27 Gallon

[nasher8860]

Ok I, started this a while back. I ended up gettin the tank and stand used. After spending about 3 days sanding and resanding and polishing,the tank looked good enough for me.

The people bought it from said it didn't leak and blah blah.Anyways when I Finally got enough for a new sump,and A return pump I soon found out they were lying,but it wasn't too bad. The only placed it leaked was on the right side of the overflow.It was too much not to be fixed. So I picked up some clamps,glue and silicone and just redid the whole overflow. I was surprised it held up(since I've never repaired or glued acrylic before).

The next thing I got for it was a skimmer,ended up being a Berlin Classic,but hey for $40 I can't complain.After gettin this all hooked up and ready, I started cycling it.

The next step was trying to figure out what type of lighting I was gonna use. I was just gonna go w/pc's but after seeing some 14k Hamiltons in action I decided to go with Halides. I just love the look and the output is so high.So after looking around and shopping a little bit.I decided I needed to win the lottery before I ever got metal's. I decided I was going to build a canopy before I actually got the lights.

I just finished putting on the second coat tonight and I'll have some more pic's tommorrow or the next day.

Oh yea,I also wanted to Thank wrightme43 for the pics and info on the canopy's he has built....excellent info and guidline. So here it is.

 

[Kensn]

Great looking hood! You might want to put a thin piece on the back if you are going to put a halide in it, or that whole corner wall will glow.

 

[nasher8860]

Yea I wasn't sure if it would or not. I was hoping it wouldn't...lol.
I just didn't want it to get too hot in there. I'm planning on putting a 175w XM 15k in there. I have a 4"inch Icecap fan going in that hole too. If anyone thinks it will be cool enough please lemme know cause I'll skin that thing in a second if it will be.

 

[loohunter]

you can always run the lights at night when the temp is cooler and you are home from work to actually enjoy the tank. this what i do and it helps tremendously

 

[nasher8860]

Thanks for the comment Kensn.
Ok so I had a little setback, after putting on the second coat last night I figured the pieces would be alright where they were. So after work today I show up and the top of the canopy had soaked up so much heat(black paint+95degree weather) that it warped the lid....Bah!!!
Anyway I didn't want to make a new one so a little repair is being done while we speak and another coat of paint will have to be applied.
Another Day in the Life of a DIYer. :lol:

 

[nasher8860]

Here's a little more on the lighting I'm using. It is a 175 wallpak used for outdoor lighting. I had my buddy come over and we rewired it using waterproof wire nuts(the first time I messed with it I got shocked by the capacitor..lol) So I can now plug it into a household 120v.I got the bulbs this last week.

 

[nasher8860]

Ok I decided to see what it looked like without putting a back on. I have no patience,if you can't tell. Anyways the thing barely fit. So I'm gonna have to sand it down a Tad Bit.
And Kensn was right, It lights up like a Christmas Tree. So Im gonna put a back on it. If it gets a little warm I'll just throw a fan on the sump.
Well for the time being this is what I got,Ill post again when mistakes are corrected.

 

[Kensn]

You can put a back on it and still have a couple of vent holes in the back. Remember light doesn't bend around corners, so if you make a hole like the one for the fan on the back, just cut a piece of wood a fews inches bigger than the hole and mount about 1" over the hole with stand offs. Ummm... can you see what I mean?

 

[nasher8860]

Well I didn't have time to fix the canopy yet, but I managed to sell my 65 gallon and had to make a emergency move of my livestock. here's what it looks like right now.I don't have a decent camera so this is all I can really show.

 

[Kensn]

Looks good Nasher....

 

[nasher8860]

Thanks Kensn, there is still lots of work that needs to be done, I was thinkin about a bigger stand with some more room for a bigger sump and skimmer upgrade. The whole shazzam!!!!
And maybe some small 10k's to throw up in that hood if I have room.But this will do for now.I hope.

 

[wrightme43]

I think you did great. I like it alot. thats a good looking tank. I like the way you did the back mount for the lid.
Did you use a router for the rounding over? or do it by hand?

 

[nasher8860]

Thanks Steve,it's all off your design . I used some pretty standard hinges from Home Depot(called "Brainerd" loose pin hinges). The spring loaded Hinge(to keep the lid open) is made by the same company. They call it a side mount(right,left,and center).
As for the router,my girlfriends Dad has all the stuff you need and more. I ended up using the table router,very easy to use.And then I sanded it down a little after,to prep it for painting.
The prelaminated Pine you suggested worked very well.It was easy to cut and ready to paint.
All in all the project went pretty well. There will always be mistakes and errors to be corrected next time,but hey thats the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[nasher8860]

A quick pic....Since setting this thing up, Iv'e added a better ballast for the halide. I also added 2-28watt 10,000k power compacts to supplement the 175XM,Added another Fan(still having heat issues),and redid the rockwork a little.
So here she is......Fortunately the only thing I've lost so far is a Sally Lightfoot(no biggie).

-Nash

 

[Detri]

Your tank is sooo nice! I am still fighting with the lighting thing. But your tank is inspiring. Thanks for shareing.

 

[Fijikid]

Nasher8860-what type of fan did you install in the canopy?

 

[Krish]

Really nice and clean setup you got there...Thanks for sharing. I'm always up for pictures especially nice ones like yours!

 

[nasher8860]

Thx for the comment's I was thinkin about adding a hammer coral and maybe soom Wicked color Zoo's we have at the shop.
Fans: Iv'e got one 4"Icecap(blowing in) and one 4"Coralife(blowing out).The back is open too, and the Temp still ranges inbetween 82-85.

 

[Krish]

Fans: Iv'e got one 4"Icecap(blowing in) and one 4"Coralife(blowing out).The back is open too, and the Temp still ranges inbetween 82-85.

Just out of curiosity, do you run your fans 24/7? Also, if you know, where would your temperature normally sit at without the fans on? I have a canopy on my tank, but without fans. I haven't check the temperature yet since I got the new lights and removed all of the glass off of the top of the tank. I won't know where mine will sit at until I decide to start up my photoperiod, but it would be cool to know how much of a difference it will make...

 

[nasher8860]

You know what..I'm not sure what the Temp would be without them on. Before I added the second fan it would sit at 83-86. And no I don't run them 24/7 they are on the timer with the lights.BTW the halide and pc's are about 8 1/2 inches from the water. I checked the temp the other day before I went to work and it was at like 82-83 and that was with the lights off for like 7 hours. I don't have a Lid on my tank either and I'm topping off with about a gallon of RO/DI every other day. One of the things that I think makes my tank run a little warm are the sub-pumps for the return and skimmer . I should try shutting off the skimmer for a while and see if it makes a diffrence...Yea thats what I'll do run a little expierment....get back too you in a little bit.......

Ok just checked the temp and it it sitting at 84-86 The lights have been on for about 6 hours and I just unplugged the skimmer. So I'll let it sit for like 3-4 hours and check it again.