It's Here!!!!

[jhendu]

Got the new tank tonight and so far I'm liking it. It's a bit heavier than my standard 110 I assume do to the euro bracing. This thing seems to be built like a tank (the military kind).The overflow seems larger than I envisioned but I think it will help make the tank unique once the aquascaping is done around it. I hadn't thought ahead to this but now I realize that there is no hole drilled in the overflow for the return line. The hole is there in the bottom of the tank but nothing towards the top. Right now I'm thinking of running the return line to the top and using a locline y to direct the flow over the top of the overflow out both sides. I may have to notch the acrylic to make this work though. I am entertaining ideas on ways to overcome this. There is also a label advising me regarding the "born on date". The date of manufacture is 28 Nov. The label says to not fill the tank with water until 4 weeks from the date of manufacture for 31" or deeper tanks. This is 31 inches. Under 31 inches they say 3 weeks. If I abide by this I would be looking at 28 December but I had planned to add water by the 21st. A bit of a dilemma there and not sure if I should disobey the label or put things off for yet another week. I guess that I have some soul searching to do on that one.

[Tanque Verde]

ugh. that born on date is a killer. I have no experience with that sort of thing. but I imagine it would feel like Santa Claus came on December 10th and left a shiny new bike under the tree with a note that said do not ride until . . .

Have fun, both with the tank and with the anticipation!

[Kentanner11]

I guess they put that on there so the glue can dry for a long time lol!
IMO would wait! It looks simple enough to knock out a tooth on the overflow allowing the lock-line to pass through!

[McCrary]

I would wait as well and wouldn't touch it until then, I don't think they would tell you that just to see you suffer. I can drop off the cement as I will not be around when you can fill it.

[SWSaltwater]

Curious on the bottom, is that single pain of glass and then small panels around the parimeter for support?

[ZOAKEEPER]

The bottom has a few of us perplexed?? Tommy, do you still have any glass bits? And what sizes? Maybe Jason can drill through side of overflow for his return line..........

[jhendu]

The bottom is euro braced like the top. There is the single sheet of glass and then the bracing is added to the inside of the tank. I'm not kidding you guys when I say that this thing is solid.

Matt, that would be cool if you dropped off the cement. I'll get you back whatever is leftover. I am going to wait. After double checking the math, it should be ready for water on the 26th. So I'll get everything set up and ready and then fill er up on the 26th. Uncle Sam kinda helped sway me away from going to fast by making this weeks schedule pretty bust for me anyway. There's no way I could be ready by Friday even if I really wanted to (unless I didn't sleep). So, what's everyone doing the day after xmas???? Aquascaping?????

Here's a couple of pics of the bottom for ya. It's still dirty from the shipping truck.

[SahuaritaMike]

"There's no way I could be ready by Friday even if I really wanted to (unless I didn't sleep)."

LOL who sleeps in this hobby, especially when starting a tank.

On the opposite I worried about falling asleep and not staying awake on my first big tank build.

Michael

[SWSaltwater]

Might want to add starboard to the bottom of the tank to avoid breaking that bottom pane of glass if a rock falls. Most manufacturers use 2 full panes on the bottom to avoid it cracking. See many single pane bottoms snap when a rock falls.

[jhendu]

I was already planning on lining the bottom with eggcrate to protect it. Not sure what starboard is but I think that eggcrate should fit the bill pretty well.

[SWSaltwater]

eggcrate works well also, sand should make it solid. There was a Frag thread were someone used starboard on a BB install, you can see what it looks like there.

[Colerphon]

I do still have some glass bits, 1/2" and 1" in stock. Not sure if you're gonna need them but just throwing it out there. ( good looking out Zoakeeper)