Jaygalindo's 80 Gallon Reef Build...

May 06, 2009

So I am starting a thread for my tank build today as I finally got my stand home. Originally I started this hobby with the intention's of buying my friend's 30 gallon tank and jsut starting with something small. However I was with my wife two weeks ago and stopped into the Goodwill. I said to her as we were walking in, "what if there is a big fish tank here for dirt cheap?" I walked in turned the corner and there it was, a clean, all glass 80 gallon tank with no scratch's. It had a $50 price tag on it. I offered the manager $30 thinking that if it leaked or something then I couldn't get hurt. She said yes and this was my first purchase. I got it home and filled it up to check for leaks and sure enough not a drop. Because I am very new to this hobby, I am going to document my steps to getting my tank up and running in hopes for some good advice and suggestions.

Thanks in advance!!

Jay

 

reallyy nice lookin tank

 

my next step will me my sump/refugium build.

 

Good deal. Are you going to drill the tank?

 

Also, before you put water in it....are you going to paint the back?

 

I have been researching glass-holes.com and have heard nothing but good things about them, however I believe my tank is made out of tempered glass. Will this be OK? And yes I am definitely painting the back black. What type of paint do I used?

 

Here is a link to my painting post....

http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off-your-fish-tanks/pharmrjohns-90g-thread-52614-3.html#post490276

 

Today i sanded the oak trim and sprayed it satin black. It looks great and it give my tank a more updated feel. I am also spraying the back of the tank black. I used Krylon Fusion paint. Great stuff.

 

That looks nice!!!! Wish I would have thought of that. I prefer black to the fake oak whatever it is that I have now. Spray painting is fun. I spray painted a '75 Chevy 3/4 ton pick-up once. It took many cans......

 

hopefully the back of the tank will turn out as good as the framing did. I bet that took a lot of cans to paint, probably cheaper to Maaco.:-/