295-gallon Peninsular ZEOVit SPS with Solaris I Series

[Ed Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12164568#post12164568 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thirschmann
yeah yeah yeah... like your just going to break it apart every few years and rebuild it instead of getting a bigger badder tank... don't bullshit a bullshitter. Nice reactor BTW

Who knows..maybe for the next upgrade....LOL.. Well actually the problem with my work is I get transfer to another city/ country every 2-3 years so have to be able to 'travel' with my tank so it has to be able to rebuild... :eek2: Ed

 

[Jar*Head]

Looking good Ed.... Talking about transfer all the time i feel your pain. I have to move every couple years myself. But i am working on my 480g SPS tank with ZEovit as well.....

 

[Ed Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12169443#post12169443 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jar*Head
Looking good Ed.... Talking about transfer all the time i feel your pain. I have to move every couple years myself. But i am working on my 480g SPS tank with ZEovit as well.....

Thanks Jar*Head...yeah I was reading your build thread...yours going to be a great tank and plenty of flow.... :lol: Ed

 

[Ed Reef]

AQUASCAPING PILLARS PROJECT

AQUASCAPING PILLARS PROJECT

OK, got a little time to update my thread today:

8 Mar, 2008 (Saturday)

Started working on my reef pillars for my new tank today. Yeah, I know it’s a little early for aquascaping as my tank is not even due to arrived for another 2-3 weeks….but what’s a guy to do as my mind is only constantly thinking of the tank…:rolleye1: Anyway, I was not sure how long or difficult this pillar project is going to take me…

I got a friend to come over to assist. We started at 3pm and after 8 hours of hard work, we finally came to a structure I was very please with. For those of you still thinking if you should drill or not….you won’t regret it as it makes aquascaping so much easier and flexible in terms of design, shape and height…

By the time we finished, my whole apartment is filled with fine dust… :hmm4: Spend the next 2 days cleaning my apartment….. :sad1:

 

[Ed Reef]

More pictures..

More pictures..

Top view:

Only now need to go to the LFS and get a few more dried reef rocks to complete my structure.

9 Mar, 2008 (Sunday)

Went to the LFS and got myself some more small pieces of dried reef rocks to completed my structure.

Will get these rocks drilled on next week for the SPS plugs. Stay tune for more updates.... :bum:

 

[tbone28]

Ed, I like your idea of drilling the rock for the SPS plugs. It will be much easier to frag later on!

I found the pics of my hinges for you - you can see the combination of the piano hinge + gas-lift. I didn't post a pic of the lower panels cuz they just use standard European door hinges (3 hinges per panel):

 

[Ed Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12173928#post12173928 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tbone28
Ed, I like your idea of drilling the rock for the SPS plugs. It will be much easier to frag later on!

I found the pics of my hinges for you - you can see the combination of the piano hinge + gas-lift. I didn't post a pic of the lower panels cuz they just use standard European door hinges (3 hinges per panel):

Thanks Tbone for the pictures....with my current tank, that' the biggest frustration for me is:
1. Trying to glue the frags underwater.... can't seem to do it really well as my fishes keep knocking them over...
2. Relocating SPS after a certain period because you found another piece 'more suitable' for that location or upper piece is causing too much light block onto the lower piece SPS..

That's why this time with the new tank, I decided to used dead rocks and pre-drill them first to avoid this future headache. Also it's easier to see the best location for the SPS from the top now that the aquascape is on the floor so that all of them are not shadowed by rocks or rock overhangs.... Ed

 

[cbui2]

aquamend and super glue gel combo works the best. 1st frag, then super glue, aquamend last super glue again. guarantee the fishes cant knock them over again.

 

[Ed Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12179862#post12179862 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cbui2
aquamend and super glue gel combo works the best. 1st frag, then super glue, aquamend last super glue again. guarantee the fishes cant knock them over again.

Thanks Bart.... great tip. Ed

 

[i2ik]

Very interesting thread! Looks like you have planned it all Did you used 1/2" PVC pipe for your pillar?

 

[Ed Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12180983#post12180983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by i2ik
Very interesting thread! Looks like you have planned it all Did you used 1/2" PVC pipe for your pillar?

Thanks Richard...yes, 1/2" PVC pipes was used for my pillars...your build was one of my inspiration for this tank but unfortunately cannot afford such a large tank like yours... love your scape and the details in your build. Hope someday mine can be like yours... Ed

 

[Ed Reef]

MORE ITEMS DELIVERED

MORE ITEMS DELIVERED

13 Mar, 2008 (Thursday)

Guess what?? My shipment from Hong Kong have arrived….Deltec AP702 Skimmer, 2 Eheim 1260 series pumps, including my GHL Profilux controller and my Aquabee pump for my Calcium Reactor… Can’t wait to get home and unwrapped my new toys :rollface:

My sump tank for my new tank should also arrived this Sunday… :bounce2:

Deltec AP702

Deltec Calcium Reactor 601S

Profilux Plus II Professional Ex Plus

2 Unit Digital Power Bar

Ed

 

[Ed Reef]

METAL STAND DISASTER…

METAL STAND DISASTER…

14 Mar, 2008 (Friday)

My metal stand for my new tank has arrived….I must say the contractors work very fast here in China as it takes them less than a week to make it…..

To my horror, the contractor didn’t do the stand in accordance to my specs as I ask him to make it into 3 pieces (40cm x 100cm x 100cm) , but they decided to make it into 1 whole 2.4m long stand, which obviously does not fit the lift….they then have to cut it into 2 pieces and then welded it back in my apartment… :mad2: This must be one of the ugliest metal stand in this forum… :furious:

Now the stand is not very level after the re-welding…anyway, will see what I can do as the stand have 8 adjustable legs and once the wooden base goes on top, hopefully it should not be noticeable.:sad2:

Now my worry is one day if I’m relocated to another city, it’s going to be a challenge for me to move the tank… :worried2: Ed

 

[tbone28]

I would have them remake it. that's what you paid for. why risk an unlevel stand and possibly a shoddy re-weld job?

 

[Tangwich]

I agree, seems like everything is going perfectly smooth so far with all your other equipment so why settle for this stand and always have it in the back of your mind that it isn't what you wanted from the beginning?

 

[Ed Reef]

Thanks Tbone and Tangwich..... was thinking about this last night and would rather delay the tank delivery rather than risk it in a long term.... let's see...

 

[tbone28]

that's the right way to think about this Ed....no need to rush in reefing. things always turn out better with patience ...although I admit it's easier to give that advice than follow

 

[Ed Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12201323#post12201323 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tbone28
that's the right way to think about this Ed....no need to rush in reefing. things always turn out better with patience ...although I admit it's easier to give that advice than follow

Thanks Tbone - can always rely on you for moral support...

 

[Ed Reef]

PEGGING SYSTEM

PEGGING SYSTEM

15 Mar, 2008 (Saturday)

Today I will start drilling my pillars to accommodate the SPS Coral plugs I have purchase.

I have earlier this week used a color chalk to mark down possible position I might place my corals. This is easier to do now as the pillars are on the floor and I can see from the top to ensure my SPS corals gets all the lights and minimize blocking each other and shadows. So when I dismantle my pillars, I know exactly where I need to drill… :artist: In total I drilled over 80 holes so plenty of space and choices for placement of frags…

Mmm…not that easy to drill my rocks…have to do it slowly as don’t want them to break. Already one of my fav piece, an overhang I posted earlier broke so now it’s a shorter overhang…I must say it‘s easier to drill one large hole for the PVC pipes but to drill many smaller holes, it’s more tiring and time consuming.

Will go to LFS and see if I can find another piece similar for my overhang or alternatively will try to glue the broken overhang rocks using Epoxy.

The carpenter came today to take measurement on my cabinet. Tomorrow morning they will start to fix up the based and top of the stand first so that I can start working on my wirings, plumbing and others…

My apartment is now looking like a LFS with all the equipments lying around…:fun4: Ed

 

[tbone28]

looking great. those holes look very cleanly drilled, but I think you need to drill a few more than 80 holes. hint hint