Watercolors 250g (565g total) build

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
My build on this was accidentally deleted from MASC...so this is copied from another forum I am on. Pics will be fixed soon. Thanks.

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Thought I would start a thread on this. Build will probably go fairly slow....however that is not really how my addiction wants it to go, lol


More to come soon!

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The stand in the pic came with the tank. I think I want to do something a little different.

I plan on using a 135 gal tank as a fuge/sump. This tank is 72"x 18"x 24". I would like to have the pump elevated off the floor about six inches.

I would like to have the front of the stand only to have supports at the corners, leaving the entire front accessible. The back could have multiple supports.

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Started working on a new stand yesterday. It is going to be a little bigger and will have an area at the front of it which will overhang like a bar top where there will be room to have food and drinks while you watch the reef action.
I will get pictures soon. Stand is 98" x 25" x 42" , the top will be 98" x 38" x 3/4". Skin will be 1/2" & 3/4" Oak plywood. Stand will house the 135g sump as well.

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Stand is going a little slower than planned. Life has gotten in the way.
But I am close.
I had pushed the stand back in the garage before thinking about pics...

Stand and side panels on the top


Another shot of side/end panels...

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Stand is in the house. Going to skin the front and left side later. Got the 135g sump in the stand...adding water now. Was going to divide the sump up into chambers...but have decided against it, as I will probably be changing it out. I didn't take into consideration the 2x8 top construction and so the clearance between top of sump and top front cross member is too close for what I wanted. I will probably throw in the 125g tank I have at some point after I drill it. Sump is plumbed into the two 90g tanks upstairs and all is running great.
Note: top of stand is constructed with 2x8s, uprights are 2x6s. There will be a removable vertical brace in the front center of the stand. Sump base is 2x6s as well.

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I got the 250g display up and running last week. The 135g sump has been online probably 3 weeks. Stand/bar is about 75% finished. Waiting for snow days to work on skinning the front of it and finishing the bar portion.

I have about 130 lbs of live rock in the 250 now and have another 75+ lbs cooking that I just bought.

Current occupants are:
1 7" Mimic Tang
1 4" Tomini Tang
1 7" Metallic Foxface
1 3" Copperband bfly
1 3" Regal Angel
6 2" Green Chromis

The current 90g reef will be moving into this tank over the course of the next week along with all the current fish. With this will add about another 100+ lbs of rock.

Lighting is planned to be three 120w LEDs and two 200w LEDs (on tank in picture. Not how they will be suspended though.). This may change depending on how it works out.

Cadlights reactor and TIA1220 skimmer in sump. Sump is still plumbed into the two 90g tanks upstairs and will remain this way.

Thanks for looking.

Here is a current FTS:


Need to clean the sand residue off the tank so you can see a little better....ooops

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90g reef has been moved into the 250g now.
Pics to come when the rockscape is finally set up the way I like.

Current fish occupants are:
1 7" Mimic Tang
1 4" Tomini Tang
1 4" Yellow Tang
1 4" Kole Tang
1 7" Metallic Foxface
2 3" Copperband bfly
1 3" Regal Angel
1 2" Cherub Angel
6 2" Green Chromis
1 2.5" Bicolor Blenny
1 4" Midas Blenny
1 Mated pair of Ocellaris Clowns
1 Mated pair Azure Damsels
1 4.5" Christmas Wrasse
1 4.5" Melanarus Wrasse
1 2" Sixline Wrasse

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Rockscape is not going to be as great as I had hoped. I am finding it a lot harder to get the look I want with corals already attached to the rock and I don't really want to remove everything from the rocks...soo it may have to stay the way it is until we move some day or until....who knows.

...still messing around with it all...driving me crazy...
 

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#3
Got a new toy for it today...


Full Neptune Apex
Is there a way to embed the output (ie temp, ph, orp etc) into a webpage or forum signature?
 

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#6
Thanks Dave!
It was really hard to dismantle. Kind of broke my heart to do it...but I think this tank will be good.
Only broke two sticks in the move...two small pieces of monti digitata...so that was fortunate. I do have a Crocea clam that isn't doing well and I don't expect it to make it through the weekend. But I am hopeful.
 

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#7
CRW Reef said:
Wow Mike Tank looks awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! You need to split this thead into two different tank builds I think!!! LMK if you want me to split it up for you :D All you need to do is create a new thread, add as many blank comments as you want for lead post and then I can move the post over that you want.

OH YA DID I SAY TANK LOOKS AWESOME and I AM DEF JEALOUS??????
Thanks Chad. It is coming along. Had a few issues I am working out, like heating it and keeping that stable.
But I am liking it! Can't wait to finish the bar top and the little extras.
 

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#8
Question:
With the Apex what do you usually do as far as multiple pieces of equipment on the same outlet on the EB8. Do you use hvy duty extension cords with multiple outlets on the end or additional power strips, dj strip?
I have four 300W heaters running and am wanting those on one of the two hvy duty relay outlets on the EB8. The other one I am using for the return pump.
Best way to connect those...and will that draw too much power?
Is there a way to embed the output (ie temp, ph, orp etc) into a webpage or forum signature?
 

deboy69

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#9
I use a Belkin 3 plug swivel for heater outlet. Low draw pumps like dosing pumps and ato need to be on plugs 4 and 8. You can plug what ever you want as long as you don't exceed the amp rating

KCCO
 

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#11
Thanks Matt! I will check 'em out.
I thought 4 & 8 were for heavier amp draws.
 

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#12
I am having fun and frustration with this new APEX. I cannot for the life of me get the Century Link modem to save my port forwarding info. Any ideas?
[attachment=65185:name]
 

deboy69

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#13
Ditch the uses of the century link modem and go buy a wireless router and use that behind the modem. I had so many problems with the modem such as that and just bought a wireless router. Much less problems

KCCO
 

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#14
I have a wireless linksys router I could install. Are you saying use it between the wall and the century link or between apex and century link?
 

jahmic

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#15
Are you using a DNS? The issue with port forwarding from the modem (from what I understand of all that tech-speak) is that they rarely have a static IP address so you end up losing remote access.
 

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#16
jahmic;273058 said:
Are you using a DNS? The issue with port forwarding from the modem (from what I understand of all that tech-speak) is that they rarely have a static IP address so you end up losing remote access.
Actually Matt (deboy69) remotely accesed my computer and was able to figure it out. It ended up being a browser issue (firefox) and he was able to get the modem to save the info the first time with Chrome. I never thought of that.
I am using no-ip for hosting a static ip. This has been testing my computer skills though, lol.
Thanks for responding and offering the help.

I have to give BIG thanks to Dave (DyM) and Matt (deboy69) for the awesome help they have given. Couldn't have done it without you guys. Huge thanks!!!
 

BPreefer

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#17
Wow, Mike tank is looking great. Glad you were able to show the wife the value of the apex. It is a sweet piece.
 

WatercolorsGuy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#18
BPreefer;273195 said:
Wow, Mike tank is looking great. Glad you were able to show the wife the value of the apex. It is a sweet piece.
She went out of town...lol. I was having some big temp swings and she said I should do whatever I thought was needed. It was just a week late!
 
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