600gal (96x48x30)

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6395911#post6395911 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
I thought you got an acrylic tank from Envisions for some reason. I didn't realize it is all glass. Is your stand covered with a solid piece of plywood then? I don't remember seeing images of the future location in some time. I do remember MDF for some reason, if it was this thread - most of us stated to switch it out with something more water resistant.

Nope all glass from Will at AO... Yes this is the thread; I was the one who used particle board on the stand Since I was complete with the stand before I posted about it... I kept it with the particle board because there was now way I was getting it back off What I did do was paint the top, taped a few inches around the edges with dusk tape, then placed some 6mil plastic over that... Once I placed the pink foam over on top and duck taped that down, I added one more layer of 6mil plastic over the top... Below in the pic you can see what I am talking about...

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6395911#post6395911 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Once you have the system up and running with no leaks or drips, I'd start adding the salt to the water. This is going to be all RO/DI water, right? Did you happen to buy a Merlin unit by Air Water & Ice? That thing makes 750g per day. http://rowatersystems.com/catalog/ge_merlin_ro_system_4285807.htm

That is an awesome unit... Wish I would have seen that about a yr ago before I got my 100gpd Mako from Aqua FX... 435.00 shipped is not bad for a 750gpd...

Yes I will be filling the tank up with all RO/DI water and once I make sure there are no leaks or drips I will be adding the salt into the sump a little at a time like you described in another thread...

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6395911#post6395911 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
If all you have is water, starboard and faux sandbed, mixing the salt in the system will be a breeze. Then you could add your dry rock, although it would displace some of the water.... I don't know. I hate waste, but it would be so nice to mix the salt in the system before the rock is put in the tank.

I figured it would be easier to mix the salt with out any rock in the system, but I was thinking about placing the base rock in the tank while it was waterless as I see myself getting in and out of the tank alot during this process

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6395911#post6395911 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
After you've observed it for 24 hours, add some bacteria, and then perhaps if the water parameters look good the next day, start putting your LR in the system. Obviously temperature & salinity need to be good before you add the LR to the tank.

I wouldn't even use the lights until the LR is put in the tank.

I think I will do this Thank you, you saved me a wk or two SO maybe I will reach my 28 day goal you set for me, LOL...

The lights will not be used until near the end right before the fish and coral go into the system...

 

[nbd13]

Why not fill it all with tap water first? you will always have a leak somewhere. Its better to waste tap water than over 700 gallons of RODI water.

Nick

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6396124#post6396124 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nbd13
Why not fill it all with tap water first? you will always have a leak somewhere. Its better to waste tap water than over 700 gallons of RODI water.

Nick

If I had CLs and all of that I would be using tap water first, I designed this system to be very simple... Yes I will have some plumbing but I only have one hole on the tank that I need to worry about and that is the 2" BH in the back for the drain and then of course the plumbing for the ref and sump... I might be getting a little cocky, but I feel I will be successfully on my first attempt... Now when I post I have a leak or drip, then you all can throw it back in my face

Also if I do have a leak I would only have to worry about a small amount of water because I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have any holes in the display itself, I have the 2" drain in the overflow, but only so much water will overflow from the display into that area, once the pumps are shut off and the water drains, I will still have like 500+ gal of water in the tank that will not go awaywhere while I only have to remove the small amount of water that would be in the overflow in order to work on the drain BH... Same for the ref or sump, would only have to drain a small amount since all of my drain are near the top of the tubs...

 

[nbd13]

Oh yeah i forgot you are using a bunch of tunzes right?

so many large tank threads going on right now i get alittle mixed up so to which ones i am reading, haha.

good luck and hope you get that tank on that stand soon!

Nick

P.S. see you are in Ohio, which part? i am in Southeast MI. have you been to Sedars shop, phishybusiness? i want to get down there to pick up a new fish soon and check it out.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6396231#post6396231 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nbd13
Oh yeah i forgot you are using a bunch of tunzes right?

so many large tank threads going on right now i get alittle mixed up so to which ones i am reading, haha.

good luck and hope you get that tank on that stand soon!

Nick

P.S. see you are in Ohio, which part? i am in Southeast MI. have you been to Sedars shop, phishybusiness? i want to get down there to pick up a new fish soon and check it out.

LOL, you and melev both j/k...

I am just east of Columbus... Yes I have been to Phishybusiness a few times, and more to come in the future I am sure, he has very nice stuff, and no S/H for me and I get to see it in person Right now he runs out of his basement but I have heard he is looking into opening up a store front; I can't wait for that... I have no details at this time...

 

[melev]

Shawn, I've been to Columbus when I was young, and visited King's Island as well as a few other nice places. Are you close to any of that? Once you get this set up, it would be kinda neat to visit. I could do that with at least 10 tanks in the U.S. if I had the extra money to pull that off.

Back to your plan, I have a different idea for you to consider, seeing how you have a little time on your hands. Why don't you just buy a sheet of real plywood, and add it on top of the MDF? All that plastic looks - well, it looks temporary like you're trying to keep it clean or something.

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6396088#post6396088 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by asnatlas
I think I will do this Thank you, you saved me a wk or two SO maybe I will reach my 28 day goal you set for me, LOL...

The lights will not be used until near the end right before the fish and coral go into the system...

Btw, it was <b>you</b> that set that goal. Now don't make me go back two more pages and quote your words.

Btw, you do realize you are about to hit Day 3, and you don't have your tank in position yet. Ruh-roh. Don't worry, mine wasn't in place for a few days either. I think it was in place around Day 6.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6396488#post6396488 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Shawn, I've been to Columbus when I was young, and visited King's Island as well as a few other nice places. Are you close to any of that? Once you get this set up, it would be kinda neat to visit. I could do that with at least 10 tanks in the U.S. if I had the extra money to pull that off.

Back to your plan, I have a different idea for you to consider, seeing how you have a little time on your hands. Why don't you just buy a sheet of real plywood, and add it on top of the MDF? All that plastic looks - well, it looks temporary like you're trying to keep it clean or something.

Columbus is in the middle of Ohio... King's Island is in the southern part of Ohio near Cincinnati... You, along with anyone else are more then welcome to come visit, I would feel very privileged for people to want to come visit and see the setup, by all mean this is nothing special as I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have a crazy CL system or a 1700gal sting ray tank or anything else like that... If anyone is ever in Columbus, I am only minutes east and are more then welcome

The plastic looks better in person, and once the tank is on the stand and I skin it (later on down the road) you should not be able to tell and hopefully it will keep any water that may spill from touching the stand...

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6396496#post6396496 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Btw, it was <b>you</b> that set that goal. Now don't make me go back two more pages and quote your words.

Btw, you do realize you are about to hit Day 3, and you don't have your tank in position yet. Ruh-roh. Don't worry, mine wasn't in place for a few days either. I think it was in place around Day 6.

Yea yea, rub it in I am hoping that Tues and Wed I will get a good bit complete...

 

[Travis]

Not sure if I would trust the plastic. I'm sure it will be fine short term but I'm guessing this tank will be up and running for many years. It would take much for something to tear that plastic. You know you will have a few spills here and there. And saltwater makes things brittle. Let a few saltwater spills sit on the plastic and over time it could possibly even crack. Also, when you skin the stand, I'm guessing you will be screwing the skin to the stand. There will be places where the screws will penetrate the plastic. In these places a spill of saltwater could soak in through those openings and eventually get to the MDF. Once it has reached the MDF, that stuff will just wick the water right into it.

If you really must keep the MDF, I would put several layers of epoxy paint over the entire stand. I think this will give better protection than the plastic. This is a humongous tank and the last thing you want to do is have to tear it down 5 years down the road because the MDF is rotting.

As for the comment on the BK not being water tight, I've never read anything about that. I will say that mine is not water tight. The telescopic pipe that you can rais or lower does not keep a commplete seal with the fitting that it slides into. I get a slow drip out of this area. But mine is the internal model so it doesn't matter. The external models use a type of coupling so that should guarantee a leak free connection on those.

 

[mcdonaldtj]

Then thing that I had read was for the internal ones, so my bad

V/Tim

 

[hdtvguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6395734#post6395734 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev


I've seen threads on faux sandbeds, and remember one specifically that collapsed and cracked out the base of the tank. Since your tank is acrylic, I know it will be fully supported so that shouldn't be an issue.

I was the guy who lost my 240G tank from attempting a faux sand bed. It makes me sick when I see these pics. But I think you should see what this stuff is capable of doing when not used right.

My tank was fully supported with foam under the tank. I did not use Starboard. I put the mixed up epoxy and sand on the glass. I can not stress enough be very careful when attempting the faux sand bed in your tank. I would hate to see something happened to your new tank like what happened to mine. As for the MDF board you have on your stand I feel you will have zero issues on the way you have it setup. I used my old stand from my 240g that I lost and have MDF covering it on the top have had no issues with saltwater getting into the wood going on 2+ years now. Tank looks great now get that thing on the stand!

 

[charlesjordanjr]

hdtvguy, did that happen to your tank because the faux sandbed expanded as it dried?
-Chuck

 

[hdtvguy]

Yes it was from the epoxy on the glass.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6397815#post6397815 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis
Not sure if I would trust the plastic. I'm sure it will be fine short term but I'm guessing this tank will be up and running for many years. It would take much for something to tear that plastic. You know you will have a few spills here and there. And saltwater makes things brittle. Let a few saltwater spills sit on the plastic and over time it could possibly even crack. Also, when you skin the stand, I'm guessing you will be screwing the skin to the stand. There will be places where the screws will penetrate the plastic. In these places a spill of saltwater could soak in through those openings and eventually get to the MDF. Once it has reached the MDF, that stuff will just wick the water right into it.

If you really must keep the MDF, I would put several layers of epoxy paint over the entire stand. I think this will give better protection than the plastic. This is a humongous tank and the last thing you want to do is have to tear it down 5 years down the road because the MDF is rotting.

Hey Travis, thanks for your input... I didn't even think about the SW making the plastic brittle I did paint a few layers of KILZ Semi-Gloss Enamel 100% Acrylic Latex (perfect for kitchens and bathrooms) on over the MDF top... On top of that I put almost a whole big roll of duck tape around the edges (about 6" - 8" wide on top) and down the sides so that if anything were to get past the plastic then the duck tape would stop it as duck tape is waterproof ?? yes ?? But right now there are 3 layers of KILZ on it, alot of duck tape (around the edges) 2 layers of plastic and 1/2" pink foam... I hope that is enough... Let me just say next time around I will be going with a steel tube stand, or I-beams...

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6397815#post6397815 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis
As for the comment on the BK not being water tight, I've never read anything about that. I will say that mine is not water tight. The telescopic pipe that you can rais or lower does not keep a commplete seal with the fitting that it slides into. I get a slow drip out of this area. But mine is the internal model so it doesn't matter. The external models use a type of coupling so that should guarantee a leak free connection on those.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6397859#post6397859 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcdonaldtj
Then thing that I had read was for the internal ones, so my bad

V/Tim

I just know form looking at mine it looks very water tight, as Travis pointed out on the EXT units they have a twist coupling on the telescopic pipe for a tight seal... Again I would hope that if they are making an EXT unit that they would have taking every means to make it water tight... I still think I may make a small acrylic box (only a few inches high) just in case something were to happen, better to be safe then sorry... I have had way to many small things go wrong on my other tank(s) that I am going to take into account for this setup and try to find ways around it happening, or having an extra something in place so if it does happen it will give me some time to catch it with out making a huge mess or messing anything up...

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6398545#post6398545 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hdtvguy
I was the guy who lost my 240G tank from attempting a faux sand bed. It makes me sick when I see these pics. But I think you should see what this stuff is capable of doing when not used right.

My tank was fully supported with foam under the tank. I did not use Starboard. I put the mixed up epoxy and sand on the glass. I can not stress enough be very careful when attempting the faux sand bed in your tank. I would hate to see something happened to your new tank like what happened to mine. As for the MDF board you have on your stand I feel you will have zero issues on the way you have it setup. I used my old stand from my 240g that I lost and have MDF covering it on the top have had no issues with saltwater getting into the wood going on 2+ years now. Tank looks great now get that thing on the stand!

Hello hdtvguy, I remember seeing your thread when this happened Again I am sorry, I would have been P***ED myself if that were me... I am glad I saw your thread because at first I was thinking about placing the epoxy mix right in the tank... Doing more research I found the starboard / faux sandbed threads and that is what I am planning to do... Place the epoxy sand mix into the starboard and then place that into the tank so down the road it can be removed if needed... But again thank you for your post

Do you have anything covering your MDF top ??