Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread - Page 15

bleedingthought · #**351** 09/13/2007, 11:15 PM

Wowzers! So, each lumenarc is covering a 32"x48" base... Crazy!

bleedingthought · #**352** 09/13/2007, 11:23 PM

Marc, looking back, these are great tanks/pictures! But why didn't you start a new thread for these?....

jnarowe · #**353** 09/14/2007, 12:28 AM

I am only using 3 reflectors on my 8' x 5' x 35"...works great!

bleedingthought · #**354** 09/14/2007, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jnarowe
I am only using 3 reflectors on my 8' x 5' x 35"...works great!

Well, now I need to see a picture!

Left you a reply at your thread.

spleen93 · #**355** 09/14/2007, 02:48 AM

Anybody else notice that this thread really took off again after Marc left for MACNA??

Spleen

chris wright · #**356** 09/14/2007, 03:17 AM

Yep!

Marc will have fun when he gets back and tries to catch up

Lunchbucket · #**357** 09/14/2007, 01:23 PM

It was great last time he was gone. It took a real turn and a LOT of posts

erics3000 - My new system that is not up yet is 48x48x20" Acrylic and way overbuild. All 3/4" I think. 6 holes in the back. I have thread started in the large tank forum. Won't be up for a year or more probably

I need to upgrade my electrical panel before I can run it. I have an 1970 house w/ a 100amp breaker...not sure how it can run my current tank w/out breaking breakers everyday?? We hopefully will upgrade next fall to a 200amp so I have plenty of room.

Lunchbucket

Lordhelmet · #**358** 09/14/2007, 01:26 PM

when the cats away the mice shall play.

I'm also hoping to have my 180 up soon. 48"x26"x24". it's funny though that when i started planning it money was everywhere. then when i really need it it evaporates into nothing

oh well.

i wonder what marc is up to.

token · #**359** 09/14/2007, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lunchbucket
I need to upgrade my electrical panel before I can run it. I have an 1970 house w/ a 100amp breaker...not sure how it can run my current tank w/out breaking breakers everyday?? We hopefully will upgrade next fall to a 200amp so I have plenty of room.

Lunchbucket: It might be possible to get a break on your insurance when you upgrade your panel. It worked here.

There is a small apartment over the garage that was run off a sub-panel off a sub-panel. The main breaker box was replaced first. A sub-panel was pulled to supply the garage and apartment and the other sub-panel (that had supplied the sub-panel to the garage/apartment) was downgraded and updated. All of this was not as expensive as one might think, and the cleanup of all the circuits certainly added peace-of-mind and a nice 4% annual discount on the insurance (for going from a fused circuit to the more modern switches).

The fish room, in the garage, takes one-third of the 60amp sub-panel and will be adequate for the needs of my system. Since the apartment above is so small, it is possible to borrow a bit more amperage from there if needed. And there is still an unused 40amp fuse in the previous subpanel that is just plain off, atm, with abundant excess available from the main panel.

Most home service is minimally 200amp, as I understand it, so the biggest expense is the labor to do the upgrade; the panel itself, with breakers, only cost about $400.00. If you have the willingness to pull the cable for your fish-needs subpanel, the cost to hook it up and wire the circuits to the breaker is very manageable. I did a lot of the prep work and then had the electricians look over what I did when they did everything else, saving a good bit in labor and a nominal amount in materials. Thankfully, I have good relations with an amenable electrician.

HTH! and GL!

Lunchbucket · #**360** 09/14/2007, 03:28 PM

Lordhelmet - THANKS! I have a breaker now so not sure if I'd still get that break on insurance but worth a shot. I have some friends (about 2-3) that do electrical work for a living....more part time (used to do it full time) and they could get me started. I plan on doing all the wiring to the fish room on my own. But the upgrade of the main panel would be the most cost. I talked to the electrical place and they said it is usually 1,500-2,000

Lunchbucket

erics3000 · #**361** 09/14/2007, 03:36 PM

Lunchbucket - That sounds sweet..All in good time.

Lordhelmet · #**362** 09/14/2007, 03:53 PM

lunchbucket that is correct about breakers and insurance discounts. I do know that that State Farm in Cali requires the home to be at least 40 years old before they start to increase rates. then will a new panel lower rates. before that it's just peace of mind.

jnarowe · #**363** 09/14/2007, 05:24 PM

wouldn't the highest part of the cost be bringing in a larger line from the power pole?

token · #**364** 09/14/2007, 05:41 PM

Most city utility service, these days, from the street to the house is no less than 200amps. In Dallas, to upgrade beyond 200amps requires a permit, panel upgrade and meter upgrade even though the power itself is in place without modification by the electric company. If this had been an upgrade from a 100amp panel to a 200amp panel, all that would have been needed was a qualified electrician and the materials. As it was, it was an upgrade from a fuse box at 200 to a breaker box at the same amperage.'

And thank goodness, as the wire to the garage subpanel from the main box was over $500.00! I don't want to imagine how much the wire from the street to the main panel would be...

Of course, one's individual mileage may vary... =)

jnarowe · #**365** 09/14/2007, 05:50 PM

my house has 400amp service with dual main panels, but the wire from the panel to the tank room was about $300. 2 x #2 and 1 x #6 ground at 100+ feet.

hansmatt · #**366** 09/14/2007, 05:54 PM

Maybe we can get a split before "the Man " returns? At the very least we can give him a few hours of reading material to catch up on! Could this thread continue without Marc? Perish the thought...

erics3000 · #**367** 09/14/2007, 08:56 PM

THATS A LOT OF MONEY. DO YOU HAVE ANY BUDDIES THAT COULD HELP YOU DO IT YOURSELF? THEN AGAIN IT MIGHT BE SMART LETTING A PROFESSIONAL DO IT, OR n ELECTRICIAN FRIEND IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE. IT IS N OT A VERY FORGIVING JOB..

Lunchbucket · #**368** 09/14/2007, 11:22 PM

I think they have to dig mine from the street in for a bigger service? I remember hearing something about that. WIll have to wait for next summers round of training HS kids. All my training money goes towars something big. This year it was 250ft of Black vinyl coated chain link for my back yard. Who would have thought my puppy would have cost me so much. She gets more money spent on her then I get

Lunchbucket

Lunchbucket · #**369** 09/14/2007, 11:27 PM

Just a few pics for Marc's thread.

Me and Eve @ Pet Smart's Training Class. She just graduated Intermediate class and is starting Advanced class this week

2 more pics from that night

Lunchbucket

makoJ · #**370** 09/14/2007, 11:48 PM

I'll add some puppy pic's to Marc's thread too

Cooper and Frankijo acting crazy

Bone time

Sleepy

Hobbes checking out our old tank

erics3000 · #**371** 09/15/2007, 12:25 AM

She looks like a good girl lunch bucket. I had female a while back and she was the best dog ever. Do you have any pics of your tank??

MakoJ your old tank looks sweet too.

Here is some of my little guy.

Hop · #**372** 09/15/2007, 12:34 AM

Sweet, I didn't know we were doing dog pics:

erics3000 · #**373** 09/15/2007, 12:40 AM

So cute aww

spleen93 · #**374** 09/15/2007, 01:29 AM

I would post dog pics if I had one. I'm feeling left out.

LOL

So I'll post a picture of some of our cats instead

Spleen

vapor1 · #**375** 09/15/2007, 03:25 AM

All of these assorted animal posts should teach him to go out of town....lol