Randys Pre Tank-Build Thread

As the title implies, this is my pre-build thread. I have been out of the hobby for a few years and everything I owned was in storage, along with what I have gained since then. The process right now is to go through everything I have and test it all. See what pumps works, what doesn't. What tanks leak or don't, what equipment works and what doesn't, and so on. The plan is to have it up and running, to the point of maintenance/additions only, by Christmas 2014. That time frame might seem a long time but I think I am squeezing it. All of the rock I have is dry at the moment. Needs to be cleaned, rinsed, cooked, then re-acclimated back to a tank. My house sits about 3 feet off the ground so my intentions are to drain all the tanks into a sump that is in my garage. The garage is detached and about 3 feet lower than the house is and 50 feet away. That will allow me to have a whole lot more display space but spread it out.
The tanks I have right now are:
2 180 gallon tanks
1 125 gallon tank
1 75 gallon tank
1 38 gallon tank
2 12 gallon tanks

I have others but those are the ones I am starting with. The 125, unless I change my mind, will be Freshwater to appease my love of swordtails. Although its possible I switch to the 75 for swordtails in a planted tank. The 2 12 gallon tanks are Eclipse bow front tanks. The very first tank I put saltwater in was one of those two tanks. I have a second one for a pair that I intend to make nightstands out of. I built a stand for the first one, bow front, with curved doors, curved crown mold, all handbuilt. I have photos of it if anyone wants to see it. Now I have two so going to make nightstands or book ends or something with them. The 2 180s will sit on either side of a doorway. The tanks will actually create the partial wall between my office and the living room. The 38 will be an acclimation, hospital and isolation tank and will be the only stand alone setup planned right now.

Step one is to try to find a container to cook rocks in. When I moved into the house I am in now I had enough rocks to completely fill the 2 180g tanks and I have no idea what it weighs. Basically, means I need at least a 500 gallon setup to start the process of returning it back to the fish tank.

Most of the equipment I will use I will probably build my self. Mainly because I don't work, love to tinker, and have one of those "I built that" mentality. The stands will also be custom built by me.

Any questions, suggestions, or even pokes are welcomed.

 

Living Room 180:



I have more photos of it being filled with rock. No particular pattern, just filling the tank up with rocks to fill it up with water to start the process with them of trying to get them tank ready again.