A 90 Gallon Quest For Tank Of The Month

[Jeremy Blaze]

The issues I think has to do with heat. I know someone had a problem with them on an acrylic tank.

[stevedola]

ive seen the driver corrode which stated in the warranty is not covered by the manu.

[Chrisrush]

I have a pair of 6055s and a pair of 6025s on my 60g cube. All are modded. With my profilux controller, I can get a good 2" wave with the 6055s.

Nice equipment so far. Sad to see you cut into the Triggersys sump though, as David does great work.

[druluv]

Keeping the glass clean is definitely in my plan. I always like how clean the glass looks on some of those japanese tanks.

Well I started wiring my t-5 bulb, and since I'm a doofus, I only ordered one wiring harness, even though I needed two for both ballast. In addition to that, I misplace my heat sink for my t-5 ballast. So off to premiumAquatics for a wiring harness. While shopping, I remembered I also need some moon lighting so I ordered a PowerBrite LED Lighting System for nighttime effects. I also see I can fit some smaller t-5 bulbs inbetween my MH pendants, I wanted to try some red t-5 bulbs, anyone using this color?

So far, I came across some issues:

1) Where do you think I should but the icecap t5 ballasts? In the canopy or in the cabinet?
2) My MH Ballast has three wires, but my mh hqi holders have two wires. The power cord has a green, white, and black wire; how should I wire this?
3) How do you cover a eurobrace tank?

Chrisrush - I know, I felt so bad about cutting the baffle in the sump. But the bubble king had to fit, by any means. He does make some wicked sumps.

BTW, How do you like the profilux controller? I have a jones for one.

Being that already have the multicontroller, I'll go with 6055. I like the fact they are easy to move around, so I can readjust them as corals start to grow.

Chrisrush, you have any pictures of them in your tank?

[melev]

Originally posted by Jeremy Blaze
The issues I think has to do with heat. I know someone had a problem with them on an acrylic tank.

This 90g wouldn't have thick acrylic, so that isn't a problem.

Originally posted by stevedola
ive seen the driver corrode which stated in the warranty is not covered by the manu.

Corrode as in rust? It must have been a really wet fishroom. Mine corroded the key-fob sensor to my home's security system, then it damaged my sprinkler system controller that turned the sprinklers on every day for a month (I figured that one out when the water bill came in ), and I've had ballasts refuse to start until they dried out. But in all that time, my drivers never had a problem. Due to all that nightly condensation in the summer months, I installed a vent fan in the ceiling a year ago to resolve that problem once and for all.

If it was salt creep, I guess anything electronic has the risk of damage. I had to replace a Tunze driver that was ruined, and get an Aqua Controller II's motherboard replaced. Heck, the electronic section in the fishroom's window a/c unit corroded after 2 years and I had to buy an entire new unit because the repair exceeded the cost of the a/c!

[melev]

Originally posted by druluv


1) Where do you think I should but the icecap t5 ballasts? In the canopy or in the cabinet?
2) My MH Ballast has three wires, but my mh hqi holders have two wires. The power cord has a green, white, and black wire; how should I wire this?
3) How do you cover a eurobrace tank?

If you do moonlighting, put them on a timer. It isn't about power consumption, but rather the LED intensity in one spot 24/7. It can bleach corals sitting in that longterm beam.

Red lighting is good for tank viewing, and the inverts don't see it.

1) If the ballast is tiny, it can go anywhere. Even with the Icecap 430, I mounted it to the back of the canopy where it would stay dry at all times.

2) The B&W wires are for the MH wires. It doesn't matter which goes to which. The green wire could be connected to the reflector to ground it.

3) Cover it how?

I'm gonna tell David what you did to his sump!

[druluv]

Thanks Melev for the lighting set up!



Well tank should be home in 6 weeks. I added 4 more holes on the top for more alternating current.

So I have some time on my hands; well it does give me more time to get the staining and other mundane tasks done without the lure of rushing a tank setup.

I was hoping to finish wiring my lights by Friday, but this is put on hold until the harness comes in. This why NY is a hard place to reef, first you can't get the products you need, and if by chance have it, it cost 700% more to buy if from the LFS.

I'll start staining the stand. Glasscages makes a sweet stand . Full pull out doors on the front and side. The side door was a good choice, because you get good access to everything on the bottom. The stand is also 36" high to match the height of my dinner table, so the tank can be view from the other side of the room.

I picked a pecan stain for the canopy & stand. The cool part of the stain I picked, is that it comes with the gloss in the stain. That's right, the gloss is part of the stain. Two quick coats, and the wood is stained and glossed!

Melev brought up a problem with salt corrosion so I plan to add a matching side cabinet to accompany the tank. I'll still have Glasscages do the cabinet work for me, even though I'm not crazy about their tanks. The side cabinet can house the electronics and chiller. This will keep the bottom of the tank cabinet clear for the sump and pumps, and the electronics high and dry.

The top of the cabinet could also hold a temporary quarantine tank for new additions. By putting it there I will mostly likely use it. When there are no new additions, the tank can be tuck away in a closet.

I have a new respect for quarantine tanks, I have seen a fully stock tank lose all of its livestock with the addition of a new fish. I have also personally witness sps colonies go down with the addition of a disease infested frag. So My plan needs a hardcore but easy quarantine plan for new arrivals.

I have visited big saltwater wholesale shops, and a lot of fish come in sick. The problem too, is that the wholesalers have one big filtration unit for fish, so one sick fish can pass it off to the whole unit, however, well respected wholesalers have all kinds of UV and other types of disease prevention equipment to minimize this though. But many fish at your local fish store are sick, and should be quarantined before they set a fin in your tank.

[justinpsmith]

Great build so far!

I agree 100% with the QT...Im always shocked at how many people do not QT. I think its crazy. Its really not fair to the fish who have to suffer because people have to get them in the display so fast.

What are you going to do with the Glasscages tank?

[druluv]

Here is a pic of the canopy:


Here is the stained version:


Here is a pic of the wave2k empty box, it doesn't look so big





Lighting Test:

[druluv]

Well I finished staining the stand and canopy. Now I need to install some under the cabinet lighting.

I went with a cheap current nova light.

and screw it on the top of the cabinet:


I'm using this paint to help seal the would should I have any leaks, I also chalk the corners to help keep water in the stand if some water should leak.


I'll do some 2 or three coats to get a good layer down.


So now I'm starting to think about aquascaping, I have been listening to you guys. I know I don't have the best width to work with so I really have to think about this in great detail. I'm thinking about going with a rock piller set up. So to test the waters I starting drilling 3/8 sized holes in some of the rock. I need to get some 3/8 piping and fishing line to hold the structure together.

Here is my first attempt to drill rock!



I also started gathering rock rubble to help hide the wave2k units and the tunze wave box. I'm going to use pond foam and rock rubble to help cover the casing. I hope I'm able to tie this in with the rock pillar.

I finally got my wave2k care package so I have some work to do!