Englishrebel's 260 Gallon System Build

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14745861#post14745861 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by edandsandy
:celeb1: :celeb3: :celeb2: :dance: :bounce3: :bounce1: :bounce2: I know how excited you must be!

Thanks Sandy -- yes I am excited but I have to temper it because my daughter and 5 year old granddaughter are visiting from England so I delayed the install until April 15.
BTW I haven't seen an update on your thread in quite a while.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14746468#post14746468 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rpeeples
Tom, congrats! You'll love the full euro bracing! Also aids in keeping critters in the water And as Ryan stated...lighting schema is not limited.

Thanks Ron. You'll get a chance to see it when you bring the Starboard by (but not until after next Tuesday -- PM me and I'll give you my phone number to call before you come).

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14747481#post14747481 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JRF
I saw the tank and it looks great, Alan made sure it was over engineered ( that is meant as a compliment ) !!

Jeff
Can't wait to see yours.

 

[nrannalli]

Nice tank.

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14748283#post14748283 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nrannalli
Nice tank.

Thanks nrannalli
And if it hasn't been said before:
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central nrannalli</b></i></big></big>

 

[rpeeples]

Alan, I placed the order. When it comes in I will shoot you a PM.

Btw...have you decided on what lights your going to employ?

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14752100#post14752100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rpeeples
Alan, I placed the order. When it comes in I will shoot you a PM.

Btw...have you decided on what lights your going to employ?

Thanks Ron.
I just ordered one of these to try. LED .
I'm also considering either four of them or one of them and two Aquaillumination LED fixtures.

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14752100#post14752100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rpeeples
Alan, I placed the order. When it comes in I will shoot you a PM.

Btw...have you decided on what lights your going to employ?

Thanks Ron.
I just ordered one of these to try. LED .
I'm also considering either four of them or one of them and two Aquaillumination LED fixtures.

 

[teesquare]

Alan:
What are you usung the "starboard" for? Also - what IS the starboard....? Is this the same as Corplast?(corrugated plastic)
Thanks,
T

 

[rpeeples]

Excellent...would love to see them in action and acquire par readings from your tank sometime down the road.

 

[WaterKeeper]

T²,

It is a polypropylene sheet used to line the bottom of the tank. I think it is a tradename for a product made by King plastics.

 

[teesquare]

Thanks-
I will look them up.
Thanks,
T

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14753529#post14753529 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by teesquare
Thanks-
I will look them up.
Thanks,
T

Yes it's HDPE High Density PolyEthylene (WaterKeeper didn't know the full name for it, but what can you expect from a chemist). :lol: :lol:
It's the same stuff your cutting board is made of (unless it's a wooden one )

 

[teesquare]

Right-
Because of the density/hardness of Starboard, I have decided to use Corplast instead. It is cheap, and due to the corrugations, it will take an ipression where the weight of the rock compress it. Thus it should hold the rock better.
It is easy to fabricate with, light - an did I mention CHEAP ...<G>
T

 

[WaterKeeper]

That's probably because it is probably polypropylene and not HD polyethylene.

Darn engineers. ')

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14753777#post14753777 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by teesquare
Right-
Because of the density/hardness of Starboard, I have decided to use Corplast instead. It is cheap, and due to the corrugations, it will take an ipression where the weight of the rock compress it. Thus it should hold the rock better.
It is easy to fabricate with, light - an did I mention CHEAP ...<G>
T

T2
Be careful with that stuff inside the aquarium. If it is what I think it is (corrugated plastic) because it has the air gaps you may get anaerobic bacteria forming because you have no flow.
Perhaps Tom (WaterKeeper) can comment on that (unless he's still mad at me for calling him a chemist).

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14754149#post14754149 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
That's probably because it is probably polypropylene and not HD polyethylene.

Darn engineers. ')

All I know is it's plastic and it's dense (like us "darn engineers"). :rollface:

 

[WaterKeeper]

The HDPE has a density close to water-- SpG 0.96 while the PP is only SpG 0.91 so it is more likly to float. For what that's worth.

 

[teesquare]

OH MY!!!!

OH MY!!!!

Gee, then I guess I should not use any live rock in tank either, huh? I mean uncontrolled porosity, lots of dead end holes and such... <G>

Alan - I have been using it in various aquarium applications for years - trust me it is safe.It is extruded, low density PVC.
The Starboard only has a surface profile of <.1-1. micron - not that much traction. It is also a bit pricey in 1/2'' or greater thickness I see...........
All I need it for is to place live rock on, and to keep from sliding and scratching the tank bottom.. The tank bottom will hold ALL the rock you can pile on it. (Remember - things weigh much less under water)

BTW Texs A&M 1981... Major in Structural Engineering. (minor in inorganic chemistry.) Yeah - it is safe <G>.........
Don't let the low post number fool you. - I just have not had the time for RC until recently.
T

 

[tonyf]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14753380#post14753380 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
T²,

It is a polypropylene sheet used to line the bottom of the tank. I think it is a tradename for a product made by King plastics.

HDPE, same stuff like a breadboard Use it in 1/4" thickness. Let the water get in and around it or you'll get big airpockets forming underneath it.

Alan, your tank looks marvellous ... worth the wait! :clap:

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14754361#post14754361 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by teesquare
Gee, then I guess I should not use any live rock in tank either, huh? I mean uncontrolled porosity, lots of dead end holes and such... <G>

Alan - I have been using it in various aquarium applications for years - trust me it is safe.It is extruded, low density PVC.
The Starboard only has a surface profile of <.1-1. micron - not that much traction. It is also a bit pricey in 1/2'' or greater thickness I see...........
All I need it for is to place live rock on, and to keep from sliding and scratching the tank bottom.. The tank bottom will hold ALL the rock you can pile on it. (Remember - things weigh much less under water)

BTW Texs A&M 1981... Major in Structural Engineering. (minor in inorganic chemistry.) Yeah - it is safe <G>.........
Don't let the low post number fool you. - I just have not had the time for RC until recently.
T

T2
The only reason I mentioned it is that in one of WaterKeepers Newbie articles it was mentioned that trapping pocket of sand under rocks could lead to the formation of anaerobic zones. I'm new to this so I was just repeating what I had read.
I have the 1/4" Starboard coming as my bottom glass is not tempered and I was afraid of stuff falling on it. I intend the make up some squares of acrylic with 3" long 1/2" diameter acrylic dowels welded to it. These will be placed on the bottom of the tank to support my rock. Sand will be added to cover. The reasoning is that why spend a lot of money on LR only to have it buried under 4" of sand. Also, if you put the rock work on top of the sand, it can shift if any burrowing creatures move the supporting sand.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14757692#post14757692 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonyf
HDPE, same stuff like a breadboard Use it in 1/4" thickness. Let the water get in and around it or you'll get big airpockets forming underneath it.

Alan, your tank looks marvellous ... worth the wait! :clap:

Tony
Thanks. The tank will be installed on the 15th and I hope to have water in by the next weekend.

 

[EnglishRebel]

What does one use to clean a new tank? Just add some water and white vinegar and give it a good wipe down? Do you do a FW test or go right to SW? It will be difficult for me to fill and drain the tank as my plumbing is in a recirc loop right now feeding my fuges. It will be a right PITA to get RO water up there and mix salt in the tank and I only want to fill it once as I will have to hook up a temporary pump with piping out the equipment room window and in the sunroom window.
Any thoughts or suggestions anyone?
Thanks