Advice for my first sump

[blackcloudmedia]

Heres my light holder. I love doing things for only 4 buck in cost of materials. The center brace is the secret to strength :lol:

 

[Ben1]

Are you putting some type of strainer over your intakes? I would hate to see a snail wonder in there and clog up the piping.

I hate snakes, creepy if you ask me. :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Are you putting some type of strainer over your intakes? I would hate to see a snail wonder in there and clog up the piping.

8O given the tank's proximity to the bed, I'd think a strainer is a good idea. The thought of a tank overflow that close...((shudder))

 

[blackcloudmedia]

yea im still toying around with the intakes. i love having the tank next 2 the bed cause i can lay there and stare into it 4ever...ah

 

[Ben1]

Yeah i put a tank at the foot of my son's bed so he could enjoy it with the moon lights on it at night. It glows a nice deep blue so its pretty cool.

FWIW years ago I had a tank with a similiar overflow system and I being cheap at the time took a lid off of a spray paint can, slotted the open end for a strainer and cut a hole in the top of the plastic so it would slip over the PVC elbow. You can see the elbow in this picture but not the strainer I couldnt find a picture that showed the strainer I made, this was taken in 03'. Once the straier was covered in coralline and stuff it bleaded in just fine and kept out the snails.

 

[Ben1]

BTW, I probably missed it but what kind of lights are you going to hang from that bar? Maybe get some krylon fusion in black or whatever and paint it, it would look better I think.

 

[blackcloudmedia]

Oh wow thats a cool softies tank ben. I have my duel 250 watt 20000K MHs hanging from the bar. Remember, the tanks not as blue in person lol

 

[Ben1]

Thats neat looking stacks. What kind of rock are the shelf pieces?

 

[blackcloudmedia]

The lighter pieces are those 8 dollar pourous carved rocks you see at fish stores. I think its a fake coquina or something. The flat pieces are mortar mix I cast and drilled then allowed to cure in saltwater. I know I know its risky putting concrete in tanks but Ive been experimenting for years with it and Ive finally got it down to an art. I allow the concrete to fully leech out before I put it in the tank. I break off a piece of it to view the innermost parts and confirm that the color is the same all the way through (thinner pieces cure and leech exponentially faster)

 

[USMC81]

Copperhead was my first thought.

 

[blackcloudmedia]

Oh yea about that snake. THe FLorida fishand game commision came and picked it up, it was a pygme rattler. VERY poisonous lol.