200 gallon project.

[Foster]

platapus - I used a 1 3/4" drill bit for the 1" bulkhead.

lovetoreef - I love the closed loop and especially the holes drilled in the bottom. There is so much more current in this tank than I ever had before. The nice thing about the holes drilled in the bottom is that I can get current flowing back towards the aquascaping, not just coming from the back, and with the adjustable loc-line fittings, I can change the flow pattern very easily.
As for the ReefBones, yes, it is just basically base rock, but very nice shapes and sizes.

Im looking for on to drill out a 10g tank....

Did your drill bit look something like this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=32400

 

[Rendos]

yes...that is the type of bit I used. They are actually very easy to use...just go slow and keep water on the glass while drilling to keep it cool and prevent the glass from cracking.

 

[Rendos]

Mike - running the electrical was actually very easy. I am on a slab floor so I had to go in the attic and fish the lines down the wall, but it was no problem. It helps to have 2 people so one can fish the wire down the wall and the other can be on the other end looking for the wire. The whole thing cost me about $50.00 in parts and about an hour to install. I used GFI outlets since they are so close to water.

 

[MacnReef]

Hey are you still liking your fixture? I wish I would have went with 3-400W 20K's with VHO's over my 180 instead of the 6' 3-250W HQI's. Don't get me wrong, I love the Maristar (great quality) but I want to run 20K's and I want to get good PAR.

Mike

 

[Rendos]

I love this new light fixture. I changed up the light scheme a little. I am running 20K's on the ends and a 10K in the middle. I like the look a lot better. I always had canopies in the past and love the open top look, and the fact that I don't have heat build up in the canopy any longer. Did you sell your Oceans Motions yet?? I have come up with some extra cash recently and may be interested if you still have it.

 

[MacnReef]

No, I sold the OM.

Glad you like the fixture. It would be cool if someone local had a 6' triple 400W canopy like yours with VHO's that wanted to trade for my VERY expensive Maristar. They would be getting a bargain...thats for sure.

Mike

 

[Foster]

Picture...Picture.... Picture

 

[Pewe]

Nice Acro pikey

 

[Rendos]

Thanks.

 

[Holyreefer]

i was wanting to know if you could post more pics of your overflows in work? I also have a 220 thats been drilled and was trying to figure out if i put over flows on if they would work or not.

i also just pm'd you

 

[MacnReef]

Are you having any heat issues? Are the lights heating up the room? Are the lights on seperate ballasts so that they can turn on/off independently?

Mike

 

[Rendos]

Qmonroe - I will post pictures of the overflows in action soon.

Mike - I have 12 foot ceilings and the house stays pretty cool, but the open top and no canopy has heated the living room up a little. It is not an issue right now, but the weather has been pretty mild too. I don't know what it will be like come summer. The chiller produces WAY more heat than the lights do. I am trying to figure out a way to vent the chiller to the outside without too many permanent changes to the house. I also thought about venting it to my attic through the wall. I think I could run duct work inside the wall and up to the attic, but I am a little uncertain what effect that will have on the drywall/mud/and paint.

 

[MacnReef]

Not sure. Thankfully I have a closet about 10' to the left of my tank that leads outside... (the closet is actually in the garage and is used for storage but it extends in under a staircase near my tank). So if I need a chiller I can put it in there.

Mike

 

[Rendos]

Mike...I like the new avatar, by the way. : )

 

[MacnReef]

Me too...lol

BTW, I am thinking of switching over to 400W 20KK lamps. Two of my 14KK 250W DE's have blown within the first month.

Mike

 

[Rendos]

Qmonroe - here is a picture of one of the overflows in action.

 

[Rendos]

UPDATED PICS 10/30/04

UPDATED PICS 10/30/04

I took a few pictures today to show the progress the tank is making. The first is just to show how fast the coralline is already taking over...

Two new Orange Shoulder Tangs...

Full tank shot...

My male pink square anthias...

more to follow...

 

[Rendos]

New favia (moon brain)...

Red cynarina...

New Neon Green hammer...

View from right end looking down the length of the tank...

 

[nodoubt471]

really amazing, and what a smooth transistion! cant beleive coralline is already in action...

 

[nbd13]

are those orange shoulder tnags a pair? i am getting 1 for my 180! really cool fish!

thanks!

Nick