Setting up 300 gallon Tenecor

[vokey60]

I'm finally setting up my tank after having it for 8 months. I'll have pics up on Friday. I have a few questions 1 is where can I get good timers for my lights. I running PC's 2 96 watt daylights and 2 actinics. Each light has is own switch and I would like to setup timers so that the Actinics come on first and th daylights later. All of the timers I have seen only have one plug in and I would like to have 2 plug ins. that way I only have to buy 2 timers. Does anyone have a better idea. Also the ballast are really large they are JBJ's and I haven't come up with a good place to set them on. Any ideas here? I have the Standard Tenecor 6" canopy in acrylic that's all open in the back. If you have any ideas please post.

[bstone]

Just get a "Y" splitter cable for your timer. That way you can plug 2 lights into 1 timer.. Also, here is a link of a few timers!

http://www.intermatic.com/?action=prod&pid=193

http://www.hellolights.com/tmditi.html

hope that helps!

[cwegescheide]

I would very much like to see the pictures of your tank. I am seriously considering ordering a Tenecor tank. What do you think of it? I guess you just set it up? What are the dimensions? Does it have rounded corners? How is it plumbed?

Thanks,

Chris

[mhurley]

cwegescheide,

Here's my 330 if your interested.
http://mikesreef.homeip.net

and FYI, for tank 6' and over, I believe I remember them telling me when I ordered mine that it's impossible to do rounded corners, because acrylic sheet doesn't come longer than 8', so they can't make the bends.

[cwegescheide]

Damn thats nice... So that was a used Tenecor you picked up? I love that room!!! Man thats the ultimate setup you got!! Your a lucky guy. So have you scratched your tank yet? I really would like to get Acrylic but everyone says how easily scratched it is... Makes me kindof nervous.. I am a little on the perfectionist side and stuff like that would drive me nuts I think..

You did a very nice job setting that up... Where you from? I live in Indy.

Chris

[mhurley]

No...The first tank I got was used...It leaked, I replaced it with a brand new Tenecor.
Yes, I have scratched it. As long as I keep the algae/diatoms off of it, you can't even see the scratches, unless you're really, really looking. I've had 2 dozen people (including hobbyists) come and see the tank, no one has pointed out the (multiple) scratches. None of them are deep, that's probably a big difference. You can be careful and not scratch it, mine were out of stupidity and lack of patience in cleaning it. Haven't scratched it since I figured out how to do it right.
For me, acrylic was my only option. That tank is in my basement. The would have been no physical way to move a 1000 pound plus tank down the stairs.

I'm in Naperville IL.

[cwegescheide]

OK.. Well how much does your tank weigh and what is the proper technique of cleaning it without scratching it? Can you remove the scratches (if you wanted to) with water in the tank?

Did I tell you how envious I am of you???? Ya know I think if I had a setup like that I would probably never leave the house!!!

:)

[[G]h0S'][']

impressive set up. u use that many lights for your 330? hows the temp?

[mhurley]

The tank itself is around 350 pounds I would guess. 4 guys were able to move it in, but truly, 2 decent sized guys on either end can walk it around.

Proper technique depends a bit on your tank. I have a DSB, which is the root of my scratches. I started out using the "acrylic safe" pad that came with my Magnovore 6 magnet. 2 problems there. First is that the pad is very pourous, much like the rough side of a sponge that you do your dishes with. Grits of sand would get into there and end up scratching. Second is that the Magnavore 6 is extremely stong, especially for acrylic. It's probably fine for 3/4" glass, but 3/4" acrylic it pulls very hard on, so those little sand grits scratched.
So the first thing I did was change magnets to a Tiger Shark Mag float, not quite as strong with the bonus of a floater...I then changed out that acrylic safe pad for a piece of 2500 grit sandpaper. Just rough enough to get off coralline, not to rough to scratch. Because it's a flat non-pourous surface, it doesn't suck in bits of sand.
I also and very careful around the sandbed to go slowly to not pick up any sand.

Yes, you can repair scratches on the inside of the tank when it's full. You use varying grits of sandpaper, Micro-Mesh is one of the name brand kits. You just start with a heavy grit and buff out the scratch and keep moving up and up on the grits until about 6000 or 8000 and it's shiny and new. It's time consuming, but it works.

For the exterior you can use the liquid products. I use Novus 1,2 and 3. 1 and 2 are gritty pastes that act as a sand paper and you use a soft cloth to apply and buff out. Novus 3 is just a shining and static removing liquid.

Mike

[mhurley]

Originally posted by [G]h0S']['
impressive set up. u use that many lights for your 330? hows the temp?

What do you mean "that many"? The tank is 8 feet long, a single halide only covers a 2x2 area, so I had to use 4 bulbs no matter what. I chose 400 watters because the tank is 30 inches deep. 250's are only good to about 24".

I have a 1/3 HP chiller that only runs in the summer time. The room is directly vented out of the house by way of a heat/air exchanger. There's a constant supply of fresh air in there that is not bound to my furnace. So in the summer, the room is pretty warm, otherwise, it's drawing in cooler air from the outside and it's fine.

Mike

[[G]h0S'][']

my mistake, i thought i read a total of 6 mh in use in you tank. the other line stated 2 pfo ballasts.

[aznDragonX]

Originally posted by mhurley
So the first thing I did was change magnets to a Tiger Shark Mag float, not quite as strong with the bonus of a floater...I then changed out that acrylic safe pad for a piece of 2500 grit sandpaper. Just rough enough to get off coralline, not to rough to scratch. Because it's a flat non-pourous surface, it doesn't suck in bits of sand.
I also and very careful around the sandbed to go slowly to not pick up any sand.
Mike [/B]

so you just use 2500 grit sandpaper and forget about the pad? hmm..maybe I should try that since my 100G TruVu tank is full of scratches and coralline algae.
- Jason