so from the start of the 125, i always knew i wanted to upgrade the system to a sump and larger water volume. I weighed a bunch of options, between a 180 with over flows, to a plywood build of 200+ gallons. Ultimately i decided to go with Two 120 gallon tanks, with the 125 becoming a sump and display tank.
There are a few reasons i went this way.
1. A 180 gallon tank would take 3-4 people to move, which just sucks.
2. The stand would need to be at least 7' to accommodate the 6' 125 tank as a sump
3. 120 gallon tanks are easier to move, have a good depth, and are more flexible overall while still housing larger severums.
4. multiple tanks allows me to do different scapes and stocks of fish, and deal with aggression issues.
with that said, here is the build. an 8'4" wide stand made of 2x6's. This build will take me a few weeks to complete, and as of this post i am a week into the build. the second 120 gallon will be purchased and plumbed once i am confident of the systems abilities.
the old setup
August 29 2017
Top framed, bottom is up right now and supports are in place
attaching the 2x6's the 125 will sit on.
top supports and side panels added
Better shot of where the 125 will sit
Fish moved to buckets, 125 drained.
New stand moved in, with the 125 in place
120 placed on top. This was the moment i realized i made the right choice. between the weight, and the look, i was happy.
Fill test
Temporary sump setup, fish and sand added. Sand was a bit dusty from moving from one tank to the other, and took a few days to clear up.
the width is so nice for these guys.
August 30 2017
12 hours later
another shot of the temporary sump setup.
24 hours after move. Clearing up nice and the fish are getting used to the space
August 31 2017
48 hours later it's completely clear. 200 micron filter socks are awesome for clarity.
September 3rd 2017
Drained the 125 and started building the sump. chamber in the back corner is where 2 overflows will spill out and overflow into a section that holds the filter socks.
divider between the display and sump areas. Sump is still temporarily setup on the display side so i can work on the rest of the sump once i get the hole saw for the socks.
There are a few reasons i went this way.
1. A 180 gallon tank would take 3-4 people to move, which just sucks.
2. The stand would need to be at least 7' to accommodate the 6' 125 tank as a sump
3. 120 gallon tanks are easier to move, have a good depth, and are more flexible overall while still housing larger severums.
4. multiple tanks allows me to do different scapes and stocks of fish, and deal with aggression issues.
with that said, here is the build. an 8'4" wide stand made of 2x6's. This build will take me a few weeks to complete, and as of this post i am a week into the build. the second 120 gallon will be purchased and plumbed once i am confident of the systems abilities.
the old setup
August 29 2017
Top framed, bottom is up right now and supports are in place
attaching the 2x6's the 125 will sit on.
top supports and side panels added
Better shot of where the 125 will sit
Fish moved to buckets, 125 drained.
New stand moved in, with the 125 in place
120 placed on top. This was the moment i realized i made the right choice. between the weight, and the look, i was happy.
Fill test
Temporary sump setup, fish and sand added. Sand was a bit dusty from moving from one tank to the other, and took a few days to clear up.
the width is so nice for these guys.
August 30 2017
12 hours later
another shot of the temporary sump setup.
24 hours after move. Clearing up nice and the fish are getting used to the space
August 31 2017
48 hours later it's completely clear. 200 micron filter socks are awesome for clarity.
September 3rd 2017
Drained the 125 and started building the sump. chamber in the back corner is where 2 overflows will spill out and overflow into a section that holds the filter socks.
divider between the display and sump areas. Sump is still temporarily setup on the display side so i can work on the rest of the sump once i get the hole saw for the socks.
