600 Display (1100+ total system) Mixed Reef

[jnarowe]

14 days? is that how long you will FW test it?

 

[sixxer]

:lol: No, I don't have the patient. I was poking a little fun at you....

 

[jnarowe]

Oh! I get it! :lol: I am not so quick today. It actually turned out to be more like 20+ days to fill the tank. I can't remember right now, maybe 27 days?

 

[sixxer]

No Leaks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Started working on some of the trim.

 

[akbuuur]

wow....

 

[grallster]

Dude, that's just awesome!

 

[jnarowe]

really sweet! What a great finish job. I am curous how a reef looks with the very light colored wall and trim. I still haven't finished the viewing room side and haven't decided on material or color. Dark colors tend to make the reef "pop" but I have low ceilings there and I am afraid the dark finish will shrink the room.

 

[sixxer]

So far it's coming together how we wanted. We still have to get the bar top built and installed around all three sides. I was able to hide some of the "nozzles" with the crown molding.

Since the tank is in the basement we wanted to go with lighter colors to make the room brighter.

 

[jnarowe]

I am a fan of molding too.

I saw an install that had relatively light colored walls with very dark, maybe black, granite trim around the tank. That seems to be a good solution too, but I haven't seen it up and running and it all depends on the backround too. With your install, there is no backround so that is one less variable I guess.

Mine is in the basement floor with a 1,000 sq. ft. viewing room, but it has windows and glass doors on 2 sides as pictured below.

There are windows all along the top and left side of this drawing.

 

[jnarowe]

PS. What material will you use for the bar?

 

[sixxer]

Still debating between building it out of wood (the type you see at an actual bar) or something like Corian.

 

[jnarowe]

Well if you have the tools, wood would look better IMO. I am seriously considering using a light wood panel like birch for the walls, or maybe even some sort of light colored woven material applied with resin. Nearby I can shop at a boatwrights' wood store that has every kind of unusual wood and I have seen some slabs that would be sweet as a bar. I am just not sure if I want to deal with the maintainance. I may also do some kind of bookcase/bar combo as I had originally planned to put a large flat screen TV where the tank is now, surrounded by shelving and shallow cabinets.

 

[sixxer]

With 1000 sq. ft you surely still have room to hang up a flat-screen! I'm sure the fish would appreciate it!:lol:

I like the Birchwood idea personally.

 

[sixxer]

With 1000 sq. ft you surely still have room to hang up a flat-screen! I'm sure the fish would appreciate it!:lol:

I like the Birchwood idea personally.

 

[sixxer]

Threw up a makeshift wood bar to see how it looked.

 

[jnarowe]

Does the bar go arond to the third side?

 

[sixxer]

Yes, all three sides.

 

[jnarowe]

Wow...It really loks great. You should be really proud of that install!

 

[DirtySouth056]

looking good, how many Lbs. rock are you going to add?

 

[sixxer]

Thanks jnarowe

Dirtysouth - I'm not going to go overboard with live rock. I want to leave a lot of room for the fish to cruise. Probably going to build some pillars, valleys, not 100% sure yet. Probably start out with 300 - 400 lbs to get it going.