My Biggest 90 Gallon Tank Build Project Evur!

[mr_X]

what about zip-strip? won't that take it off?

 

[asonitez]

I'm GLAD you got a great deal on the Oceanic tank. From my experience with the wood cabinet you can use the 80 Grit to sand down to the wood fairly easy. Then use a finer grit like 150/200 to feather the wood. Basically take away all the roughness and give it a super smooth finish. You will notice the difference when you use the finer paper. Take your time and use a sanding block or wrap the sand paper around something square with fairly rounded edges. I used my munchies (son) dicarded oversize lego blocks. I just built a 5 inch square and taped my paper over it. this will stop the sand paper from slipping and tearing and it will also give you a nice uniform surface to surface contact. Get a nice tack cloth and clean the wood off as you sand it which will stop any dust from settling on the wood and rearing its ugly head when you decide to start painting.

When you start painting use a thin coat first and let it dry completely. THEN put on your second coat which will really make it nice. Thinner even coats are better then thick gloppy coats which might not adhere correctly and enable it to be easilly picked off using a finger nail.....

Also.... If you decide to clear coat the wood make sure you use something thats non-toxic if you have children like me that like to run around and chew on stuff. The CABINET will be solid oak most likely but be careful with the doors and hood because when I drilled mine I found that they seemed to be made of layerd chip board but still hella sturdy.

 

[asonitez]

Well I finally have all of my components. I just need to setup!!!!!!!!!! my 100gdp RO/DI 0ppm unit arrived yesterday. AND my order from Marinedepot arrived at the same time!!!!!!!!!!!

Form this Pic of the inside of the tank. Do you think I should Reseal it a bit?

My plan was to take tape and mask off the tank near the damaged edges of the silicone. Then use a razor blade to give the damaged edge a decent straight line.then run a bead and fill in the gap. Good Idea? Bad Idea? Or leave it alone? The tank does not leak.

I still have to Glue my baffles into my sump and have them cure. Water and Sand will be in the tank this weekend.

UGH....

 

[asonitez]

Well.. here I go! more Updates.


I got the RO/DI installed finally and my tank is plumbed!!!!!!!!!!!!!... Now I gotta fill the tank. MAN it fills Slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww this morning it had about 1/8th... hopefully by the end of the day It will be filled. Though I'm a bit skeptical.... I mean.. the 30 Gallon Sump Still has to be filled. Its a 100gpd machine but I don't think that it will really do 100GPD... More like 50/75. I think I have fairly decent pressure coming through. In either case my aprtment is on the 9th floor of my apartment building. I hope the Floor Holds.

First Mod the Faucet. I found this little doohickey from a previous water filter that I had. It accepts a 1/4th inch tube on the barb!

Next Mod the Wall.
Basically I used a Drill bit and drilled into the wall and then used some oversized screws from the package to mount it.

There she is all Setup and Hung

My Family will use this for drinking water as well. We have a Water Jug in the fridge that we fill up with Ro/Di water weekly or as it is consumed. Basically we set it and forget it in the sink and come back about a hour later and its filled.


Girlfriend is NOT happy about the tubes all over the place..
I had some Coaxial and Phone line anchors in the closet that I banged up to run the cables fairly nicely!

Then I Limo Tinted the Back Wall of my tank! It looks SO pro and was SO easy. I reccomend purchasing the pro kit at the Autozone. It contained the Razor, Liquid to clean and mount the tint, lint free cloth, and an AWESOME squeegee rubber thingy to make the back smooth. It was soooooooooooooooooo easy.

(I reccomend the pro items because using homemade Squeegeeeeeee's sucked balls. I had to remove the tint and do it again.

I reccomend you Oversize cut the tint like .3 inches and then slip it into the trim around your tank for a REAL pro look.

and Finally FILL HER UP!!!.....slowly.... really....really slowly.

 

[asonitez]

Alrighty then I've been through the Build thread before in this thread.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthrea ... id=1259163

Details:

AGA - 90 Gallon
Oceanic Canopy and Stand Refinished by me Painted
Satin Black
Oceanic Model 2 Sump
2 Via Aqua Poly Reactors ( 1 with Phosban and 1 with carbon)
Mag 12 Return throttled back with a Ball Valve
Aqua-Euro USA Classic 250 Skimmer

65 Lbs of Live Rock in the tank with another 60 Waiting to go in soon. Will Post updates of new Rockscape.

2 Astrea Snails
1 Nassarius Snail
1 Juvi Yellow Tang
6 Chromis
1 Blenny
1 Sandsifting Goby
3 Blue Leg Hermit Crabs

Lighting is a Current-Sea Nova Extreme T-5's Stock. I have new bulbs coming in two days Based on Grim's reccomendation. It should make everything pop so bright and healthy that My fish will need glasses.

I'm trying to Build Rock Towers. I'll let you all know how that turns out. As Soon as I can find acrylic rods.


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/asonitez/2199183025/" title="IMGP0372.JPG by t_allicock2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2044/2199183025_d755e998b1.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMGP0372.JPG" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/asonitez/2199975364/" title="IMGP0373.JPG by t_allicock2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2296/2199975364_ee84ef7a4f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMGP0373.JPG" /></a>

No Idea what kind of SPS this guy is. He is kinda green with neon green flowers on him.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/asonitez/2199975304/" title="IMGP0382.JPG by t_allicock2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2413/2199975304_8b07ddec4f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMGP0382.JPG" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/asonitez/2199975276/" title="IMGP0374.JPG by t_allicock2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2226/2199975276_87d3cde8d1.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMGP0374.JPG" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/asonitez/2199974578/" title="IMGP0371.JPG by t_allicock2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2080/2199974578_98bd9d851e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMGP0371.JPG" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/asonitez/2199974474/" title="IMGP0369.JPG by t_allicock2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/2199974474_166c1d1328.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMGP0369.JPG" /></a>

Thanks for Looking. The lighting in those pics were 4X96 Watt Hamilton Fixture with 50/50 Current-USA PC Bulbs.

 

[mr_X]

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/categor ... 1946067433

for the acrylic rods.

 

[Kasey]

You should get a pressure gauge and you might find that you need a booster pump.

I have the same unit as you with the carbon filter (for drinking water), a permeate pump and a TDS meter.

I'm putting out almost 100gpd at an average of 50lbs of water pressure.

 

[asonitez]

A Concept of my Aquascape

 

[asonitez]

I have never had more than 3 different types of corals in my tank at any given time. AS a matter of fact I upgraded my tank 3 times the same year. I have finally settled on a 90 Gallon tank that I have decided to do right with good equip and care.

I have been looking at some of the aquascaping around and one thing I have never noticed is anyone using a fast growing coral to cover their sand bed or something of the nature.

It would seem that with placement and such most people ultimately just stuff as many corals as they can to create a lush colorful landscape.

I love that but Its been done before. Instead I was thinking of doing something more artistic and creative. Something like this...

Obviously the Color and the Texture as well as the actual stock used will differ. At first when I started this project I decided that I would try and Search for tanks that were Coral Specific... But I did not find any. So I decided I would make it my goal to create it.

Goals:
The Tank must "Light Up" under Flourescent Lighting
It must be functional and inherently easy to maintain with minimal moving around.
It will require Periodic Trimming and "training" but not in over excess.


Over the past month or so I have been collecting and Storing various amounts of Kenya Tree and GSP.

Now to many people these particular Corals are literally weeds. GSP gets out of hand very easilly and will over take many corals without care. Kenya Trees Will drop children all over the place and even after Cutting them off they will grow again. PERFECT!

GSP Glows Brilliantly Green under Actinics and Kenya Tree although not as flourescent they Glow Red/Pink depending on your Actinics.

Ultimately the GSP will Cover My sand bed except in certain areas that I will Surround by Live Rock(Creating a Wall that can be Grown on but defining an area that I can easily trim to keep it at bay.

The GSP will look like This...

Obviously My Live Rock will need to be placed in the Aquarium as well.

I ordered 12 feet of Acrylic rod from USPlastics.com 5/8" and I have been drilling and dry fitting them together to create the structures I'm going for. Over all there will be 2/3 Arches Stemming from 1 Mountain and 1 Skinnier Tower. There the Kenya Tree will Sit in Valleys Surrounded by GSP on Posts made of Live Rock. The Sand "beds" will be there mostly for the Wrasses that Call it home and other fish that might like to play in it. Over All my tank will look like this after Completion.

For those of you who will inevitably ask.

Lighting 8X 54Watt T5 HO - Current USA Nova Extreme
Skimming Aqua Euro Classic 250
Sump 30 Gallon Oceanic Model 2
Flow
3 X SureFlow Modded MaxiJet 900's + Return Flow Mag 12
Cooling
Ultra Quiet Zero Chill Fans Under Cabinet Venting Air In and Out as well as 2 fans in the Canopy Doing the same In addition to the Current-USA Fans in the Canopy.

All fans are Wired to a DigiDoc

Designed for PC's but work Fine for Aquaria. They Key is to Seal the Thermo Probe with Silicone in a mold and Leave the Probing Tip open. I use the cheap Bubbles you get for 25 cents from the vending machine drill a hole in it and then feed the probe sensor through it. i then fill it carefully with silicone until the probe wires are encased and wait 48 hours. Its water tight after that. Even Then... I've used the probes in water cooling situations for 3 years on my current pc and no problems. And I never sealed it with silicone or anything for that matter.

I purchased a small power supply from Newegg which powers all of the PC Fans AND the DigiDoc easilly. Best part is that it is only a few inches big and fits in a Standard Radio Shack project box.

In all Including the Digidoc from ebay and the fans from there as well + the power Supply my entire cooling setup cost me
less than 100$ It comes with 8 Probes.

I will be cutting a Suitable Hole in the Side of the stand and Placing the DigiDoc in there. I can control all fans independently set them on a temperature sensor or have them cycle. Oh.. And its Backlit.

If All Goes to Plan then pics of the live tank should be up soon.

I don't plan to Just keep those corals but I will have things like Monti's etc Growing precariously off of cliffs and the like. And Zoo's covering other things.

Thanks for reading this Very Long Post. I promise pictures are sure to follow.