ATP's 120 Gallon Oceanic Tech Tank

[ATP123]

Hi,

We purchased a 120 gallon tech that came with stand, sump, powerheads, etc. (full set up) last week so....
The tank is used, but it good shape. The only problem is a few scuffs on the top rim, but nothing major. We got this tank last week and will be transfering the livestock from my 125 this fri. The 125 will turn to a FOWLR.

Equipment plans: (we got most of it, but some hasn't been purchased yet)
2-400w MH (20k)
2-96 watts PC (found a spare ballast so decided to just use it)
1-500w finnex titanium heater
1-mp40
1-K2
1-K4
1-Gen-X PCX 70
1-Euro Reef 135
1-Nautilus te (spare one so might as well put it in)
1-Reef Octopus Calcium Reactor
1-JBJ ATO
?-probably some other thing that I forgot to list


The plan is to make the tank look like this:

The two smaller cabinets on the sides will house the calcium reactor and the other one will be a rubbermaid for the ATO. On top of the cabinets will be speakers...so when the tank runs and all the noise from the pump will die away when music is on

As of now, the tank is like this:

It will probably look like this until spring break and than I'll have time to make the canopy, cabinets, covering the stand, etc.

Some random pics:
day of purchase

All cleaned up

The nautilus will be to the right of the Euro Reef

The cleaning took us about a week. The stand was black and we wanted it to be stained so we tried to removed it, but it didn't came out nice so we covered it with primer and will be covering it with solid poplar during break.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

a nice project good luck and have fun with it

 

[ATP123]

We've also mixed some water and put some base rock as a start.

 

[Chichas01]

is that one gi-normous link of loc-line from the return? Are you going to shorten that up? if you don't and it's placed that low in the tank, your tank will siphon and spill out all over the place should you loose power.
Nice setup though. Should be great when your done setting it up.

 

[ATP123]

is that one gi-normous link of loc-line from the return? Are you going to shorten that up? if you don't and it's placed that low in the tank, your tank will siphon and spill out all over the place should you loose power.
Nice setup though. Should be great when your done setting it up.

Thanks.
The loc line goes inside the rock work so there will be very little dead spots inbetween the tank. . There's checkvalves so they won't go back to the sump if the power goes off.
__________________________________________________

changed the Gen X to a Mag. Gen x is a little noisy so I won't be using it. I just ordered the heater, 2xJBJ ATO (one for my soon to be FOWLR), and some pumps for the ATO. So I hope they arrive soon. All tha I need from this order to set it up is the titanium heater. In the meantime, I'll use a spare glass one.

 

[ATP123]

Done-so tired

Here's some pics-

Breaking down my 125 gallon and taking all the rocks, corals etc. Sad to see it go so soon, but I like the new rockwork better.

Here are some of my softies and a few SPS in a 29 gallon. There are a lot more corals (the more expensive) in a 65 gallon set up

Setting up the 120-
Started with base rock and worked upwards. After making the basic design, I then covered the gap where the chunk of rock meets with baseball size pieces of LR to make it look more blended. Turned out pretty good

I don't have enough room for some of my softies so I'll just keep them in my FOWLR. They could be snack for butterflies, but they're just like xenias, mushrooms, leathers, etc. I did accidently broke some pieces of SPS which will be for sale soon.

Here's my skimmers

I'm having problems with the Euro Reef. Its really foamy and great on the inside, but there's a lot of bubbles that comes out throught the water outlet as well. I currently have a filter sock there to reduce the bubbles. Any help would be appreaciated.

So we started at around 6:30 AM and finished at around 2 AM. Took us a while because we had to take down a 125 and a 65. Than set up a 120 reef and a 125 FOWLR the same day. The house is a mess so tomorrow ill be another busy day. Also have to take down the sump for the 125 for cleaning tomorrow.

Will keep everyone posted

 

[ATP123]

The water has cleared up a bit today. The Euro Reef still has bubbles, but its getting better so I'll just let it run.

Maxima Clam.-just got it a few days ago.

btw, lost my Purple Stripe Pseudochromis during tank transfer. I couldn't find him.

 

[ATP123]

 

[thatguy559]

well i guess i answered my own question...lol should have read this thread first....very nice tank

 

[ATP123]

well i guess i answered my own question...lol should have read this thread first....very nice tank

???, but thanks

 

[ATP123]

Canopy.

Today, we assembeled th ligthing and the canopy is basicly done. All we need to do is install the trims and order the doors. (we're not going to make those because of time and the plywood is always slightly bent so its hard to make the doors not curve.

The canopy looks a little bit high, but it'll look fine when we install the sight cabinets. It will look like the one in the drawing, but no speakers and there will be three cabinets. One is flush with the stand, another one will be with the tank and the last one will flush with the canopy.

The fixture does look a little low, but thats the best we could do. We measured the fixture and put like an inch gap for assembly, but we forgot about the wires . So its a tight fit. When we were seembling it, the sides of the canopy kind of popped out so we had to screw it back in.

 

[thatguy559]

???, but thanks

i asked about any updates on your 125 walk around.....then i read this thread and saw that you took it down

 

[ATP123]

i asked about any updates on your 125 walk around.....then i read this thread and saw that you took it down

setted it up as a FOWLR. Sort of a tank exchange. I have another 65 gallon that I never spoke about so I transfer the 65 into the 125 and the 125 into the 120.

 

[ATP123]

There was a blackout at like 5:20 in the morning. The checkvalve hold the water from the sump for a while, but it eventually lost. So, like 5 gallon of saltwater spilled from the sump when I realized there was a blackout .

I had to drain water from the sump and put them back in into the DT to keep water level in the sump low.

So today, I'm going to but a gate or ball valve so the checkvalve is only temporary.

 

[roblou]

IMHO, any solution that involves a valve to control whether you will or will not have a flood situation during a power outage is not a good one.

I'm glad you were home to find out the check valve didn't work, at least the mess was minimized.

But, after you replace with a gate or ball valve, how will either of those help if no one is home when they need to be shut? Just asking to hopefully help you avoid catastrophy!

The solution really needs to be fool proof, otherwise it'll only be a matter of time...

 

[jgalvin]

setted it up as a FOWLR. Sort of a tank exchange. I have another 65 gallon that I never spoke about so I transfer the 65 into the 125 and the 125 into the 120.

looking great. so all the coral is in your 65G frag tank? you picked up a clam as well, right? tank and cabinet look awesome btw. i'll have to swing back by to check it out!

 

[ATP123]

IMHO, any solution that involves a valve to control whether you will or will not have a flood situation during a power outage is not a good one.

I'm glad you were home to find out the check valve didn't work, at least the mess was minimized.

But, after you replace with a gate or ball valve, how will either of those help if no one is home when they need to be shut? Just asking to hopefully help you avoid catastrophy!

The solution really needs to be fool proof, otherwise it'll only be a matter of time...

true. I would appreciate any ideas.

Maybe I should get a bigger check valve:badgrin:

 

[ashton]

Hey my maxima is looking good over in your tank. Im liking the new set up everything is coming together quite nicely.

 

[roblou]

true. I would appreciate any ideas.

Maybe I should get a bigger check valve:badgrin:

Well, if I'm seeing your picture correctly, it looks like your return line coming from your sump enters your display tank about 6" from the bottom, and then the locline travels from there around to the top. Is that correct?

Normally, I would suggest that you remove all check valves, fill your display and sump to normal operating water levels, then turn off your return pump and see how much water drains out of your display to your sump. However, if I am correct in assessing the way your return line is set up, then I suspect the water in your display would drain all the way down to just below where the hole is that the return line comes into. Which, I suspect, is why you decided to use a check valve...

If all the above is correct, then IMHO there are no good solutions without changing something. The use of any kind of valve as a measure to prevent flooding is destine to fail. JMO...

Let me know if I'm reading your set up correctly...

Rob

 

[ATP123]

Well, if I'm seeing your picture correctly, it looks like your return line coming from your sump enters your display tank about 6" from the bottom, and then the locline travels from there around to the top. Is that correct?

Normally, I would suggest that you remove all check valves, fill your display and sump to normal operating water levels, then turn off your return pump and see how much water drains out of your display to your sump. However, if I am correct in assessing the way your return line is set up, then I suspect the water in your display would drain all the way down to just below where the hole is that the return line comes into. Which, I suspect, is why you decided to use a check valve...

If all the above is correct, then IMHO there are no good solutions without changing something. The use of any kind of valve as a measure to prevent flooding is destine to fail. JMO...

Let me know if I'm reading your set up correctly...

Rob

There's three water outlets where water is pumped out. Two is a 4" locline that goes about 2" down. There's another locline that goes under all of the rocks that prevents dead spot. This locline is the one that caused the floodin since it goes all the way to the bottom of the tank.

If there is no other solution, I would just cut the locline and make it into one of the 4" loclines. It would be better to have deadspots rather than my living room flooding