150 Gallon SPS/Mixed Build Thread

[matt the fiddler]

Since I am getting ready to officially order a tank soon, I am going to start keeping the logs and updates here.

60" x 24" x 25"

Attached is a very compressed mock-up of what I am likely going to have made by Glass Cages. I would prefer Aquarium Obssessed, but they are twice the price.. But I am still searchign locally to see if anyone carries a tank in my size for a reasonable asking price.

You can see the closed loop on the bottom. It will be powered by an Oceans Motions 4-way and pumping either a 1,100 GPH Panworld or a 2,500+ Sequence. I have been in touch with Paul from OM and a few others quite a bit on flow engineering .

So, my first question.. is the overflow box too small?

 

[RockinSmall]

very nice diagram

 

[Dave Dunbar]

Hello Go all the way across the top (coast to coast) you will be much happier!!!! Extend the bottom out like 1/4" then you can place frags on the edge and they'll grow and hide the overflow
Looks nice
Dave

 

[dastratt]

Just tossing this out there if you had looked at Deep Sea Aquatics. I have been toying with a similar size tank for awhile now and had them on my list. Not endorsing them at all and this may not be what you are looking for but here is a link FWIW

http://www.deepseaaquatics.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=122

 

[rodcpierce]

nice

 

[matt the fiddler]

I already emailed Deep Sea for a quote.

They will only build me a tank if I go through the LFS...

As it is I can get a custom Starfire tank for $715 from glass cages (plus a few holes) ,
Petco and PetSmart wont' special order for me, even brands they stock (rrrrrrrr) ... I am waiting to hear back from 2 other places... and, as much as I love my LFS, their markup on Marineland and Oceanic tanks makes it almost cheaper form me to custom order directly from Aquarium Obssesed....

How expensive is Deep Sea? they would not give me a quote in email...

 

[matt the fiddler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15320864#post15320864 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dave Dunbar
Hello Go all the way across the top (coast to coast) you will be much happier!!!! Extend the bottom out like 1/4" then you can place frags on the edge and they'll grow and hide the overflow
Looks nice
Dave

Dave, I thought about that.. With my flow, in addition to the Loop, I will have Tunze Wavebox style waves kick on and off to get the oscillating waves.

My only worry is if the overflow goes from far R to L that the crest of those waves will splash a lot.

Now, I could put a ramped acrylic extension on the outsides to make it harder for the wave to get in.

On the frag ledge.. Perfect idea.. (goes and revisits drawing board!)

BTW... how deep should I make the inside of the overflow box, with 1 1/2" bulkheads?

Thanks for the feedback!

Matt

 

[matt the fiddler]

Next Update..


Rock Aquascape in progress:

Since I am engineering the flow by drilling a tank, I decided to decide the main aquascape before buying... One of my past lessons was that constant modding and tweaking of rock-work and flow without and end goal is BAD for the tank. it is easier to start right and plan for the growth. It breaks less SPS colonies in half too!

Here you can see the floor tape for dimensions, and my rock formations taking shape (sorry the good camera is AWOL) The cardboard is a rough placement where an overflow would go so I can decide if I hate it there, or if the Layout will be to shaded.

I plan to use acrylic rods, and ties to hold this in place before going in the tank.

The tank will have black starboard on the bottom.

The rock is mostly Marshall, some fuji base rock, and some pillars from who knows where... (all from my old 75 that crashed) and is dry now.


Ignore the boxes and pipes holding up the Rock work on the left!

 

[matt the fiddler]

Hiding in the back is the column stack that is going to take every bit of skill to have sturdy with the supports hidden. I have been saving it for 5 or 6 years for the right tank It is 3 separate 16-17" coral heads that grew together and *almost* fused into each other.

And the R Marshall Islands side.. boy the flash removes all depth. My goal here is to get a reef outcroping, and have believable generations of SPS Skeletons growing on top of older/ deader colonies.

I am using a HUGE 10" + table acro skeleton in back and a few others from a friends tank that crashed 6 years ago. I think, just like film sets, if you want realistic illusion, you have to have a convincing "history" behind the rockwork/ props.

This side will be (hopefully invisibly) epoxy-ed, acrylic rodded, and made very solid. I have my spots for Caps and Stags already planed.

 

[dastratt]

I was wondering the same thing about their prices as I've been thinking about buying a similar sized tank. I don't think there's any dealers around here ... I emailed a dealer in Chicago but they never responded.

I had a quote from Pets Playhouse in CR and Premium Aquatics in Indy for a Marineland 200 last year Pets Playhouse was competitive, a few hundred more than what That Fish Place shows on their website (through sponsors page they have a price list). Forgot the exact number but its a lot more than 715 for sure over 2k.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15322074#post15322074 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by matt the fiddler
I already emailed Deep Sea for a quote.

They will only build me a tank if I go through the LFS...

As it is I can get a custom Starfire tank for $715 from glass cages (plus a few holes) ,
Petco and PetSmart wont' special order for me, even brands they stock (rrrrrrrr) ... I am waiting to hear back from 2 other places... and, as much as I love my LFS, their markup on Marineland and Oceanic tanks makes it almost cheaper form me to custom order directly from Aquarium Obssesed....

How expensive is Deep Sea? they would not give me a quote in email...

 

[glaspie69]

I would try using Portland cement mix before using rods. The rock i tried it on was far to brittle and tended to break everywhere i tried drilling it. The pieces I did get together seemed to be wobbly and shifty. I used the Portland on my rock work and love it, i know Brad did the same on his. I have three large rocks to deal with and it very hard to get them to shift.

 

[matt the fiddler]

glaspie, that is great idea! I will do some more digging on that..

The mix is the portland, crushed coral rubble, and water, right?

most of my rock is marshall.. and very thin and brittle.. don't want to crack it out... the fuji pieces would probably do ok though...

 

[matt the fiddler]

well, and on the subject of tanks..

Rugger KC has that nice 180 acrylic tank I am trying to come to a decision on... I was ready to jump on it.. but on finding out it is 3/8" I just am scared that it is too thin for having the tunze wave box and some serious turblence in it. on the nice side I can drill acrylic in my sleep. I have drilled glass before.. but seriously, i am on nerves when I am doing it.

This morning I got a call locally for a 220 Perfecto good till the end of the month... Bare Bones $800, drilled with the corner overflows for $1000 72x 24x 30

Thier website shows nothing is tempered... so I would rather get the base tank, and drill/ build out a Calfo overflow on the back.

Gosh.. that tank would be a monster. 400 pounds. (though the corner flow verion of it is listed at 350 on their charts.. hmmmmm..... .I didn't know 4 holes weighed so much ) That heavy is likely beyond friends to get in the basement- That is likely piano movers.

If I don't drill the bottom, I could always use that extra space on the sides and the bottom to hide the closed loop plumbing, and keep the viewing window the same size..

I just need to get glass thicknesses from them.. but I suspect Marineland/ perfecto is going to be thick enough. Thoughts?

 

[matt the fiddler]

So, the glass 180 and 220 (72x24x24, 72x24x30)

each have 12mm sides and a 16 mm bottom.

do you guys think that will be strong enough to drill?

and If I drill the 2" bulkhead (or 2 1 1/2") for the closed loop intank, is that going to be safer on the bottom or the back?

 

[matt the fiddler]

Price down to 730 for the 220

 

[jmadison]

My 180 AGA took 3 men and a lady to get off the truck and about 50 yards into my basement. Said to weigh 282 dry, but in that week of extreme humidity here in IA sure weighed A TON!

 

[jmadison]

Oh, we used a piano dolly down the sidewalk, and then a two wheel dolly to get through the door.

 

[glaspie69]

On my rock I used straight Portland, I can't see why you would need to add anything overall if you leave the patches rough they tend to blend in and my has supported coralline faster than the rock. If you look at my rock work you wouldn't notice the patches unless you knew where they were.

 

[matt the fiddler]

Portland Try #1 is setting.


I basically did a mix of it and some rubble to hold the towers in place. I used some old dead coral skeletons in a "rebar" ish fashion.. It may not be super pretty, but it is a base only, and will be covered hey- first try..

I did the set on a piece of acrylic to get a good base that would be flat to encourage the pillar to stand.. if it attaches to it or not, I am fine

BTW..
The smallest bag I could get at Home Depot was 90 pounds

It only cost $10 though

Short of taking a hammer to rock and dead coral heads... I have exhausted my true coral "rubble" that is not reactor media..
hmmmmm... I have some old tiny particle ARM media that will never go in my reactor again.. that might work...

 

[matt the fiddler]

Duct tape works wonders to balance rock... the paper is in for spacing...

do you guys think (once cured) that is enough for the base? I am worried about the tensile weakness of Concrete from future coral growth and added weight AND waves cracking that out and/or tipping it.