Dane's 175 Gal in-Wall Tank Build
- Thread starter TulaneDane
- Start date
TulaneDane
New member
Yesterday I finished buffing out the remaining etching and haze from both sides of the tank glass with Cerium Oxide. Great Oden's Raven, that was awful! :angryfire:
Before: :hmm3:
During:
After: :celeb1:
It honestly took me a week of working on it everyday for multiple hours per day, buffing away at sections of glass. You have to press very hard against the glass and go back and forth ~10 times. Tried a Dremel tool, but there isn't enough tourque to press as hard as you need...you can turn the speed up, but it just spins super fast spraying Cerium Oxide paste everywhere. The best method I found was simply an electric drill with a felt pad:
Because I already had the rocks in there and pond-foam-locked-down, I had to throw two trash bags over the 'island mountains' and use the edge of the felt pad....my shoulders, back, and hands are killing me.
Next step is to wipe and rinse down the aquarium a couple more times, and then look forward to adding substrate. Who knew it would be such a long journey just to begin the cycling! :lol:
Before: :hmm3:
During:
After: :celeb1:
It honestly took me a week of working on it everyday for multiple hours per day, buffing away at sections of glass. You have to press very hard against the glass and go back and forth ~10 times. Tried a Dremel tool, but there isn't enough tourque to press as hard as you need...you can turn the speed up, but it just spins super fast spraying Cerium Oxide paste everywhere. The best method I found was simply an electric drill with a felt pad:
Because I already had the rocks in there and pond-foam-locked-down, I had to throw two trash bags over the 'island mountains' and use the edge of the felt pad....my shoulders, back, and hands are killing me.
Next step is to wipe and rinse down the aquarium a couple more times, and then look forward to adding substrate. Who knew it would be such a long journey just to begin the cycling! :lol:
SS_Sean
New member
Any better suggestions for the bottom of the tank than the 'egg crate' stuff?
TulaneDane
New member
I sold all my furniture to pay for the tank. :lmao:
Legitimate question: Read quite a bit about heating. The common rules I've found are:
1) REDUNDANCY
2) 3-5 watts per gallon for every 10 degrees over room temperature
I keep my air close to 70 degrees so #2 is pretty good start. However, with rule #2, on a ~205 gallon system, that's a spread of 410 watts (max of 1,025, min of 615). If I shoot the middle of 4 watts per gallon I'm at it 820 watts.
This leads me to think four 200 watt heaters? Three in the sump and one in the tank? Seems like a lot, but wanted to ask the experts... :fun5:
Indymann99
New member
I have 2x 150w heaters (both in the sump) and they only run in the winter. 4x 200w seems excessive...
TulaneDane
New member
Good input. Thank you all. I'll start with 3 200 watt heaters. One in the tank's emergency overflow weir and two in the sump.
TulaneDane
New member
Here is the final sump setup with one 200 watt heater in the drain section, and the second 200 watt heater in the return section:
The third 200 watt heater is in the emergency overflow weir.
I also added the substrate yesterday (3.5mm Aragonite Tonga Reeflakes):
Should I expect the sand to settle once water is added? I only used ~2 bags of 30 lbs of sand, and I'm at ~2 inches depth.
The third 200 watt heater is in the emergency overflow weir.
I also added the substrate yesterday (3.5mm Aragonite Tonga Reeflakes):
Should I expect the sand to settle once water is added? I only used ~2 bags of 30 lbs of sand, and I'm at ~2 inches depth.
Spankege101
New member
Any updates?
TulaneDane
New member
No substantial updates yet. I decided to save-up for new lights before starting the cycle. I'm not 100% comfortable with how difficult it is going to be to remove the old ones and install new ones. Thought it would be better to have a dry tank while working, to be safe. :fish2:
I plan on picking-up three third generation EcoTech Radions from my LFS this week (tried to buy them last week, but they sold out). I'm excited to get them installed. :beachbum:
I haven't decided whether to hand them independently or use their kit to attach them all together. Insights welcome! :mixed:
I plan on picking-up three third generation EcoTech Radions from my LFS this week (tried to buy them last week, but they sold out). I'm excited to get them installed. :beachbum:
I haven't decided whether to hand them independently or use their kit to attach them all together. Insights welcome! :mixed:
TulaneDane
New member
Got them from TankDepot.com. It's a 20 gallon flat bottom utility tank. The NPT Plug at the bottom took some resealing though.
TulaneDane
New member
Finished the new light setup this weekend. Talk about a huge investment...
Before (no idea how old these were):
After (of all that is holy, these are awesome!):
These are the third generation EchoTech Radions. Hung them independently. Insanely expensive for three. Added the ReefLink...awesome being able to control them from your phone. :beer:
We are now ready to add water and start the cycle. ...with all the time & money put into restoring this tank...it better not have decided to spring a leak! :smokin:
Before (no idea how old these were):
After (of all that is holy, these are awesome!):
These are the third generation EchoTech Radions. Hung them independently. Insanely expensive for three. Added the ReefLink...awesome being able to control them from your phone. :beer:
We are now ready to add water and start the cycle. ...with all the time & money put into restoring this tank...it better not have decided to spring a leak! :smokin:
TulaneDane
New member
I'm excited. Have my 55-gallon drum mixing salt water as we speak. As soon as I get home I'll start the water transfer into the tank. I'm guessing it will take ~3 full transfers before I can crank on the pumps. So hopefully by Wednesday I'll have started the cycle. :hb2:
TulaneDane
New member
After seven LONG months, filling of the tank has commenced: :wave:
That's about 110 gallons. As you can see I had my powerheads a bit too low to begin with and overnight my sand was blown down to the eggcrate in certain areas (I had already moved them higher by the time I took this picture).
Currently I'm running two Koralia 1500s, and one Koralia 1150. I have that third 1500 at the top of my tank, but am beginning to think that might be overkill. Any thoughts? :eek1:
That's about 110 gallons. As you can see I had my powerheads a bit too low to begin with and overnight my sand was blown down to the eggcrate in certain areas (I had already moved them higher by the time I took this picture).
Currently I'm running two Koralia 1500s, and one Koralia 1150. I have that third 1500 at the top of my tank, but am beginning to think that might be overkill. Any thoughts? :eek1:
