Pete's 210 build

[P.Kelly]

Multiple starts on the lighting

I trimmed some 1/4" plywood to fit the canopy.

And then cut it at the seam for the opening. Then I got a little further only to realize that my design didn't work. I also found that the Aquactinics standoffs were to long to fit in my tight space. I should have gone with 80w bulbs instead of trying to cram 16 x 36w bulbs.

Oh well.

I ordered up a batch of standard standoffs.

And built a story stick for layout.

 

[P.Kelly]

It was about that time that I realized that I couldn't hang the lighting the way I wanted to, so I had to start all over again. Third time is a charm.

I built a light rack to hang my T5s from.

Then I was cutting up an old desk top to use for a related project when I hit a nail with the sawstop. $75 bucks later and another day and the saw was up and running again. The saw slams the blade into an aluminum brake when it senses conductivity (your finger or metal).

What a day! But I got the back half finished (except for the fans and mounting the endcaps, and wiring the endcaps, and...)

 

[P.Kelly]

New camera

Darcy and I are taking Layla to Disneyland in about a month, so we decided to take the plunge and get a DSLR finally. We stumbled across the D90 on the day of its release at the local Ritz and decided to pick it up.

It comes with an 18-105mm VR lense. Most of these pics are at or close to 105mm. I'll want to get a nice macro lens one of these days and a tripod, but here are a few pictures of some of my other tanks.

These are out of the 45g Tech tank. I didn't set the white balance, or do any post production cleanup of the images.

 

[kevin95695]

Lookin good Pete. Wish my camera worked half as well. Keep pushin bro.

 

[amay121]

Wow, Just finished the whole thread. Great job. Wish ya'll had basements like we do here in the east, then you'd have no issues about requiring your items to be under your sump. Good build though regardless and I'll be using quite a few of your ideas for my new 220g. I'm going your route as well for the lighting, 16T5s..

 

[jthao]

sorry to hear about your car, hopefully you can get it all nice and shiny again soon.

your tank is coming along nicely, can't wait till you get it up..... you do seem pretty busy now though, don't see you on rc much anymore. if you ever need help, just holla.

 

[JRaquatics]

Sorry to here about your car Pete. My wife's car got broken into this past weekend also. Good thing she left the doors unlocked though (no damage to the car and nothing of value was taken). How the tank coming along?

 

[bayareaquarist]

***...seriously...Elk Grove?? Really?? -call you later today or tomorrow..

 

[P.Kelly]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13355183#post13355183 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kevin95695
Lookin good Pete. Wish my camera worked half as well. Keep pushin bro.

Thanks Kevin. I'm working at it. Things are coming along slowly, but I made some progress today.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13358060#post13358060 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by amay121
Wow, Just finished the whole thread. Great job. Wish ya'll had basements like we do here in the east, then you'd have no issues about requiring your items to be under your sump. Good build though regardless and I'll be using quite a few of your ideas for my new 220g. I'm going your route as well for the lighting, 16T5s..

Thanks for the feedback. I fired up 12 of the 16 T5s today. I think there is going to be PLENTY of light...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13399834#post13399834 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jthao
sorry to hear about your car, hopefully you can get it all nice and shiny again soon.

your tank is coming along nicely, can't wait till you get it up..... you do seem pretty busy now though, don't see you on rc much anymore. if you ever need help, just holla.

Josh, thanks man. Busy and a little tired of the drama, so I lurk more, post less and generally am just not on RC as much as I used to be, which is probably a good thing.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13401206#post13401206 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JRaquatics
Sorry to here about your car Pete. My wife's car got broken into this past weekend also. Good thing she left the doors unlocked though (no damage to the car and nothing of value was taken). How the tank coming along?

I ran the skimmer wide open with 3 fish in the tank for over a month, and never got any foam in the neck, which was to be expected. But, a ton of crud at the water level. About a week ago, I started closing it up to see. I had to almost close the entire pipe to get foam in the neck, and it made skimate for a day or so, but since I haven't hooked up the overflow valve to the skimmer pump, I back it off a bit. No skimate, but it just keeps breaking in. I'll crank it back closed a bit more in a week or two when I hook-up the safety.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13409603#post13409603 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bayareaquarist
***...seriously...Elk Grove?? Really?? -call you later today or tomorrow..

Hey, I should have called you, but got busy. Give me a ring, I need to hear how things are going for you man!

 

[P.Kelly]

Still working on the lighting...

I'm really close after this weekend to getting the lighting on the tank, which will be the beginning of the end of the mechanical tank build portion of the thread. Everything else should literally fall into place after the lighting is up and running.

Here is the backside of the ballast canopy. The unit that sits on top of my regular canopy.

Another shot.


Light rack

Not to be confused with other, more eye catching "racks" :eek1:

I built this unit to slide on a pair of aluminum L brackets in my hood. It will make sense after you see a few more pictures.

I think I spent about 4 hours wiring today. Geesh! But, I'm happy with the way it turned out, all things considered, and it all worked on the first try.

My mess.

 

[P.Kelly]

Fire it up!

Adding the moonlights. This is the 5 light unit from Neptune systems.

No really, I'm not that @nal about my wiring...

 

[P.Kelly]

Last post tonight

The finished product. I still have to create a rack for the front 4 lights that will flip up with the front of the canopy, but these 12 should be more than enough to get some coralline growing and keep a few corals alive.

I also have to finish the fan installation before I install this light rack, so that is my next order of business. Once that is done, its on!

Three power cords, for three IceCap 660s. The fourth will run the other lights.

 

[P.Kelly]

September 30, 2008 - Should have been studying

I had a productive wind this evening and wired up one side of the fans. Next up will be the other side, and then a test fit in the canopy with the light rack. Finally, if that all works (cross fingers) then I'll drill the holes in the sides of the canopy for the air to be drawn in through the fans, install the grills and be on my way. Geesh, I should have bought a fixture.

Mess of packaging and stuff.

$10 selectable voltage transformer from Fry's.

Mess of wires.

Not my first choice, but I paid $5 a piece for these dual ball bearing coolermaster fans with thermostatic and rheostatic speed control. I get a blue LED, but oh well, I think my lighting will overpower the LEDS.

Daddy's little helper.

 

[FishGuy5]

Man-lighting looks good, Pete!!! Nice job!! Heck, you could hang the fans from the ceiling, add a disco light and we could have a "jammin'" party!!!!!

 

[Joes210gal]

Hey John, great idea! Put that revolving disco ball light in the hood, there's your shimmer.

Pete - Your work is top notch.

Sorry to hear about your car. As if you didn't have enough to do.

 

[jthao]

of all the cool lighting systems I've seen, I like your blue LEDs on the fans the most!!!

 

[bladeruner143]

Pete, sorry about your car. Matching tint is a HUGE pain in the butt. On a happier note, the lighting looks AWESOME! Are you blowing all of your fans in or two in two out? What do the moonlights look like when they are turned on?

 

[bored4long]

Great progress, Pete. What will be on the opposite side of the canopy? Will you have 4 more fans or just an opening for air movement?

 

[P.Kelly]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13462372#post13462372 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bored4long
Great progress, Pete. What will be on the opposite side of the canopy? Will you have 4 more fans or just an opening for air movement?

The current plan in 4 more fans in the same configuration. All will be blowing in to cool the MANY T5 end caps. I'm hoping to construct a vent system (with remote inline fan) in the wall that can be used to draw out moist air through a vent in the attic to the outside of the house. We shall see, that is for another day. In the meantime, the positive displacement of the 8 in-blowing fans should expel enough air through the open rear of the canopy to keep the lighting cool enough.

 

[reefer334]

Lookin good Pete!!!


How Long until C Day?



Chris