47 gallon tank meets Geek

[tallguy64]

Hey all I figured i would start a thread for my tank build =)

So im gonna set it up as a reef tank. As for fish well was was between a puffer and a lionfish. After quite a bit of research i think i am gonna go with a zebra lionfish. i like the look of them better then the fuzzy lionfish but they are supposed to be equvalent in size. Other fish well just gonna kinda go with the flow.

The reason i am calling this thread tank meets geek is for the almost full automation of the mechanical side. And also the random weather light simulation i am going to try and acheive.

For the lighting i have oerdered and on the way a 8 realy computer board that will be controlled via usb of a old laptop i have. Because of the simplicity oh the contorls for the board it will alow me to easily write a program that will randomize light along with emulateing sunrise and sunset. I also made custom moon led lighting.

Oh... tank yes its a 47 gallon acrylic, i liked the rounded corners what can i say =) I have it plumbed for a 10 gallon sump i have a hang on protien skimmer that i moddified to fit over the side of the 10 gallon ( it was to tall and wanted to fall over). Lighting is 4 36" pc lighting (Still tring to figure out waht combo of light i want)...

Um what else... well that all for now ill put up some pics of my plumbing and what not tommorow

 

[Krish]

Sounds great! Good luck I'll be tagging along

 

[tallguy64]

Here are some pics finaly, nothing fancy should be getting some live rock this weekend. Hopeing the micro bubles will stop soon i really dont feel like redoing my sump again but im gonna give it a week or soo.

And my master piece, well i guess theres better out there but for 60 who can beat my supper dupper controler =P Barebones laptop with a usb relay board and an awsome Visualbasic timer program written by me =). Will be adding a serial temp probe so that i will be able to control my heat pump unit that im designing.

 

[BCT182]

amazing stuff there buddy. im a little worried about salt creep though.... any way the electronic portion could be moved outside the stand?

 

[tallguy64]

Thanks brett... im still a bit bumbed about the mico bubles right now... just saw some pics of Herefishyfishy's tank and im gealous lol but all in due time right.

Eventualy im gonna build a nice black wood box that will be outside, for right now im gonna put a cover on it. Cause ye aftter seeing some pics and what not of others tanks i do see that being a problem if i leave it inside the stand... just want to get all the electronics nailed down before i build a nice wood box for it.... seems ironic that i made an plastic box but i had / have some really thin stuff just laying around not good for much but mabey some baffles if that, so i figured why not. Plus i hate seeing wires all over the place... out of sight out of mind is my moto lol Jk.

 

[OldFishMan]

Hello;

Beautiful --- WOW --- I love creative people

Get that masterpiece out from under the tank as soon as you can and make sure you have drip loops.

Please, keep us informed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"If they say it can't be done, try harder!"

Enjoy!

OFM

 

[menace78]

Get that masterpiece out from under the tank as soon as you can and make sure you have drip loops.

Check out the picture. He does have them. The're set to drip right into the electronics box

But seriously, That is cool and I wish I had the knowledge to do that
Hope it works out well for ya!

 

[tallguy64]

Lol yes i will get on thoose drip loops =) My two main projects this weekend are LR and closeing up the top of my box. suck cause i have only one day to do it really =\ oh well who needs sleep =P

 

[tallguy64]

Well i got my live rock in and i think i like it....

Also got a few hitch hikers =)

And im hopeing this one pulls through kinda got smashed on the way home by the rocks shifting

Side note the tech is coming out from underneath and i think i fixed my micro bouble problem... my over flows were sucking in a ton of air as it headed toward the sump and since its only 10gal dont think there was enough room to get it all out...

 

[Sascha D]

So what survived? I hope some good things, but it'll probably be the aiptasia hehe. Have to hand it to them, they are resillient.

 

[tallguy64]

Ye i still have the single atipsia... Every thing else is doing great.

Been debateing pulling the atipsia off or just leting it sit there... its been movein a little toward a a point that i think i should be able to pull it off with out there being much left over so i think i will pull it off when it reaches that point and cross my fingures that it wolnt make any more...

As for the rest of the tank its triveing i redid some of the tech behind the tank. My computer program was working great till the very old laptop finaly died. so right now im on timers. Thoug im holding on to the program and control unit. when i get a house and do my dream tank it will be going back in along with some other aditions. I think a live feed camera would be kinda neat.

Right now i have a single clown, royal gama, scooter bleene, and a coral banded shrimp, for live stock. The mushrooms or at leas i belive that what they are have dispersed all orver the tank and are growing like crazy. two of them are easily 2 to 3 inches every thing else is growing like weeds also.

The only thing i really have left to do is to add a light over my sump and put some macro alge in there to help with the little bit of growth that i have in the tank. I did have a little run in with red slime but since adding a few more fish to eat the food i was feeding to the clown every thing seems to be balanceing out. The sand bed is working awsome. Every thing is soo stable (knock on wood) i am really happy with my build have gone to a monthly water change i know more often would be better, but so far i really dont have any thing useing a whole lot of the calcium and what not so i dont see the point. Ill see about posting some new pics in a day or soo.

 

[MC Lighting]

you better get that PC out from under there in real short order you will be unhappily surprised at how fast salt starts to layer on things and a mainboards traces is a salts buffet... I am in the process of designing a system as well I hat paying so much for the controller when it can all be done very easily on our own with more features and complete flexibility. Good work looks great.

 

[DonW]

Man, that is one huge light timer. I agree get it away from the tank even next to it is going to cause corrosion.

Don