Yes, the tank is in the garage.

I'm awaiting some deliveries before I can start.

But soon it'll be alive!

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I pick up a 120 gallon Oceanic Tech Tank on Sunday.

Used but in good condition.

Let's roll!

Well,

All planning is still on but the acquisition has been put off a bit. Perhaps I'll look for a smaller tank or something a bit easier to move than an in-wall build. After doing a bit more research, I just cannot see any upside to building the aquarium into that small place; there is surely some valid arguments against the idea.

Perhaps I'll convert the 40 gallon into a reef tank or replace it with something a bit less ambitious. Dunno!

So here's the plan.

First, remove this free-standing tank (which may or may not become the sump) and build the 75-120 gallon tank into this wall under the stair landing.

Construction should be fairly straight-forward. Get the hole big enough, brace and frame the opening and work out some means of getting at the top of the tank from this side.

Access to the guts of the system will be through a 1/2 door on the other side.

Click on the 'read more' link to see the door to the fish room.

So I was let off from work early today and decided I would swim by Fish Just Wonderful Aquarium at 3839 Mangum Rd. here in Houston. I went in and right back to the tanks where I met the owner, Dennis. There is a lot of knowledge and passion in Dennis.

FJW Aquarium is a great place. Amongst all the fish stuff and tanks there stand rows and rows of liquor bottles; in fact, the name of the place is T&C Liquor. Had I been unaware of that fact, I’d have never found this gem of a place. Dennis says he's working to get rid of the bottles and go completely with the other pursuit that brought me in.

Well,

I've been doing some more research and thinking. The area I wanted to put the aquarium into the wall may not give me enough vertical room above to access the tank from the front. I certainly know doing everything from the back is going to be such a PiTA that I'll grow weary very quickly. Now I'm not saying it won't be possible....just need to do some more 'cypering'.

Not much else happening. I just wanted to put a post up to show I'm still engaged with the project.

So how many of you have heard this:

"Why not just punch a hole in that wall and put it there?"

Sweet!

Well,

I've pretty much decided I'm going to be using LED lighting for the tank. Of course, I don't know the size of my tank yet nor how deep it'll be so maybe this is cart-before-the-horse type of thinking. Regardless, I believe it is the right choice for a few reasons:

• Heat. I don't want it.
• Expense. Yeah, more expensive initially but lower power consumption and fewer bulb changes.
• Fun. I'm not adverse to DYI projects and this is something I can start now.

So maybe this'll be something I can start over the Christmas holidays as I continue to think about what the rest of the system should contain. Really, the last point is the most telling. A DYI project that I can sink my teeth into? Right up my alley. Of course, I'll get the dimmable drivers programmable via an Arduino application. Guess I'll need to order that Arduino, too.