Tank planning-65 gallon sps build (2 Viewers)

[ModAquatics]

So that leads me into my question, would this light be to much for a refugium light for now?

In my opinion it will work. Turn off the Royal Blue channel because it won't help the macro much at all. The cool white LEDs will be more than sufficient.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

Painting the back of my tank

Painting the back of the tank has always been a bit of a challenge for my. The spray paint is always put on to thick in some places and not enough in others. It runs and just looks awful. Then using the acrylic paint and rollers doesnt work very well either. While it looks nicer, it scratches easily and the cover isnt as good as I like, even with multiple coats.

I am thinking of going with an oil based paint and wondered if anyone here has gone that route or had any experience/seen tanks using this method. It will be painted black.

 

[Ostentum]

Use boat paint.

 

[fightmeaboutit]

If the paint is running you're holding it too close or going to slow

 

[trb]

If the paint is running you're holding it too close or going to slow

Right, or you are just holding the spray nozzle down all the time, and going back and forth. You can not spray evenly that way as you put twice as much paint on the ends, causing runs. You should spray across the back once, let up the nozzle, then spray across it the other way, let up the nozzle, and repeat until it is all covered evenly. I generally spray about 10" from the surface and tape the ends off, so you can go past the painted area with the spray, giving you an even coat.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

Yay the Christmas tree came down today. I love the tree and all but it was blocking me from continuing with this project. Tomorrow I will be going to home depot for paint. I will probably start painting tomorrow and then will be able to move my stand into place. Also my sump should be ready tomorrow so thats a big yay as well. I will probably start painting the back of the tank on Wednesday or Thursday of this week and then can move it up stairs. It all just depends on how long the wall takes me.

I still need to get a few things, starboard being one of them. Would this be the right kind of star board? I am getting either 3/4" or 1" just depends on what I find.
http://www.interstateplastics.com/S...=11.5&dim3=48&thickness=0.750&qty=1&x=68&y=30

I am also unsure on the color names. I dont want to get something hideous or obviously not ocean like colors. Do yall know what color most people go with? I know I dont want white or black so thats a start. I may be putting silicone and sprinkling sand on top to give it a sand bottom look with out the hassle of the sand being blown all over. My husband will be cutting it to shape around the overflow probably in like 2 weeks or so. I have already spent my allowance for this check on testing supplies and a BRS reactor.

Once things start to come along I will start posting pictures of progress.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

Good God picking a paint color has turned into a nightmare!

First my husband picked this REALLY dark brown. It wasnt bad but it was SO VERY DARK! After I put on the first coat we (my husband) realized that all of our furniture was brown and there for would clash and become a war of colors in our living room. So, then he picked a greenish color. I primed the wall and then painted it this green color and it looks so dark its almost black. My living room has a black wall! My husband doesnt seem to care that once all the walls are painted the room will look black. We dont have enough crown molding in the house for the green to be brightened by the white. Its just dreadful. I have never met a man who was so interested in the decorating of the house!

Anyway, the point of all this is, my tank will be further delayed because until we reach an agreement I cant set up my tank. I will be talking with him about the paint later today so I am hoping he will see reason.

Wish me luck. I am going to need it.


I am still trying to figure out what starboard to order. I will be getting 3/4 to 1 inch starboard but the colors are unclear as of yet. I think I will be calling the companies later today to find out the differences.

 

[Ostentum]

Go with white. You will get reflection from the light up onto your corals, giving them less color variation due to shading. One thing that I would have done different in my tank. I really didnt notice this until I went from a tank with white sand to one with just a glass bb. Why do you need 3/4 or 1 inch thick starboard? The functionality is going to be the same weather its 1/4 or 1 inch, just trying to save you some bucks.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

I was going to go with 1/4 or 1/2 but then read of people (FJW and others online) having problems with it curling up over time.

I really wanted to go with a more natural sand color for the starboard as I really want to coat the top of it with sand. I love the look of a sand bottom but dont want all the sand being kicked up.
One of the benefits of having my 55 gallon still set up and having used some of the equipment that will transfer over is that I can see a head of time the problems that I might have to deal with.

I will be ordering some of my plumbing supplies this week. Some of it will have to wait as I dont know what all I will exactly need with out my sump here. I will be ordering the bulkheads and some of the other things to make the manifold probably tomorrow or the next day. I am ordering the durso stand pipe now as well as the loc-line today.

 

[Darrel]

I am ordering the durso stand pipe now as well as the loc-line today.

I just built two this last weekend, very easy to build with supplies from Home Depot, and less than half the cost. Tuning them took less than 5 minutes of operation and now the overflows I have are completly silent.

Just a thought, I will find the website with the instructions and post it if you are interested.

 

[Darrel]

http://www.dursostandpipes.com/make-your-own-diy

I used the standard schedule 40 pipe as our local store on 518 near 288 does not stock the 1 1/4" thin wall pipe.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

honestly, I would rather buy it. I am not the diy'er that most people here are and with having so much on my plate right now, its well worth the extra 10$ to not have to worry about it. Thank you though, I really appreciate it.

 

[Darrel]

No problem, and your welcome. I don't have much experience in the hobby, but if you need help let me know and I would be glad to assist any way I can, since we are both in Pearland.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

Well, I am starting my hunt for a sump all over again. Another member was going to build it for me but I have emailed him twice this week and gotten nothing back so I just told him to forget it. I personally think 6 weeks is more than enough time to build it and my whole project (as of now) is being held up by not having a sump so its time to move on. There are a few sumps on ebay right now that will fit my stand so I will probably go that way. I just wish I didnt have to spend so much... add to that, I saw Felix's sump and loved that he has an extra fish area so that new additions can be watched before putting them in the main display area. I am a little envious and would like to have something similar but with the space I have thats not really possible.

I hope to have the sump in the next 2 or 3 weeks so that I can finally get the tank into place.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

I have purchased a sump from ebay and it should be here in a week or so. I am still working on the wall behind the tank. For some reason I keep getting white on the green parts and green on the white parts... its very annoying lol.

I will be buying the genesis renew which I am very excited about. My husband and I converted our formal dinning into a walk-in pantry a few years ago so I will take part of that room over lol. I didnt think I would get the awc system because of the room needed, but the pantry area should give me more than enough room... of course my husband is unaware of the pantry being converted and size needed to run it so I plan to pull the whole, oh baby I had no idea it was going to be that big . Hopefully he wont be to annoyed with it but it should still be ok. He has an office, and a shop for tools with a work out area, and storage, I have a small corner in the pantry for all of my fish stuff, doesnt seem all that fair if you ask me lol. Even my sewing stuff has to be lugged in and out of storage. I think moving some food stuff to the side is a small thing to ask.

I hope to be finishing that damned wall today and if I do I should be able to move my stand back in place. I ordered the bulk heads but was disappointed because I couldnt find any schedule 80 bulkheads that would fit the 1 3/4 hole... rather annoying.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

I am getting so excited about this build, everything is coming together. I guess unexpected money can do that lol. I have decided to sell my Elos ATO and will be ordering the Genesis Renew with the Storm so I wont need it. Once I sell that I will have enough money to buy the full bundle and I am STOKED! I FINALLY finished the wall that I had to finish to set up this tank. It sucks though because the white I had to fix my mess ups turn out to be the wrong color and now if you look up you will see this odd patch of white on the ceiling. Its annoying. I will be painting the back of the tank this weekend so that will get done and if all things go well, this build should be done come the end of Feb.

Keep your fingers crossed nothing slows me down, cause I am loving/feeling the home stretch.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

More and more of my supplies are coming in. My stand pipe, starboard, bulkheads are all here. Tomorrow the genesis renew will get here. I CAN NOT WAIT to set that up. After this I will only need my sump, lights, containers for the renew, and to make a lid for the tank. The renew in and of itself should keep me busy for a little while. I have no idea how its really going to be set up. The sump should be here in 2 weeks I guess. The manufacture is running at 14 days to make and then I think another week for shipping. The wait for this is killing me. I can do NOTHING until it gets here except collect equipment. I still havent finished painting the back of the tank. Though now that we have painted the walls a dark green I am realizing that I didnt need too, oh well.

 

[tektite]

Ah, the waiting Took me almost a year to get my sumps, LOL! Loooong story.

Would love to see pics of the Genesis systems when you've got them.

 

[NarnyTheGreat]

Ah, the waiting Took me almost a year to get my sumps, LOL! Loooong story.

Would love to see pics of the Genesis systems when you've got them.

Wow a year! I remember you telling about that before but I forget why. Oh and dont worry, I will be posting pictures like crazy as I go. And YAY its out for delivery!

 

[MyReefLiving]

Lets see this sump!