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Picked up this 120 Gal reef-ready Aqueon from Marketplace. I want to spend the long-haul refurbishing it-- any resources/tips are greatly appreciated!

jonouyaaang

jonouyaaang

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My plan is to spend a long time on this, as if it were a "project car." That includes the things like resealing, applying extra bracing, building new stand, plumbing, etc.

I plan to eventually setup a mixed-reef with medium light and flow, mostly focusing on softies and LPS. I intend to use a "middle-ground" approach in terms of tech/cost (basically I want to use the AI Blade strip LED's, install a nice sump w/ refugium, fleece filter roller, ATO system, etc. but probably not cash out for a maxed-out Apex Pro, lol)

What else should I make sure to do/know? What resources are useful for me to consult throughout the process?

Additional details about the tank:
48”x24”x24” tank with two drilled overflows, 30 gal acrylic sump, some PVC pipes, and other accessories I’ll likely be tossing. The tank was used for a fish-only setup.

Thank you!
 
Saw your post on r/ReefTank!

Curious to hear about your experience with the new AI blades if you choose to go that route. Are you looking at the 48" fixtures? Given they are each $400, It seems like you could also get 2 radion XR15's for only a little bit more $. I'm definitely intrigued by the AI blades though!
 
Practice silicone joints on scrap pieces of glass.

Make sure the overflow is really the way you want it. Large enough, 3 holes, etc.

Think about how you want to run your returns. Up through overflow?
 
PizzaOven said:
Saw your post on r/ReefTank!

Curious to hear about your experience with the new AI blades if you choose to go that route. Are you looking at the 48" fixtures? Given they are each $400, It seems like you could also get 2 radion XR15's for only a little bit more $. I'm definitely intrigued by the AI blades though!
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm not sold on the blades at all based on the price per performance numbers. Is there a reason why you wanted to go with them @jonouyaaang ?
 
IMO, the most important aspect is the stand. Once the aquarium is filled and on it, there is no turning back. A powdercoated steel frame would be my preference, with magnetically attached wood panels.
Deign a sump that fits that stand or vice versa.

Plan out the whole system without a single drop of water.
Look at the "reef ready" overflow box. Is it massive like the Oceanic/AGA/Aquaeon "megaflow"? You might want to replace it with your own custom box. Is it an out-of-tank overflow?
If it does have a drilled bottom and a standard overflow box, I might even want to drill the side and plug the bottom hole as I like that "coast to coast" style overflows. But that's up to you, now's the chance to decide!

V
 
PizzaOven said:
Saw your post on r/ReefTank!

Curious to hear about your experience with the new AI blades if you choose to go that route. Are you looking at the 48" fixtures? Given they are each $400, It seems like you could also get 2 radion XR15's for only a little bit more $. I'm definitely intrigued by the AI blades though!
Click to expand...
Haha always fun running into the same people on different platforms! I am looking into the 48" fixtures, but Im going to look into / consider other approaches too. Will keep everyone updated!
 
rygh said:
Practice silicone joints on scrap pieces of glass.

Make sure the overflow is really the way you want it. Large enough, 3 holes, etc.

Think about how you want to run your returns. Up through overflow?
Click to expand...
That sounds good, I'll definitely practice applying silicone / bracing beforehand. Thanks!
 
Darkxerox said:
Yeah I'm not sold on the blades at all based on the price per performance numbers. Is there a reason why you wanted to go with them @jonouyaaang ?
Click to expand...
It seemed like what I was looking for, and Bulkreefsupply, saltwateraquarium, and a lot of other communities I've seen are very excited / in support of the product. BRS said the Blade is on the highest "price per par" scale, with the biggest value. Very enticing, lol
 
Vincerama2 said:
IMO, the most important aspect is the stand. Once the aquarium is filled and on it, there is no turning back. A powdercoated steel frame would be my preference, with magnetically attached wood panels.
Deign a sump that fits that stand or vice versa.

Plan out the whole system without a single drop of water.
Look at the "reef ready" overflow box. Is it massive like the Oceanic/AGA/Aquaeon "megaflow"? You might want to replace it with your own custom box. Is it an out-of-tank overflow?
If it does have a drilled bottom and a standard overflow box, I might even want to drill the side and plug the bottom hole as I like that "coast to coast" style overflows. But that's up to you, now's the chance to decide!

V
Click to expand...
That's good to consider, thank you! I was already planning on establishing a plumbing system well before the tank is filled (at least with saltwater, I might fill it with hose water just to test/feel things out). It's an in-tank overflow with drilled in/out in the bottom, also. I believe the tank is a pre-drilled as a reef-ready aquarium.
Thanks!
 
No opinion on AI Blades.
But suggest you DO NOT buy AI Primes. Terrible long term. Fans die quickly. UV burns out and sometimes takes out the whole light.
And I am far from the only one with those problems.
 
Darkxerox said:

vs.

-New-Price-Per-Par-Graph-ALL.jpg


I dunno 11 cents from Telegrahm's testing kinda blows away the blades or any light that BRS sells if you're only concern is price.
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I've heard good things about the light from Reef Therapy. Sadly, when I went to buy a replacement light for the $100g tank, the ReeFi was sold out and I couldn't wait.

Product availability is a determining factor.
I personally avoid AI and Ecotech. I also refused to purchase anything from Kessil ever again.
 
If you're adding extra bells and whistles, consider armored seams. They're triangular pieces of glass that run along the interior edges where the glass panes meet. They're to protect the seams from damage when scraping the glass and probably provide some extra strength. Downside is they can look a bit bulky.
 
CaseyP said:
If you're adding extra bells and whistles, consider armored seams. They're triangular pieces of glass that run along the interior edges where the glass panes meet. They're to protect the seams from damage when scraping the glass and probably provide some extra strength. Downside is they can look a bit bulky.
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I was looking for! Couldn't remember the name haha. Do you know where I would look into to actually buy these items to then install? Thank you!
 
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