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Unread 04/12/2019, 05:43 PM   #1
boojumsnark25
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 67
Boojumsnark25's 125g Reef Build

Been out of the hobby for quite a few years now, but finally have the opportunity to jump back in. After debating for a while on whether to go with a 90 or 125, I ended up deciding to go with the 125 for the extra length. Planning to plumb the sump down to the basement for plumbing.

Don't have a ton of options nearby for stands and the ones around here were the cheap particle-board type options, so step one was to take a stab at making a stand and canopy. I'm by no means a carpenter or woodworker, so they're nowhere near perfect. That being said, there is something about having made them yourself that makes the imperfections easier to deal with!

I went with the standard stand concept that is most commonly seen around the internet...very much liked that the weight is all going straight down onto the supports without relying on any screws for structural support. Ended up going with pine 2x4s and 2x6s on the inside and everything visible is all red oak. I'll grant that there is probably a good amount of overkill present - with the tank resting on a 2x6 frame I'm not positive that the middle braces are necessary - but I figure better safe than sorry (until I'm ready to move the beast into the house haha)

Anyways, a few pictures of the stand:



The little blocks in the corners are just screw strips, I could take them out aftewards but I don't think they'll be in the way so I just left them in





Big screw up #1 was forgetting that I used 2x6s on top when measuring the cutouts for the doors But, at least it isn't noticeable when the doors are closed and I didn't feel like buying another sheet of plywood and starting over.



Doors on



And finished. Went with standard oak baseboard on the bottom and corner moulding on the sides and around the top.



And a few pictures of the canopy:










Going to go with black box LED's off Amazon and plan to try setting them on top of the canopy to give them enough heigh, hence the cutouts


Going to stain everything and waterproof the inside of both when time permits. Going to be a little bit before I can do much else with the actual tank, but it's nice to at least be starting!


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Unread 04/19/2019, 02:22 PM   #2
boojumsnark25
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 67
Finally got around to staining and finishing this week. 2 coats of stain got it to where I was happy, and I followed that with 2 coats of polyurethane on the outside of the stand and canopy. On the inside of the stand I just went with some spray waterproofer (planning a basement sump so there won't be much risk of moisture in the stand) and 3 coats of polyurethane inside the canopy since that's where the humidity will be.

Still need to level the doors a bit on the stand, but at least got them reattached. Just need to reattach the canopy doors, make sure they're all straight, and phase one will be done!




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Unread 04/20/2019, 02:16 PM   #3
boojumsnark25
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 67
Finished canopy...wood filler over the screw holes didn't take stain anywhere close to as advertised, but I'm going to try to find a minwax pencil that is at least close to the stain color to try to blend them in




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Unread 05/21/2019, 12:12 PM   #4
boojumsnark25
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 67
Finally got the tank




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Unread 05/21/2019, 04:44 PM   #5
jzdad
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Rosedale, NY
Posts: 414
Beautiful !!!! What lighting are you going with and what are you doing about overflows?


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Current Tank Info: 80g , ATI 6 bulb fixture, Omega 150 skimmer

Last edited by jzdad; 05/21/2019 at 04:46 PM. Reason: add more
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Unread 06/15/2019, 09:29 AM   #6
boojumsnark25
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 67
Thanks! For lighting I'm going to go with some black box LED's...thinking 3 of the 165w Viparspectra units, but I'm waffling back and forth between Viparspectra and Mars Aqua. I made the cutouts on top of the canopy so the units can sit on top of the canopy for a little extra height without having to mess with hanging them

For overflows, just going to go with a HOB overflow box down to a basement sump. I have the sump baffled so that the return chamber is pretty small. In a worst case scenario where the overflow would fail, the tank can handle the excess pumped back out of the sump because the return section doesn't have a large capacity. Return pump motor would burn out, but at least the stand and carpet would be dry!


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Unread 06/15/2019, 09:40 AM   #7
boojumsnark25
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 67


Got the sand in (Quikrete play sand, not the best color, but it's cheap) and live rock (dry rock for now, once I get the tank filled I'll add a few pieces of live rock to seed it)

Never painted the back on a tank before, but with how the tank is placed in the room I think I'll be glad I did for this one. Just went with Rustoleum black enamel with a roller, went on pretty easy


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Unread 06/15/2019, 09:47 AM   #8
boojumsnark25
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 67
Not pretty, but here's what I'll be using for the sump. I got a really good deal on a 75g and stand - probably overkill for a 125, but the extra water volume will be nice. Flow will be right to left - going to add some live rock on the egg crate in the drain section, skimmer and heaters in the 2nd section, small refugium in the third, and return pump in the fourth.

Going to try this without a bubble trap - I've been reading that it isn't always necessary with slower flow, and I'm only planning to have about 5x turnover in the sump. I figure I can always shrink up the refugium area and add it in later if I need to, but I'm hoping to be okay without it




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