Our Mini 425 Ocean

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14072426#post14072426 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by erics3000
EnglishRebel â€"œ I remember reading someone using sawdust of the wood they were working with and mixed it with glue to use as caulk, than he was able to stain it. I am going to stain everything inside the office with some dark stain. I want it to have a totally different look than the other side. I went to that site and saw the price whew. I watched that video for the saw and I was really impressed. It is possibly one of the best power tools I have seen designed. Will do on the RKE.

Oh yes they are EXPENSIVE. I almost ordered one but at $1400 I couldn't justify it. Yes you can mix sawdust and glue (I've done it before), but glue doesn't stain (which is why it's important to wipe off excess glue afterwards). It will always be a different color to the wood. Best not to have gaps in the first place. The key to good crown cuts is to put the molding in your miter saw upside down. However the cope cut is the most important. Yours look good.

 

[erics3000]

Thanks Hop. It has Just been supper busy. I hope to actually get make some good progress the begining of this year. Hope your tank is going good.

EnglishRebel I just finished doing the floors int he rest of my house and am in the process of cutting the base boards. My dad and I were just talking about the coping saws. I am going to pick one up and see if I can get some practice. I need to check your build it has been a while hope things are going good also...

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14198277#post14198277 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by erics3000
Thanks Hop. It has Just been supper busy. I hope to actually get make some good progress the begining of this year. Hope your tank is going good.

EnglishRebel I just finished doing the floors int he rest of my house and am in the process of cutting the base boards. My dad and I were just talking about the coping saws. I am going to pick one up and see if I can get some practice. I need to check your build it has been a while hope things are going good also...

Coping takes an accurate hand. I've not tried it but you may want to check out one of these:

Coping Jig

I'm sort of caught up with the equipment room. Sand arrives today so tomorrow I will be filling the fuge with rock, sand and SW. I've got some Eco Rox that needs to go in there and get seeded with some of the LR that's in the QT tank. I've now got my skimmer venturi so I can bring it on line with the fuge. I'm building acrylic stands to keep the rock 3" off the bottom of the tank. My first time working with acrylic.

 

[erics3000]

Wow that sounds great. Are you going to drill your rock for pegs?

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14205860#post14205860 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by erics3000
Wow that sounds great. Are you going to drill your rock for pegs?

Eric
Yes I'm excited, after all the plumbing and electrical I'm finally into rock and sand. I built some rock supports out of 1/4" acrylic sheet (6"x6" and 6"x12") to which I welded 1/2" acrylic rod that I cut to 3" long and cut a point on one end on my bandsaw. The 6x6 sheets have 5 rods and the 6x12 has 12 rods. These will keep the rock of the bottom of the tank and allow the sand to flow under and around the rock. I intend to have about 4" of sand so no more than a inch will be buried.
I've already put the 6x6 in the fuge and mounted some pieces of Eco Rox Fiji rock. Tomorrow when the 6x12 is dry I will add some LR from the QT tank and fill with SW to get the seeding started.
This is all good practice for when I add rock to the main tank.

Woopee. :lol:

 

[EnglishRebel]

Eric
Any updates?

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

The build is coming along very nicely. Great woodworking skills!

 

[erics3000]

Thanks Ryan your build is coming along sweet too.

Alan your stand is coming along sweet. I might hit you up in the future when I get ready to finish the office side.

FFinally some updates. I pulled up my fuge a little back and drilled a hole in the back for the Marlin to feed the skimmer. Currently I now have 2 drains going to the sump and 2 going to the fuge. I put the skimmer in the sump to save mopping the floors but really have now got the bugs worked out with the skimmer. I have the electric ran just haven’t added the breakers yet. I set up 2 15 amp in the garage and 2 15 amp in the office. My RKE has finally shipped since it has been on back order. I will finish up the electric and ad the controller as soon as it gets here.

I went ahead and lowered both my tables so I can start on my electric and hang the pc for the fuge.

I did also pick up a few more maxi mods. Down the road I want to change them out for Hydor 8’s.

 

[erics3000]

I still haven’t got my flash fixed on my camera or purchased a new one yet, so the pics aren’t the best. I cant find my memory card read so here are some old pics before I added some new frags and started on lights rack.. I changed some rocks and added a some. My fuge is doing good to. I ‘ll see if I can get some new pics of the tank tomorrow night with my light rack.

 

[erics3000]

I just noticed these are old pics before I got my clam and couple frags. I will see if I can find my card reader tomorrow to get some better recent pics. With my skimmer online my PH isn't on the low side anymore. My calcium is a little on the low side but I should also be getting my kalk reactor soon. Not sure how I want to set it up yet. I never got my money back on my used reactor I bought .&**&*)$%^#^... Anyway I do want to look into making a sulfur reactor from Frankie's thread to help with my nitrates.

My fish are all doing great. the vlamingi if I said that right is getting big and so is his poop. hahhah . Sadly I did have one loss, my coperband got stuck behind my overflow. It really sucked because a couple weeks after I got him there were mostly gone. He really kept them under control. It has been a few weeks since I lost him and I can already some aptashia starting back up. I'll give it a little for them to mature before I get another 1. The thing that hurts is my old 1 would eat mysis shrimp and I know how finickie they are. I tightened the overflow so I hope the next 1 will be a keeper.

 

[pookstreet]

Cool updates Eric. Man, that boulder perched precariously in your tank makes me nervous here in earthquake country :lol:

 

[erics3000]

HAHHAHHA..I never thought about it like that..Kenny your corals are taking off.. I think this year I am going to try and turn my FO into a reef tank. hhaha

 

[EnglishRebel]

Looking good Eric. I hope that "hammerhead" rock is doweled and not just perched there.

 

[Beaun]

I love the rockwork, looks great.

 

[erics3000]

Alan you do have a good point. It is resting on a end that locks them together on the other side. It has been like that for a year. I kinda had to move my rocks from old tank fast because I had to break down the tank to finish the floor in my office. Next time I will do all my aquascape before I have water.

Beaun thanks. I tried to do a little of everything the foam overflows on the ends, Drilled pillar for the middle, and some big shelf to make a cave. I just wish I went wider. I hate teh internal overflows but that was the best I could come up with.

 

[erics3000]

Well a year later and I am starting doing my light rack. I don’t think anyone is slower than me. Hahahha…Here is the start of ……PROJECT LOW BUCK LIGHT RACK……. No DIY special but I only spent about $30 in aluminum for the structure, and eBay electronic ballast 400w MH. I finished the 2nd DIY reflector I had. I need to get some more material and make 2 more when I get my other 2 mh. I was going to put 2 250 on the ends but I changed my mine. I think I will just get 2 more 400. I already gave 1 of my 250 ballast to my brother, so I am running on the end temporarily. Unfortunately he has caught the bug too. A couple months ago I put some recess lighting in my kitchen and pulled down the fluorescent lights. So I took ballast and bought some cheap 50/50 fluorescent bulbs. I think down the road I will change them out or add 2 t5’sI also picked up 3 sets of led blue moon lights. I think I need to order 2 more.

Here it is with 2 400’s and the 2 50/50 fluorescent. I need to guy buy 1 of those bike hangers so I can raise it and lower it. I am now running a 3rd 250 20k. My final setup will be 20k in the middle 2 14kon the ends.

 

[N00bietanker]

Hahahah nice thread esp liked the mermaid shot when ryan got his tank we coudlnt even do the mermaid shot cause it took everyone to lift that tank into the house and put it on the shelf LOL....Plus I was extremly irriatable at 3 mths pregnant and there was noooo wayyy i was gonna try to get in there Clastrophobic hahahahah so I took a pic next to the set up and that was it LOL ...Plus i was the one taking pics of the whole prcoess of moving since i wasnt allowed to carry anything LOL

 

[Bax]

Looks great eric! Just fire up those lights and take some pics, you don't need no stink'n flash!

 

[erics3000]

Noobie my wife was actually 3 months pregnant when I took the pic. There would be no way she would have got into it if it was on the stand.

Bax thanks...I currently have 2 400 14k in the middle and a 250 20k with a cheap reflector on the end. Now I am thinking I might want to go all 400's. I really like the idea of having 2 400's in the middle and 2 250 on the ends to save energy but not I am not sure. Should I order to more 250's or to more 400's.r1w1

I will take some pics tonight.

 

[erics3000]

Noobie...My wife was actually 3 months pregnant when I took that pic. I see what you mean about getting in if it was on the stand.

Bax Thanks..I currently have 2 400 14k and a 250 20k with a cheap reflector on the end. Now I am thinking I might want to go all 400's. I really like the idea of having 2 400's in the middle and 2 250 on the ends to save energy but not I am not sure.

1st I was thinking 20ks int he middle and 14k,s on the end. What are everyone thoughts 2 more 250's or 2 more 400's?

I will get some pics tonight. Glass is dirty but hopefully some frags will come up in the pics..