Over the past 20 years I've had a number of mixed reefs but military life always kept me on the move making it next to impossible to keep a stable environment for more than a couple years. That changed about two years ago when I decided to retire from the hustle and bustle of that life into something a bit more traditional. While I still travel frequently for work, my home life is far more stable and more importantly, doesnt require any relocation.
About a year ago I started gathering the parts and pieces to bring a bit of what I loved back into the home. I hadnt anticipated it taking this long but I knew we'd be moving within the year to a new home so I decided to wait it out and save the inhabitants the hardship of making the move with me. In the end, it turned out for the better and I was able to do things the right way instead of my typical "instant gratification" method.
I already had a tank (50g rimless), sump (Eshopps R200), lights (Photon 24), heaters etc. but the stand was a cheap unit that didnt look very good and in the end, I decided I wanted something a little bigger. I browsed the local listings and came across a 75g tank with a stand and canopy. After bringing it home, the tank was in poor shape but the stand and canopy were well worth what I paid but needed a little bit of TLC.
The refugium was a tight fit but I was able to squeeze it in there. Since I was replacing the tank itself and there was a possibility of going acrylic, I had to close the top of the stand with a surface that would properly support the tank (it was made for a glass tank and open on top).
I decided to use 3/4" birch plywood to provide a good strong base and went to work. My cuts were square, the stand, not so much.
To protect it from water damage, I applied a few coats of Redgard. This stuff was easy to work with, wasnt too smelly, and provided a level of insurance against future problems should they arise.
Since I was in a painting mood it seemed like a good time to apply a coat of Redgard to the cabinet area of the stand as well. I went approximately three inches up the walls and then painted the inside white to help maintain a clean appearance. The canopy received the same treatment.
With the stand and canopy out of the way, it was time to find a solution to the tank problem. As luck would have it, Marineland's sale was on so I picked up a standard 75g at a great price. The HOB overflow I had previously used worked but it was a bit noisy and rather unsightly. While searching for options I stumbled across the "ghost overflows." It wouldnt take up very much internal space, looked really clean, afforded the opportunity to run a modified bean animal return, and was fairly cheap. There was only one problem, I had never drilled a tank before. After reading a few posts on the process I decided it was worth a shot and took the plunge, literally. Hole one was a success and the three remaining got easier and easier.
Once I had the holes drilled it was moment of truth time; were they properly aligned for the overflow? The aqua-gods showed mercy and everything lined up perfectly.
It was time for dis-assembly and prep for paint! I went with a black latex to match the overflow and went to work.
To be continued...