Its On! Martin's Reef ADA 60-P Nano Build

[MartinsReef]

So for the last year I have been planning a new build and have been working on it too (Kinda). I have planed and going with a Takashi Amano ADA 60-P High clarity starfire glass. This tank is not offered with any over flows or drilled holes, so I will be drilling the tank and building an over flow. I will be using a mp10 wes vortec for water move ment. I will also be lighting the tank with a Radion LED light kit with up graded 90 deg optics. (Thanks to Majic Mike for the light)

For filtration i will be using a ADHI 30 sump with a mag return pump and a SWC cone skimmer. I want to also incorporate a algae scrubber but have no idea yet how I am going to do this. I may use Jamie's plan on making one out of a Phos ban reactor.

This tank is going in my home office, so I wanted to have a stand that was a nice piece of furniture. So I will be using a 115 year old ice chest that has been sitting in my garage for the past 10 years. This new stand will need a lot of TLC as you will see soon.

Stay tuned as this thread will have tons of pics, videos and updates starting today!

Happy Reefing
~M

 

[Haddonisreef]

Awesome Martin look foreward to seeif some pics bro! As always when your up and running hit me up for some frags!!

 

[MartinsReef]

Ok let start with the tank it is a ADA 60-p (about 18 us gallons) by Takashi Amano (well know in the planted tank world and his tanks are beautiful!) I ordered this tank out of San Francisco, CA from Aqua Forest Aquarium. The tank cost $129.99 and shipping was $49.36 for a total of $179.35 delivered to my door step! =D

Worried as the box was smashed!

Looks ok so far

No Problems!

Man this thing is nice!

Happy Reefing
~M

 

[MartinsReef]

Ok this will be the stand for my new ADA 60-P Nano! It is in UGLY bad shape. It is a 1898 Lenox Ice Box that was pulled out of my wife's grandparents farm house attic down in Lamar, CO and has sat in my garage for ten years now. And to think I almost threw it out.

Ugly! But can't you see the beauty!

The inside!

Happy Reefing
~M

 

[Bajamike]

Come on old timer post faster oh wait I have looked at this tank for over a year too! oh well I know secrets:gossip: lol

 

[MartinsReef]

All gutted out and scrap the tin on the in side for a few bucks, $74!

Doors

Happy Reefing
~M

 

[MartinsReef]

Come on old timer post faster oh wait I have looked at this tank for over a year too! oh well I know secrets:gossip: lol

Chad why I should.............

+1

 

[Bajamike]

Chad why I should.............

+1

Chad? Guess you have forgot your friends names now too? man your old :loco: :rofl:

 

[MartinsReef]

Fit test for sump and skimmer. However I made a new floor/base as this one was not level.

Happy Reefing
~M

 

[MartinsReef]

Chad? Guess you have forgot your friends names now too? man your old :loco: :rofl:

No, no, I just thought I would blame Chad, since the old timer saying came out! LOL!

 

[CRW Reef]

Re: Its On! Martin's Reef ADA 60-P Nano Build

SWEET!!!!!!! Wait, I think I'm seeing things. Martin (aka old timer) is this thing really going to have water soon?

Awesome build thread so far bro, glad to see you have been keeping/taking pics of the progress over the years

All fun aside I'm glad to see it and excited to follow !!

* I think I have the power head you want in there

 

[MartinsReef]

After 3 coats of stripper and 40+ hours of sanding this is what it looked like!

I love the grain of the wood.

Happy Reefing
~M

 

[JNG]

What color are you thinking about using? I like the look of that chest, especially the hardware.

 

[MartinsReef]

More stripping and more sanding! I think I had about 60 hours on this thing before I stared to stain it! I could of choked the person who painted it til they where blue in the face!

Happy Reefing
~M

 

[MartinsReef]

SWEET!!!!!!! Wait, I think I'm seeing things. Martin (aka old timer) is this thing really going to have water soon?

Awesome build thread so far bro, glad to see you have been keeping/taking pics of the progress over the years

All fun aside I'm glad to see it and excited to follow !!

* I think I have the power head you want in there

All I heard was BLAH, BLAH, BLAH! ;D

 

[MartinsReef]

So after many hours of stripping, sanding, stripping, sanding and more sanding, it finally got stain. Minwax cherry stain ti match all my other crap.

Happy Reefing
~M

 

[MartinsReef]

What color are you thinking about using? I like the look of that chest, especially the hardware.

Thanks Jerry,

I used minwax cherry.

~M

 

[MartinsReef]

I used five coats of Minwax Gloss poly on it sand with 220 grit sand paper between coats. I used gloss in because I did not want any issues with salt eating up the finish.

Happy Reefing
~M

 

[JNG]

I was thinking chery would look good on that and it does.

 

[MartinsReef]

Sorry the pic's in the last one sucks!