225 starphire with DIY stand/sump and Canopy

[johncody]

Hello everyone, i thought i would get a thread about my tank going. To be honest im posting this to get a bit of feed back on some changes i might(should) do.I look forward to hearing from you all.So..... here we go.
Making the Stand
I made the top and bottom of the stand out of 2x4's and 3/4 plywood, for the bottom i kept it recessed to obtain maximum height for my skimmer that will be in my sump.


A couple shots of how i made the corner braces.





Full side shot





So stand frame work completed.. Time to build a sump it is 75 Gals



here is the skimmer i choose Vertex in250



OK so now i need a tank for this to all go with. I choose a 225 Gal Starphire RR duel center overflow and and return pumps / overflow kits / live sand / hoses and salt, here is a pic.



and Tank on Stand and Sump in place.



You will notice that i have soft flexhose for the intake lines coming from the overflows i since have changed them to PVC pipe and have installed gate valves to control water flow and " Gurgling "
More pics to come...

cheers JC

[levi1803]

Looking good, sweet tank btw

[johncody]

ok got more pic's in order. left off with the Tank/Stand/Sump. So i need to add some water and check for any leaks.. Found none so added salt and sand.



Here is a shot of the new PVC pipe installed with gate valaves.



Next picture is with doors on stand and some pink insulation to deaden the sound from pumps and skimmer,it does help alot. Contains heat a bit so added 2 4" fans inside to get some air flow.



Closed door picture and i think ready for some stain.



and after stain added



Well time to go get some lights, will update more soon.

Cheers JC

[banditpowdercoat]

nice, now I really wana upgrade LOL

[mseepman]

Very nicely done. What kind of tank is that? You don't often hear of the pre-made tanks having starfire other than the new Marinelands.

[johncody]

it is an Oceanic tank

[Chowder]

Looks great so far.

Chris

[brizzo]

Looks great so far; I like the wood working

Two things though:

1.) What kind of drain system are you running in the overflows? You might have a tough time controlling your overflow water height with those ball valves..

2.) Are you going to run ATO ? One thing to remember for building a sump: the chamber for your return pump is going to be where the water line goes up and down.

[johncody]

thanks for the input Nazerine,the gate valves seem to be working very well i might just have gotten lucky but no noise and good drainage.I think im gonna have to upgrade the return pumps i originally got Rio2500+ doesn't seem to be just enough.but perhaps after i finish getting some more goodies

ok where was i.....ah right Lighting. So i figured i might as well get some MH so i could go SPS down the road after tank is more established. So here they are 3 icecap 250 watt Ballast's 3 250 watt 10k bulbs and pendants here is a picture.



OK so i built a decent canopy to try and match the stand and house the lighting system. here is a picture of that..



so to help with the heat from the lights i added 2 4" fans on the left and right side of the canopy.





Then i think i got carried away and put 3 more fans on the front lid of the canopy and 3 LED switch's to independently control them.(Don't think I'm gonna keep this setup)?? might make another plain lid/door. Anyway here it is... Don't laugh my wife thinks I'm gonna turn into a Star-trekker or something.(all the red lights).Nothing against them though



Now it just needs some more stain back to the HD..

Cheers JC

[bassman]

Looks great!, keep the pics comin.

Where did you purchase the tank?