Just bought my fist new tank

[bobbbm]

I Have a leak starting on my 72 Bow Front and it has me worried so I ran over to PW and just bought a 75 AGA with Oak stand and built in overflow. I am going to keep my 30 gallon Sump and Move it over to the new tank when I set it up. My wife is excited about not having an external overflow

I have a few questions

1. Should I go with a closed loop or stay with my power heads?

2. Should I paint the back or use the sticky film?

3. What color is best for the back?



Thanks in advance
Bob

 

[sleezyp1]

Bob IMO Use film on the back, paint is permanent. I would paint the outside bottom white it gives it a nice look. As for the closed loop it depends on what kind of power heads you have.

 

[shyland83]

I agree, Black vinyl on the back is my favorite. I decided against the close loops for a few reasons. the new powerheads put out an enourmous amount of flow and are not all that big. Less bulkheads in the tank is one less place to spring a leak. and... if you do have a problem with a bulkhead on a closed loop it's usually very hard to fix because it's below the water line and the tank typically needs to be partially drained.

If i had an inwall tank with all sorts of space behind the tank to run pipes, i might consider it, but in a stand closed loops usually end up being messy and hard to get to. so yeah my vote is stick with powerheads.

 

[bobbbm]

Oki going to pick my new tank up Friday! Thanks for the advice, I will go black film and keep the powerheads. I have some SIO's I guess its time for new ones

 

[BZOFIQ]

I have done black vinyl on the back and it looks the best. It is so uniform that it actually looks like the glass is pitch black. Don't worry when you first apply it and it looks like there is a lot of small bubles. Over a period of 24-48 the adhesive will just even out and it will look great.

As far as painting the bottom white, there is not much to it as you should put a sheet of styrofoam underneath your tank anyway.

 

[bobbbm]

OK I have the tank in house! Went to pick it up and everyone was great over at PW!!!


I did forget to ask what I use to sick the backgound Vinyl to the back of the tank LOL!


ANyone?

 

[shyland83]

well i bought vinyl from a sign shop that has an adhesive hacking on it. that is your best bet. And what you want to do is put water and a little bit of dish soap in a spray bottle and spray down the glass. then you can put the vinyl on and move it into position. then squegee out the bubbles with a credit card and trim it along the edges. works great.

as for the bottom, if your using sand you wont see it. and if not it will be covered in coralline quickly. I would NOT use foam under an AGA tank. they do not reccomend it and i do not see any advantage to doing so. there have been a few heated debates about it in the DIY forum, but when it comes down to it, the manufacturer doesn't reccomend it, and it certainl not helpful. The trim s designed to sid flat on a hard even surface.

 

[bobbbm]

Thanks Shy anyone know where there is a sign shop near ronkonkoma?

 

[shyland83]

there is a place on i think it's called arctic ave? it's right were dynamite tools is. thats where i got mine.

 

[shyland83]

heres a map, it's actually on feldland right at teh corner of arctic.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

 

[shyland83]

that map doesn't help, but if you can't find it let me know, i'll give you better directions

 

[bobbbm]

Thank's again! About to start

 

[bobbbm]

Dam that is alot of work... Think I lost my foxface but everything else seems ok so far.

 

[bobbbm]

Sigh... Lost my blond Naso this moning She got stuck behind the rock work and literally scared herself to death when we tried to get her out. I had her since day one.