Turbosek

An in-wall tank can be a beautiful thing. Since I've had one since the fall of 2004, my experience has been a good one.

162g reef tank - I would look for a skimmer rated for 200-225g. There are a lot of choices, and the prices are all over the place. I like the Euro-reef brand, as well as Aqua-C. The SWC skimmers look really good too. We just had one posted about this week in the blog section, with a bunch of pictures.

Welcome aboard !

Thanks for the advice on skimmers. On another note, can one ever build an aquarium stand too sturdy:-) I feel like I went a little overboard, but I do not want to take any chances. I use 8 10' - 4"x4"s for my 162 gal tank.

Yeah, you definitely overdid it. Is the wood you used treated lumber or standard? That's an important question.

I used standard wood. I hope I made the correct decision. I cannot decide if you are going to say good, because the chemicals from treated wood might somehow contaminate the tank, or "bad", because the moist salt air surrounding will warp or degrade. Would sealing and painting with an oilbased paint protect the wood better?

I have taken pics, but I need to get them posted.

Treated lumber changes shape as it dries out, so you made the right choice on the type of wood used. Have no fear. Sealing the wood will make it last a very long time.

Welcome fellow addict !