mark0933's 720G

[mark0933]

Well, a few of you have seen or heard snippits of my tank, and I think I am finally ready to show you really how crazy I am...

Here is what I started with

Dimensions are 96 x 48 x 36 tall, total capacity is 720G by my clacs.
It is an acrylic tank, which obviously needs a great deal of buffing and polishing

So it started, then looked like this

Then this:

Then this:

At this point I think what the hell did I get myself into, this is always going to look like crap but kept going, and eventually, got it decent.

I don't have any pics of the trip down the stairs (as all hands were busy, but lets just say the stairs are exaclty 36" wide, and the tank is exactly 36" tall, so something had to give - we removed the drywall from the "easy" side of the stairs to give us enough room to fit it in. Here are pics of the repair and replacement. I decided to do all the demolition and moving over the US thanksgiving while my wife was out of town, so she came back to a tank in the basement, and didn't see much of the carnage that was required to get it there.

So once in the basement, it sat for a few more weeks, I added the background (in the foreground as it sits) by using 100% privacy window tint - should have seen the wierd look I got from the tint guy when I said I wanted to tint a fishtank

Mark

 

[mark0933]

Then the move commenced again.

The tight fit between the existing tanks (to be transferred then removed)

Travis and I in the tank

Me in the "servicing position"

Travis and I again, this was taken to compare to the earlier shot when I thought it would never come clear.

Since these pics I have added sand, the 3x tunze waveboxes, 2 tunze 6200's in Tunze rocks, an OM 4 Way on the Dart gold return pump, 4xlumenbrights on rails for easy removal, and have aquascaped 2/3 of the tank (the other 1/3 will be the existing tanks transferred rock) - but unfortunately those pics are still on the camera, so they'll be another day.

 

[hogall]

Sorry to bursted your bubble; but your tank is only 600 gallons :lol:

I have the same dim; and luv the height. Looking forward to your build..

Dennis

 

[mark0933]

Actually I'll disagee with you, the 30" tall version is 600, mine is 36" tall.

I love tall tanks too, currently I have 2x110G tanks coupled together (so essentially 2 tall 90's)

Mark

 

[Jar*Head]

If you go with inside dimension and your tank is 1" acrylic all around you will have approx 636g.

 

[JPA]

Nice job on the polishing. That is a huge PIA.

Joe

 

[KEEPERZ]

Awesome-your determination is commendable!! How do you plan on working in the tank once your lights are mounted-looks like your ceiling height is pretty low for LB's

 

[mark0933]

Actually I have made the lights on rails so they can be removed very easily. The height from tank to ceiling is about 16" and another 4" to the water level...

Mark

 

[mark0933]

Starting to aquascape using fiberglass rods

Adding the live sand and saltwater...I filled the sump with RO/DI, then added salt to right salinity in batches of 75G

The old tanks - livestock to be moved into the new tank over the next few months

 

[mark0933]

As it sits right now...this the part of the tank that is 3 sided view

End view

Side view

Sump, RODI BRS phosphate and carbon reactor and return - the shelving on the sump will house the skimmer, built this way in case of overflow, merely drips into sump.

Lighting - cords to be cleaned up, but you can see the slide rails...

Top "canopy" to be "built in" look, yet removable in sections (front and end panel separately) - got a few ideas, but they'll have to wait a bit...

Mark

 

[stunreefer]

Looks great man, good to see you here on RC

 

[AlexNg]

nice tank

 

[dougie]

simply awesome! i love it. good luck champ.

Dougie.

 

[RevHtree]

That is just ridiculous bro! (in a good way )

I just got a 250g and I am balking at the idea of cleaning it already! LOL! Can't imagine a "700" gallon beast like that!

 

[dvanacker]

Nice....I can watch your build on more then one "channel"! keep us updated.....

 

[chimmike]

you did a really nice job on polishing that acrylic up, really.

Sweat isn't reef safe! :lol:

looks great! I like the aquascaping so far.

 

[chrisqueenz]

Sweet tank! Would love to run into a 700G tank myself!

 

[wycombes]

Sweet set up!!!!!

 

[Psideways]

I really like the tank! I was wondering what polish you used for your tank, because it came out really well. You might want to think about using yo-yos to suspend those halides. It would give you more versatility by means of lighting control. Furthermore, those being as high as they are, they are going to be blinding. Really good job!

 

[mark0933]

Thanks for the comments, the polish I used was the etr kit (400 grit, then 800, then 1600, then 24, 32 and 3600 wet dry sandpaper, then a liquid abbrasive. I found that an orbital sander was too slow (revolutions wise) so used an electric drill instead.

As for the lights, they are supposed to be that far off the water, but I will not be blinded, as there will be a canopy (or built in look) above the tank when we are all done.

Mark