Kannin's 225 w/ artificial rock wall & pillars

[Kannin]

Kannin, glad to see the tank worked out for you. It looks great and looks like you put alot of hard work into it. A big change from what it use to be, but a good one. Glad you got to use the closed loop... Now you just need to hang the light and you'll be there..

Thanks for the compliments... You had it looking pretty good. I was told that you were moving out of the area and getting a new tank. I am going to build a canopy around the light. The tank is under a 17 foot slanted ceiling. Can you tell me about the bulbs??? I am assuming that the center one is 10k and the outer bulbs are 14k. How old were they when I bought it?

 

[roscoe]

Kannin what were the averaged size rock you were using to build your wall? Do you think if I was to do this should I order Marcorock rubbles or go with their regular stuff?

 

[Kannin]

I think you have to keep it out of water long enought that you would probably kill live rock. The epoxy needs 6 hours to cure at 75 degrees or higher and the spray foam needs at least 2 hours. My project took three weeks to build. I got the pillars done and then realized that I would run out of rock so I ordered another 50lbs and decided not to proceed until it arrived... so that I could cherry pick it for the key pieces.

I got the epoxy at North End Train Center at 125th and Lake City Way. The guy I copied used a finishing resin from Zap... but I could not find it except on line and I was impatient. The product I used was $13 for the two 6.5 oz bottles...

Here's what the whole project consisted of...

5 - 2x4 sheets of egg crate (Light difuser panel) Lowes or THD for about 12 bucks each.

7 - cans of Great Stuff (red can) THD's cans are bigger than Lowes for about the same price. Very sticky, messy stuff.

140 lbs of Marco Rock. (I bought 125 lbs to start... 70 lbs of 4 to 7 inch figi, 25 lbs of small shelf rock and 30 lbs of rubble. I bought 50 lbs more of the figi but I still have around 50 lbs of rock left... including 25 lbs of the rubble... which works well for frags.)

200 zip ties. (medium and large size)

13 oz epoxy resin.

5 lbs of sand. (mostly sugar sized grains and a little bit of the larger size.)

 

[roscoe]

I think I'm gonna play around with this with a 40g tank. Just to get a feel on how hard or easy this project can be. Thanks for the info kannin!

 

[Kannin]

Kannin what were the averaged size rock you were using to build your wall? Do you think if I was to do this should I order Marcorock rubbles or go with their regular stuff?

Here's the deal with Marco Rocks. They have big figi and the stuff I bought which is the 4 to 7 inch stuff. They have big shelf rock and the stuff I bought which was just the regular size. There was some really good stuff in there... I even had to break a piece in half. Then there's the rubble... I bought 30 lbs which was way too much. There was some rubble in the other boxes.

I was completely happy with my marcorocks.com experience. Both orders shipped next day and arrived in 8 days. Both orders were everything I could hope for. But, right after I got mine... people started complaining about him. Not about quality but, about service. He had some supplier issues and wait times stretched out to a month... and he didn't communicate very well which made folks upset... (according to some threads I've read). I have also read that he's coming back around... as of late... and service is returning to normal.

 

[roscoe]

yeah I've been on and off the phone with him for the last week. He seems to be a very strait guy. You can't beat his price for the rocks he carry though some very nice and porous rocks. Anyways thanks again for the info! Is there any chance I can come by your place one weekend to check out your Beutiful tank? I'm looking to have a tank built 60''tx34''wx25''t some time late this year or early next year. What are your dimensions of your current tank?

 

[Kannin]

Absolutely... My wife would be grateful if you came over. She is so tired of me making her sit in front of it. It's 72L x 30W x 24H.

 

[Kannin]

Where are your closed loop intake located at? Don't see them you must of hid them nicely in the rock work huh?

Intake is lower center behind the center pillar and the returns are in the lower corners. I am going to put a third return at the top center with a Seaswirl on it... once I get the canopy built.

 

[roscoe]

Sounds like I'm in the same situation you are with the wife lol. She hates it :lol::lol:

 

[Kannin]

I'm in trouble... I just went down to Barrier Reef at luch because I was bored... and I bought a Yashia gobie / pistol shrimp pair. I promised her I would come home with anything for a while.

 

[roscoe]

Hey it's Ok Kannin I say that all the time but still I come home with something. Yesterday I took her to Target and I told her i'm going window shopping at the lfs. What do you know I go and pick her up and she says whats that I just smiled and said ummmmmmmmmmm I just spent $160 bucks on this cool looking coral. It was a Watermelon Enchino 9 to 10'' around. I just could'nt pass it up.

 

[dailydriven911]

I think most of us are in the same boat...:lol: btw...tank looks great!

 

[veralteaquatics]

MH lamps

Thanks for the compliments... You had it looking pretty good. I was told that you were moving out of the area and getting a new tank. I am going to build a canopy around the light. The tank is under a 17 foot slanted ceiling. Can you tell me about the bulbs??? I am assuming that the center one is 10k and the outer bulbs are 14k. How old were they when I bought it?

Not the old owner, the old maintenance/designer...anyways the lamps you have were run for about 3-4 months, so you still have lots of time to go on them. And yes they are 10 and 14k... Looks great thus far!!!

 

[Kannin]

I need help... I want more flow thru my stand pipes with less noise. I am using Hofer Gurggle Busters. 2 x 1.5". I have installed caps with very small holes in them. If I drill a larger hole... they seem to draw less water.

Any Ideas?

 

[tat2z_21]

That is gorgeous setup. Looks really awesome. One question the the foam you used does it dry in a solid state or is it more of a sponge like . And the only reason I ask is because sometimes the fish like to nip.

 

[roscoe]

It is solid but spongey (if that is how you spell it)

 

[trido]

does it dry in a solid state or is it more of a sponge like

As hard as a rock. That can be cut with a razor knife

 

[veralteaquatics]

wholes for busters

I need help... I want more flow thru my stand pipes with less noise. I am using Hofer Gurggle Busters. 2 x 1.5". I have installed caps with very small holes in them. If I drill a larger hole... they seem to draw less water.

Any Ideas?

Start with no wholes in new caps and then increase the whole size a little ( I mean Little) at a time to get what you want. No whole is more flow, bigger whole is less flow...Hope that helps..

Eric
Veralte Aquatics

 

[Kannin]

It cures hard but you could poke holes in it or cut it with a razor blade like Trido said. So far... it's holding up well. You gotta use the red can. The blue can dries too spongy and the black can expands too much.

 

[Kannin]

I rented a trap from the lfs to catch my big tang from my small tank. The rock work is pretty fragile and he is a little smarter than me. I put the trap in Monday night... baited it Tuesday...

And, by Wednesday night... I had him...

He lost a few scales during the ordeal... but, other than that he seems ok and except for a few tail pushing incidents early on with one of the yellows... he is king of the tank...