Another new tank...this makes 9

Rendos · #1 11/01/2007, 12:58 PM

Well, to go along with the 225, the 120, the 100, the 75, two 55 tubs, the 20, and the mantis tank...I figured a nice 240 cube would be nice.
I have a 4'x4'x2' glass tank and stand sitting in the garage waiting for me to get started on. I have to stain the stand, and then start plumbing. It has a 1.5" drain and a .75" return inside the overflow.
Sump will be a custom 36"x20"x20" tank with a AE Classic 400 skimmer. Return pump is a Ocean Runner 3500 returning through a chiller.
I am not doing a closed loop on this tank (which all the other large tanks have). I am using a couple of Maxi-Jets with the Eco-Mods. This tank (unlike most of the others) will be LPS/mixed reef. I have so many tanks with SPS that I wanted to give the old LPS and softies a try again.
Lighting will be a combination of 2 x 250 watt HQI Geissman 14K bulbs and 6 X 54 watt T5's of mixed spectrum.
Pics will follow.

ycnibrc · #2 11/01/2007, 03:29 PM

wow 9 tank?I can barely keep up with one. Anyway atleast you don't have to spend that much for lps/softy tank compare to sps.

Rendos · #3 11/13/2007, 08:00 PM

Well, being the genius that I am, I ordered the stand at only 24" height. I had to do some altering to the stand to get it higher. Basically I built a box for the stand to sit on out of 2 x 8's, and covered that with 1 x 8's so that it would match the stand. I got all that put together, and started staining. Here are pictures of what I have done so far.
Stand

Doors

jnarowe · #4 11/13/2007, 09:29 PM

cool. I like cubes as look downs though, so my preference would be to have it low.

Rendos · #5 12/07/2007, 12:48 PM

Small update.
I got the tank in the house and up on the stand. Everything is plumbed and ready for sand and water to go in tonight.
My plumbing is really simple on this tank. 1 1/2" drain to sump...back to tank via a 3/4" return using a 1000 GPH return pump. Skimmer is a AE400 Classic with 3 500 GPH needle wheel pumps.
Here are a few updated pics.

Purple Haze · #6 12/07/2007, 02:20 PM

What type of attachment is that on the Seio in the last pic?

Rendos · #7 12/07/2007, 04:44 PM

I switched return pumps from a Ocean Runner to a Rio HF. The attachment on the input is an elbow. This draws water off the bottom of the sump and prevents air bubbles from getting back to the display tank.

Rendos · #8 12/17/2007, 10:02 AM

I made a little progress. Here are a couple of updated pictures.

jnarowe · #9 12/17/2007, 10:13 AM

Makes me nervous to see the tank by the window, but you probably had no choice. I really like the tank, but where did you find that antique TV? That thing must be worth a fortune!

Rendos · #10 12/17/2007, 10:16 AM

Thanks. That was given to my wife and I by her sister a while back, and we just have not found the need to get anything different. It still works great.

Rendos · #11 12/17/2007, 10:17 AM

P.S. - why would the window make you nervous?

armagedon48 · #12 12/17/2007, 11:58 AM

natural sunlight sometimes leads to unwanted or uncontrolled algae blooms.

if your skimmer can keep the algae in control, i wouldn't worry.

jnarowe · #13 12/17/2007, 12:34 PM

rapid temperature changes are also an issue when a tank is butted up against a window.

Rendos · #14 12/17/2007, 04:56 PM

This window does not get direct sunlight, and the myth that sunlight causes algae is completely untrue. Natural sunlight is only a problem when a tank has excess nutrients in the water. I have a 75 gallon setup in front of another window in the house...been set up for over a year and no unwanted algae in it.

With a 1/4 HP chiller and only T5 lighting I don't think the temperature will fluctuate much at all.

jnarowe · #15 12/17/2007, 06:28 PM

cool.

tydtran · #16 12/17/2007, 06:53 PM

Very nice looking cube. Glad to see another enthusiast with an antique TV. My wife and I still use a Sony set that we bought in 1990. It has non stereo output and excellent low definition picture. We love it.

Good point regarding the sunlight and algae.

jnarowe · #17 12/17/2007, 06:58 PM

yeah, low def is great because you can't see the mess going on, on news anchors' faces!

vessxpress1 · #18 12/17/2007, 08:04 PM

Awesome tank! I like LPS and softies better (for now) anyway. Can't wait to see this thing stocked. Could be a TOTM candidate. Good luck with it.

BTW, I had to have HDTV so I ran out a few years ago and bought a 51" Hitachi projection,HDTV ready set. Set me back a couple grand. Almost exactly 3 years later, the blue tube goes out. Find out I have to take it somewhere to be fixed and it'll cost a few hundred dollars! And oh yeah,' no gurantee another tube wont go out next year.' So now my once sharp blues have a green tint and it's a joke. 2 year warranty was worthless. I'll trade you.

spazz · #19 12/18/2007, 12:48 AM

looking good richard. cant waitt o see this one finished. i also want picture of that really big tnak at your work. send me some pics via email or that one.

thor32766 · #20 12/18/2007, 10:22 AM

wow love the aquascaping. Looks beautiful!!!

racksteris · #21 12/18/2007, 07:08 PM

nice tank

Rendos · #22 12/24/2007, 06:33 PM

Here are a few updated pics. Notice - we no longer have the antique TV.

And this is why we no longer have the old television...a new television.

Kent E · #23 12/24/2007, 08:24 PM

I'm going to hold out on my antique TV as long as I can. I love this size tank, they are just beautiful!

jnarowe · #24 12/24/2007, 09:37 PM

I just love that tank dude. very nice size and shape.

Rendos · #25 12/28/2007, 10:16 PM

I added about 50 pounds of Tonga rock today. The water is clouded due to this, but thought I'd share a couple of new photos. (On a side note, I changed the return pump back to the Ocean Runner and am happier with it than the RIO).

Here are a couple of new aquascape shots.
Full on from the right viewing panel...

Full on from the left viewing panel...

One of the new pieces of rock...

And another of the new pieces of Tonga rock...