jlanger's 120gal Arts and Crafts Inspired Reef Build (1 Viewer)

[jlanger]

Hello TCMAS.
My name is Jason and I've recently upgraded a 3yr old 45gal to my new 120gal system.
I have been keeping a record of my build on another larger forum, but I think it is time to introduce myself to a more local network.
I have not been an active member with TCMAS, but I have attended a handful of Swaps and the latest Speaker Event.
With my new system finally coming together, I would like to take a more involved interest with my local Aquarium Society.

Here's a pic of my reef aquarium set-up from this past February.

I built this system from the ground up; much of it done by myself.
I have a fully documented build thread that I can share with TCMAS, if you'd like to see more.

A more recent group shot of the fish.

I just really wanted to introduce myself and my reef aquarium at this time. "Getting my toes wet" so to speak.
Any comments, questions or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
It was nice to "meet" you all.

 

[.Marshall]

Welcome!

Very nice aquarium and I love the stand! You wouldn't happen to like Monti caps would you? :kackle:

 

[jlanger]

Welcome!

Very nice aquarium and I love the stand! You wouldn't happen to like Monti caps would you? :kackle:

Thanks.
Montipora spp. are indeed my favorite.
This past week I just fragged off a very large section and I still have more fragging to do.
They just grow and grow and grow. All of the green Montipora hodgsoni began as one 3inch colony.
I just wish I had that kind of success with Acropora spp.

 

[patrick siverson]

Welcome love the tank! What kind of tang is that in the 2nd pic?

 

[kheebl]

Dude that stand is sick looking, Awesome job!!

 

[eschulist]

Welcome to the club, even if you've been a member for awhile

The tank and stand look amazing.

Any plans to add a red or orange montipora as well?

 

[data_loss]

Love the tank :beerchug:

 

[jlanger]

Thanks for the comments.

Welcome love the tank! What kind of tang is that in the 2nd pic?

That would be an Acanthurus pyroferus (Mimic Tang).
One of my favorites.

Welcome to the club, even if you've been a member for awhile

The tank and stand look amazing.

Any plans to add a red or orange montipora as well?

The darker "pink" Montipora that is sandwiched in between the green used to be a bright bold red color.
Since I switched from 8 bulb T5 lighting to LEDs, all my red corals have turned a dirty red/pink. Even the Idaho Grape and Lilac Montipora spp. are somewhat drab compared to what they used to be. I'm trying to figure out a way to get my colors back.
I added the Multicolor Aux Modules, but I am slowly phasing those in as I was bleaching some other corals.
I am considering starting the Red Sea Reef Colors program as they don't have any issues with growth; just color.

 

[Kepler]

Nice tank.

Do you have a spectrum graph for your LEDs? I switched back from LEDs because there was no red or yellow in my fixture (thus no red, purple, or yellow corals).

Did you build your stand/canopy?

What issues are you having with acros.

 

[Taklu]

Nice tank! Another Monti lover here. if u could post the link to ur build tread plzz

 

[jlanger]

Nice tank.

Do you have a spectrum graph for your LEDs? I switched back from LEDs because there was no red or yellow in my fixture (thus no red, purple, or yellow corals).

Did you build your stand/canopy?

What issues are you having with acros.

I do not have a spectrograph.
The lighting fixture is the Vertex Illumina SR260 with 2 Multicolor Aux Modules added.
I could post my LED programming graph, if that would help.
I'm doing some looking into finding out more information about the lighting, but since they are rather new in the USA there's not much out there.
Hopefully since BRS sells these lights, there might be some local reefers that can share their results.

I did build the stand and canopy.
When I get a block of down time, I will post more information detailing how I did it.

Any Acropora spp. corals that I have had just seem to slowly recede and die off. Even a Green Bali Slimer.
Over the past two months I have done a lot of upgrades and updates to my system to, hopefully, correct this issue.
I was just given a few frags to test my system.
Montipora spp., Lobophyllia spp., clams, ricordeas and anemones are all doing great.

 

[jlanger]

Nice tank! Another Monti lover here. if u could post the link to ur build tread plzz

I will re-post it on TCMAS in the next day or two.
I don't know if it is considered inappropriate to just post to another REEF forum within this forum.
If you're impatient; check out my Facebook page for more pics and a link. https://www.facebook.com/jason.langer.718

 

[Kepler]

I'm not 100% sure on the rules, but I think it's fine to post a link. We are a local club. R2R and RC are world wide online communities. Different genres per-se.

 

[SmnParish]

Nice tank and welcome to the forum!

I'd feel bad eating one of those fish cookies lol

 

[jmj6239]

Nice Tank, welcome to the Club! Next time you go to your Mom's Stop in!
Jason

 

[BashfulBacterium]

Love the tank and the stand is EPIC.

 

[jlanger]

Thanks for all the compliments.

What I think I'm going to do it just copy and paste my original thread into TCMAS, but I will eliminate all of the unnecessary posts so you dan't have to read through them.
The original thread is quite pic and text extensive. I really like discussing woodworking and reefkeeping.
And the quickest way to bring the build thread to you is just to repost my original posts.
I hope this works...
Enjoy.

 

[jlanger]

Bold title, I know.
Please just keep reading.

A couple of weeks ago I posted my stand and canopy in the "fancy stands" thread and I said I was planning on doing a build thread.
Anyways... Here's the original photo I posted.

Preface/Disclaimer:
I have been working with wood in some respect since I was a kid.
I have been employed as a cabinetmaker for the past 15 years.
I do not want to know how many kitchens, vanities, bars, offices, entertainment centers, .... I have made in that time.
If we need something for our home, I will chose to build it over buying it every time.
I've done cabinets, built-ins, sideboards, desks, racks, shelves, frames and much more.
I just enjoy working with wood.

"Even though the tree is dead, the wood is still alive." -me (possibly someone has said it before.)

I am a huge fan of the works by Frank Lloyd Wright and Greene and Greene.
I was influenced long ago by the mission/arts and crafts style of architecture and furniture.
And I wanted my reef system to honor that style, and build on a new theme for the look of our home.
I wanted a piece of furniture.
I wanted a work of art.

Enough blabbing.
This thread will be pic intensive; at first.
I forgot my camera at home during the canopy build (dumb@$$), but much of the construction was the same.
Hopefully I can talk you through with the photos that I have.

This thread will take some time to construct, so be patient.
You do know how it ends!

Feel free to ask any questions.
And enjoy.

 

[jlanger]

Design Phase

I spent quite some time designing how I wanted the stand to look.
My main focus was to create a free-standing piece of furniture that was going to look good on its own. Something with a "Wow" factor.
How I got it to look that way, and be strong enough for a 120gal reef tank was my challenge.

Every good piece of furniture has to carry the weight that is put upon it.
My stand was designed for the four corners of the stand to be directly under the corners of the tank.
From there, I added the posts. They look like the are located outside of the tank, but I'll show you how I managed to do that.
I wanted the entire front of the stand open for ease of maintenance. No center post.
I wanted the sides of the stand to match a design element I have already used in some of my work.
I wanted the back of the stand to be open for plumbing, yet finished enough to be easy on the eyes if someone was to stick their head back there.
I wanted a molding detail to add the craftsman style to the stand.
I wanted doors to match the sides and appear to be inset. (They not.)
I wanted a lot.

I ended up drawing 1:1 scale drawings on a sheets of mdf so I could visualize what would work and what wouldn't.
It also helped to visualize the size of this stand.

Once I had the design done, I was ready to order material and get to work.

 

[jlanger]

Construction Phase - Board Prep

Every good project starts with good materials.

I love the look of Rift-sawn Red Oak. Not quarter-sawn. Rift-sawn.
My lumber was delivered on a day I was out installing, so when I walked into the shop and saw it arrived, I was excited.
But something was wrong. They sent me quarter-sawn red oak.
Now, there's not much of a difference. But when you get to really looking at the grain, there is.
So I had the lumber sent back, and they sent me the rift-sawn red oak the next week.

And it was perfect!
Very nice straight grain. Very little knots. And hardly any cracks.

Here you can see how nice and straight the grain is.

When you order lumber into a cabinet shop, you can have the supplier straight line edge the lumber for you at a small cost.
I don't mind doing this myself.
I take the boards and attach a long enough piece of mdf to the board that will run along the fence of the saw to create one straight edge.

The lumber also comes in thicker than 3/4".
I ran each board through a planer to a 25/32" thickness for working with.

Now the boards were ready to be sorted for the various pieces I need.
The "uglier" boards were going to be use for the painted panels.
While the best boards were saved for the posts and doors.