Build thread for my 55G upgrading from a 30G (formerly Upgrading)

Ok so I have had a 30G running for about a year and a half to 2 years. My wife has asked me to get a bigger tank and I have been kicking the idea around. Tuesday a friend called me and offered a 50G for free. So I took it. Now I am trying to figure out what I want to do and how I want to do it.

So the new tank first needs a stand. I am going to attempt to build my own. I have some 3/4" plywood laying around and should work great. I will be working on that for the next few weeks.

The new tank needs drilled. I have a shop up North that does it, and it's also where I will be picking up so new rock.

I was using just regular lighting in the old tank as it was FOWLR. I am going to move on to some corals, so I am going to get some LED lighting. Been looking around, and saw the reef breeders groupbuy and I am thinking about going with the value setup. Will a single value setup hung over the middle of the tank work? I am not overly familiar with corals, but figured stuff that needed less light could move the the outside and if they need more light they would be in the center.

The current setup has no sand in it, but I think I want to do sand this time around. I need to figure out how much sand I need then order that.

I currently have about 25 to 30 pounds of LR, and I am going to add about another 25 to 30 pounds to that. I am just going to buy dry rock and use my current LR to seed it.

I need to pick up some new power heads, and new heater. Any suggestions on the size of power heads and placement? I was thinking about going with 2 Hydor Koralia 750s and attaching them to the back in the top corners and aiming them to the front glass.

I am currently running a 10G sump, but I want to move to a 20 gallon and make it a refugium. I need to pick up a 20G and I have the Plexiglas.

So once I get everything together and ready my plan is to place the dry rock, and new equipment in the new tank and let it cycle. Once the tank cycles, I will move the plumbing to the new tank then the equipment and the livestock which is some snails, 2 clowns, and an emerald crab. I am using RO/Di water. any problems with using water from the current setup in the new tank when I move the livestock and equipment over, just to top off the new tank?

If you have any suggestions or comments I would love to hear them.

Thanks guys!

 

Can't wait to see it! You should be fine using some of the water from the old tank, that will help your cycle which should be minimal due to the seeding. I would recommend aragonite for your substrate. I used fine grain sand in the past and it's difficult to keep clean. Aragonite is a good balance between staying clean and looking like sand. Any idea what kind of livestock/coral you want to keep? That will determine how much flow and lighting you will need.

 

That sounds awesome! When you done can you please post some pictures?

 

I was planning on using Aragonite sand. As for livestock, I want a goby which is why I want sand. Coral I am going to start with the easier stuff like Mushrooms and zoas and move on from there. The corals will be a slow process for me.

I will probably be picking up the new tank tonight, then working on the new stand this weekend. I may do a build thread and post up pictures as I go.

 

So I went to Lowes to day and started building the new stand. I'd say I am about 30% done with it after working on it for a few hours today. I won't be able to work on it tomorrow.

On a side note I did some cleaning on my current setup. My skimmer wasn't working so i took it apart and cleaned out some salt that was clogging the air line. Working like a champ again. Which got me thinking I am probably going to have to buy a new skimmer since I am upgrading to a bigger tank and sump. So yeah more money to spend. I took a few pictures as I was building I will post them later.

 

If you used the standard issue tank plans posted on about every fish forum and tank building google you'll be fine. I've used the same basic design for tanks from 10g to 225g personally.

 

I started watching the video on youtube where the guy was building the stand. I loosely followed his directions. I am planning on working on it tonight. Hopefully I can get almost all of it done.

 

You are one lucky dude! I'm sure you're aware of that!

 

I worked on the stand again tonight. I have a few more pieces to cut, hopefully I will be done with the stand by the end of this weekend. But here are a few photos of the stand.

Frame:


Frame assembled with 2 uprights in...


Top view, as it sits 7/1/13


Back view as it site 7/1/13


It's very sturdy so far and it's pretty plumb. I am digging it, since this is the first anything I have built completely by myself out of a few pieces of wood with no plans except for the ones in my head.

 

Looks good, pretty spot on. I found the hardest part of building stands was actually just jumping in and doing it.