My 315g new tank build

[SPotter]

So for the last 10 months or so I have been planning my upgrade from a 39g cadlights tank. I started in the hobby when I was 15 and back then you were fancy if you had a protein skimmer. I got out of the hobby when I was 20 and now 20 yrs later I got back in. It didnt take me long to realize that the 39g wasnt going to do it and after a few months of negotiating with my wife and finally winning a friendly bet with her, I got the approval to do an upgrade. But of course there were some strings attached to it which included a complete remodel of our basement. She told me that this would be my one and only chance to do an upgrade so it be one that will keep my happy for a long time...she had no idea what she was saying :smile:

So, here is my system that has been officially running for about 2 weeks now and deep into the cycling process.

-Custom built 315g 72x36x28, 3 side starphire, 1 piece glass Eurobrace and external overflow
-Pacific Sun Pandora Hyperion R2 Led/T5 fixture (should arrive in 2 weeks)
-Deep Blue 80 professional frag tank 48x24x18
-Aquaticlife 8 bulb T5 fixture
-MRC hi-flo sump 48x20x20
-65g water change tank
-ATB 10.5 deluxe skimmer
-Custom built Algae Turf Scrubber
-MTC ProCal Calcium Reactor
-Blue Line 100hd return pump
-2 x tunze 6305 and 1 x tunze 6301 pump
-200 lbs of Pukani rock (cured for 2 months prior to placing in the tank)
-150 lbs of Tropic Eden Reef Flakes
-Total water volume is estimated to be around 480g

Now for some pictures.....

Stand was built by a local iron fabricator

I hired a mover that my LFS uses to deliver tanks. I had the tank delivered directly to them and then they delivered it to me. My wife said I paced around more on tank delivery day than I did on the days she gave birth to my kids

And now the tank.....

Have to have a picture of one of my kids in the tank....

And of course my wife said if the tank doesnt work out she already knows how she will dispose of my body....

Eurobrace....

Thanks to Ethan @ Aquatic Obsessions in Avenel, NJ...the plumbing work was done and its very clean.

Finally....the aquascape and filling of the tank. Took about 2.5 days to fill the entire system.

Hopefully the cabinetry will be ready this week.

Thank you for looking at my piece of the reef!

 

[fishman1069]

Wow dude, sweet setup! Can't wait to see it stocked! What are your plans for fish?

 

[Mongo77]

That's gonna be a awesome tank. Good luck with it.

 

[James404]

Beautiful tank so far, may I ask who your builder was?

 

[AsphaltPays]

Very nice setup looking forward to the build

 

[JonnyJ]

wow, sweet.

 

[SPotter]

Wow dude, sweet setup! Can't wait to see it stocked! What are your plans for fish?

Thank you! Here is what I currently have in the 80g waiting to move into the new tank...

Lyrtail Anthias (we call it Pat because it was a female and is now changing over to a male)
2 Percs
Hippo Tang
Yellow Tang
Neon dotty back
File fish (that stares at my aptaisia)
Orange Spot Rabbit Fish (loves bubble algae and has rid my tank of it)

My thought is rather than having a bunch of different fishes I would like to have a few individual species and then have few schools of fish. I will definitely add more lyretail anthias to the tank. I have my eye on a sohal tang and looking at some different angels as well.

 

[SPotter]

Beautiful tank so far, may I ask who your builder was?

Thanks James. The tank was built by a relatively new builder in Canada. They are called Atlas Tank Builders. The company was formed by three guys....owner of aquatics elite (sfiligoi lighting), a local lfs in canada and a guy who worked for another tank builder for 10 yrs. I was working with Tim at Aquatics Elite on a custom Sfiligoi led fixture for my tank when I said that I was having second thoughts about a local builder I was going to use and thats when he mentioned to me that they had been building tanks for local shops for a while and were ready to branch out. My tank was the first tank they shipped into the US. I am extremely happy with the finished product and the knowledge that the three partners bring to the table is amazing. They were extremely repsonsive and kept me up to date on the status of my tank with out me have to ask them for an update.

 

[JonnyJ]

Orange Spot Rabbit Fish (loves bubble algae and has rid my tank of it)

Personally, i would think twice about adding him. they are known to eat corals.

 

[SPotter]

Personally, i would think twice about adding him. they are known to eat corals.

I've had him for about 3 months now and has been a model citizen.

 

[dubs]

Nice tank that thing looks serious gl with the build and i have one those orange spot rabbit fish and I have a few corals zoes ect no issue yet they are a hit or miss

 

[SPotter]

Nice tank that thing looks serious gl with the build and i have one those orange spot rabbit fish and I have a few corals zoes ect no issue yet they are a hit or miss

Thanks dubs....he loves pellets so I try to keep him happy by adding a few every day.

 

[Turbovr3six]

Yup, I'm jelous... Can't wait to see this baby running!

 

[dubs]

Spotter mine love pellet too him and my two triggers are greedy as hell they eat like pigs fun to watch tho

 

[STHILL]

Nice build

 

[jpellica]

Thats looking sweet

 

[dacaptain78]

Tank looks great. Well done.

 

[SPotter]

recent coral pick up....

I recently picked up some corals from a local guy trying to break down his systems.....

There's about 10 more that I need to take pictures.

 

[pmoneyt]

can you PM me the info for the stand builder?

 

[SIReefer]

Wow you are def off to a good start - good luck with build & ill be following along.