New tank?? 280ish

Thanks.. I think I got the aqua scaping done last night.. About the time I set the last rock the lights kicked off and I just left alone haha. I meant to take a look this morning before I left but I Just walked right out the door..

So far I LOVE the lighting. Even in the middle of the day with No T5s and just the tubes the color of the tank looks great to me.. Its a very crisp white with just a little yellow here and there.. Once the T5s kick on around 2 the tank looks even better. Even at night with the 2 10k MH and the T5s the tank keeps a great look. I took a few pictures yesterday since I was home in the middle of the day.. So I've got shots of Sun on only, Sun+T5s and last T5s+MH. Pictures don't really show the true color.. But at least my 92 is sitting right beside it.. Its got a 400 watt 20k Xm bulb over it to compare to.. I'll post this tonight.
 
Ok few new pics.
Here is a shot of the tank with the Tubes only. Taken around 12am
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Tubes Plus T5s Pic taken around 2:15pm
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I'm pretty sure this one is with T5s And Mh. The tubes are probably still putting out pretty good bit of light since the Pic is around 5pm
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Like I said above the 92 in the corner has a 20k 400 watt Mh over it to give you something to compare the color and general brightness. I can tell you right now that in person it makes the 92 look very dim.. So much so I'm already thinking of changing the lighting.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13694634#post13694634 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RUGDOG
do you still have another tank for sale?

Nope sorry its sold and has already been picked up and took to its new home. I posted it in the For sale forum and it was sold in 2 days.
 
Will,
It's really looking good.
It was great to see your wife and scooby on Halloween. They really surprised me!
Mariner
 
Thanks, So far I'm happy with it. I still haven't got the doors done for the stand. Thats the very next thing on my To-do list though. Starting last weekend I moved a few corals from the frag tanks to the new tank. We have also added a few fish. Last weekend I added a Rabbit fish and a Few SPS just to see how everything did. Then yesterday I added a Yellow tang and a Pink Spotted watchman goby. I also moved a few more corals over and my Carpet. So far everything is doing great. Next couple of days I plan on moving a few more things.

Haha yeah I was in the truck. I started to get out and come say hi but I was driving and my mother N law was in the truck to.

Here is a few updated pics
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Hello,

I've been watching your build since finding RC; it's pretty awesome! I think I'll go with the Solar Tubes when I build my dream tank. Just a couple questions about them... Are you concerned with cool downdrafts in the winter or heat in the summer? I know they come with an optional vent fans; I wouldn't expect that to help in the winter though... What are your thoughts/experience so far... We've had a couple of cold nights so far this season.

Craig
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13782292#post13782292 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by heitzler7
Hello,

I've been watching your build since finding RC; it's pretty awesome! I think I'll go with the Solar Tubes when I build my dream tank. Just a couple questions about them... Are you concerned with cool downdrafts in the winter or heat in the summer? I know they come with an optional vent fans; I wouldn't expect that to help in the winter though... What are your thoughts/experience so far... We've had a couple of cold nights so far this season.

Craig

Thanks!
The tubes are sealed on both ends and all the seams have foil tape on them so hot or cold air from the tubes isn't a issue at all. I have had a little condenstation on the bottem cover from time to time.. But I'm pretty sure this is cause since the stand isn't closed off yet I haven't been venting my Equipment room like normaly would. That and when I added the extentions on the tubes I didn't seal around the connection. I plan to fix both of those as soon as I get the doors on the stand. As far as venting for the tank IMO with large tanks you really need a plan for the moisture.. I wouldn't want the humid air to go through the tube because I'd be worried about the reflective liner in the tube rusting or just tarnishing. I have two 6" fantech inline fans that vent my equipment room. The are turned so one acts like a exhaust the other a intake.. I rigged them to a thermostat and thats how I cool/vent the equipment room in the winter.. In the summer I just use a window ac mounted in the wall. I also have a humistat that I can set to run the fans But I've found going by temp pretty much does the same thing in the winter. This setup is from the first tank and I've been using it for the past couple of years with great luck.
Here is a pic of the intake/exhaust vents in the room
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Here is a Old pic of the equipment room since I don't think I ever posted a updated one in this thread.
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wow thanks! I really am happy with the tank. I was a little worried when I first got it cause I didn't know if it was going to be big enough to really feel like a upgrade. Haha after setting it up it's size is perfect. I wouldn't want it any taller or wider.
 
Small update. I got the doors on the stand. It looks and sounds so much better in the fish room. its also good to get that moisture out of the house. I also got weather striping installed between the tank and the wall and installed weather striping between the canopy and upper canopy..
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Will
 
Thought I'd post a couple new pictures. So far so good. Tank is jugging along. I still haven't put a shelf around the top of the stand :( I'm still debating on what I want to use for it. Corals are doing pretty good considering how new the tank is and the fact that I still haven't hooked up my CA reactor. This has caused my CA and ALK to bounce around a lot. Only reason why I haven't hooked it up yet is cause I want to try to make a new lid for it. One with a O ring groove vs just using a neoprene gasket.
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Geez what a nice tank. Have you checked with I wanna say engineered plastics of Alabama? I think that was the place I called and he said a 4x8 sheet if 1/2 is 250, oh yeah Acrylic sorry. I would like a bigger tank but I have an older house so it would have to be something I could cut my floor and sit on the ground. Kinda like an indoor pool, HEY. The picture almost looks like it has a mirror finish top. My wife doesn't like me getting new ideas and power tools out. Keep us posted 8Ball.
Chris
 
EPI or Engineered plastics is where I get my most of my Acrylic from :) Thanks for the tip though. No need to cut your floor out. If you have access to your crawl space simply go to lowes or homedepot and buy adjustable floor jacks. They are like 50 bucks a pair. Set them on a cap block in the crawl space and unscrew them till they contack your floor joist. Then you just give them about a 1/4 turn more. They can support a ton of weight. If you can't access the crawl space you would have to remove a section of your subfloor. If you have carpet though this can be done pretty easy! You know what NM I just noticed your a Construction Manager I'll just quit talking :)
 
HAHA, I know what you mean. i have a stack of 8" concrete blocks, My plan is to use my Jack and build more pillars under the floor, on the down side we have hard wood floors, I am uneasy when the kids run through the house and the tank water starts to shake. I am also going to built some I beams out of probably 2x6 to lay across the pillars. So I guess you already have your new tank? I noticed after I posted how old the original was. Also how thick is a 300 gallon? I know you need thicker for H and I would guess L. Since the water dis-placement would put the pressure on the surface. DIY goo roo here.
Chris
 
Yeah bounce in a floor can be a concern. That does tend to mean the floor needs more support to carry the load. A couple of jacks and a beam like your talking about would probably be all you needed. Doesn't really take much support when its directly under the load.

Yep the one above is the new tank. This thread is a few pages long. I started while I was thinking about upgraded and just kept the same thread after I got the new tank. The new tank really isn't much different then my old one. It is one inch taller and One Foot wider. Its really a 280 with Two 11 gallon external overflows. Believe it or not its the same thickness all around as my old 190. Part of the reason I decided on the size I did is cause it allowed me to keep the same thickness in glass and still not need any cross braces. Its 1/2" starphire glass on the front and sides and 5/8" Tempered glass on the bottom and back panel. I think the Euro bracing is 5/8" If I remember right. I like Glass displays VS acrylic because Acrylic scratches to easy for me. 1/2" Starphire is very clear So there really isn't' much of a reason to go Acrylic in my case. Now if you want a very tall or wide tank and your looking at 3/4" or 1" glass vs Acrylic then Acrylic starts to really show a difference.
I do like acrylic for sumps, reactors, brackets pretty much everything other then displays :)
 
Will,
The tank is looking great. I love the aquascaped cave on the left side. It really really draws my eye into the tank...if that makes any sense.
Mariner
 
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