Elder's 16 foot 350 gallon build

Elder this is awesome! If you would, please share the process of joining acrylic end to end like you are planning. I'm working my way up on acrylic builds, but nothing end to end so it would be a huge help!

When I have some time I will try to cover this in a post. It is not hard but will take a while to go over in a post..

And thank you every time I stand back and look at just the stand I get the same feeling "This is Awesome" but then it if followed by "when am I going to tell my wife" :p...
 
Elder, thank you for posting in process seam photos! I think between you and Calvin415's http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1628998 build I have been inspired to try my hand at building a longer tank with seams as my dream tank. What did you use for weld on? 42 or as in some of the photos, 16? Any tips you can provide long the way would be most appreciated! I'm quite impressed at how well you both were able to finish away the glue joint. it looks incredible. I'll have to practice this a bit before I dive into a dream tank, but I know it can be done DIY thanks to you. This is quite the epic build and I'll be sure to follow along. I love the long tank possibilities. Subscribed!
 
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I used weld on 40.. Well my own mix that is made from the same stuff that is in it but comes in larger cans. Weld on 42 would work fine I think it has a rating of 5000 psi just like 40. As for weld on 16 no do not use this.... It has a rating of 2200 psi. I do not build tanks a lot but displays, in reading a lot online no one who manufactures tanks likes weld on 16 for anything structural even tho Weld on 16 had a rating of 2200 and 4 had 2500. This is not much of a difference. I do not fully follow why but who am I to argue with the guy who makes tanks for a living.

Elder, thank you for posting in process seam photos! I think between you and Calvin415's http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1628998 build I have been inspired to try my hand at building a longer tank with seams as my dream tank. What did you use for weld on? 42 or as in some of the photos, 16? Any tips you can provide long the way would be most appreciated! I'm quite impressed at how well you both were able to finish away the glue joint. it looks incredible. I'll have to practice this a bit before I dive into a dream tank, but I know it can be done DIY thanks to you. This is quite the epic build and I'll be sure to follow along. I love the long tank possibilities. Subscribed!
 
Weld on 16 seems to be for where you screwed up and have weeping leaks- at least that's how I used it on the first tank, a 15 gallon, that I made. Lesson learned, be SURE those edges don't have any saw cut marks left! So, you use 4 for corners and 40/42 for butt joints, right?

Every time I think of this thread I start mentally designing a tank as awesome as yours, and the house I'll have to build to go around it :crazy1: :crazy1:
 
Large update.... ITS IN!!

The last week was crazy with the basement and the tank all getting done. In the end though it was all worth it.. I still have a long list of stuff that needs to be done but the hard part is done.

Here are some pics... More to come just need to get them all uploaded.

Polishing.

Tank trim in.



You can tell by the shop and how much junk is around how busy we are there to.

Some of the smaller stuff I was making more to come on this..


Background in...


The standard wife shot in tank... :p
 
Love long tanks!

Would love to do a 14-16' tank next :D

I was too paranoid to do a wife in the tank shot... had a 240 leak before this tank... no weird things (including my wife) going into the tank!
 
OK so this weekend, did not due much I was relaxing... I did however get the lights up.



and got my sand, well a start we will see how this fills out the tank and go from there.



On a side note I did rebuild my gaming rigs.



finally got my nemo up :)



I also started setting up my apex's. I will be running 2 of them one for the main tank and another for the QT. More to come on this as I just started....

 
Large Update :)..

So in short it is up and running.. This was a crazy endeavor and will wright up the whole story this weekend and get all my pic's up. Kinda backwards update...









More to come....
and sorry for the bad pics just took them on my cell...
 
Holy crap! I love our tank, but damn this is nice!

I see the dehumidifier of there too ;)
 
Great job! I am wondering if the jut out on the front of the tank will create a dead spot or a place for a sand swirl?
 
Great job! I am wondering if the jut out on the front of the tank will create a dead spot or a place for a sand swirl?

Yes this took some time to figure out.. I found that if a ran a little less gph then I originally wanted (mag 24) return pump. Also changing out the heads of the loc-line returns to the 3" nozzle from the 1". I was able to find the perfect flow to stop any dead spots and stop the sand storm. To be honest this was more then luck then planning. I also run a wave in my tank as well from both sides I would say a drop and rise of .5". This helps a tone as well with keeping flow where I think I want it. This might all change, As time goes on I will see how everything develops and where I go in my coral choices.
 
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