Finally! My very own tank thread. :D

NeveSSL · 04/29/2007, 08:22 PM

Hey all!

Well, I finally picked up my tank today!

Its a 45 gallon, I think. Its 36x12.5x23. I thought it was 18" deep, which means that my plan for a 29 gallon sump isn't gonna work because its the same depth. So I've gotta take it back to the guy I got it from and get a 20 long or something.

I'll work around it.

Anyways, I got the tank, stand, 29 gallon tank, a LOT of live rock (not sure of lbs just yet... I'm thinking 70... what do you guys think based on the pics?), 2 powerheads, an Eheim canister filter (that am probably going to resell if its decent and in good condition), a light (nothing major, but enough to get me buy with some fish until I can get a T5 setup

) and a heater for $150.

Not a bad deal, I don't think. He's a coworker and is moving, so told me I could have the live rock a while back (a HUGE expense alleviated!) and sold me the tank and other stuff for $150.

I'm a bit concerned about a couple of things, though. Mainly, I'm just mad now that I can't get the 29 gallon sump in. I may have a custom tank built from GlassCages.com that will give me as much as possible... I had planned on a 36x18x17 because he told me it was a 50 gallon. Thats ok, I'll work around it best I can.

Anyways, I'll be doing a bunch of cleaning on it and the stand (they've both been in storage for a while) and my wife is wanting to stain the stand, which is fine. We're not sure how its going to come out with it being a pine stand, but we'll make do.

Here are some pics:

NeveSSL · 04/29/2007, 08:22 PM

I do have one major concern/question.

I've noticed the plastic rim is cracked in one place and sort of broken in another. Does this compromise the tank? Am I going to or should I get a new rim for it? I think its an AGA aquarium and I've heard that they will send you one. If nothing else, I'm sure glasscages would sell me one (they're local to me, FWIW).

Also, how much rock do you guys think that is? There are A LOT of larger pieces, some of them weigh at least 10 to 15 lbs. by themselves. I probably should just get them all out and weigh them eventually.

The cool thing is that he also said he had some more base rock in storage if I wanted it, so I may get some of that from him, too, just for the heck of it. It can't hurt too have a lot of rock! Especially when its free!!

It doesn't seem like ultra-high-quality rock, but theres some coraline on it. And I may get a little bit more rock from a different source to color everything up a bit quicker once in the tank.

Also, any ideas on what to put under this thing? I hate to think that I'm only going to be able to put a 10 gallon under it... I guess if I have to, maybe two tens may fit... but I'm going to try to avoid that.

Here's to hoping for the best with this tank!

Any and all comments/thoughts/advice are welcomed.

Brandon

b.branscombe · 04/29/2007, 08:28 PM

Bogner speaker cab there in the corner?

drummereef · 04/29/2007, 08:33 PM

Very cool, bet you're excited..

Where is the rim cracked exactly? I would weigh the rock on your own, kind of hard to tell just by the pics.

Just make sure you have at least 1lb/gallon of rock or you can add some of his base rock too. More would definitely not hurt.

Done any mixing lately? Just noticed your sig was NeveSSL.

NeveSSL · 04/29/2007, 09:03 PM

Ok, as for my plans...

Right now I've still got A LOT to do. And its probably going to take me at least a month to get things wrapped up.

This coming week I've got a bunch of finals (which I need to be studying for now... hehe) and I've got a job (my first professional sound job... woohoo!

) thats taking me out on the road from Tuesday until Friday... so Saturday and part of next Sunday I hope to hit this stuff hard.

First off (after cleaning and staining), I've got to figure out what to put under this thing for a sump as well as figure out if I need to replace the top rim (anyone?

). Then comes installing an overflow or two (probably going to use 6" PVC cut in half). I'm not sure if I'm going to do one or two. I'm only planning for about 300GPH through this tank, so one with a 1.5" bulkhead I think should do. What do you guys think?

I'll probably use a Coralife superskimmer in the sump. I'm also planning on a Quiet One 3000 return pump.

And then there will be various little other things to do. But I think that covers the largest tasks.

b.branscombe: Yep! That's my baby! Its a Bogner 2x12". AMAZING sounding cabs! Great stuff! My gear is on freewebs.com. Just put a slash after it, followed by resilientaudio.

drummereef: Love your name!

And yes, I am FREAKING pumped!

I will weigh the rock when I get a chance. Either tomorrow or next week me thinks. I'm positive I'll at least have 45 lbs... heh... and I may add some more of his base rock just for the heck of it and/or to aquascape with.

The rim is cracked in both of the two right-hand corners.

I have done a little bit of mixing lately... but mainly just on my final project for a class!

I will be working on an SSL 4000G this coming fall and on Tuesday I head for Lake Charles, LA to do FOH for a medium sized Christian event.

Supposed we're even getting internet on the bus, so it should be a fun trip!

Brandon

NeveSSL · 04/29/2007, 09:06 PM

Sorry... doubble post...

drummereef · 04/29/2007, 09:36 PM

The SSL 4000G will be awesome, you lucky dog. I have a buddy with a Neve VR60 here it town I do some work on. Good luck on your gig!

Can you post a close up of the cracks on the rim?

NeveSSL · 04/29/2007, 11:42 PM

Actually, I may not. I went to study with some friends and found out that they (my teachers) are going to move around some consoles next semester. More specifically, I may be working on an SSL Duality or an API console of some sort, possibly in addition to the SSL.

We have an Otari Series 54 (I think) for studio B. It will also be on 2" 24-track tape.

Everything is up the in air, though. So we'll see what happens over the summer while they start to move stuff...

Neves are nice, needless to say... lol. I think I'm going to build some 1073 clones to add to my home studio. I also may eventually buy an MCI, but we'll see. That's all in due time.

Anyways, yeah, I'll snag a picture real quick of the cracks in the rim.

Brandon

PS I'll be on a DigiDesign Profile this coming week.

I can actually set all my I/O on my computer on the bus and then upload it via a USB flash key to the console! Fun stuff...

NeveSSL · 04/29/2007, 11:54 PM

Ok, here we go:

The second one is the one that scares me.

Brandon

wooglin · 04/30/2007, 08:09 AM

I would move your sound equipment away from the container that is holding the liverock, the container looks a little stressed.

I will be honest I would replace the aquarium, you got your monies worth on the live rock and the stand. Aquariums in that size range do not cost much. It is better not to risk getting all that water on your floor, and risking losing livestock after you have it up and running.

SRT80 · 04/30/2007, 08:34 AM

yea, you could go to petsupermarket and pick up a 30 long (36x12x16) for like $55. They also carry the 45 tall too like the one you have, i think they are around $65. Or, check with the MTRC because I remember someone awhile back having a 30 long for cheap. I'm sure you could get somethin' out of that tank too, because It would be good for reptiles. I might even be interested. No, I have enough snakes

Good luck!

Steve

Slphappy · 04/30/2007, 08:44 AM

Duck tape... If it can hold a windshield to a car it'll fix your tank...

jk

I would have to agree with Wooglin... The tank won't cost a lot to replace and not having to worry about leaks would probably give you some peace of mind.

good luck,
Todd

drummereef · 04/30/2007, 09:33 AM

I'm with the other guys here. It's not worth the risk. Tanks this size are cheap so I'd get a new one. If you get a chance go to musiccreekstudios dot com and check out the room. It's where I do some of my projects.

NeveSSL · 04/30/2007, 10:28 AM

Hey guys... thanks for the replies.

I checked GlassCages.com and they have my tank for $125, or I can sacrifice 7 gallons and get a 38 gallon for $50, which will probably be the route I go.

I do have to say, I'd much rather have a 55 or 60... so I may wait and see what I can find used. Crap... now I feel like I'm back to square one.

Oh, and yes, there will be a new tub today. And I moved a bunch of my stuff last night because that container IS stressed! I hadn't planned on putting all of that in there, so today I go to wally world to pickup another one and I'm also going to weigh each piece as I transfer it.

Thanks guys! I'm going to do some investigating.

The cool thing about getting a new tank from glasscages is that I can possibly get a starphire front since they carry it now, and that would be really nice!

Brandon

wooglin · 04/30/2007, 11:23 AM

Dont feel bad, I did the exact same thing when I started. Bought a used 30, stand, and light and the tank was less that stellar. I replaced it with another 30 and felt much better. You got the rock, and stand which was well worth your money.

NeveSSL · 04/30/2007, 04:00 PM

Yeah, I don't feel like I've lost a ton. The rock was a good value.

I was just really hoping for a tank big enough for a mandarin... and its technically still possible... it just bothers me to try to do it in a 38 gallon. He originally told me it was a 50 gallon display... heh...

I may still fill it up. I'm hoping there will be something wrong with it and I can maybe talk him into taking it back... lol.

I may try to sell it as a reptile tank, too. I think it would make an awesome lizard tank as you could make a really cool background for them to climb on... almost makes me want to get one... lol. I'd better stick with fish for now, though.

I'm gonna think about it for a bit... its a long haul to Louisiana from here.

Thanks for all of the replies!

Brandon

NeveSSL · 05/07/2007, 01:02 AM

Ok, so... an update.

I will eventually make a webpage that will kind of match this thread... eventually.

Anyways, here's the latest:

First off, I'm gonna call glass cages tomorrow and order a 45 tall with starphire on the sides and front.

I just don't trust the tank I got from my coworker. At least for water use. I am going to sell it to a friend for reptile use, though. We set it up and left it for two days and it didn't seem to have any leaks, but still... 45+ gallons on the floor would NOT be cool and would cost a lot more than a new tank... heh. Plus I'm REALLY wanting starphire glass in my tank!

So... that solves one problem. Next!

I'm going to drill the tank out. I'm going to use the "homemade" bulkhead approach that Travis did in his tank build thread. I measured across the threads and it was 1.25". This calculated to 31.75MM, so I went ahead and got two 32MM diamond hole saws today for $12.50 shipped.

I'm thinking at this point I'm gonna have two 1" returns... only because I'm planning on using a Quiet One 3000, which has quite a bit of flow, so I figured I'd use some of that power for a SCWD.

I'm not 100% sure how I'm gonna do my overflow, but I'm thinking the same thing Travis did in his 10 gallon build. I think a 1" drain should be sufficient for about 400GPH. Any thoughts? Maybe I should do two...

Ok, now for the sump. It SUCKS having a 12.5" main tank and not at least 18". The only thing that will fit standard size are 10g tanks and 15g tall tanks. I can get a 15g tall for about $24, but I'm gonna check on a 19 gallon that is custom made for my stand (about 20"x11"x17" or so). I'm gonna ask GlassCages about one tomorrow. I've got a feeling they're going to want like $60 or $70 for it, though. I'm also thinking about doing two 10g tanks with one being elevated above the other one and have it drain into the other. This brings up microbubble possibilities, though. The first tank would be a refugium. The second would be split between the skimmer and return. I've got a feeling thats not going to work well, though. Again, microbubbles. So maybe doing my own tank would be better... I've debated on paying $40 or so for a 4x8 sheet of acrylic and giving it a shot. At the same time, if I fail, thats $40 that could have gone to glasscages building one for me... heh.

I guess it will all depend on how much they want to charge for my custom dimensions. At the least, I'll get the $24 15g tall tank.

I think thats about it for tonight. I'll update tomorrow with what GlassCages lets me know. Any and all thoughts are much welcomed!

Brandon

brentstep1 · 05/07/2007, 06:41 AM

Looks Great!

NeveSSL · 05/07/2007, 04:05 PM

Thanks Brent!

Good news! I ordered a 45 tall with starphire on the front and sides today.

I also got a 15 tall from them for the sump... to do the custom size I wanted it was going to be around $95 for acrylic... I'd rather just pay $24 for a 15 and take a 4 gallon hit.

Plus, using a 15 tall will allow me enough room for a bucket of sand to do a remote DSB if I want to, so thats an awesome advantage as well.

I won't be picking it up for another two weeks. I'm out of town this coming week and I just ordered it today. It wouldn't do me any good to get it this week, anyways, as I'm leaving next week and could only stare at it... so I told them to go ahead and take their time with them. I really think its going to be a beautiful tank. Its no the perfect size I wanted, but I think I'm going to be really happy with it and I think I'll be able to make it an absolutely gorgeous tank. I'm excited!

I do have to source a bit of acrylic to divide the sump up with now, but that shouldn't be too hard. I may use glass. It just depends on what I can find.

I am concerned about drilling out bulkheads for the SCWD, though. Mainly I'm concerned with it siphoning water out of my tank in a power outage. I'm gonna post and see what everyone else thinks.

Anyways, I'll probably go ahead and order the rest of the stuff this week. I still need test kits, a pump, and my skimmer right off the top of my head.

Anyways, my wife is at work until 8, so I'm gonna head into Nashville and maybe Smyrna and visit some pet stores.

Brandon

NeveSSL · 05/07/2007, 07:11 PM

Well, I probably shouldn't have gone. My wife is probably going to kill me. I went ahead and asked one of the owners of the LFS if he would make me a deal, and he did, and I bought stuff... heh.

I went ahead and got my Quiet One 3000, Coralife SS65, and a SQWD at the Aquatic Critter today. He seemed almost like he was in a bad mood, perhaps because I asked him to cut his prices some, but he was asking almost 2x what it costs online, and I'd much rather buy locally, but he cut me a decent deal so I'm happy and I hope he cheers up... lol.

Anyways, its pretty much now just deciding whether I want to hard plumb my sump and returns or if I want to do vinyl tubing. I think that smells like a new thread... hehe.

Brandon

drummereef · 05/07/2007, 08:34 PM

Nice choice on the 45 tall with starfire. You won't be disappointed.

NeveSSL · 05/07/2007, 09:06 PM

Thats good to hear! As it put me back a bit... hehe. But I really kind of want to make this a really good tank, and starphire definitely will help. The benefit of acrylic, with the durability of glass.

Brandon

agsansoo · 05/07/2007, 09:55 PM

Can't you buy it from someone else ... I'm not a fan of Glasscages.com. You get what you pay for ...! I would buy from somebody who does quality work. Just a word of warning. Good luck !

NeveSSL · 05/07/2007, 11:59 PM

A little late now.

Brandon

NeveSSL · 05/27/2007, 08:47 PM

Ok, so, its been a while since an update... so here goes....

I had some "miscommunications" between GlassCages and myself, but they were decently patient and I got through it ok.

I was going to do a 15 tall for the sump, but decided on a 20 tall instead. Its the same width of the display tank, but all that means is that I will have to have it stick slightly out of the back and build some supports for it to be raised above the bottom trim/support of the stand.

I also got two clowns from a fellow reefer who was moving... two perculas. They rock! They've been eating well, too. I feed them a bit of Hikari Mega Marine once a day. I also got 6 or 7 hermit crabs from him. They have a bit of a time with the egg crate on the bottom of the QT tank, but they seem to be fine overall.

Time for pics...

My wife stained the stand... I don't think I've mentioned that yet... here's a pic:

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Looks great! I hope when we get a canopy we can get something to match it... heh.

Heres my new tank on its stand before I cleaned it up a bit:

And this part I'm extremely excited about... the starphire is quite a bit clearer than the standard glass! Check out this shot to compare the two:

When I got my new critters Friday night, I drip acclimated them for about 4 hours... probably overkill and I did notice that the water ended up getting a bit cold, which was not cool, but everything seems to be fine.

I tried to snap some pictures of the clowns and whatnot, but our camera is horrible. Here's the one that did come out decent, though:

04/29/2007, 08:22 PM	#1
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Finally! My very own tank thread. :D Hey all! Well, I finally picked up my tank today! Its a 45 gallon, I think. Its 36x12.5x23. I thought it was 18" deep, which means that my plan for a 29 gallon sump isn't gonna work because its the same depth. So I've gotta take it back to the guy I got it from and get a 20 long or something. I'll work around it. Anyways, I got the tank, stand, 29 gallon tank, a LOT of live rock (not sure of lbs just yet... I'm thinking 70... what do you guys think based on the pics?), 2 powerheads, an Eheim canister filter (that am probably going to resell if its decent and in good condition), a light (nothing major, but enough to get me buy with some fish until I can get a T5 setup ) and a heater for $150. Not a bad deal, I don't think. He's a coworker and is moving, so told me I could have the live rock a while back (a HUGE expense alleviated!) and sold me the tank and other stuff for $150. I'm a bit concerned about a couple of things, though. Mainly, I'm just mad now that I can't get the 29 gallon sump in. I may have a custom tank built from GlassCages.com that will give me as much as possible... I had planned on a 36x18x17 because he told me it was a 50 gallon. Thats ok, I'll work around it best I can. Anyways, I'll be doing a bunch of cleaning on it and the stand (they've both been in storage for a while) and my wife is wanting to stain the stand, which is fine. We're not sure how its going to come out with it being a pine stand, but we'll make do. Here are some pics: __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

04/29/2007, 08:33 PM	#4
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Very cool, bet you're excited.. Where is the rim cracked exactly? I would weigh the rock on your own, kind of hard to tell just by the pics. Just make sure you have at least 1lb/gallon of rock or you can add some of his base rock too. More would definitely not hurt. Done any mixing lately? Just noticed your sig was NeveSSL. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/29/2007, 09:03 PM	#5
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Ok, as for my plans... Right now I've still got A LOT to do. And its probably going to take me at least a month to get things wrapped up. This coming week I've got a bunch of finals (which I need to be studying for now... hehe) and I've got a job (my first professional sound job... woohoo! ) thats taking me out on the road from Tuesday until Friday... so Saturday and part of next Sunday I hope to hit this stuff hard. First off (after cleaning and staining), I've got to figure out what to put under this thing for a sump as well as figure out if I need to replace the top rim (anyone? ). Then comes installing an overflow or two (probably going to use 6" PVC cut in half). I'm not sure if I'm going to do one or two. I'm only planning for about 300GPH through this tank, so one with a 1.5" bulkhead I think should do. What do you guys think? I'll probably use a Coralife superskimmer in the sump. I'm also planning on a Quiet One 3000 return pump. And then there will be various little other things to do. But I think that covers the largest tasks. b.branscombe: Yep! That's my baby! Its a Bogner 2x12". AMAZING sounding cabs! Great stuff! My gear is on freewebs.com. Just put a slash after it, followed by resilientaudio. drummereef: Love your name! And yes, I am FREAKING pumped! I will weigh the rock when I get a chance. Either tomorrow or next week me thinks. I'm positive I'll at least have 45 lbs... heh... and I may add some more of his base rock just for the heck of it and/or to aquascape with. The rim is cracked in both of the two right-hand corners. I have done a little bit of mixing lately... but mainly just on my final project for a class! I will be working on an SSL 4000G this coming fall and on Tuesday I head for Lake Charles, LA to do FOH for a medium sized Christian event. Supposed we're even getting internet on the bus, so it should be a fun trip! Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process Last edited by NeveSSL; 04/29/2007 at 09:12 PM.

04/29/2007, 09:36 PM	#7
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	The SSL 4000G will be awesome, you lucky dog. I have a buddy with a Neve VR60 here it town I do some work on. Good luck on your gig! Can you post a close up of the cracks on the rim? __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/29/2007, 11:42 PM	#8
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Actually, I may not. I went to study with some friends and found out that they (my teachers) are going to move around some consoles next semester. More specifically, I may be working on an SSL Duality or an API console of some sort, possibly in addition to the SSL. We have an Otari Series 54 (I think) for studio B. It will also be on 2" 24-track tape. Everything is up the in air, though. So we'll see what happens over the summer while they start to move stuff... Neves are nice, needless to say... lol. I think I'm going to build some 1073 clones to add to my home studio. I also may eventually buy an MCI, but we'll see. That's all in due time. Anyways, yeah, I'll snag a picture real quick of the cracks in the rim. Brandon PS I'll be on a DigiDesign Profile this coming week. I can actually set all my I/O on my computer on the bus and then upload it via a USB flash key to the console! Fun stuff... __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

04/29/2007, 08:28 PM	#3
b.branscombe Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ontario Posts: 407	Bogner speaker cab there in the corner?

04/29/2007, 09:06 PM	#6
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Sorry... doubble post...

04/29/2007, 11:54 PM	#9
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Ok, here we go: The second one is the one that scares me. Brandon

04/30/2007, 08:09 AM	#10
wooglin Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,231	I would move your sound equipment away from the container that is holding the liverock, the container looks a little stressed. I will be honest I would replace the aquarium, you got your monies worth on the live rock and the stand. Aquariums in that size range do not cost much. It is better not to risk getting all that water on your floor, and risking losing livestock after you have it up and running. __________________ 90 Gallon DBP RR, 20 Gallon Sump, Chiller, Aqua-C Urchin Skimmer 2x165watt Sbox wifi extreme led Pair Black Ocellaris Clown (12+ years old) , Arc Eye Hawkfish, Red-spotted Blenny, Bi-Color Angelfish Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon Reef

04/30/2007, 08:34 AM	#11
SRT80 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Smyrna, TN Posts: 2,090	yea, you could go to petsupermarket and pick up a 30 long (36x12x16) for like $55. They also carry the 45 tall too like the one you have, i think they are around $65. Or, check with the MTRC because I remember someone awhile back having a 30 long for cheap. I'm sure you could get somethin' out of that tank too, because It would be good for reptiles. I might even be interested. No, I have enough snakes Good luck! Steve

04/30/2007, 08:44 AM	#12
Slphappy Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cedar Falls, IA Posts: 144	Duck tape... If it can hold a windshield to a car it'll fix your tank... jk I would have to agree with Wooglin... The tank won't cost a lot to replace and not having to worry about leaks would probably give you some peace of mind. good luck, Todd __________________ How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world. ~William Shakespeare

04/30/2007, 09:33 AM	#13
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I'm with the other guys here. It's not worth the risk. Tanks this size are cheap so I'd get a new one. If you get a chance go to musiccreekstudios dot com and check out the room. It's where I do some of my projects. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/30/2007, 10:28 AM	#14
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Hey guys... thanks for the replies. I checked GlassCages.com and they have my tank for $125, or I can sacrifice 7 gallons and get a 38 gallon for $50, which will probably be the route I go. I do have to say, I'd much rather have a 55 or 60... so I may wait and see what I can find used. Crap... now I feel like I'm back to square one. Oh, and yes, there will be a new tub today. And I moved a bunch of my stuff last night because that container IS stressed! I hadn't planned on putting all of that in there, so today I go to wally world to pickup another one and I'm also going to weigh each piece as I transfer it. Thanks guys! I'm going to do some investigating. The cool thing about getting a new tank from glasscages is that I can possibly get a starphire front since they carry it now, and that would be really nice! Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

04/30/2007, 11:23 AM	#15
wooglin Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,231	Dont feel bad, I did the exact same thing when I started. Bought a used 30, stand, and light and the tank was less that stellar. I replaced it with another 30 and felt much better. You got the rock, and stand which was well worth your money. __________________ 90 Gallon DBP RR, 20 Gallon Sump, Chiller, Aqua-C Urchin Skimmer 2x165watt Sbox wifi extreme led Pair Black Ocellaris Clown (12+ years old) , Arc Eye Hawkfish, Red-spotted Blenny, Bi-Color Angelfish Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon Reef

04/30/2007, 04:00 PM	#16
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Yeah, I don't feel like I've lost a ton. The rock was a good value. I was just really hoping for a tank big enough for a mandarin... and its technically still possible... it just bothers me to try to do it in a 38 gallon. He originally told me it was a 50 gallon display... heh... I may still fill it up. I'm hoping there will be something wrong with it and I can maybe talk him into taking it back... lol. I may try to sell it as a reptile tank, too. I think it would make an awesome lizard tank as you could make a really cool background for them to climb on... almost makes me want to get one... lol. I'd better stick with fish for now, though. I'm gonna think about it for a bit... its a long haul to Louisiana from here. Thanks for all of the replies! Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

05/07/2007, 01:02 AM	#17
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Ok, so... an update. I will eventually make a webpage that will kind of match this thread... eventually. Anyways, here's the latest: First off, I'm gonna call glass cages tomorrow and order a 45 tall with starphire on the sides and front. I just don't trust the tank I got from my coworker. At least for water use. I am going to sell it to a friend for reptile use, though. We set it up and left it for two days and it didn't seem to have any leaks, but still... 45+ gallons on the floor would NOT be cool and would cost a lot more than a new tank... heh. Plus I'm REALLY wanting starphire glass in my tank! So... that solves one problem. Next! I'm going to drill the tank out. I'm going to use the "homemade" bulkhead approach that Travis did in his tank build thread. I measured across the threads and it was 1.25". This calculated to 31.75MM, so I went ahead and got two 32MM diamond hole saws today for $12.50 shipped. I'm thinking at this point I'm gonna have two 1" returns... only because I'm planning on using a Quiet One 3000, which has quite a bit of flow, so I figured I'd use some of that power for a SCWD. I'm not 100% sure how I'm gonna do my overflow, but I'm thinking the same thing Travis did in his 10 gallon build. I think a 1" drain should be sufficient for about 400GPH. Any thoughts? Maybe I should do two... Ok, now for the sump. It SUCKS having a 12.5" main tank and not at least 18". The only thing that will fit standard size are 10g tanks and 15g tall tanks. I can get a 15g tall for about $24, but I'm gonna check on a 19 gallon that is custom made for my stand (about 20"x11"x17" or so). I'm gonna ask GlassCages about one tomorrow. I've got a feeling they're going to want like $60 or $70 for it, though. I'm also thinking about doing two 10g tanks with one being elevated above the other one and have it drain into the other. This brings up microbubble possibilities, though. The first tank would be a refugium. The second would be split between the skimmer and return. I've got a feeling thats not going to work well, though. Again, microbubbles. So maybe doing my own tank would be better... I've debated on paying $40 or so for a 4x8 sheet of acrylic and giving it a shot. At the same time, if I fail, thats $40 that could have gone to glasscages building one for me... heh. I guess it will all depend on how much they want to charge for my custom dimensions. At the least, I'll get the $24 15g tall tank. I think thats about it for tonight. I'll update tomorrow with what GlassCages lets me know. Any and all thoughts are much welcomed! Brandon

05/07/2007, 06:41 AM	#18
brentstep1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 10	Looks Great! __________________ “If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Made In Prolonging The Problem.” Current Tank Info: 55G RR

05/07/2007, 04:05 PM	#19
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Thanks Brent! Good news! I ordered a 45 tall with starphire on the front and sides today. I also got a 15 tall from them for the sump... to do the custom size I wanted it was going to be around $95 for acrylic... I'd rather just pay $24 for a 15 and take a 4 gallon hit. Plus, using a 15 tall will allow me enough room for a bucket of sand to do a remote DSB if I want to, so thats an awesome advantage as well. I won't be picking it up for another two weeks. I'm out of town this coming week and I just ordered it today. It wouldn't do me any good to get it this week, anyways, as I'm leaving next week and could only stare at it... so I told them to go ahead and take their time with them. I really think its going to be a beautiful tank. Its no the perfect size I wanted, but I think I'm going to be really happy with it and I think I'll be able to make it an absolutely gorgeous tank. I'm excited! I do have to source a bit of acrylic to divide the sump up with now, but that shouldn't be too hard. I may use glass. It just depends on what I can find. I am concerned about drilling out bulkheads for the SCWD, though. Mainly I'm concerned with it siphoning water out of my tank in a power outage. I'm gonna post and see what everyone else thinks. Anyways, I'll probably go ahead and order the rest of the stuff this week. I still need test kits, a pump, and my skimmer right off the top of my head. Anyways, my wife is at work until 8, so I'm gonna head into Nashville and maybe Smyrna and visit some pet stores. Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

05/07/2007, 07:11 PM	#20
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Well, I probably shouldn't have gone. My wife is probably going to kill me. I went ahead and asked one of the owners of the LFS if he would make me a deal, and he did, and I bought stuff... heh. I went ahead and got my Quiet One 3000, Coralife SS65, and a SQWD at the Aquatic Critter today. He seemed almost like he was in a bad mood, perhaps because I asked him to cut his prices some, but he was asking almost 2x what it costs online, and I'd much rather buy locally, but he cut me a decent deal so I'm happy and I hope he cheers up... lol. Anyways, its pretty much now just deciding whether I want to hard plumb my sump and returns or if I want to do vinyl tubing. I think that smells like a new thread... hehe. Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

05/07/2007, 08:34 PM	#21
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Nice choice on the 45 tall with starfire. You won't be disappointed. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

05/07/2007, 09:06 PM	#22
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Thats good to hear! As it put me back a bit... hehe. But I really kind of want to make this a really good tank, and starphire definitely will help. The benefit of acrylic, with the durability of glass. Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

05/07/2007, 09:55 PM	#23
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	Can't you buy it from someone else ... I'm not a fan of Glasscages.com. You get what you pay for ...! I would buy from somebody who does quality work. Just a word of warning. Good luck ! __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

05/07/2007, 11:59 PM	#24
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	A little late now. Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

05/27/2007, 08:47 PM	#25
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	Ok, so, its been a while since an update... so here goes.... I had some "miscommunications" between GlassCages and myself, but they were decently patient and I got through it ok. I was going to do a 15 tall for the sump, but decided on a 20 tall instead. Its the same width of the display tank, but all that means is that I will have to have it stick slightly out of the back and build some supports for it to be raised above the bottom trim/support of the stand. I also got two clowns from a fellow reefer who was moving... two perculas. They rock! They've been eating well, too. I feed them a bit of Hikari Mega Marine once a day. I also got 6 or 7 hermit crabs from him. They have a bit of a time with the egg crate on the bottom of the QT tank, but they seem to be fine overall. Time for pics... My wife stained the stand... I don't think I've mentioned that yet... here's a pic: Looks great! I hope when we get a canopy we can get something to match it... heh. Heres my new tank on its stand before I cleaned it up a bit: And this part I'm extremely excited about... the starphire is quite a bit clearer than the standard glass! Check out this shot to compare the two: When I got my new critters Friday night, I drip acclimated them for about 4 hours... probably overkill and I did notice that the water ended up getting a bit cold, which was not cool, but everything seems to be fine. I tried to snap some pictures of the clowns and whatnot, but our camera is horrible. Here's the one that did come out decent, though: