fjr_wertheimber

Very cool, man, congrats on the new tank. Yeah, I saw Troylee's build back when I first started designing this one, thanks!

It's gonna be a while, olaggie01, because I still have to get the stand made, the glass delivered (and then CNC waterjet cut). What are you upgrading to?

Yup, that's the same stuff. It's also the same stuff that a lot of commercial and large public aquariums use for "rockwork" in their tanks. http://www.polygem.com (As always, not affiliated in any way, your mileage may vary, yada yada yada.)

Thanks, Aaarrrggg! So a bit more info: The rock structure will be live rock with a PVC substructure, covered in pond foam and formed Polygem Zoopoxy #307 LITE and custom latex press molds to give the appearance of actual live rock. I'm going to have the pieces cut on a CNC waterjet to ensure accuracy of ±.003" and perfectly leveled cuts on each axis.

Hey, does anyone have Acropoorer's contact info? I noticed that it won't let me send him a message on here, and I had some DIY silicone questions for him...

Okay, so here's the basic plan for the aquascaping. It's obviously not quite how I plan to have it look, but then SketchUp isn't really setup well for organic shapes, but at least it'll give you a basic idea of the overall feel.

LOL Roll Tide Reef, she's supportive, but hey, she still calls me obsessed, too, so it's kind of a wash. LOL At least she's supportive of my obsession! LOL Yeah, I know what you mean about that setup at the Georgia Aquarium, that place is just sick! Thanks for the all compliments, guys. I think it's gonna be pretty awesome. Olaggie, nope, it's not Troylee's tank, his was only viewable from one side; that tank is an aquarist from the Netherlands. Both of those tanks (as well as the one from Bello on RC) are all pretty awesome.

Okay, very cool. I'll definitely have to make my way out there so we can talk.

Thanks, everyone. Yeah, Hydro Innovations, I just read your build thread before I posted the start of this thread. Good looking setup, man. Trust me when I say I'm going into this well aware of the time and money implications of a tank of this size. My time off (what little it was) over my last deployment was mostly spent surfing and reading everything I could get my hands on, and I've actually got a spreadsheet with each and every cost, down to the bulkheads and PVC, plus a huge amount of "wiggle room" for changes in costs due to inflation, fuel costs, etc. I'm not worried about the Starphire, I had a Starphire tank before and absolutely loved it. Like all glass it will scratch if you're not careful, but it's a helluva lot harder to mess up than acrylic, IMHO. I'd love to come out and see your setup, man. What's your schedule like? As far as flow, I've been really impressed with what I've seen of the MP60s, but if need be I'll supplement them. I'm just not a fan of the back-and-forth movement of the waveboxes, I mean, they do a GREAT job of creating water movement, but I don't really care for the movement they give (if that makes sense). Also, I'm not too worried about having room under the tank for what I want under there; I know I'll have room for a good sized sump, refugium, small frag growout tank, a couple of QT tanks, and some dosers, plus room for my controller, with room to spare. I'm not concerned about a chiller or heat exchanger, with LEDs I shouldn't be putting nearly as much heat into the tank as with MH. My saltwater making station and RODI unit will be out in the garage, with a hose from there into the house for delivery of the new water (much easier than hefting 5 gallon jugs or trashcans on wheels). All in all, I think it should all work out pretty nicely.

Yup, folks, this is gonna be a big 'un. Okay, guys and gals... So, now that my days of deploying to wonderful vacation spots like Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, or other godforsaken third-world countries are behind me, I can now start to plan and design and build in earnest, especially since my wonderful fiancée has given me the green light to start building a custom dream tank. Well, pseudo-dream tank, that is. My TRUE dream tank would require scuba gear to clean and service. LOL I recently posted about the custom DIY plywood/Starphire reef tank that my better half agreed to let me build, inspired by this tank here: That inspiration lead to this design here, which I planned to construct out of plywood and Starphire glass: Well, anyway, earlier today I was laying out the size of the tank in what will eventually be the fish room, and Wendy (my better half) says, "You know, it just seems like it's missing something. Have you thought about making it longer, or L-shaped?". Yes, folks, I've got the Holy Grail of "fish wives", one who not only puts up with me wanting to go bigger with my tank, but one who actively suggests it!! So, after playing around with a few different redesigns, I've kind of rejected the L-shaped tank for the way it fit in the room, and decided to instead widen and lengthen the tank, so that now we're looking at the following design: The theme/idea is still a reef drop off, but widened to 48 inches in width, dropped an inch to 35" in height (at the deep portion) to fit through the front door, and lengthened to 84" of tank swimming space. The deeper portion of the drop off is 48"w X 35"h X 36"l, and the shallow portion is 48"w X 17"h X 48"l, for a total volume of about 440 gallons in the main tank. I'm looking to use the large amount of real estate below the tank for a large sump, refugium, frag tank, and a couple of quarantine tanks. Right now, I'm looking at having the stand and structural portions of the tank made out of 2" squared steel, with 1.5" steel L-angle iron for the portions that the glass will butt up against, sealed with silicone against the steel and sealed on the inside of the glass, as well. I'm looking to use 3/4" low iron glass for all viewable panes, and 3/4" regular glass for all non-viewing portions of the tank. The steel will all be powder coated gloss black, and I'm looking to have a custom stand cover made in a gloss piano black-type finish. I've even thought of going with a metallic black automotive finish for the stand/canopy. I saw one guy here on RC that had his tank done with an automotive white finish and it was BEAUTIFUL. Suffice to say, Wendy will have final say on 99% of all this, since (as they say) "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy", but so far it sounds like she's pretty happy about the whole thing, and so am I! Right now for flow I'm planning on using 2x MP60s on the upper portion, and 2x MP40s on the lower portion. I haven't decided on a return pump(s) or a skimmer, so if anyone has any suggestions on ones for a tank of this size, let me know. I've honestly never thought I'd be getting/building/having built a tank this size, so haven't done too much research for equipment for one of this size. Lighting will be LEDs, a full custom build, designed to mimic sunrise/sunset and the travels of the sun across the sky, casting shadows along the long axis of the tank. I had a decent beginning of a design, but now that Wendy gave me the thumbs up for a larger tank, I've got to go back to the drawing board. I'll post design sketches for the lighting here shortly. So, with all that being said, anyone have any thoughts, ideas, comments, or suggestions on what I've posted so far? See anything I've missed, or any ways to improve the design so far? Anything I've gotten wrong? Any issues with using a steel frame like I've designed it? Thanks in advance for all your comments and suggestions, and wish me luck as we begin the (OMG unbelievably long) build and design process. I just want to hurry up and get it built and wet, dammit! LOL What do you guys think of the Royal-Exclusiv Alpha 300 Cone or the Super Reef Octopus XP 8000 Internal Cone for a tank of this size, considering a pretty heavy bioload, large amounts of SPS, and multiple anemones? Any other suggestions, skimmer-wise? Here's the tank frame and stand, and the cutout to allow a taller skimmer: No, the stand and frame won't be red, they'll be gloss powdercoated black. Anyone know of a good custom tankbuilder in the DFW/Austin/Central Texas area who could help with the construction phase once the frame and stand are all welded together? Speaking of which, anyone know a good welder?

Is it still available?

They have everything you'd need to get it up and running (including advice) at Aquatek. I was just in there the day before yesterday and they were helping a customer set one up.

I got one of the Powder Brown Tangs that they had there before... GREAT fish! Very personable, eats like a pig, really a pleasure to watch and own...

110g tank (72"x18"x21"), drilled for 2 1" returns and a 1" drain for waterchanges, custom Calfo-style overflow made by Kingfish Aquariums, with all bulkheads included. Comes with stand (72"x24"xunpainted) and all the wood and trim to complete a matching hood for the tank (all pre-cut). Also comes with custom made foam & base rock sculpture for in the tank. Comes with all paint (and Killz for the inside) to complete the stand and hood. $250 (I've got more than that in just the wood!!) PRICE DROPPED AGAIN! 60" 6x80W Tek2 T5 Very High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs, brand new, never used. Comes with 2 brand new, never used Icecap 660 ballasts, 6 brand new, never used 80W bulbs (ATI Blue Plus, GE 6500K Daylight, ATI True Actinic, ATI Pro Color, ATI Aquablue, ATI Blue Plus), individual Tek2 SLR Reflectors, and waterproof endcaps. $450 (List price is $729, Reefgeek has it for $629, plus you won't have to pay for shipping) PRICE DROPPED AGAIN!! (Okay, sorry, just don't understand why no one is jumping at either of the above items... I'd have given my left arm to get those deals when I was setting up my tank!) T5 HO 48" Coral Vue 2-bulb retrofit kit with individual reflectors, 1 x Actinic bulb, 1x 10,000K bulb, spare 10,000K bulb. Fits 55g tank. $100

Updated prices & items 110g tank (72"x18"x21"), drilled for 2 1" returns and a 1" drain for waterchanges, custom Calfo-style overflow made by Kingfish Aquariums, with all bulkheads and plumbing. Comes with stand (72"x24"xunpainted), all plumbing necessary (unions, ball valves, pipe, cement, EVERYTHING), and all the wood and trim to complete a matching hood for the tank (all pre-cut). Also comes with custom made foam & base rock sculpture for in the tank. Comes with all paint (and Killz for the inside) to complete the stand and hood. $325 (I've got more than that in just the wood and plumbing) PRICE DROPPED 2 x Maxijet 1200 with Sureflow 2100gph upgrades and Suregrip magnet holders, brand new, never used. (watch your hands with those magnets, those things are STRONG) $60 for both (heck, the magnets alone go for $50 online) 2 x Koralia 4, brand new, never used. $70 for both Sunlight Supply 60" 6x80W Tek2 T5 Very High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs, brand new, never used. Comes with 2 brand new, never used Icecap 660 ballasts, 6 brand new, never used 80W bulbs (ATI Blue Plus, GE 6500K Daylight, ATI True Actinic, ATI Pro Color, ATI Aquablue, ATI Blue Plus). $500 (List price is $729, Reefgeek has it for $629, plus you won't have to pay for shipping) PRICE DROPPED Euroreef RS80 protein skimmer with gate valve upgrade (used, but good condition). $80 (asking less than what I paid for it, and I never got a chance to use it, so it's in the exact same condition it was when I bought it, so I'd say that's a fair deal) PRICE DROPPED

Okay, so this has been the neverending project, due to crazy work hours and time constraints, and I've (sadly) come to the realization that I'm just not going to have the time (any time soon, at least) to complete it, so I'm selling my (still a work in progress) 110g tank. So, here it is: 110g tank (72"x18"x21"), drilled for 2 1" returns and a 1" drain for waterchanges, custom Calfo-style overflow made by Kingfish Aquariums, with all bulkheads and plumbing. Comes with stand (72"x24"xunpainted), all plumbing necessary (unions, ball valves, pipe, cement, EVERYTHING), and all the wood and trim to complete a matching hood for the tank (all pre-cut). Also comes with custom made foam & base rock sculpture for in the tank. Comes with all paint (and Killz for the inside) to complete the stand and hood. $350 (I've got more than that in just the wood and plumbing) Eshopps RS-300 sump (36"x14"x16") with added extra baffle, probe holders, 2 filter socks (300 micron and 100 micron), brand new, never used. $150 (it's $254.99 at drsfosterssmith.com) 20g high tank, pre-drilled with 1" bulkhead for refugium, brand new, never used. $35 (hey, I paid that much just for the drilling and bulkhead) Eheim 1262 return pump, brand new, never used. $80 ($129 at most online retailers, plus no shipping!) 2 x Maxijet 1200 with Sureflow 2100gph upgrades and Suregrip magnet holders, brand new, never used. (watch your hands with those magnets, those things are STRONG) $60 for the both (heck, the magnets alone go for $50 online) 2 x Koralia 4, brand new, never used. $70 for both Sunlight Supply 60" 6x80W Tek2 T5 Very High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs, brand new, never used. Comes with 2 brand new, never used Icecap 660 ballasts, 6 brand new, never used 80W bulbs (ATI Blue Plus, GE 6500K Daylight, ATI True Actinic, ATI Pro Color, ATI Aquablue, ATI Blue Plus). $550 (List price is $729, Reefgeek has it for $629, plus you won't have to pay for shipping) 2 x Icecap 4" 50-120cfm fans. $50 for both, Reefgeek is selling 'em for $43 each Euroreef RS80 protein skimmer with gate valve upgrade (used, but good condition). $100 (just asking what I paid for it, and I never got a chance to use it, so it's in the exact same condition it was when I bought it, so I'd say that's a fair deal) Total price for everything is $1445 (I've easily got almost twice that into it), but if you want the full package deal I'll sell it for $1100 for everything. If you buy it TODAY ONLY, one day package price of $1000 gets it all. Everything is located in Georgetown, but I can bring all the smaller stuff (i.e.- everything except the tank or lighting) to Austin. Give me a yell at 512-269-6138 if you're interested.

I've got one of these, great tank, had a custom overflow made for it by Brian at Kingfish. Good stuff!

Hey everyone, Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is A.J. and I'm new to ARC. I'm currently in the process of setting up my new (to me) 110g reef tank (tank from RCA, custom built and drilled overflow by Brian from Kingfish Aquariums), eShopps RS300 sump (with some custom work, once again, by Brian), 20g fuge/RDSB, custom tank stand/canopy (still being built), retrofit T-5s with Tek2 reflectors and IceCap 660 ballast overdriving 'em. You can view my build thread here: http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=40761 I'm a member of MAAST and DFWMAS, and looking to join ARC at the next meeting (RCA is right down the street from my gf's house, so that'll make getting to the meeting nice and easy). Oh, speaking of the gf, I got her a 29g Biocube for an early Valentine's Day gift, and that puppy seems to be humming right along. I live in Georgetown, work up at Fort Hood, and spend the majority of my time in Austin. I'm pretty handy with tools, great with computers, and am more than willing to lend a helping hand just about anytime, anywhere. I look forward to meeting (and learning from) you all soon! - A.J.

Do you still need any help? I live in Georgetown, but Sunday morning I'll be down in NW Austin/Round Rock and would be more than happy to help. - A.J.