In Wall - going for it! - seeking your ideas/feedback/advice

[NC2WA]

Ben,

If you decide to go with sand, maybe we both can get a discount from a local retailer?? I'm sure we could get it for under $1/lb. I need about 160lbs of sand for my new tank. I am looking to get the ooglite sand either from Seachem or Caribsea.

Just food for thought?
Kirk

 

[class clown]

Gabs - of course you can come

Matt - yeah yeah.. $100 it was.. it's only Plastic, how much can plastic cost, right? HA! try 10+ times that amt. And I'm dying to try the home brew.

Duane - Yeah, I can vouch.. beer doesn't usually make good w/ powertools and projects for the quality, but it makes it a lot more fun. I've had several RUI incidents (Reefing under the Influence) and none of them have ended pretty - usually it involves something broken.. :eek2: Pizza & pop it is then :lol: :lol: :lol:
On the PH meter, it's your's assuming I decide to get rid of it (still tbd b/c don't know how that kalk reactor will turn out), but I have one probe on there that's been holding it's calibration for ~2 yrs steady no problems. I have another one, in probe storage solution, still brand new in box just waiting ready to go if that one poops out. I'm surprised how long this one has lasted, but I test it every couple months to make sure it's still good & calibrated and each time to my surprise it is.

Jesse - yeah -once again, so close to home w/ my experience. I know I've been nagging you to start a thread on your tank plans, but here's another one...NAG - do it! I want to see what you're up to man.

Kirk - sounds good on the sand - that one is still tbd too. I know it'll be a pain if I want to add it later, but I'd like to see what it looks like w/ just the starboard first. If I do go sand, sugar sized Oolite is definatley my personal preferance for sand, so glad we have similar tastes. I'm hoping to stop by your place today to checkout your steel stand & plans - maybe we can drive to BR together. I need to head down there for something anyway and I know you're going down today for your b-day (Happy B-day btw)

 

[spongebob lover]

beer doesn't usually make good w/ powertools and projects for the quality, but it makes it a lot more fun.

sure a couple extra holes here and there, but no biggie :lol: .

 

[dailydriven911]

dibs on large green slimer... I'm sending you a pm right now...

 

[trido]

I keep meaning to revisit your lighting so I write it while Im thinking it.

You wrote that you are going to use the two 250s and T-5 suppliment. I am going to suggest keeping the T-5s all actinic instead of 50/50 as you have suggested and then buying two NO T-8 fixtures with 65k bulbs. The bulbs and fixtures are $20 each after tax. Then you will have SOOO much more lighting options.
I actually have one brand new fixture with no home that I will donate. When I first set it up at 12" above the tank, to my surprise a couple of my corals were getting sunburned and needed light acclimation.

In doing this you will have full actinic, a real red/yellow time period and the MH punch with the color specrum the actinics and the 65s dont take care of.

Mostly, its the full actinic that I think you need to keep just for the coolness factor

 

[class clown]

funny.. I was having second thoughts about the lighting as well.

I was thinking about adding another strip to it too.. I have existing from my current setup (4) 24" 65w PCs. I'd probably have to get some new bulbs, but have the ballasts & reflectors on hand. Do you think 6500s or 10ks? I've never done 6500's before, but heard they are the best at growing. They may be a good balance too for my 12k mhs, and now doubled up actinics.

Plus, I was also battling back and forth with the new black LIIIs w/ the small vented sides or the regular LIIIs with the bigger vent cutout on the the sides.

Here are the black one's:

and here are the other one's I'm considering, they are regular LIII's w/ exhaust vents on the sides - I'd string them together w/ some exhaust pipe, and some fans and divert the hot air away

 

[szidls]

funny.. I was having second thoughts about the lighting as well.

I was thinking about adding another strip to it too.. I have existing from my current setup (4) 24" 65w PCs. I'd probably have to get some new bulbs, but have the ballasts & reflectors on hand. Do you think 6500s or 10ks? I've never done 6500's before, but heard they are the best at growing. They may be a good balance too for my 12k mhs, and now doubled up actinics.

Plus, I was also battling back and forth with the new black LIIIs w/ the small vented sides or the regular LIIIs with the bigger vent cutout on the the sides.

Here are the black one's:

and here are the other one's I'm considering, they are regular LIII's w/ exhaust vents on the sides - I'd string them together w/ some exhaust pipe, and some fans and divert the hot air away

Hey Ben glad to see the plan coming together! What reflector is being used in the new black L-3? Is it the same as the original? If it is then it's just a cosmetic thing with the black look. If not I prolly would use the old style because of the reflector light out put. As for the bulb choice. 12k MH and all actinic T-5 sounds great. If you are adding additional pc I would go with 10k. It sounds like you want to move to a bluer look and I think the 6500 would add too much yellow. Just a personal preference thing. Looking forward to the BBQ.
Scott

 

[class clown]

Yeah Scott - same reflector inside... just a harder black exterior w/ vents. I'm thinking I'll try to go with the regular LIII's b/c of cost and I like the polished aluminum look. I can add the vents in the side, then use some of the dryer vent to tie them together:

And I'm thinking I'll use an exhaust fan to drive the air through it:

 

[JRBear5658]

Ben I am interested in you 55 gallon tank

I will send you a pm

JR

 

[JRBear5658]

Hey ben what is the demensions of your 55 also?

 

[class clown]

Problem w/ adding more bulbs onto the lighting rack.

I'm not sure I'll be able to add another set of bulbs.

the tank is 48 wide right?
(-)the wall is 9" thick so takes up about 9" of usable room unless we make the cutout for the hole big enough where the light rack could slide partway into the wall. Doable? probably. Good idea? I don't know.
(-)the overflow will be about 4" deep
(-)the lumenarcs are 19.5" deep

so that leaves us with ~ 7 3/4" on either side of the halides to play with. I just measured the width of a single power compact reflector and it is 4". Even though they are thin, I don't think I can squeeze 2 of the T5 bulbs w/ reflectors into that remaining 3 3/4" inches, can I?

I may just opt for two actinics on either side of the halides in which case a birds eye view of the lighting rack would look like so...

JR - sorry, PM box was full, sent you PM back

 

[jezzeaepi]

The T5 reflectors are only 2 inches wide. I would try to free up a 1/4 inch somewhere and go with 4 T5's on each side. Possibly consider doing the external overflow?

 

[class clown]

2 inches wide -excellent. thanks Jesse.Well, with that, I could do 3 on each side snugged up next to each other w/ no problems. 2 actinics on eiher side and a 10k in the middle

extneral overflow is an interesting idea.

 

[trido]

LOL.... My whole point in adding the extra 65k bulbs and fixture is that they are VERY INEXPENSIVE and yet IMO somewhat effective. IMO the third set of lights wont be necessary for good growth on your tank. It was merely a suggestion to give one more lighting option for when your in the mood still giving you a full actinic light setting. Now look what Ive done.

And yes, we will cut the wall out high enough to allow a set of lights to be as far forward as possible

 

[class clown]

Even so Duane - I too had been thinking about the lighting and thinking how nice it woudl be to have a couple more actinics for extra flouresence. The actinics you have on yours are bright and really make things glow - that would be something I'd like to emulate if I can.

You all have been making fun of me for my lamo drawings.. well make fun of this... :shock: I downloaded some freeware from google called skechup and made the following. Inspired by Nathan's drawings (Rocket)

and to think, it only took me like 4 hrs to draw these :lol: :lol: :lol:

top looking down:

side view:

underside view:

 

[NC2WA]

Ben,

Impressive diagrams. What program are you using to create this drawings??

So are you planning on hanging your lights from the ceiling like I am or not??

Kirk

 

[class clown]

Sketchup by google - free downloads on the web

Yep - planning on hanging. the only thing is that I have duct work right above where mine will go, so I don't think I can hang from the ceiling unless I want to hang it from the duct work (probably not the best idea). I'll have to create some sort of 2*4 arms around the duct work that I can hang it from. not a big deal.

 

[class clown]

So I think I'll go w/ 3 T5s on each side. 2 URI actinic bulbs surrounding a URI 10k in the middle. Unless anyone else has any suggestions. It should look nice and clean that way.

I wish they made a nice 3 bulb housing w/ good reflectors - I'd use that if they had one. All signs point to that the TEK T5 retro's with URI bulbs are probably the best for my situation.

 

[class clown]

Ahh.. Almost forgot - help me figure out my water change system.

Ideally I'd like to dump my waste water into my 4 " crapper pipe that runs pretty close to where the tank is going in, but where do I tap into off the aquarium? and how do I prevent backflow from going back up in the pipe?

I have 2 32 gallon brute trashcans I could utilize. What else do I need? I have a PM to DonW to help w/ this, but open to any other ideas you'll have too.

My search on here yielded only a few results.

 

[DonW]

Ahh.. Almost forgot - help me figure out my water change system.

Ideally I'd like to dump my waste water into my 4 " crapper pipe that runs pretty close to where the tank is going in, but where do I tap into off the aquarium? and how do I prevent backflow from going back up in the pipe?

I have 2 32 gallon brute trashcans I could utilize. What else do I need? I have a PM to DonW to help w/ this, but open to any other ideas you'll have too.

My search on here yielded only a few results.

First you need to decide how automated you want it to be, just a push of a button or if you just want to open a valve and drain the sump the refill it via a pump.
If your thinking about tapping into your sewer then your going to have to have a valve or put in a stink trap. I personally would put in a stink trap.

Don