My 400g room divider system (photo essay) - Page 9

polywise · #**201** 04/20/2004, 10:41 AM

Bomber / Greg,
The potential problems that I see are the following just my opinion and you can 86 it if you want;

corners will keep lifting up

I think the material is a styrene based material that was created with a blowing agent to create the thickness
(it is porus- even though your can't realy see the pores). Those proes over time will absorb the water, and then begin to weaken. That's no big deal, but when a corner chunk finaly breaks and gets stuck in your overflow drains there could be a flood.

try a test: you actualy have the material and I don't - why don't you put a piece in a bucket of water with a rock to hold it down. keep it there for a few days to see how it reacts. see if it gets soft or easlily breaks apart

gregt · #**202** 04/20/2004, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by polywise
Bomber / Greg,
The potential problems that I see are the following just my opinion and you can 86 it if you want;

corners will keep lifting up

I think the material is a styrene based material that was created with a blowing agent to create the thickness
(it is porus- even though your can't realy see the pores). Those proes over time will absorb the water, and then begin to weaken. That's no big deal, but when a corner chunk finaly breaks and gets stuck in your overflow drains there could be a flood.

try a test: you actualy have the material and I don't - why don't you put a piece in a bucket of water with a rock to hold it down. keep it there for a few days to see how it reacts. see if it gets soft or easlily breaks apart

This stuff is used widely in marine environments on boats and such. I seriously doubt that sitting on the bottom of my tank it's going to be an issue of breaking down. It's tough stuff.

It's been in Bombers tank for over a year now and I believe he's used it in older tanks also. Not sure on that one though.

gregt · #**203** 04/20/2004, 10:56 AM

As for clogging a drain, it would take a nice sized chunk to clog a 2" drain.

Plus, I've designed the drains so that one drain can handle all the flow. I did this for two reasons.

First, if a drain does manage to get clogged, the other can handle all the flow without a flood.

And second, I can shut off and maintain one drain at a time without shutting off my tank.

gregt · #**204** 04/20/2004, 11:50 AM

Here's some shots with some corals added and the lights in their final positions. Most of the coral has been kept in my growout tanks for over a year now waiting for this project to be completed.

polywise · #**205** 04/20/2004, 11:52 AM

Greg,

Cool design !

-- I guess that you 86'd my idea about the board. I thought that you were working with a different type of material.

gregt · #**206** 04/20/2004, 12:28 PM

That's alright Jim, I've got a problem with the corners that I created for myself. Bomber isn't having the problem because he put his boards in shortwise, and mine are lengthwise. I also have a wider tank which means my rocks are further from the corners than his.

Carl_in_Florida · #**207** 04/20/2004, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gregt
Here's some shots with some corals added and the lights in their final positions. Most of the coral has been kept in my growout tanks for over a year now waiting for this project to be completed.

Just for perspective purposes, how big is this clown? Is it a juvenile?

gregt · #**208** 04/20/2004, 01:13 PM

I've had the clownfish for about 6 years. The female is not going to get any bigger. The male hasn't hardly grown at all in 6 years.

gregt · #**209** 04/20/2004, 02:14 PM

At this point I traded some frags and added some goodies...

gumbybc · #**210** 04/20/2004, 03:03 PM

Lookin Good Greg Can't wait to see more.

H20ENG · #**211** 04/20/2004, 06:06 PM

Starboard is polyethylene (or polypropylene?) and will not break down in saltwater for eons. FYI

gregt · #**212** 04/20/2004, 06:42 PM

Thanks again gumby.

Thanks H20 for the additional info.

Bomber · #**213** 04/20/2004, 07:12 PM

I just get tickled every time I look at the top of the water in that tank and all those standing waves.
I know those corals are happy.

Sardaukar · #**214** 04/20/2004, 07:37 PM

Thats a mighty big tank for just 2 clownfish...

Also, how are the clam(s) handling the heavy current?

gregt · #**215** 04/20/2004, 07:38 PM

There's a small craft advisory on the bay and inland waters.

Quote:

Originally posted by Bomber
I just get tickled every time I look at the top of the water in that tank and all those standing waves.
I know those corals are happy.

H20ENG · #**216** 04/20/2004, 08:27 PM

Sorry if I forgot already, but what type of surge are you running, here?
Chris

gregt · #**217** 04/20/2004, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sardaukar
Thats a mighty big tank for just 2 clownfish... Also, how are the clam(s) handling the heavy current?

More fish are coming, although I do tend to stock lightly. I'm waiting to get the UV online to add any more fish.

The clams are definitely a challenge with the current. They're doing fine though with careful placement.

gregt · #**218** 04/20/2004, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by H20ENG
Sorry if I forgot already, but what type of surge are you running, here?
Chris

No surge. Just an iwaki 100 pointing one direction and a big genx pointing the other direction through eductors. The eductors really kick up a storm and somehow create quite a bit of "random" current.

steve68 · #**219** 04/20/2004, 08:40 PM

where do u have The eductors i thought they where big funel shape?
looks awesome.

ksarauer · #**220** 04/20/2004, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gregt
No surge. Just an iwaki 100 pointing one direction and a big genx pointing the other direction through eductors. The eductors really kick up a storm and somehow create quite a bit of "random" current.

Can you explaing the big genx pointing the other direction throught educators? I would like to know more about this?

Thanks, Kevin

DerekW · #**221** 04/20/2004, 10:26 PM

The clear pvc is a nice touch. Let's see how long it stays clear

I'd like to see pics of the inductors installed as well, I don't see them in the pictures. I know what they look like, I just don't see them anywhere.
Had any ideas bout keeping the starbord down yet? Seems like detritus would get under there. A rock in each corner maybe?

Sardaukar · #**222** 04/20/2004, 11:27 PM

What are your fish stocking plans?

Big E · #**223** 04/21/2004, 02:34 AM

Great setup Greg...........you're giving me alot of ideas for my new large system. I'd also like to see where the output of the eductors are & how big that pump is for it.

You've probably thought of this.....on the starboard, just bite the bullet & pull out everything, flip them over & cut them in shorter pieces. That should help. I can see in the one pic how the weight of the rock is holding the middle seem down tight.

You must be trying to be artsy

with that yellowish frag......or accidently broke off a branch & didn't remove it before it became fused together.

gregt · #**224** 04/21/2004, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by steve68
where do u have The eductors i thought they where big funel shape?
looks awesome.

I just realized that I hadn't installed the closed loop yet on any of these pictures. The waves you see in the tank so far are just from the iwaki 100.

You can see the eductors in the movie if you watch close, but still pictures of them are forthcoming...

gregt · #**225** 04/21/2004, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ksarauer
Can you explaing the big genx pointing the other direction throught educators? I would like to know more about this?

Thanks, Kevin

The iwaki 100 returns are both pointing back towards the overflow. The genx through the eductors is pointing away from the overflow.