sea Star with starfire glass and euro-bracing, (72x30x24). I really like the 30" depth, it gives so many more options for aqua-scaping.

The tank and stand are going into the family room where it will eventually be incoporated into a floor to ceiling wall unit with TV, stereo etc. so it will look like an in-wall tank. When full, it will weigh well over 3000 lbs. so some beefing up of the floor was necessary. The tank runs parallel to the floor joists (2x10's on 16" centers), so I built two 2x4 walls perpindicular to the joists in the workshop below. The back 8" of the tank sit on an outside concrete bearing wall; one end of the tank is over a laminated load-bearing beam; and the other end and center of the tank is over the 2x4 walls. So, between the bearing wall, beam and stud walls there is now plenty of strength to hold this load.

Moving the stand and tank into place was a real bitch! I had to remove 3 doors for the 34-inch deep stand to fit. We had to go out through the garage door; in through the front door; up 3 steps into the entranceway; turn a corner; down 2 steps into the living room; up 2 steps into the dining room; out the door to the upper sundeck; down 4 steps to the lower sundeck; in through another door into the family room; and finally on to the stand. We had 7 guys and it was all we could do to get it done. man, the beer went down fast afterwards.

So here is the stand in place in the family room. I will be building the wall unit around it after the new year.

Filling with water for a leak test. No leaks. Whoot!

The stand is pretty solid: ends and back are double 3/4" plywood, with an MDF laminated and siliconed top. Just to be on the safe side I beefed up the stand with 3" tube steel and 4x4 posts.

I ordered 125 lbs. of Eco-ROx from Bulk Reef Supply for base rock. Some regular-type rock and shelf rock which I like the look of.

Here is the rock and shelf-type rock in the tank. Don't ask how long it took to get the rock how I wanted it. But it's in now and I'm quite happy with the look. It is very stable and I didn't even have to drill, tie, or use PVC supports. It's just stacked and fitted.

It took almost 3 full days to fill with R/O water. Dumped in the salt and turned on the pumps. Cleared up in a few hours. I am using Instant Ocean salt as it is the only salt available locally, and that is what I'm using in the 90 gal reef. I'll take some pics of the filled tank with the lights on so you can get an idea of how it looks.

Lance · #2 12-10-2008, 06:32 PM

I've got a fair amount of live rock in a tub in the garage that I got from Marie (thanks Marie). I will be placing it in the tank in the next few days and start the cycling. I think with the rock in the tank and the live rock in the tub I pretty much have enough. I have a reef tank now and wanted a tank for the fish. This tank will be all about the fish so I want to give them lots of hidey holes and plenty of swimming room.

martym · #3 12-10-2008, 07:11 PM

Nice tank! Looking forward to seeing it progress

Trigger Man · #4 12-10-2008, 07:17 PM

the rock work looks great, now comes the cycling then the fun part is to begin.

Lance · #5 12-10-2008, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trigger Man

the rock work looks great, now comes the cycling then the fun part is to begin.

Thanks. I'm pleased with the size of the shelf rock in the left side of the tank. It is about 2-foot square. There was another large piece like it but no matter how I arranged them, 2 pieces of the same size just didn't look right. So, I got out the hammer and broke one into smaller pieces.

Delphinus · #6 12-10-2008, 07:59 PM

Like the aquascaping.

christyf5 · #7 12-10-2008, 08:11 PM

Wow that looks awesome. Can't wait to see it progress!

Lance · #8 12-10-2008, 11:04 PM

Here's a few pics with the lights on. Can't fill the tank right up yet as the plumbing is not quite done. Had to order a glass bit to drill the holes in the sump.

And a few of the plumbing.

Lance · #9 12-10-2008, 11:16 PM

The tank is bottom drilled with dual overflows. I've plumbed it so that there are two 11/2" drains to the sump. One primary (on a gate valve) and one emergency. Two 1" return lines from the Reeflo Barracuda. With the Barracuda and the 2xMaxi-Jet 1200's PH's with upgrade kit I will have about 5900 GPH of flow (or about 30x turnover), plenty I think for a fish and softies tank.

Lance · #10 12-10-2008, 11:29 PM

Here's the skimmer. It's a MR-3 with dual Becketts and powered by an Iwaki MD-70RLT pump. I haven't any experience with these skimmers but have been told they do a pretty good job. I hope they pull decent skimmate as this tank will have a pretty large bio-load with the large fish. Any MR owners out there? I could use a few tips as to proper water level, air adjustment etc.