120 Long Tank! (Build Thread)

[baron1282]

Well, today was the day I brought home my 120 gallon LONG tank! I got a long way to go with it. So this is my build thread, It will get lost I am sure so I will resurrect this thread when it gets closer to the time I get this tank up and running.

I have the stand and the tank set up right now and the tank is full of water for a four day stress test to make sure it does not leak. After the test I will be pumping the water out and redoing the stand and repainting.

I already spent two hours scraping the black paint off the sides of the tank (The last person who owned it painted the sides and only had the front visible. I wanted to be able to see though the sides, but I like that the back is painted! So here it is! With all it's glory.

I guess it's hard to find 120 gallon long tanks now. They don't make them anymore unless you get the custom, is this true? All they make is the 120 gallon tall tank. The difference is the LONG tank is 5 foot in length and 18 inches in width and 24in high. The Tall tank is 4 foot in length 24in wide and 24in high. So I like the LONG better, it allows some more options than just normal.

I will also be updating the lighting. The lighting it has is good to have corals in, but it's just really DIY and needs an update. The wires were touching the water. :-/ So I am going to go with an LED strip plus I will be adding this into the hood as well.
Newegg.com - Pure White 5M 300LED 3528 SMD Flexible LED Light Strip
The LED light I got with the tank will not cut the brightness level I want. The lights in my video is the DIY lights and it's bright but just really badly done. There just really OLD and needs to be taking out and fixed right for future use.

 

[baron1282]

Well, no one is really following! I will just update anyway! It's best to keep a log and doing it here helps to keep it all on track! That way I know when I started my tank!

Anyway, here is an update! I am working on the hood and tank itself right now. I am am done with the tank! I just got to take it inside and clean it a lot! I am working on filling the holes and painting the hood and adding the lighting. I ordered 12 feet of LED's for my lighting.

Aquarium Coral White 10000K Light LED Strip 100 Lumens ft Saltwater Reef 10 000K | eBay

Plus a 48in LED light strip.
BlueLine Products - Reef Aquarium Lighting & Pumps

So my lighting should be good! It's only a FOWLR tank, so no need for corals lights. Would this lighting support corals? I don't know, don't really care.

I also have a 250W heater and a 200W heater to help heat the tank. I might buy one more being it's going to be in a very cold basement. The 250W and one 200W will be in the wet dry filter and one 200W will be in the main tank. Just to be safe!

So I will get post some more pics as I go!

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I'll follow along @Baron... It's exciting setting new tanks up. To answer your lighting question, no they won't support corals, but since you're keeping it a FOWLR, it's all good! Keep the updates coming, and check out my 40 breeder build if ya wanna Good luck with everything and post all your questions and / or developments...

 

[Jonnypro]

I just did a 135g build myself. Those LEDs will not support corals. It will barley penetrate to the bottom of the tank. I went down that road already. I purchased the same ones you did and ended up buying the right ones. I had no clue about the led lighting until I asked the same question to 20 different ways to everyone. What kind of wet dry filter? What other things do you have for the tank. Ex: sand,rock, protein skimmer, any power heads for different currents in the tank. You need a lot of filtration for a 125. Just my input.

 

[baron1282]

The whole unit was used! So whatever wet dry it came with. The skimmer I have is under powered for it right now, but it will have to due until I can save and get one that will go into the sump. It's the Reef Octopus BH-1000 and is only rated for 100 gallons.

I can't find the one I got, but the measurements are basically this. The only difference is there is only one hose going in, not two.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/eshopps-wd-150cs-wet-dry-filter

The set up it was before was a Reef set up with reef lighting. So I know the wet dry is big enough to handle the FOWLR Set up I am doing. I also am going to put my HOB filter Fluval C4 and my Canister Fluval 206 on it as well, just because.

I got two nano power heads that will go on one side and a bigger power head to go on the other. I got 90 pounds of live sand and 90 pounds of live rock. I am going to buy 60 pounds of regular sand and let the live seed it. As for the rock, I am just going to stick with what I got. I need more swim space than rock. I am transferring everything from my 55 gallon.

I got a hang on the back sump being this tank is not pre-drilled. Rated up to 150 gallons.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/eshopps-pf-1000-overflow-box-150-gal?sc=10&category=2736

So I might be updating my filtration down the road, but for the most part I got a good enough set up for the stock I have already in my 55. Which is only 5 fish and a Sea Urchin.

I plan on only adding 4 or 5 more fish. I don't want to over stock at all being my Skimmer is not big enough yet.

 

[carey]

I'm following along as well.

Congrats on the new tank and hopefully one day soon it will be full of fish!

 

[horsedogfish]

What an amazing project! It will be fun watching it come together!

 

[baron1282]

I cried for attention and got it.

LOL, just playing. I am in the process of sanding the hood. This is going to be my first fishtank with a stand and hood. I am excited by that! That's why I got the strip lighting so I can have it a bit brighter. I had the LED 48in LED light strip only and when I had it filled up with water I turned it on to test it. Not as bright as I thought for that big of a tank! So I am hoping 12 foot of LED's will fix that.

On the plus side, I put the 48in LED light strip over my 55 while I work on the other tank. It looks good on the 55in tank!

 

[settles4]

Interested to see how this comes along myself. Sure I'll learn something!

 

[baron1282]

Just an update with some pics.

I got the tank done! Mostly just spray painting the back and the plastic parts. It was wood finished, but he had them spray painted before, so I redid them in some better paint so it won't chip off.

As you can see I filled the hole on the hood and I primed it. Now I just got to paint it black and the hood will be done. So basically I am getting the easy part out of the way.

The hard part will be redoing the stand and making it look good. Got to replace some warped trim, but it shouldn't be to difficult.

 

[Grizz]

We need an update

 

[baron1282]

I am working on the Hood right now. The tank is painted and made to look better, the hood is coming along. I have not even started working on the stand yet, I am trying to get the hood finished fist.

 

[baron1282]

Just an update! I am about to put the last coat of paint on the hood. Once that is done I will get the lights installed and I will take a picture with the hood and tank at least done. The stand will than be started. It's taking me a little longer than I thought, but I am getting it done little by little.

I did buy a new friend for my 55 gallon today that will go into the 120 long as soon as I get it done. A Lyretail Wrasse! I saw the guy today and thought he looked really cool. So I went ahead and added the guy. Already got him acclimated and he is swimming around. I thought for sure he would bury himself for awhile. I know he needs a bigger tank, and I got one already.

 

[Garrett706]

I'm following... I'm planning on upgrading from a 46 gal. to a 125 ish gal. long... Good luck !!!

 

[Oscarr19]

Following along as well!

 

[baron1282]

would this be too much flow for my 120 long tank? The tank is 5 foot long and thought it would be cool to do a wave kit.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Aquariu...lution/dp/B00C01ZS36/ref=pd_sbs_petsupplies_4

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

would this be too much flow for my 120 long tank? The tank is 5 foot long and thought it would be cool to do a wave kit.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Aquarium-Circulation-Koralia-Evolution/dp/B00C01ZS36/ref=pd_sbs_petsupplies_4

I ran that in my 55... It may not be enough for a 120.

 

[huma-huma]

A pair of 1400's would do nicely in your tank

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Maybe running them simultaneously, but may be too little flow on the wave maker (which switches them, don't know if you caught that part or not). Running 1 at a time will only be 11x flow. If you get these, just scratch the wave maker. Once again, I ran this in a tank that was almost 3 times smaller than yours, just sayin.

 

[baron1282]

Which size power head would you suggest? You can buy the wave maker without the two it comes with in the kit. What size power heads should I get?

I have two nano's I want to use, I was thinking of putting them on the front side of the tank and one big one on the other side.