New tanks for me!

[Tom Barr]

Well, I've started ordering my tanks and stand materials.

I'm going with 4 tanks for now.

2- 60 gal cube(24")
120 gal
180 or a 210

With outside overflow, starfire glass(I get a deal on it, so why not) and solid oak stand that will be bleached white, then shot with polyurethane, all glass and rimless.

Should look sharp.

Filter: wet/dry, sock micron and a screen prefilter, venturi CO2, seperate loop cnaister filter(Ocean clears for the larger and Via aqua 350gph for the 60's).

One of the 60's will have a nice chiller and a mega flow wave powerhead pump system to reproduce a tidepool flow.

I was considering doing the tiger sycamore wood, but the price was too good for solid oak and I'm a bit lazy. I can do nice finishes without much work.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[AquaticJim]

Please post the whole setting up in a photo journal style for the forum. It would be hugely popular Tom.

 

[Tom Barr]

Well, since each tank has a particularly in depth thought process and layout, it will be done(journal).

I will be doing the HC lawn no water method to start up a couple of the tanks.
Another is a cold water marine macro algae tank.
The 3rd will likely be a Tangy cichlid tank.

I wanted to do a SPS reef with a nice warm water macro tank but I think I'll be moving in about 1 year or so.........I'd rather wait till I'm in a place I will be at for a long time before doing that.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Gerryd]

Best of luck

Look forward to seeing the in flight and finished photos of each project. Best of luck.....

Would be interested in hearing more about the trickle filter/co2 setup as this is similar to mine......

I envy you to have 4 new tanks to play with.............

 

[hani]

what is HC stand for? what is the NO WATER MEHOD?
thanks

 

[tcomfort]

what is HC stand for? what is the NO WATER MEHOD?
thanks

HC stands for Hemianthus Callitrichoides (Cuba), which is a beautiful, low-lying carpet plant.

The no-water method is a way of starting up a tank by growing HC emersed to start with. It's explained here: http://www.barrreport.com/articles/3361-new-methoid-make-nice-rug-hc-before-you-add-water.html

 

[Tom Barr]

Well, placed the order.
The 180 will have 3/4" thick glass.
Heavy.

I got everything including delivery for a little less than 4k$.
An ADA 180cm tank alone is 2k$.

3 sides will be low iron starfire glass, it did not cost that much more.
I have 36 bags of ADA soil sitting here.............so that's not an issue either.
One tank will be marine macro algae so I ought to have enough ADA AS to do the other tanks.

I decided against a built in over flow.
I'll go with a basic pre filter over flow, likely a CPR, for the return and use lok line for the return flow.

I can remove these for a photo shoot.
I cannot with them in there:idea:

I did get holes drilled on the bottom for canister in line loops.
I have the wood and am making the stands.

So I have to get the lights and make the rail moving system, get a sump for each:

20 gals for the 60's
30 gal for the 120 and 40 long for the 180.
I'm using rubber insulation seal and plate glass for the sump design.

Basically the water will come to the bag prefilter, then flow into a wet/dry box with media, trickle through, (all sealed) then to the main part of the sump.

The wet/dry will have a venturi mazzei loop for the return.
I'll use a decent low watt powerhead for the return flow.

Canister loop:

For the 60's I'll use a Rena 450gph and a small sump
For the 120 and 180, I'll use the Ocean Clear's and a good return pump with higher flows, about 800 and 1100gph.

Media: mostly zeolite and open cell sponge.

One tank will have the grow in first method before filling with water for sure.
I have about a ton of wood and rock available.

So really, the filters, the lights are mostly what I need.
So sometime in Jan, 2008 I'll have them set up and started.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[VaughnH]

Is it too early to start thinking about our plant club getting a "field trip" to see how these are set up? It would be extremely educational for all of us.

 

[Tom Barr]

In Jan or so.
I will not take delivery until after Dec 16th

The 180 is 3/4" thick glass, a full 1/8" thicker than the top of the line ADA glass, and it's starfire low iron.

Folks are welcomed over to take a look.
Likely best to do it after I get the tank's placed, set up with sediment, filtration and lighting.

The tanks will not have water until about Feb I'd say. I got work and other things happening too

Hopefully I'll have enough $$ to get them done around that time.
Lights and filter still need purchased.

I figure it's going to be another 1500$ for filters, 2000$ for lighting.

But then that's most of it.
I get my fish at the wholesaler, so I can get all sorts of selection and large schools.

I'm still torn with the 120 gallon. Warm Reef+ plant, Rift, or fully planted.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[FacePlanted]

Cool!

What model mazzei are you using, and what size pump running it?

-Mike B-

 

[Tom Barr]

I do not know yet as far as the mazzei's.
That will be part of the experiment.

That and the light moving system.
I have no issues doing it at a crude level, but tweaking it to look nice, and be flexible is a key.

Some folks have hassled me about taking the order from Glass Cages.
However, glass tanks are made only a very limited number of ways.

They use 100% silicone, either clear or the black and glass.
Now if the glass is good stuff and thick enough, there's should be no issue.

I'm using the high line Starfire and the glass is a bit thicker than is "needed".
the cure time before filling is also going to be about 1 month or more.
I set the tanks on really good stands and use neoprene+ stryofoam based.

Even if there was an issue, having made many glass tanks and repaired countless ones, most larger than 90 gal, and given that the issues involved w/GC have been namely with smaller acrylic tanks, I have little issue.

I had the option to get the LeeMar tanks, I have connections to get them for a pretty good deal as well.

But glass is glass and silicone is silicone.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[hani]

Hi Tom, looking forward to see the tanks, are you going to build the sump filter, how do you seal these things for Co2? any link i can read? can i buy them already made?
thanks

 

[Tom Barr]

I'll take a standard glass tank, then add some glass slats and use foam insulation moulding to seal the glass lid air tight. I'll glue a slat in there to make the divider, some egg crate and I'm done.

I like Bag gravity filters and then it goes to the wet/dry tower bio(these two sections are sealed to the outside air), then a sponge, then to the equipment/heater etc area.

Regards,
Tom Barr