Our mission

180 Custom Gallon Starfire

Still very early in the stages of things, but here's the first pict. Picked up this curing live rock from a local guy on craigslist for $2 per pound. The LFS wants 6-7$ per pound here! So hopefully I just saved $400-$500. Paid $200 for 100lbs of this rock. Looks pretty clean to me, have it set up in a trash can with a powerhead on it.

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Ok this tank build looks like it'll take a year! But thats because we have to remodel the entire downstairs. So because we can we're even designing the placement location of the tank. With the current design you'll see the tank from 3 rooms and you'll see 3 side of the tank. The plumbing will be below with safety drains running out the house.. just in case it cracks, leaks etc. The entire downstairs electrical grid will be done, so it'll all be done right and up to building codes. But here are the 3 rooms it'll be seen from. And the cool thing is it'll have two bar stools next to it so you can just chill and eat breakfast and watch the tank :)

Keep in mind currently there is a support wall where the tank is, so we'll need a huge beam to support the second floor and transfer the weight to a exterior wall in order to put the tank in the center of these rooms.

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With the fuge etc, it is looking like a total system water volume of around 225 gallons. The tank is about 180, plus a 90 gallon fuge half full.
 
Very nice drawing there, I can really vision what it'll be like (I'm really a sucker for those floor plan drawings).

Looks really nice you'll see it from the breakfast nook(dining?) area, the living room, even getting a glancing view from the Kitchen.

Looks like it'll be really nice, and even though you'll probably miss the frag swap as far as filling it up, I'm sure some of us can help you out after the fact :D
 
Oh whoops! Well I officially retract my coral offer! No way I'm shipping stuff :D

Still looks cool, except for that palm tree, although in Florida (and Hawaii) I could forgive it... however ANYWHERE in California.
 
Thats I wish I could make the swap.. but one small thing :) I'm now in Florida, and so is the house ;) But I am still posting away b/c this is the best reefers group I've ever belonged too! But look on the bright side, I can help you guys get Florida fish and contacts over here. And lord knows I'll need to order some pacific stuff from you guys :)

Here's the front of the house exterior renovation. Since you guys like the cad drawings. My dad is a architect and is helping me restore this old place. It needs alot of work and one day hopefully we'll get it all done. So for right now we're looking at a 100yr old house that needs to be remodeled, everything from wiring to windows. Hence why it'll take me longer than I'd like to get to the actual tank part. The floor needs to structurally be able to support the weight. So first thing first, get the floor level and strong, then electrical, then frame in the tank. On a good note, my tank is coming along faster than expected. It'll be done in 2 weeks then one week to ship.

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Ripped the entire tank room floor out today. Exposed supports and sand floor that hasn't seen light in 100 years. Tomorrow gonna level the floor and hopefully get to adding concrete support columns. The insulate the floor and drop in the sub floor. Then the next couple weeks have a framed and engineer come to start the relocation of the house support walls which will let me cut out the area for the fish tank. It's a long way off and the whole remodel job is a bit scary and overwhelming. But I'll get through it hopefully :)
 
Been offline a week or so, had to tear up the current computer room floor, which is becoming the aquarium viewing room. tore out the termite damage, and laid in a new sub floor. Now gonna set two support columns for the tank. And next week a structural engineer is coming to tear down the support walls and defer the load to the outside walls. So after that I'll have the space for the tank created. Then after that month of demo, etc is done, the electrician is coming to start preping the wiring. And by then I'm out of money :) and have to wait a few more weeks till the next remodel phase. :)
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Gonna also plumb in a dump run, so I can drain out through the floor. And also use that for water changes. That will make things nice, running water under the tank and drains :)
 
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