#1 is my pet peeve in my tank. I could also improve at #3...

I'd build a nicer stand

Do more research before throwing a tank design together in a few minutes. Go with 1 more foot of length (60") and a bit less height(18-20" max). External overflow and finally go with a different tank builder.

LOL

I wish that I just did the build i'm doing now in the beginning instead of going through 20+ setups and takedowns. I was never happy with anything, because I knew that I wanted a fish room and a big 6ft + tank. Just never got around to it until now. Would have saved a lot of time and money if I just bit the bullet and did the big build right away.

I'm starting my rebuild as we speak, just drained the tank last night. I'm happy with my tank size and equipment, I'm not happy with the way I laid a couple things out so it's time to make those changes.

No kidding, I wanted a tank room really badly with this one but we knew we would sell this house sooner than later so I was given a hard no. Not having a dedicated fish room was one of the reasons why I was so lax on QT at first, as there was no where in the house that I could really co-opt for a QT system. Months of frustration dealing with ich later, and I've taken over half the laundry room. I won't run a tank without a QT system again. In a future version I want a room with a full, proper QT set up on one wall (two small tanks for the tank transfer method, drilled so they can be drained with a valve, and one larger, cycled bare bottom tank for de-worming); R/O and fresh salt mix containers, plumbed with pumps and hosing so that water changes on the QT and display tanks can be done with the flip of a switch; the sump and all it's equipment; and working space with an industrial sink.

Does this mean we get to enjoy another wicked build thread? :biggrin:

Only thing I would do differently is to start with a new tank instead if modding a used $150 one. The scratches from the previous owner still bugs me. I am completely satisfied with everything else.

I am trying with my current build to weed out all the "what would I do over" questions I have asked myself through out previous tanks and as far as the technical and mechanical aspects I am slowly trying to cover all those.

But one of the biggest things (to me) is not a technical or mechanical thing at all, and it is simply reminding myself to take my time and get the equipment I want before hand or early on in the tanks cycle, as well as continually reminding myself that it is not a race and there is no time restraint or penalty for not getting it running as fast as possible.

However I do realize that in certain circumstances it may very well be a question of getting it running as soon as possible such as having to move an existing tank to a new build or other obstacles in life, but for the most part it generally comes down to excitment and lack of patience.

I wish I had gone for 8' instead of 6'. It totally would have fit, but at the time I had my tank built the tank builder options were limited and it would have been too costly.

I wish I had insisted on an external overflow. I have an internal corner overflow and it's beyond massive. I asked for an external overflow, the tank builder (Mitch and co.) wasn't interested, made the price for adding it too much and told me "don't worry it's a fad." Look at any reef tank made today. A fad, my ###. I'm so mad at myself for not insisting. not only does it take away a significant chunk of real estate in the tank, creating complications with aquascape and flow, just getting under the tank to deal with plumbing problems is a nightmare. With an external overflow, a leaky bulkhead is just something you fix. With the internal overflow I have to drain my sump, slide it out, risk breakage, and work under the stand in awkward conditions.

I'm sort of on the fence about restricting my access on the front of the tank. As an inwall tank, I wanted QUIET and I saw doors in the front as potentially taking away from noise reduction. But the problem is my light frame that slides out of the way in the back, the rollers do not roll in the track. I have no idea what the problem is, but the consequence is it takes an ENORMOUS effort to slide the 25lb light box out of the way. The idea worked better on paper.

Filter socks. Again, I listened to the advice of others against my own personal judgement and it's been a regrettable decision the whole time. I got talked into using 4" socks instead of 8" socks. What a mistake that was.

Also shoehorning the sump under the stand as nice as it is for reducing space concerns, makes everything difficult about it. My old tank had the sump out on the open, I had no idea how much I'd miss having access. Still seems a shame to lose out all that space under the display tank though, so I'm not sure how I'd do it all over again. I'd be tempted to leave it under the tank but have a portion of it stick out from under the tank into the tank room for the socks and/or zeovit handles or whatever.