*Bulletsworld's 230G Tank Build*

[bulletsworld]

So, late last year, back in Edmonton, I called off my wedding, got laid off work, sold my half of the house to the ex for a $1, with everything in it. I shut down my 90gal tank, selling everything and before I knew it, I was out of the hobby for the first time in 5+ years In January of this year...I did the unthinkable, I left my friends, family behind and followed my heart... I moved to Calgary with my bulldog to start a new life... a new job, a new man, new vehicle, new city, new fish stores. However, I had no fish tank. I would just look into tanks at the fish stores, reminding myself of no water changes & maintenance required. I would just... look. YEAH RIGHT!

I always dreamed of building my own 230 gal. That's where it starts right? In all the years in the hobby I've never setup or had a drilled tank. I'm serious! I always had everything like heaters right in the tank display & all the equipment hanging off the sides. So how does one go from being out of the hobby to starting back with the biggest tank she's has ever had???


Here is my 230gal dream coming true.....

230gal Custom Build Tank, Room Divider (three sides viewable starfire glass) with a sit up bar on one side.


The Tank
I moved into a house that has a large kitchen island and thought what a perfect place for a tank! Went to Gold's Aquarium and custom ordered a 230gal (72 x 30 x 24), with a (7" box built attached external overflow (more space inside tank), with two 1 1/2" drains down the overflow and three sides of tank viewable in beautiful Starfire Glass. NICE! Paid $954.00 with tax. Last minute I custom ordered the sump, cost $157.00 with tax. Tank & sump, ready in two weeks!. I was SUPER EXCITED!

On August 10th... The love of my life (Derek), got his electrician buddies together for the tank pickup! What are the odds that one of the electricians is an old time canreefer that i met years back in Edmonton! How cool is that! Small world hey! Special thanks to KrazyKuch for helping out & bringing those awesome suction cups!

Here is a pic of the guys loading the tank & sump from Gold's Aquarium. Gold's staff all around.
Good thing Kurt brought his truck! Originally the 230gal was going in the Jeep. Good thing the sump fit in the Jeep!




Three guys and a girl (ME) lifted the tank and hauled it in to the house. O.k... the guys did most of the work really.
We had to take the patio doors off to get the tank in with the suction cups on!



Here is the Sump. My Bulldog saying, "What the heck is this now?"




When helping lift & carry the tank in the house, I almost lost some fingers as everyone put their side down & I still had my fingers underneath the tank. HELP! Before that, I slipped & dropped my end down on my arm! Yup, this picture is the beginning of the bruise. Hard to explain this one to my coworkers! It was a tank that gave me this bruise, honest!

[bulletsworld]

The Stand
One weekend prior to the tank coming, we had planned to put the tank on our large kitchen island. That's until we realized it was hollow inside. With the idea of reinforcing the counter top, I came home from work hours later to find a stand built! WOW WEE! I have the most amazing guy ever! He looked up stand ideas on the web & just build it in a couple of hours! I knew he was an electrician but not a carpenter too! Amazing!!

The stand with all the wood and screws, approx $300.00 to build.


cutting wood


stand frame with the Bulldog guarding it.


Later the sides & the top wood were added.



The bottom of the stand, as its being sanded & insulation was added underneath too.


After we got the tank in the house, the tank on its new stand


Here is another shot of the tank from the kitchen side. Celebrating with a few frosty beers.


Me (Lee - a.k.a Bulletsworld) Yes, Lee is a girl not a guy, SURPRISE!) standing at my new tank.
I then realized its taller than me! I'm going to have to dive in to clean this!

[bulletsworld]

Over the weekend it was power time! Derek, being an electrician, he couldn't resist wiring up the stand. I was his apprentice.




Water proof wire



Here is all waterproof, electrical supplies needed. Approx $150.00 Later



Planning of the boxes



Making an insulated & closed frame for the outlets. A very neat carpenters tool was used here, a black string with ink dust on it to help make straight lines before cutting wood. You simply pull the string & snap it down to leave the ink print of the line. I loved this tool.



Here is some of the plug casings together



Wiring it all up. Teaching me how to cut wires.




Almost the one side is done. There is two GFCI outlets on each side of the stand. Only 5 plugs running off of each GFCI, for extra safety. If water splashes on any plug or a light falls in the tank, the GFCI will trip the power off. Water proof flaps were installed to seal out salt build up & water splashes on unused plugs. Derek, tested & checked the GFCI breaker & outlets with his cool plug tester (not shown). So far so good! They all worked! WoohOO!


Stay tuned.

[Midknight]

Along for the ride.

Looks like it is going to be a great setup.

[muck]

^

*just jumped in the back of the pickup*

[christyf5]

Wooo! This is gonna be some build! Can't wait to see more pics

[lastlight]

Happy to hear your fresh break in Calgary has been great and is now finally SALTY =) I know what you mean about window shopping. Been doing it for a couple years now and I'm starting to feel like a free-loading bum strolling through the stores (and this site)! Looking forward to more.

[noirsphynx]

This looks awesome, tagging along

[andestang]

Good to see you have your build thread started. Look forward to seeing the progress. I couldn't see all the pics though,alot of them are x'd out.

[Coleus]

awesome
________
Smokeout