Susanedw
Well-Known Member
Welcome to my mad adventure. Can't believe I did this during holiday season of all times! Starting a new build so I don't clutter up my other build thread (RMS c250 66g).
I thought I got a good deal on craigslist. An Aqueon dual mega overflow. It came with a stand, 47 gal sump and a bubble magus skimmer. For 450.00. Was hesitant with the stand when we got there as it was 4' tall and I'm only 5 foot and the tank adds another 2 feet. So a tank 6' high. Hmmmm So after getting it home, we realized the cabinet was not in as good as shape as it looked. And I just can't see me on a ladder to do EVERYTHING to the tank. So we decided to dump it. Found an R & J at Petco on sale for 404.00. Ordered it.
The sump was a mess. Had to cut the brace on back of stand to get it out. Decided the sump had to be completely redone. 3 sections and no triple bubble catcher before return. First section is huge, second for skimmer, and return also huge. Waste. Also, all water ran beneath the baffles.
Then I realized that the sump was too wide and too tall as cabinet was only 26" tall inside. No way to remove skimmer for cleaning. Up for sale on craigslist. After research, purchased a bashsea bio fuge. 36 inches.
Not so sure my original 450 was that good a deal after all.
Working on my time table and budget. I hope to start cycling by March or April, fish ready by June. I have tons of research to do just to do the plumbing. Think I've settled on one of 2 light choices. Sure hope I can get lots of advice, esp. with lighting!
This will be a slow build. Going to order rocks by end of month to play and get them cooking in a brute can. Rest of month will be plumbing and having hubbie build an electrical/controller cabinet in stand. Want to keep sump and water separate from all plugs and equipment. .
Excited but also nervous as I venture into this adventure. I'll keep my other tank as it is in my office. Going to ditch the display refugium though. Never got it plumbed to DT so it is just more work. Will use it for a new fish QT even though it is not 10 feet from DT.
Have to figure out what to do with gold head sand sifting goby. I have corals on the sand bed in my 66 gal, so don't want him back in there. Prob. put him in new tank, see where he picks as his spot. Damsel maybe to the current tank.
Here are some pics. First one is on the trailer. You can see the size of that stand.
Susan
I thought I got a good deal on craigslist. An Aqueon dual mega overflow. It came with a stand, 47 gal sump and a bubble magus skimmer. For 450.00. Was hesitant with the stand when we got there as it was 4' tall and I'm only 5 foot and the tank adds another 2 feet. So a tank 6' high. Hmmmm So after getting it home, we realized the cabinet was not in as good as shape as it looked. And I just can't see me on a ladder to do EVERYTHING to the tank. So we decided to dump it. Found an R & J at Petco on sale for 404.00. Ordered it.
The sump was a mess. Had to cut the brace on back of stand to get it out. Decided the sump had to be completely redone. 3 sections and no triple bubble catcher before return. First section is huge, second for skimmer, and return also huge. Waste. Also, all water ran beneath the baffles.
Then I realized that the sump was too wide and too tall as cabinet was only 26" tall inside. No way to remove skimmer for cleaning. Up for sale on craigslist. After research, purchased a bashsea bio fuge. 36 inches.
Not so sure my original 450 was that good a deal after all.
Working on my time table and budget. I hope to start cycling by March or April, fish ready by June. I have tons of research to do just to do the plumbing. Think I've settled on one of 2 light choices. Sure hope I can get lots of advice, esp. with lighting!
This will be a slow build. Going to order rocks by end of month to play and get them cooking in a brute can. Rest of month will be plumbing and having hubbie build an electrical/controller cabinet in stand. Want to keep sump and water separate from all plugs and equipment. .
Excited but also nervous as I venture into this adventure. I'll keep my other tank as it is in my office. Going to ditch the display refugium though. Never got it plumbed to DT so it is just more work. Will use it for a new fish QT even though it is not 10 feet from DT.
Have to figure out what to do with gold head sand sifting goby. I have corals on the sand bed in my 66 gal, so don't want him back in there. Prob. put him in new tank, see where he picks as his spot. Damsel maybe to the current tank.
Here are some pics. First one is on the trailer. You can see the size of that stand.
Susan