Need Input Please, Custom Tank - Page 2

bertoni · 12/06/2005, 09:44 PM

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like the distortion effect of a bowfront.

Acrylic will bow a bit, but I've not seen a tank where that caused appreciable distortion. The refractive index of acrylic is fairly close to water, IIRC, and that probably limits the damage. My little 12g Eclipse bowfront looks fine (small size, etc), but the 12g glass tank was so nasty to my eyes I took it down.

insanereef · 12/06/2005, 10:04 PM

yeah if you have 2 bow front tanks. both exactly the same bow. one acrilic one glass. the glass will look worse. but if its a flat front tank. the glass will be straighter then the acrilic so in that case. glass will b ebetter

like i said only time yous ohuld use acrylic is if ya have no choice

bertoni · 12/07/2005, 12:34 AM

That's not my experience. Glass looks much worse to me, although the special low-iron glass sounds okay. I don't like the green color cast of normal glass, and I don't notice the bowing of the acrylic tanks I've seen. Especially here in earthquake country, I'm pretty well set on acrylic tanks.

virex27th · 12/07/2005, 10:13 AM

Bertoni,

What brand of acrylic is your tank made out of?

I got my first quote back. They said right now we dont make bowfronts smaller than 200gallons. Guess I am going to have a bigger upgrade than I imagined...... yeah right I WISH!!!!

Kinetic · 12/07/2005, 11:45 AM

I don't have any warping with my tank, just that the bowfront distorts photographs I try to take at different angles. Not in a bad way, but it looks less like you're "in the water".

virex27th · 12/07/2005, 11:59 AM

I took another look at your m-tank thread on nano-reef other than the tank being narrow all the photos of the tank look good to me. Guess you are just a super pic taker and you hide all the distortion. You know if it is to much trouble just pack it up and ship it to me. I will give it a good home ;-)

Blizzard · 12/07/2005, 12:17 PM

nice!!

Kinetic · 12/07/2005, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by virex27th
I took another look at your m-tank thread on nano-reef other than the tank being narrow all the photos of the tank look good to me. Guess you are just a super pic taker and you hide all the distortion. You know if it is to much trouble just pack it up and ship it to me. I will give it a good home ;-)

I like taking photographs as a hobby, and I guess I'm just nitpicking when I say the bowfront distorts a lot. IT's really not that bad, but it's harder to get angles. A flat surface would be far better for photos.

haha well if I get my 82 g setup successfully, the 32 will be broken down and put up for sale

tho i'm sure your custom will rock.

bertoni · 12/07/2005, 02:56 PM

I don't remember the brand of my acrylic tank. The label is gone now. Sigh!

insanereef · 12/07/2005, 03:17 PM

did you make the stand or buy the stand with the tank. they usualy put the name on the stand as well

bertoni · 12/07/2005, 03:21 PM

I don't have a stand for it. That tank is sitting on the floor.

Kinetic · 12/07/2005, 03:37 PM

bertoni also doesn't have chairs, just crosslegged sitting

virex27th · 12/07/2005, 03:50 PM

lol, remember he lives in earthquake zone. No stand equals no falling off stand when earthquake hits.

insanereef · 12/07/2005, 04:08 PM

hate to say it but. i thik im safer with my hurricanes (florida) ^^

bertoni · 12/07/2005, 04:26 PM

It's not a display tank, actually. It was bought as a refugium and turned into a refugee area for excess corals, and then an anemone moved in.

My 29g display tank is glass and it sits on a stand. Although I do spend a lot of time lying on the floor...

virex27th · 12/11/2005, 09:49 PM

Well I have gotten 2 quotes back so far, one for 400 and the other for 350 neither a bowfront just a flat panel. I have a few more quotes left to come in. Wish I could find someone local who could build the tank. I tried to ask the LFS and they just tried to get me to order a tank thru them, :-). I havent given up on the dream yet, it just might have to be modified to my wallets reality.

virex27th · 12/12/2005, 09:47 AM

Made I should just build my own tank. I read a website on how to build an acrylic tank, it doesnt look to hard. :-)

bertoni · 12/12/2005, 03:00 PM

If I were more skilled with tools, I'd like to do that, too. On the other hand, I'm not handy with tools, and I like dry carpeting.

Blizzard · 12/12/2005, 05:47 PM

haha I agree with jonathan, I also like dry carpets!

One day when I have a lot of time I"ll go buy some tools and do a couple small projects

virex27th · 01/31/2006, 10:55 PM

Well after much searching/researching and getting quotes on tanks. I have settled on a 75gallon glass tank. Not exactly what I started out for but I like the dimensions 48x18x21. If this tank is a success then made the fancy acrylic plunge next.

This is what I am thinking for plumbing. 2 horizontal overflows in the corners with 1 inch bulkheads 2 inchs down from the top and 2 inches in from the side. Measured to the edge of the hole not the center.

Closed Loop:
Two 1.5 inch bulkheads, one 9 inches up from the bottom 16 inches in from the side and the other one 12 inches up from the botton and 16 inches in from the other side.
OR
One 2 inch bulkhead in the center.

Return Manifold:
1.5inch pipe with 4 outlets on the back, 1 on each side and 2 in the front.

Anybody have pros/cons for the one 2 inch bulkhead vs. two 1.5 inch bulkheads?

Kinetic · 01/31/2006, 11:34 PM

that's for the intake? depends on what pump you're using. if the pump has a 1.5" intake, then do one bulkhead, and use a spray bar to even out the intake flow.

virex27th · 02/01/2006, 07:42 AM

I was going to use the Sequence Dart which has a 2inch intake. So if I did two 1.5 bulkheads I would combine them to a 2 inch pipe.

Kinetic · 02/01/2006, 12:07 PM

that would require two reducers and a T, which would hurt headloss even more. I'd suggest a 2" bulkhead and an intake dispersed by using a spray bar intake.

virex27th · 02/01/2006, 01:02 PM

Hmmm, I was planning on using a wye instead of a tee. How much do you think the 2 intakes vs one would decrease the gph? The dart is already more gph than I wanted, so I was already trying to take loss into account. I like the just one hole idea and a spray bar but I dont want to see the sparybar in the system. Seems like it would be hard to hide. I am trying to make it as clean as possible. What if I changed the pump to a 1.5 intake? I am a newbie at plumbing but wyeing together two 1.5 pipes into a 1.5 intake of a pump doesnt seem efficient to me, thats why I was doing a 2 inch pump intake.

Kinetic · 02/01/2006, 02:06 PM

if you have a big reason to decrease your GPH then it isn't too bad, but to give less strain on the motor etc, it's best to give it as little headloss as possible.

Spraybars are very easy to hide, though not sure why people would think otherwise. If you have the intake low enough, your rockscape should cover it. Also getting black PVC from places like savko will also blend it in if you have a black background. Even if you did to two intakes, i'd still recommend the spray bar intake.

12/06/2005, 09:44 PM	#26
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like the distortion effect of a bowfront. Acrylic will bow a bit, but I've not seen a tank where that caused appreciable distortion. The refractive index of acrylic is fairly close to water, IIRC, and that probably limits the damage. My little 12g Eclipse bowfront looks fine (small size, etc), but the 12g glass tank was so nasty to my eyes I took it down. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/07/2005, 12:34 AM	#28
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That's not my experience. Glass looks much worse to me, although the special low-iron glass sounds okay. I don't like the green color cast of normal glass, and I don't notice the bowing of the acrylic tanks I've seen. Especially here in earthquake country, I'm pretty well set on acrylic tanks. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/07/2005, 12:17 PM	#32
Blizzard Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 62	nice!! Last edited by Blizzard; 12/07/2005 at 12:33 PM.

12/07/2005, 02:56 PM	#34
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I don't remember the brand of my acrylic tank. The label is gone now. Sigh! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/07/2005, 03:21 PM	#36
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I don't have a stand for it. That tank is sitting on the floor. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/06/2005, 10:04 PM	#27
insanereef Moved On Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 72	yeah if you have 2 bow front tanks. both exactly the same bow. one acrilic one glass. the glass will look worse. but if its a flat front tank. the glass will be straighter then the acrilic so in that case. glass will b ebetter like i said only time yous ohuld use acrylic is if ya have no choice

12/07/2005, 10:13 AM	#29
virex27th Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 35	Bertoni, What brand of acrylic is your tank made out of? I got my first quote back. They said right now we dont make bowfronts smaller than 200gallons. Guess I am going to have a bigger upgrade than I imagined...... yeah right I WISH!!!!

12/07/2005, 11:45 AM	#30
Kinetic Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,230	I don't have any warping with my tank, just that the bowfront distorts photographs I try to take at different angles. Not in a bad way, but it looks less like you're "in the water".

12/07/2005, 11:59 AM	#31
virex27th Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 35	I took another look at your m-tank thread on nano-reef other than the tank being narrow all the photos of the tank look good to me. Guess you are just a super pic taker and you hide all the distortion. You know if it is to much trouble just pack it up and ship it to me. I will give it a good home ;-)

12/07/2005, 03:17 PM	#35
insanereef Moved On Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 72	did you make the stand or buy the stand with the tank. they usualy put the name on the stand as well

12/07/2005, 03:37 PM	#37
Kinetic Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,230	bertoni also doesn't have chairs, just crosslegged sitting

12/07/2005, 03:50 PM	#38
virex27th Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 35	lol, remember he lives in earthquake zone. No stand equals no falling off stand when earthquake hits.

12/07/2005, 04:08 PM	#39
insanereef Moved On Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 72	hate to say it but. i thik im safer with my hurricanes (florida) ^^

12/07/2005, 04:26 PM	#40
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	It's not a display tank, actually. It was bought as a refugium and turned into a refugee area for excess corals, and then an anemone moved in. My 29g display tank is glass and it sits on a stand. Although I do spend a lot of time lying on the floor... __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/11/2005, 09:49 PM	#41
virex27th Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 35	Well I have gotten 2 quotes back so far, one for 400 and the other for 350 neither a bowfront just a flat panel. I have a few more quotes left to come in. Wish I could find someone local who could build the tank. I tried to ask the LFS and they just tried to get me to order a tank thru them, :-). I havent given up on the dream yet, it just might have to be modified to my wallets reality.

12/12/2005, 09:47 AM	#42
virex27th Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 35	Made I should just build my own tank. I read a website on how to build an acrylic tank, it doesnt look to hard. :-)

12/12/2005, 03:00 PM	#43
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If I were more skilled with tools, I'd like to do that, too. On the other hand, I'm not handy with tools, and I like dry carpeting. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/12/2005, 05:47 PM	#44
Blizzard Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 62	haha I agree with jonathan, I also like dry carpets! One day when I have a lot of time I"ll go buy some tools and do a couple small projects

01/31/2006, 10:55 PM	#45
virex27th Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 35	Well after much searching/researching and getting quotes on tanks. I have settled on a 75gallon glass tank. Not exactly what I started out for but I like the dimensions 48x18x21. If this tank is a success then made the fancy acrylic plunge next. This is what I am thinking for plumbing. 2 horizontal overflows in the corners with 1 inch bulkheads 2 inchs down from the top and 2 inches in from the side. Measured to the edge of the hole not the center. Closed Loop: Two 1.5 inch bulkheads, one 9 inches up from the bottom 16 inches in from the side and the other one 12 inches up from the botton and 16 inches in from the other side. OR One 2 inch bulkhead in the center. Return Manifold: 1.5inch pipe with 4 outlets on the back, 1 on each side and 2 in the front. Anybody have pros/cons for the one 2 inch bulkhead vs. two 1.5 inch bulkheads?

01/31/2006, 11:34 PM	#46
Kinetic Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,230	that's for the intake? depends on what pump you're using. if the pump has a 1.5" intake, then do one bulkhead, and use a spray bar to even out the intake flow.

02/01/2006, 07:42 AM	#47
virex27th Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 35	I was going to use the Sequence Dart which has a 2inch intake. So if I did two 1.5 bulkheads I would combine them to a 2 inch pipe.

02/01/2006, 12:07 PM	#48
Kinetic Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,230	that would require two reducers and a T, which would hurt headloss even more. I'd suggest a 2" bulkhead and an intake dispersed by using a spray bar intake.

02/01/2006, 01:02 PM	#49
virex27th Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 35	Hmmm, I was planning on using a wye instead of a tee. How much do you think the 2 intakes vs one would decrease the gph? The dart is already more gph than I wanted, so I was already trying to take loss into account. I like the just one hole idea and a spray bar but I dont want to see the sparybar in the system. Seems like it would be hard to hide. I am trying to make it as clean as possible. What if I changed the pump to a 1.5 intake? I am a newbie at plumbing but wyeing together two 1.5 pipes into a 1.5 intake of a pump doesnt seem efficient to me, thats why I was doing a 2 inch pump intake.

02/01/2006, 02:06 PM	#50
Kinetic Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,230	if you have a big reason to decrease your GPH then it isn't too bad, but to give less strain on the motor etc, it's best to give it as little headloss as possible. Spraybars are very easy to hide, though not sure why people would think otherwise. If you have the intake low enough, your rockscape should cover it. Also getting black PVC from places like savko will also blend it in if you have a black background. Even if you did to two intakes, i'd still recommend the spray bar intake.