building a C2C?

[Xtremedave67]

has anyone built a coast to coast in thier acrylic Tank?

the 260G I just obtained has 2 low profile overflows, but I am thinking about makinga C 2 C......is the work worth the benefit?
Or would I be wasting time and money?

one disadvantage to the existing OF's now is that they where built around the bulkhead. in otherwords I cannot replace it or anything without removing/cutting the existing OF's. the distance between the top of OF to the top tank brace is about an inch, and has egg crate glued in.

I can attempt a pic should that help?

 

[thatguy559]

pictures do help =)

 

[Chichas01]

CFI has done them: http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50958&highlight=coast

 

[Xtremedave67]

tough to get good shots, always something in way or a reflection that I cant get around.

with the current low profile design, you can see the OF holes are drilled kind of low, compared to OF I have seen anyway.

also those are 1 1/2 bulkheads in the holes that are drilled larger than the OD of THOSE existing bulkheads.

dont know if you can appreciate what Im describing here. but there is about an inch clearance from top brace to the top of OF's and the OF come forward from back wal about an inch, and they are 8 inches deep 6 inches wide (approx)

 

[Xtremedave67]

Chicas, that is another question, if I do a C2C build it external? or internal?

 

[Workaholic]

A C2C could definitly be done. and with the setup of those overflows I would definitly do it as the design of those dont allow for the construction a durso stand pipe. Personally I will only run a tank with a durso as I like have my displays as quiet as possible and hate it when they are noisey. its going to take some creative work with a drill, router and a dremel but it could be done without too much trouble.

Whats the bracing like on the top of the tank? does it have a center brace or is it eurobraced?

also just to make sure the whole overflow is that little structure on the outside of the tank? which makes those boxes at least 2" deep to allow the bulkhead to go through the bottom?

 

[Workaholic]

CFI has done them: http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50958&highlight=coast

that tank was built by matt who no longer owns CFI. not sure if jason has done them or not.

 

[Xtremedave67]

Whats the bracing like on the top of the tank? does it have a center brace or is it eurobraced?

large center brace.

 

[Xtremedave67]

top of tank

 

[tat2z_21]

I believe that is a EURO BRACE. Because it touches the tops of all walls. A center brace would only contact the front and back of the tank.

 

[Chichas01]

Chicas, that is another question, if I do a C2C build it external? or internal?

if it were me, I'd go external. that will give you more real estate in the display I'm pretty sure Jason has some pics of one he's done like that. I can't remember if I saw it in a thread or when I went out to his shop. PM him.

 

[Xtremedave67]

OHHhhh Ok, I guess I wasnt completely sure what a Euro brace was, does that change things in the idea of a C2C? or restricts internal vs. external?

I guess the depth of the existing holes concerns me as well. if I do external, would that compromise the structural integrity of the tank as its currently constructed?

at that depth of hole then a C2C internally would start taking up considerable space within the DT compared to the existing overflows too, hence my confusion lol

 

[Xtremedave67]

If I steer toward external, I wont be playing with Acrylic to this magnitude, an internal conversion I was willing to try my hand LOL.
was going to play with some smaller acrylic projects 1st to get a feel for the how to there.
I do hear much about CFI, so I would check them out if I went that route

 

[Scooterman]

My C2c BigT made me.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=12675&d=1147492034

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=12676&d=1147492034

From this build thread! Lots of ideas here!

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14793

 

[Xtremedave67]

I see pictures I dont see a build thread LOL

 

[Scooterman]

Try It now.

 

[Xtremedave67]

ahhh there it is thanks scooterman, ill definately look it thru

 

[Workaholic]

well I think your big deciding factor (at least with me) of weather to go internal vs external is how the stand/canopy situation is going to be setup. if you are to go inwall and have a fish room or if its going to have a stand and canopy. if its in wall then I would go external hands down for the ease of working on it if need be. If you are going to have a stand and canopy personally I would go internal then so you can have the tank go as flush up to the wall at the back of the tank as possible.

as for the bracing, my understanding of a "eurobrace" is that it has no center cross points like yours does and it in fact is just a strip of acrylic around the perimeter of the tank.

 

[grassi]

I think that building an external on an existing tank is not the way to go. Too much work, the possibility compromise the structural integrity of the tank, the possibility that it wont look good.
As for the internal, it is gonna use a lot of space and it would be difficult to keep it clean with the euro brace.

 

[DBM Reef]

The other thing to take int concideration is the Bow when it is full of
water . Meaning the glue joints holding it onto the back of the tank
maybe do 2 that are almost the whole length ? This is based off what
matt had told me when he was gonna possibly build a tank for me
and it makes some since. But there might be a way around it