madmike Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 I finally started a build thread on my new tank, let me know what you think, I might just be (nutty) for attempting this. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1781836 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 dude, you cant just link to it, you gotta do a full build page over here :P come on man, you know better LOL WOW, mike, dude, that is going to be one awesome build ive heard such awesome things about the ati fixtures, you have got to give us a complete breakdown on em and definitely keep us posted man, copy an past that stuff over to here LOL so we dont have to keep checking the link :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Great googly-moogly, this is going to be a build for the ages. LMK if you need any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kilmca Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Look forward to watching the progression of that thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCG CWO Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Where do you live in Vancouver? I wanna see!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanRevive Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 subscribed!!! Mike, please let me know if you need extra hands. I am sure your tank will be a heart breaker. I wish I lived closer to you and could watch your tank(s) every week, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Looks fun Mike(nutty) Great googly-moogly. LOVE that song! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmike Posted January 24, 2010 Author Share Posted January 24, 2010 Yah I know, I should have copy/pasted over here, but it was getting late and I was beat from sanding and buffing all day.... One more day of sanding/buffing today and then off to routing and final assembly! jgf86123 I haven't fired up the ATI fixtures yet as I haven't decided on a bulb combo but everything I have read on them says they put out the most par and seem to be great quality. I'll let you know how I like em' after a couple of months of use. I think I am going to miss the shimmer of the halides though... and I have been toying with the idea of a strip of high power Cree LEDs in a aluminum channel along the back side of the fixtures to provide some extra shimmer. We'll see when I get it all fired up. Thanks for the comments everyone and I might just need some help lifting this beast into my house! (free beer and pizza will be provided of course!) later Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltfinsax Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Man thats going to look so nice. I hope you still have a place to put that thing in your house. You did make sure you can get that long thing to the place were you want it? 12' is a big puppy to get around corners. I am sure I will be there to help pack it. Them T5 will be killer and you will get over the shimmer when you see how you can get the colors to pop. Have you thought about what kinda special fish you going put in that long sucker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmike Posted January 24, 2010 Author Share Posted January 24, 2010 The tank will be lifted thru a second story window by forklift or genie lift and it is a straight shot to the stand, so it shouldn't be too difficult. I really like fish, so this tank will have most of my current fish (pair of bellus angels, achilles tang, spotted white face tang, pair of squarespot anthias, pair of pyramid butterflys, pair of allardi clownfish. I just picked up a regal angel and have it in qt and will be getting the goldflake angel from the 500 gallon tank that was recently for sale on here. I really am hoping to do a big school (like 20-30) blue eyed threadfin cardinalfish. I plan on setting up the 220 gallon on the other side of the wall where the 375 will be and use it as a fish only system, so any "marginally" reef safe fish that turn on the corals can be moved to it. Well...back off to more sanding and buffing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikep503 Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Very impressive! I can't even imagine 12' (drooler) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Looking forward to seeing this come together!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I like a combination of 1 daylight to 2 actinics, as far as T5's go. Stick to that and I think you'll like the color/intensity. Any progress pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerv503 Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I finally started a build thread on my new tank, let me know what you think, I might just be (nutty) for attempting this. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1781836 This tank has good potential for being tank of the month on "Reef Central. " What type of corals and fish are you going to have in your tank? I know a guy that can help you in that department. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danik Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Mike your MAD and CRAZY, cool set up. But you'll need help and I know were you live. Later Danik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arsonmfg Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Wow... This is going to be sweet. Guess I'm going to need to take a trip back up to your place. Give me a buzz if you need any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Whared he go? Teased us with a couple pic's then took off. WE WANT MORE!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmike Posted January 28, 2010 Author Share Posted January 28, 2010 I have a career too guys, I have to work in order to make enough money to blow on this ridiculous hobby! Seriously though, I only have 2 more sides to go sanding/buffing and I will be routing the edges, holes, and will start assembly this weekend. I'll snap pics as I go, I promise. to be continued..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Just given ya a hard time. I don't know how much acrylic work you have done but be sure you have the room at or close to the right temp and humidity to make your joints look good and be as strong as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmike Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 So I have been crazy busy over the last week, sanding, sanding, and more sanding and buffing the acrylic getting it ready for routing. Here is a pic of what the seams look like after sanding and finally after buffing out. You can kind of see the visual line created by the seam, but I am happy with the results. Ignore the crazy mess, this process was messy to say the least! After the buffing, they were taped up and the edges where routed to prepare them for assembly. I didn't take any pictures of this process because I was needed, but so were about 3 other people to support the 12 foot long pieces going accross the router table between the fence and blade. Here are the pieces after routing, note the mess, shavings were everywhere! After the routing we setup the stand and starting the bonding process with the ends. I am VERY happy with the seams so far, James from envision has given me many tips and I have used them all in prepping these pieces. James was telling me that that he will often spend hours prepping a seam for bonding that takes only a minute to place solvent into...but it is the prep that provides the great seams on the envision tanks! As if today wasn't busy enough... I got the call from a PNWMAS member that a fish I was going to purchase was ready. This fish is AMAZING! It came out of a 500 gallon reef that had been sold, and the new owner was selling off some of the fish that were in it. This will be one of the first fish in the tank and will hopefully play nice will all my corals. If not it will be moved into the 220 which will be a fish only system. I am going to finish the overflow tomorrow and I'll post up some pics of the progress. Later Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danik Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Mike, you still had time to work on your tank after we came back. beautiful gold flake, i hope it's reef safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltfinsax Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 How you are able to find work in that garage with that huge thing in there. With tools and tanks in there you must not have much left. Nice score on the fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Are you using the little wire spacers in the glue joints?. I had not seen that until Ryan did it on his sump. Would like to find more info on how its done and what sizes its reccomended for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmike Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 Yes, the "pins" method is what I have been using, it allows the solvent to melt the acrylic a little, when the pins are removed the piece settles down and creates a little dam of acrylic around the seam that helps keep air from entering back in while the solvent dries. James from Envision just uses twist ties with the paper stripped off. I don't think James will mind but this is his thread from RC in which he details everything you would need to know to build a basic tank. This is what I have done so far, built a router table just like his and use the same router and bit size. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=390652 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Yes, the "pins" method is what I have been using, it allows the solvent to melt the acrylic a little, when the pins are removed the piece settles down and creates a little dam of acrylic around the seam that helps keep air from entering back in while the solvent dries. James from Envision just uses twist ties with the paper stripped off. Cool Thanks alot, Do you know if he uses the pins on 1/4 or 3/8" stock? Thanks Again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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