new tank

[Mike HArrington]

I ordered my Facade rock for the back wall from Gary MAdl at www.captiveoceans.com last night and it will arrive in a few weeks from Germany. this is an example of what the facades look like.

I have five coming to cover the back and one end of the tank.

 

[mojoreef]

so what is that made of???


mike

 

[Mike HArrington]

Aluminum, Magnesium, Calcium I believe are the three major ingredients in this. It is inert in salt water after a good rinsing of teh poweder from the firing. It is like ceramics I think.

Funny thing is my wife is looking for a hobby and wants to take a pottery glass!! I may have her make me some more things like this and just not glaze them!!

 

[Mike HArrington]

Its not FOAM mojo and after reading about that stuff and the potential breakdown there is NO WAY that stuff is ever going in my tank!!!

 

[mojoreef]

Kinda neat, what was the cost on the stuff?? hey one thing I just noticed. Have you ordered your lights yet??


Mike

 

[Mike HArrington]

I got all pulse start PFO with 20K's and 4 48 inch actinics on IC 660

 

[Mike HArrington]

Luminarcs make a Difference

I ended up getting these ULTRA cheap and I am very happy. I am using Ozone on the tank through the skimmer to increase water clarity along with weekly maintence and water changes. These are 2 250 watt 20K hamilton on a Pulse start PFO mag ballast. Nice spread in these reflectors! I will only be using two MH and 4 VHO.

Have a look and compare.

 

[Mike HArrington]

these are older diamond light Luminarcs. I paid less than 100.00 fro three but looks like two will do it

I have two extra ballast now and bulbs and four parabolics its cool though because you never know when you will need something. Plus I will have a frag fuge anyway and teh extra light will come in handy on a reverse cycle. I had planned on suing four MH on the tank but in this case more is just more. I read Sanjay's study on reflectors and it just made good sense to me. With increased water clarity from properly controlled ozone and the addition of good reflectors why over do it. I am not trying to recreate the vegas strip! I just want adequate light for the small aquacultured colonies and frags to grow in. No need to waste electricity and add heat if I do not need to

 

[mojoreef]

You will like those reflectors Mike, they do make one hell of a difference on the ammount of light getting into the tank. I switched out all of mine for these units. Ozone is a good choice to!!

Mike

 

[jlehigh]

This is looking to be shaping into a sweet set-up! Let's see some plumbing

I think you may eventually choose to add that third Luminarc unless you plan on keeping some lower light specimens in the shadowed areas.

 

[Mike HArrington]

What I am betting on is with the VHO's over the brace and the sides things will be fine. I am not going to put a MH over that brace because I have heard to many stories from people who have that brace crack on them. Just not taking that chance. Plus I want to keep some lower light things as well near the bottom but I still believe that with pristine water clarity light wil make it down and it will be adequate to keep acropora on the bottom as well.

The tank is but 24 inches deep after all so it will be fine IMO.

Another cool thing though: I went to the www.masm.org swap yesterday and it was flat out killer! So many vendors and even a special guest (Steve Tyree) was on hand to make it an even better event. The raffle was ultra cool. I won a 99.00 gift certificate for reeftopia, a set of 400watt 10K Ushios, and the set of reef notes by Sprung. Not bad at all So if I ever think of needing 400's down the road all I need is the ballast now

 

[Mike HArrington]

Ok now for an update. We started finishing the basement last of August and worked on it this last Saturday and will be finishing up tommorow and Friday. I am looking to wire this weekend and then insulate and vapor wrap next week.

The stand is 40 inches tall and is going to be incorporated into the wall with a soffit above the tank to get teh peninsula look I want.

so here we go.

In the beginning: this is the area where the tank is going:

There will be two built in book shelves with recessed lights over them and likely will do glass doors to close them.

I am going to use a 15 light french door for the vieing room to keep an open look in the basement (which is all being done with the tank room. I also will have a maintenance room behind the tank as well. Am using a 290 CFM fan on a humidistat to exhaust humidity. We have fresh air intkes as wll down there.

might do ceramic tile in the viewing room but I really want marble! just concerned if the floor get wet it will be slippery.

all in all its coming along though

 

[mojoreef]

Go Mike Go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Mike

 

[Mike HArrington]

Thanks Mojo,

Went to the home improvement store tonight and learned how to determine light placement. I am going to do a mix of recessed lights and eyeball recessed lighting in the basement. I was also checking out some cedar for a closet down there. Might do it but not sure.

Got a window contractor coming out next week to tell me how much that will cost me.

 

[mojoreef]

Yea when you start adding up all the little stuff it can be a scary thing


Mike

 

[Mike HArrington]

the good thing is I have not bought any nails LOL.

WE are using a framing nailer (my father-in-law and I) and he has several boxes of nails and screws.

The lumber cost me about 700.00 all told with everything. the tile floor will be 300.00 if I use Marble.

What do you think about MArble Mojo? I like the look of it I just worry that if it gets humid at all it will be slippery. But the window will provode added ventilation.

I will get out for about 5-6K doing most of this with the help of my father in law so its not to terrible. It will add 600 square feet to the house which equates to about 40K in value.

 

[Mike HArrington]

This weekend progress. Things are always slower than we want LOL but at least it is being done well and with the complete picture in mind and not just rushing to get water into the tank......

Framed in the circuit panel and wall in viewing room:

Strated the support wall fro the soffit over the tank. Will complete after we cover the ceiling with greenboard.

Took out this wall to make it feel larger and allow light in from teh window I am having installed in this stairwell (a 48W 36T slider)

now you see it

Now you don't

Lastly finished this wall to start framing in the mainteneance room and also converted teh under the stirwell area to a closet that I will use as a food pantry.

 

[Kensn]

Mike that looks real nice. I am sure your patience will pay off.

 

[Mike HArrington]

thanks,

I am going to tile the viewing area with either slate or marble (still deciding) and I have a nice frenh door to block the noise out from the rest of the world too LOL

 

[Kensn]

Add a sound system for the ocean effects and it will be paradise...