Upgrade Time... 210 gallon Build
- Thread starter EddieJ
- Start date
muttley000
MTS Sufferer!
Canopy looks great! I hear you on the bounce thing, I had a buddy years ago with a 300 gallon Cichlid tank on the second floor of a dump of an apartment. I tiptoed past that thing!
EddieJ
Premium Member
Thanks!!
They just build these new floors kinda flimsy. They will hold the weight but have that slight bounce to them. Just makes me feel better with the jacks in place. Piece of mind for $100 is not too bad these days...
EddieJ
Premium Member
Thanks Jamie!
EddieJ
Premium Member
Finally reached the finish line!!!! Well, at least the build/equipment part.. Still have corals and fish to purchase. New carpet was installed last Friday and just finished up the stand doors today. I don't have mad skills like some of the woodworking guys I see build canopies and stands on here, but I am pretty pleased with the results.
The 4 fans I have installed on the canopy are working out real well. I was concerned about the difference in heat buildup when the halides are firing. But temp of the tank doesn't climb over 79.5. Two of the fans are blowing in from the back, and 2 are exhausting out from the top. The best part is the fans are just about dead silent. here are the fans I used:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233086
Quick peek at the halides and VHOs in the canopy. The VHO's are 72 inch Super Actinics....
The 4 fans I have installed on the canopy are working out real well. I was concerned about the difference in heat buildup when the halides are firing. But temp of the tank doesn't climb over 79.5. Two of the fans are blowing in from the back, and 2 are exhausting out from the top. The best part is the fans are just about dead silent. here are the fans I used:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233086
Quick peek at the halides and VHOs in the canopy. The VHO's are 72 inch Super Actinics....
trickedout900
New member
Don't sell yourself short on the canopy, it looks pretty sweet. You have a great start going, keep us posted.
EddieJ
Premium Member
Thanks!! Now it's time to start the long and slow stocking process. I QT Fish 4-6 weeks and Corals get a 2 week observation QT.. I have been looking for a pair of Blue Throat Triggers for awhile now, hopefully I hit pay dirt on that.
EddieJ
Premium Member
Update
Update
Things have been going fairly well as of late. The only issue I am dealing with at the moment is the diatoms that won't subside and some cyanobac. I am going to black the tank out for 3 days in hopes of getting back to an even playing field with the cyano.
Yesterday I picked up this guy at my LFS
He is down in the QT and doing well. Got a pretty good deal on him as he was $150. For the most part, you see these Male Hawian Flame Wrasses going for $250+
Thought I would also post an operational picture of the canopy. It ended up about 1/2 inch too big to flip all the way back so I made a couple of prop rods to hold it up during maintenance.
Update
Things have been going fairly well as of late. The only issue I am dealing with at the moment is the diatoms that won't subside and some cyanobac. I am going to black the tank out for 3 days in hopes of getting back to an even playing field with the cyano.
Yesterday I picked up this guy at my LFS
He is down in the QT and doing well. Got a pretty good deal on him as he was $150. For the most part, you see these Male Hawian Flame Wrasses going for $250+
Thought I would also post an operational picture of the canopy. It ended up about 1/2 inch too big to flip all the way back so I made a couple of prop rods to hold it up during maintenance.
PincheGonzo
New member
Ladies and gentalman.... We have a lid. And it looks awsome. Oh and nice wrasse 
EddieJ
Premium Member
Ladies and gentalman.... We have a lid. And it looks awsome. Oh and nice wrasse
Thanks!!
D' kingfisher
New member
i read through ur whole thread everything looks nice. i have question how high is ur light to water in the tank?
EddieJ
Premium Member
EddieJ
Premium Member
Yes, I stirred the sand each day and replaced 100 percent of the water. Keep checking PO4 till it's 0. I used 3/4 inch Oak plywood for the skin of the stand. I built the frame out of 2X4s 3/4 inch less in width and 1.5 inches less in length. This way the 3/4 inch plywood also became part of the support on the stand. the tank sits flush with this and the 1x trim that is around it comes up and hides the trim, if that makes sense. Otherwise if you built the frame to the dimensions of the tank, there would be a 3/4 inch gap after you skinned it.
icechimpee
Time is Money
Looking good Eddie. Did you put any foam under the new tank?
EddieJ
Premium Member
Thanks Ice,
No, I did not place foam under the tank as it is a fully framed tank. Aqueon's tank warranty applies when you use their stands. The design of their stands is to support the tank along the frame only, so that tells you the tank is designed to be supported only along the frame.
No, I did not place foam under the tank as it is a fully framed tank. Aqueon's tank warranty applies when you use their stands. The design of their stands is to support the tank along the frame only, so that tells you the tank is designed to be supported only along the frame.
EddieJ
Premium Member
Insurance Policy
Insurance Policy
I picked up some insurance for the new system. After going through power outages in the past with anxiety about my reef, I decided to finally purchase a generator. When you drop thousands into a system it only makes sense to purchase one. This generator can safely power my reef system along with the furnace/fridge and some lights/electronics in my house. If I install a hard start cap on my a/c condenser, I could just about run the a/c if needed. It's not a sexy way to spend $400, but it sure makes me feel better.
Also, Kona (my Flame Wrasse) is doing well in the QT. He went thru a preventative PraziPro treatment and is scheduled to go into the DT in six more days.
Insurance Policy
I picked up some insurance for the new system. After going through power outages in the past with anxiety about my reef, I decided to finally purchase a generator. When you drop thousands into a system it only makes sense to purchase one. This generator can safely power my reef system along with the furnace/fridge and some lights/electronics in my house. If I install a hard start cap on my a/c condenser, I could just about run the a/c if needed. It's not a sexy way to spend $400, but it sure makes me feel better.
Also, Kona (my Flame Wrasse) is doing well in the QT. He went thru a preventative PraziPro treatment and is scheduled to go into the DT in six more days.
gweston
New member
Great plan. I have a generator on my high priority must get list (tax return time). Last year when I had some work done on the house, I had an electrician install a manually switch on my power panel, and run a line/outlet to the back of the house for a generator hookup.
Not as expensive (or reliable) as an automatic starting generator, but it'll do the trick. The plan is to rely on B-11 pumps on a temporary basis until I can get to the house and power the generator up.
I am thinking to get an 8000 watt unit. While I probably can't run the house and all the tank lights. I should be able to power house necessities, tank necessities (heaters and pumps), and maybe a few T5's. It may not have enough juice to run everything and 3xhalides for an extended period.
Not as expensive (or reliable) as an automatic starting generator, but it'll do the trick. The plan is to rely on B-11 pumps on a temporary basis until I can get to the house and power the generator up.
I am thinking to get an 8000 watt unit. While I probably can't run the house and all the tank lights. I should be able to power house necessities, tank necessities (heaters and pumps), and maybe a few T5's. It may not have enough juice to run everything and 3xhalides for an extended period.
