125 reef build

[GhostKnife]

I just read through the whole thread tonight. I just got done plumbing my 75 gal. Well your plumbing dwarfs mine, tank dwarfs mine, and your sump dwarfs mine. However I am new at this and am keeping it less intricate than that of some. I do however appreciate your thread here along with ziggy's and others. I intend to do a build thread. I am kinda saving up some photos that way it will be interesting. I dont think too many will learn from mine(well someone will hopefully) but others can see what Ive done right and wrong thus help me. The growth in your tank is awesome ccCapt!!

 

[Tank2379]

Wow! Larry that's awesome.... I can't wait a year from now with my system to see how much growth it will get...

I love the tank man..

 

[ccCapt]

Thanks everyone.

 

[jim692]

Larry,
That's one fine tank. Great work on it. Looks like all the effort is paying off. Congratulations.

 

[FireFish36]

ccCapt,

I joined this site a few months ago, and almost immediately after joining had to take some time off reading the threads due to an extremely busy work schedule and being sent out of region. And this is my slow season, lol. Regardless, I came back on and read through your entire thread, and I have to say, much like everyone else that has made comments, that I am thoroughly impressed by the amazing craftsmanship and ingenuity you displayed in the creation of your setup! After a year the tank looks amazing. Im hopeful that sometime this year I can purchase a home and start hatching a plan to have a larger setup with a seperate sump / filtration. Anyways just wanted to say I appreciate the step by step approach you took and for sharing your insights with everyone!

One last question, what did you end up stocking your tank with as far as fish go??

-FireFish36

 

[ccCapt]

Thanks.

One last question, what did you end up stocking your tank with as far as fish go??

I have 4 bartlett anthias, mated pair of clarkii clowns, lamarck angel, 2-spot bristletooth tang and an Atlantic blue tang. I think I still have a yellow watchman goby too, but I haven't seen it in a few weeks. It tends to disappear for weeks at a time and then show up for a day or 2.

 

[ccCapt]

So I wasn't 100% satisfied with how the reflectors turned out using SunTunnel. I found the same German hammertone reflective sheets that are used to make the new $165 LumenMax Elite reflectors. This reflector material was even cheaper than the SunTunnel.

I am 100% totally satisfied with how these came out. I just built 3 and I will be mounting them in my canopy this weekend.

Here's what the LM Elite looks like.

 

[austinsdad]

I think we need to fund you in a backyard workshop and reap the benefits of your handy work.

We'll get the marketing campaign geared up. I'm thinking web site banners, fish magazines, trade fairs,..... ect, etc.

Awesome work!

 

[Ziggy953]

That is very impressive! These look much more sturdy then the previous attempt. Where did you get the plans for building them from? Where did you get the material?

 

[ccCapt]

LOL Thanks Ray

Ziggy, I used the same template as before. Print out this drawing on a regular size paper and take it to Office Max or Staples and have them blow it up 281%. It will fit on a 24"x24" piece of paper and will be the full scale size.
I got the reflector material from Specialty-Lighting, but it only comes in packs of 4 2'x4' sheets. That's enough to make 8 mini's and it costs $150 for the 4 sheets. Comes out to $18.75 per reflector if you can get a few guys to go in with you on them. It is stiffer than the SunTunnel, but it was easier to work with.

 

[ccCapt]

I finished up this project yesterday. I'm very happy with how everything turned out.

Here's the old reflectors. Well not really old since I only bought them 1 yr ago when I setup the tank.

The new reflectors in place.

And everything set back up and running.

 

[BigMike75]

Tank looks great. I just have a question about the stands. Is the vertical supports close to your doors just toe nail in? I am thinking about building a stand for a 125 and hoping to save a little money over buying one. Thanks

 

[mr86mister]

Well I see you have everything all set. I'll be there tomorrow to pick everything up. lol. Tank looks amazing! I've been following this for over a year...man oh man it's a long thread...lol.

 

[ccCapt]

Tank looks great. I just have a question about the stands. Is the vertical supports close to your doors just toe nail in? I am thinking about building a stand for a 125 and hoping to save a little money over buying one. Thanks

Yes, just toe nailed with a dab of construction adhesive. The stand has no lateral pressure so their not going to move. Everything is nailed and glued.

Well I see you have everything all set. I'll be there tomorrow to pick everything up. lol. Tank looks amazing! I've been following this for over a year...man oh man it's a long thread...lol.

Thanks. Long thread, but hopefully it has some info that can be useful to others.

 

[BigMike75]

Thanks.

 

[mr86mister]

It really has been useful that's for sure.

 

[Ziggy953]

It's difficult to tell in the pics but can you see a difference with these reflectors?

 

[ccCapt]

Oh yeah. The difference is unreal. Way more light is now directed directly down into the tank. According to Sanjays tests, I can get up to 3x more PAR with these new reflectors over the old parallel reflectors I was using before. I had to cut down the time the MH's are on to 4 hrs/day and will gradually build it back up.

 

[pat8you]

what are you using to cut the material when you make those reflectors? I tried using some tin snips when i did some small mods on my reflector but it was rather sloppy and difficult to use.

 

[neilanh]

Too bad you don't have a PAR meter to measure the results, they look great though, good work!