My 50

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

About a year and a half ago I decided to build a new tank.
I wanted to go with starfire glass and rimless.
The tank dimensions I wanted were 30" long x 20" front to back x 20" tall. Roughly 50 gallons.
The glass by itself was absolutely beautifull. All the edges were beveled and polished.
I also wanted to go with a little different color with everything. I usually did my backgrounds and everything in blue. This time the background, overflow and even the adhesive ( Momentive RTV 103 ) I used was black.

Originally I planned on this being my upgraded zoanthid tank. But things change.
Now it is a branching LPS tank with encrusting type montiporas. I also have a few favias and a chalice or two.
I have 2 fish in it. A Yellow Multibanded Pipe Fish and a Matted Filefish.

So, here are the pieces.

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

During the adhesive cleanup I made a critical error ( almost fatal IMO).
I had some finger prints on the front pane, so I bought some scrub pads from Home Depot that I figured were just a cheap nylon.
However they weren't nylon. They were green, like the ones you use for cleaning dishes. I ended up putting some pretty deep scratches in the glass.
I didn't realize it at first. It wasn't until I hung a light over it, that I saw them.
Talk about being crushed. I just wanted to curl up in a corner.
So I let the tank sit about a month, before deciding to try some scratch removeal kits.
The one I bought and all the powders and buffing pads for drills.
I gave it 3-4 hours and gave up. I did make a few go away, and did remove some of the cloudy areas, but the deep scratches were still there.
So I walked away from the tank ( depression fueled) for a couple more months.
One day I decided to see what it looked like with water in it. See if the scratches looked as bad as it did empty.
One thing to mention, my wife looked at the tank and didn't see the scratches until I pointed them out.

So I set it up on the stand and added water.
Made my light hanger ( out of conduit ), added the skimmer, overflow box and some pumps.
Things suddenly looked a little different.

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

So I did the water test for about a week.

Made a overflow cover.

Then drained it and brought it in my house.

The light hanger I made from conduit was fastened to the stand with conduit clamps, which allows the light to swing out of the way.

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

I went with a small amount of rock. Maybe 30-35 lbs.

pandora32 · Nov 4, 2012

Looks fantastic! Do the scratches show? Thatd be a bummer.

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

Thanks

Not really, unless you look for them.

When it happened, I went through all the stages of grief. lol
denial, anger, depression, etc.
But I'm over it now.

TJL · Nov 4, 2012

Very very N-I-C-E Martin, looking forward to seeing it all stocked up. One of these days will have to drag 'Fishy' out of his house and do a South-end tour to be able to see your masterpieces in person.

Cheers, Todd

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

I'm using a SWC Mini Hot skimmer, which is alright. Not great.
My lights are a ATI 6 x 24 watt T 5 fixture. Right now I'm using 5 blue plus and 1 aquablue special bulbs.

I have 2 Tunze 6055's with a Tunze 7095 controller.
An 25 gallon sump with about 1/2 of it a refugium with chaeto.

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

TJL said:
Very very N-I-C-E Martin, looking forward to seeing it all stocked up. One of these days will have to drag 'Fishy' out of his house and do a South-end tour to be able to see your masterpieces in person.

Cheers, Todd

Thanks.
I do have it stocked with lps and sps.
Just got to get a decent picture of it I'm happy with.

I don't have any pictures of it when I first set it up with corals.
I'll work on a few...............

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

IMO this is the star of the tank.
my pipefish.

The picture was taken with actinic and a flash.

nata · Nov 4, 2012

Picture deprived here..want to see more..everything looks great so far..but want to see corals...

user 26995 · Nov 4, 2012

That pipefish is really cool. I'm with Nata! More pics!

NemCrazy · Nov 4, 2012

Great work!! I like the size of your tank. And that pipe fish looks like a Dr. Seuss character. Lol

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

NemCrazy said:
Great work!! I like the size of your tank. And that pipe fish looks like a Dr. Seuss character. Lol

And just as friendly lol

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

Here is a quick picture I just took.
A several of the corals are going to be moved.
The big chalice is going, the bubble, a couple hammers and a couple frogspawns are going into another tank or sold.

Krish · Nov 4, 2012

Good stuff Martin!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

NemCrazy · Nov 4, 2012

Lovvvvvve that chalice!

Katchupoy · Nov 4, 2012

mfinn, so if you cannot use the green scrub what do you use?
I ask this because i just recently used the green one sandwiched between my mag cleaner because there are some stubborn algae that wont go inside the glass of my tank.

So what to use instead? Mind you that the green scrubbing ones worked wonders and I just used it once.....

mfinn · Nov 4, 2012

Katchupoy said:
mfinn, so if you cannot use the green scrub what do you use?
I ask this because i just recently used the green one sandwiched between my mag cleaner because there are some stubborn algae that wont go inside the glass of my tank.

So what to use instead? Mind you that the green scrubbing ones worked wonders and I just used it once.....

The one I bought from Home Depot looked just like the green nylon scrub pad. It had some abrasive quality to it.
I've used the nylon ones for many years and never had a problem, ever.
So you can amagine my shock when I saw the scratches.

Peppie · Nov 4, 2012

Nice build!!
Why the HOB Skimmer if your tank is drilled for for a sump??
You can tell this is not your first pony show!!!

My 50

Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

Well-known member

Surgeonfish

copod

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

iFish

Well-known member

Catalina goby

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

RF STAFF

Catalina goby

Well-known member

Surgeonfish

Well-known member

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Register today and take advantage of membership benefits. It's FREE!

Don't like ads?

Did you know that registered members can turn off the ads?