158 gallon bow front build cost efficient and DIY when possible
- Thread starter aww_419
- Start date
aww_419
Registered Member
Ok the light is finished. I will put up some pics of the proto type first and then some newer pics.
The light is made using white pine, hole saw, 12 standard socket receptacles for spiral compact florescent bulbs, (2) 3 wire 20 amp rated electrical cable wires than run to 6 sockets each, (6) 12k 13 watt spiral CF bulbs, (6) Blue party style CF spiral bulbs, water sealer and silicone around the electrical components, and a 6 foot by 12 inch mirror I got on craigs list as the reflector. and black paint
just testing it out here with a cuple regular bulbs here
Had to darken the picture and increase shutter speed so you could see the bulbs
The light is made using white pine, hole saw, 12 standard socket receptacles for spiral compact florescent bulbs, (2) 3 wire 20 amp rated electrical cable wires than run to 6 sockets each, (6) 12k 13 watt spiral CF bulbs, (6) Blue party style CF spiral bulbs, water sealer and silicone around the electrical components, and a 6 foot by 12 inch mirror I got on craigs list as the reflector. and black paint
just testing it out here with a cuple regular bulbs here
Had to darken the picture and increase shutter speed so you could see the bulbs
aww_419
Registered Member
LOL yeah the saw dust never goes away lol. No there will be corals in the tank. well maybe some mushrooms and kenya tree just simple stuff. I had some kenya tree and mushrooms in my fuge for a while with one of these bulbs and they did just fine so im sure ill put some in the tank. mostly just for brightness and color. The white light is actually very bright white. a lot brighter than I thought it would be. and the blue bulbs just give it a little color.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
looks great. Could you please provide a link to the site metioned here?
aww_419
Registered Member
this is two of the sites that were helpful
http://www.ehow.com/how_4798938_remove-scratches-glass-aquarium.html
http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/house/windows/how-to-remove-scratches-from-glass/
The other site i used that was the most help i unfotunelty no longer have earmarked. I will try and find it though. It was actually from an automotive forum and the pictures were of a brown porches rear windshield.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4798938_remove-scratches-glass-aquarium.html
http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/house/windows/how-to-remove-scratches-from-glass/
The other site i used that was the most help i unfotunelty no longer have earmarked. I will try and find it though. It was actually from an automotive forum and the pictures were of a brown porches rear windshield.
aww_419
Registered Member
ok finally got it. here you go gary
http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36261
This is the nicer link. He not only goes through the steps and has pictures but he also gives you precise movements that aid in removing the scratches which after a lot of research is why ive found to be the key. Technique is everything.
http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36261
This is the nicer link. He not only goes through the steps and has pictures but he also gives you precise movements that aid in removing the scratches which after a lot of research is why ive found to be the key. Technique is everything.
Wow,lol....Now that is truly diy at its finest. I did not expect to see a light like that,actually a really cool idea.
Did you find or expect heat to be an issue? I ask because I use one of those bulbs over a small fuge in my cabinet and noticed it gets pretty warm ,maybe not from the bulb but hard to tell with the main display is an open top.-Graves
Did you find or expect heat to be an issue? I ask because I use one of those bulbs over a small fuge in my cabinet and noticed it gets pretty warm ,maybe not from the bulb but hard to tell with the main display is an open top.-Graves
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
thanks for this excellent link. Where did you purchase cerium oxide ... did you use a certain brand name product from an automotive store?
aww_419
Registered Member
I got the cerium oxide from my old man. His hobby obsession is making jewelry. and I thought I have an expensive addiction?? Cerium oxide is used by a lot of jewelers to polish gemstones. The whiter the cerium oxide the better. It usually comes orange in color. The stuff I got is "super" cerium it is ultra fine and bright white. You only need to use a very small amount mixed with water. I started with a 2 ounce bottle. After using it on the tank a lot, and my windshield on my car where there were some slight scrapes from wipers I only used about 1/6th of the bottle. I will put pics up soon battery is charging for the camera.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
it depends on what you want to keep in this aquarium
aww_419
Registered Member
Well i was thinking some schooling fish, a few anthias, some chromis, pair of clowns with anem, maybe a couple angels. My neighbor has 2 california rays in his 200 gallon, Id like to keep one in this tank just not sure whether that is a possibility yet, havent done enough research on them to make a decision. but that is pretty much it besides some mushrooms and kenya tree. just standard easy stuff. To answer your question from the other thread gary I made it very simple and easy to change out the socks. so i feel that it would be more cost efficient and easier in the long run to just swap them out. really only takes seconds. But i think i am planning on putting a small skimmer in later on. nothing fancy though. Its just the maintenance that comes with the skimmer we were trying to avoid. but if I have to do it for my 75 might as well do them both at the same time right?
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
it sounds like you're more into fishes than corals.
I'd skip the micron bags altogether and set up a simple low maintenance skimmer. Skimmers are less maintenance than micron bags.
I'd skip the micron bags altogether and set up a simple low maintenance skimmer. Skimmers are less maintenance than micron bags.
aww_419
Registered Member
Well I would love to have a 160 gallon reef tank but this tank was more of a project for me and my brother to work on. He just got back from Afghanistan not to long ago and he wanted a tank for himself. Since I know what kind of guy he is and how easily distracted and not always reliable he is. I suggested that he just set up a 55 FOWLR for starters. Then I saw a great deal on this tank and jumped on it. So rather than have a 160 reef tank that im sure will become my full responsibility i decided we should go with a FOWLR tank. Like I said I know him and eventually he will want nothing to do with the tank and move onto another hobby. For now I am doing most of the "skilled" work and hes doing all the grunt work, such as swapping out the bags every morning. So trust me the bags are less maintenance for me at the moment LOL. See why Im sure I will be switching to a skimmer in the near future? Just a matter of time.
