Upgrading a 72 gal. to a 180 gal.

Way to go man...Now I need to upgrade my 72...We installed a 125 Malawi Cichlid a few weeks back now maybe I can get my 300....8)

 

The final rough in of framing installed



After 6 months of planning and work!
Inital fill to check for leaks



more updates coming soon

 

Man a 300 would be cool to have.

 

Yeah, I can't wait...LOL...Your pics are looking good...

 

Great to see you moving up to a larger tank, you will be glad you did once it is running as a 180 is perfect for a reef due to the depth of the tank for aqua-scaping. Now you need to decide what you are going to keep in the tank??? If you are going to set SPS's in there then you need a big pump downstairs to use for equipment as well as returning water as I like to keep all pump external from the water due to heat and electrocution if the pump shorts out.
Your stand looks very nice. I done all my work myself as I like the self gratification you get when it's done. My father came over and helped with the big stuff and kept me out of trouble making mistakes.
Keep the pics coming on the update. ;D

Wanting a 300g is nice but things change when you get over the 180g mark and $$$$ seems to come into play on equipment to run it.

I hope that the window that is beside it doesn't have sunlight that will shine on the tank. If so then you will have algae problems like crazy.

 

Nice looking setup man, I hate all you crafty people that can cut a straight line in wood.... I failed shop in high school....
not really but I suck at carpentry good thing my wife works for a millwork shop

Grats on the new setup man. what you doing with the old 72?

Oh yeah, and Otty has a good point, You'll want to put blackout curtains over that window, natural sunlight causes all kinds of problems

 

Initally the tank looked huge when we set it up cause its where the 72 was. Now I think it looks good but wife still looks and kind of shakes her head
The window is on the North side of the house and it has blinds that block the light. The 72 sat there and did not have an algae problem untill I moved it downsatars to make room. The hair algae really took off I think from the sand bed getting stirred up a bit. I plan on using a Pan World 200 ps for a return pump.

 

After the 180 gets all parameters in check I plan on selling it with the sump

 

Some more updates


210 lbs of live rock curing lfs has had it curing for 2 months so hopefully cycle wont be long



plumbing from underneath heading to basement sump



Sump in place with return pump installed

 

What kind of lights are you going to use on that beauty ?