New 180 Build - Mini Coop's Dream Tank

[Dodgersfan]

Ordered TODAY and dropped a LOAD at BRS!!! Needed done!

PanWorld 200 PS pump - yeah!! Decision made! Thank you @Flippers4pups for your help with this and everyone else who contributed!
Also ordered 120 lb of reef saver dry rock from @Bulk Reef Supply along with 15 lb of tonga shelf, a 10 lb. bag of rubble and 5 lb of small branches. (didn't want too much). I will get some of the complex branch rock when they get it back in stock.

Suggestions on what glue or epoxy you use for stacking rock? All of my rock from before is loose. I didn't secure any of it!

I bought some of BRS's generic superglue for $5 bucks to put back together my branch that broke in shipping, worked great, set in about 30 seconds. If you're doing a lot there is a $25 tube that is half the cost per ounce as the little tube. I used about half the tube on 5 joints that used to be connected, rocks that don't line up exactly will probably use more. I also ordered 2 of the 5 dollar sticks of coraline purple colored putty if I need to build up a little to make 2 rocks work together. There's a 10% off flash sale today and you could probably cash in your points from the big order yesterday and get it for close to free!

 

[Mini Coop]

I bought some of BRS's generic superglue for $5 bucks to put back together my branch that broke in shipping, worked great, set in about 30 seconds. If you're doing a lot there is a $25 tube that is half the cost per ounce as the little tube. I used about half the tube on 5 joints that used to be connected, rocks that don't line up exactly will probably use more. I also ordered 2 of the 5 dollar sticks of coraline purple colored putty if I need to build up a little to make 2 rocks work together. There's a 10% off flash sale today and you could probably cash in your points from the big order yesterday and get it for close to free!

Thank you! I ordered about 120 lb. of the reef saver rock, 15 lb. of tonga shelf, 5 lb of branches and a little bag of the rubble. I would like to get some of the complex branches too. I wanted to see how that would do to start. I have about 250 lb of rock in my 120, and it is too much. Most of that will come out and get cured in the sun for a couple weeks and I will use it in the sump trough!

 

[Mini Coop]

You know you are obsessed when dinner conversation now includes drawing renderings of the sump for the basement!!!!!!

 

[Mini Coop]

Hey friends @Dodgersfan @Flippers4pups any advice on heaters??

I was looking at running two of these: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/hmx-s-heater-w-digital-led-controller-finnex.html but the reviews on them on BRS are not great!

 

[Radman73]

I'm not either of those folks but I've used eheim jager exclusively since a Hydor went out on me years ago. I've never had one fail in roughly 6 years of use and even moving from house to house.

Good luck on your build! Just remember to take it slow and make sure before you buy. Buy once, cry once!

 

[Mini Coop]

I'm not either of those folks but I've used eheim jager exclusively since a Hydor went out on me years ago. I've never had one fail in roughly 6 years of use and even moving from house to house.

Good luck on your build! Just remember to take it slow and make sure before you buy. Buy once, cry once!

Advice from everyone is great! Trust me - I learned my lesson from my 120 build - slow is the way to go along with lots of questions and research! That's why I am here asking questions from those that have gone before! . I appreciate your advice. I will look that up!

 

[Mini Coop]

Update: 10/11/17 - The ROCK IS HERE!!! Only Reefers understand the excitement of 150 lb. of rock showing up on your doorstep! And my new pump is here! It is MASSIVE!! I am so excited to get this process moving further!

Already started playing with my aquascape. I have nothing laid out proportionately, but I wanted to play and get some ideas together!

Also - I have to say - I asked @Bulk Reef Supply for mostly medium sized rocks in my shipment so that I would have more options for my scape - and they DELIVERED!! I am thrilled with what I got from them today! Absolutely listened to what I wanted! Packaged well. And barely any pieces broken off of rocks. THANK YOU!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Awesome!

 

[Mini Coop]

One step closer! Picked up the drilled 44 long this week from the LFS, and the 100 gallon trough from TSC!

Leaving them in the garage to clean them out really well!

Another thought this week . . . give your opinion if you would like . . . I work at 2 High Schools. I was thinking that I might let my HS senior art students do my aquascape! They are working a lot with rule of thirds, depth of field, and all of that. I thought if I gave them some idea of what I am looking for, it might be cool to involve some of the students I work with!

 

[Susan Edwards]

That's a cool idea. My only trouble, when I laid out my rocks before, I couldn't get them into the tank exactly right so ended up with something different. Hard to remember how each rock was placed/positioned, esp. as you have to take it down to put in the bottom layers first! But it's a great hands on idea.

 

[Flippers4pups]

That's a cool idea. My only trouble, when I laid out my rocks before, I couldn't get them into the tank exactly right so ended up with something different. Hard to remember how each rock was placed/positioned, esp. as you have to take it down to put in the bottom layers first! But it's a great hands on idea.

I found taking pictures helps in taking down rocks and placing them back and then you can look at the pictures as a guide.

 

[Susan Edwards]

And doing it in sections! I ended up having to redo my rock scape anyway when marine velvet hit. Only way to get some of the fish out was to tear it apart and then redo it. Good luck. Will be watching your progress.

 

[Forsaken77]

I just know that, with the Vectra pumps, you would need an L1 instead of an M1. But a lot of people complain about whining noise, but if in the basement, isn't an issue.

 

[Mini Coop]

Had a lot going on this weekend, so we haven't had much time to work on the tank!
So, here is the update!

This week: Floor reinforcement!!! WOO HOO!!
Calling a plumber to come in and put in the sink and drain pipe in the fish room.
Build or look for tables for the fish room
Take some rock out of the old tank that is set up at my sisters and start cooking it to be fresh for the new tank.

Lots to do! Such a process! I wish I could just quit my job for two weeks, have unlimited funds and get this thing up and running! Patience in this hobby is so hard! But so necessary!! I posted about stocking options, so if you have any advice or suggestions, please feel free to comment along:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mini-coop-180-stocking-list-opinions-please.331841/

 

[Mini Coop]

Ok - getting annoyed that things have been at a stand still for a while! I have pieces and parts, but the people coming to reinforce the floor are taking FOREVER to get over here! Found a workbench table for the sump to sit on - my dad is picking it up for me. Looking for tables to put the QT tanks on. I am limited on space, so trying to figure that out.
I set this up today - a layout of the tank with painters tape to keep the rule of thirds together. Hoping to ACTUALLY get the rocks into the container for curing this week. I will run them in freshwater for 2 weeks with a pump running to get all of the "dust" off of them.

Question: I heard they don't need to be "cured" in saltwater - I am not cycling them yet. Can it just be tap water, or do I need to use RO water?

Hopefully after curing, I can use this to start building and playing with the aquascape. These are also pics of the main "fish room" which is our dining room.

 

[rainmaker]

I used dry rock in my 180 I got dust off with Rodi water then cycled in salt water but I did my cycle in my tank after I setup my aquascape witch might of not been best thing to do but it worked used dr Tims to help the cycle went through diatoms an took about a month or two before sand cleared up now looking good after 4 months of setup an running

 

[Mini Coop]

I used dry rock in my 180 I got dust off with Rodi water then cycled in salt water but I did my cycle in my tank after I setup my aquascape witch might of not been best thing to do but it worked used dr Tims to help the cycle went through diatoms an took about a month or two before sand cleared up now looking good after 4 months of setup an running

Good to know. With my last tank I was blessed. I had really well cycled live rock from a person who had torn down a tank and my second round of rock was from a VERY clean tank - 150 lbs. of it - fresh from a torn down tank to mine. So, I am a little nervous using all dry rock.

 

[Betty1964]

Nice!

 

[rainmaker]

Proably wouldn't use tap water to cvcle maybe just to rinse dust off then with Rodi, maybe use the trough to cycle rock in with saltwater

 

[Mini Coop]

I didn't realize how long it had been since I have updated, but progress is being MADE!!!

Black Friday shopping should secure my equipment for the tank as well.

I will do a couple of separate posts. My awesome dad came and built some amazing tables for me! I wanted them big enough with room to work and set all of my testing equipment on and also one big enough to house my QT tanks. I couldn't find anything I liked, so my dad just built them! He was so proud! So, here are the tables and the QT area. QT is 2 10 gallon tanks and one 20 gallon. Still debating what is what. Thinking one will be QT for corals, one will QT for new fish (20 gallon) and the other 10 gal will be a hospital tank for emergencies.

So, here ya go!