Solitude....a new build from the chipmunk

[deranged chipmunk]

i wanted to get this thread started since i finally moved, have a LOT of room for tanks, and can finally start building in earnest again. so, what better way to kick off a new house and a new build than with my largest tank, 125 gallons. a few thingsd about this build, for one, this will be my first true (designed from the start) drainage layer tank. there is not going to be any high tech, fancy gadgetry in this build. although, i may incorporate a pc fan in, only due to the fact that there will be several orchids in the tank that will need air movement. second thing about this tank is that it is going to double as a room divider, which means it wil be my first 4 sided view tank. no backgrounds, just a simple hardscape. i am going for simple, yet elegant. i believe the planting is going to make or break this tank.

it took a couple days of removing old foam covered in 8 layers of grout and a lot of silicone, but i finally got the tank cleared out. it needs a final cleaning and i will give it a fine scraping to make sure the glass is pristine. today i got the lights hung (T8 shop lights from home depot) and the tank and stand in it's final resting place. i did some shopping at home depot and have enough material to get the floor plan done over the weekend (depending on energy and motivation lol). then i will be off to find that perfect piece of wood for the tank, then the real fun begins. here are some teaser pics of the tank in place.






as you can see, it can be viewed from all angles, which is part of the reason why i am calling the tank "Solitude"