The Stoney Waters Experience

[instrance]

There is nothing holding the Locline up. The stuff is very rigid, its not going to move.

 

Actually there will be only two returns from the sump. The far outside returns are for a closed loop. There are two bulkheads inside the overflow, the one on the bottom is the drain for a Durso standpipe it will drain into the sump and be pumped back though the two center returns. The other is for a closed loop. I plan on attaching a mag drive and recirculating through a squid to the two outside returns. At least thats what my current plan is.

 

Oh, stallen... I did take your advise and use some steel wire to hang the light. It looks much cleaner. I'll get some pics up soon.

 

Nice tank dude! Where did you get the controller box?

[stoney waters]

Nice tank dude! Where did you get the controller box?

 

The box itself I found on Ebay. It took a long time to locate an enclosure that was just the right size to fit all the ballasts but wasn't too large. This one seemed perfect, and it was fiberglass so it was easy to cut and drill.

[stoney waters]

Some pics of the completed plumbing.

 

 

I have never been a huge fan of hard plumbing unless necessary.

 

 

 

 

I also painted the top of the reflectors because there was such an obnoxious glare from the halides. Much better now.

 

 

 

 

I guess I am ready to start water testing. There are a few details to be resolved before adding salt water, pump for skimmer, mounting hardware for lights and of course the dilemma with the wife on which room I will put this tank.

[Needreefunds]

Hey Stone, You Da Man !! This tank is beautiful. You really do excellent work. Was a very big fan of your Cube, (sorry if this is a sore spot). I'm really enjoying following along with this one. Good luck with it. Oh and good luck with the wife....

( worst case, jmo, looks great right there in the middle of your shop area !)

[xXInRaGeD]

dude your tank is sweet.

[Nevr]

dude your tank is sweet.

 

no kidding. i wouldnt even put water in it. it looks like pure sex right now! hah

[stallen]

and of course the dilemma with the wife on which room I will put this tank.

 

 

What's the dilemma? It should go right in the middle of the family room! Just kidding. I totally understand. I had a tough time with my wife agreeing on a place to put my 8 gallon tank!

[stallen]

Your light set-up almost looks like it would just sit/rest on top of the tank. Will it?

[Uploadead]

My tank is in the middle of the family room, my parrot on the consevatory, my cichlid tank in the lounge, my mantis and planted 180 litre in my bedroom, my chinchillas on the landing, my dog in the kitchen, and my large koi ponds outside.

[Duncan]

Stoney, that's the most classy and sophisticated tank ever! Good work!

[stoney waters]

Thanks for all the compliments.

 

 

Hey Stone, You Da Man !! This tank is beautiful. You really do excellent work. Was a very big fan of your Cube, (sorry if this is a sore spot). I'm really enjoying following along with this one. Good luck with it. Oh and good luck with the wife....

( worst case, jmo, looks great right there in the middle of your shop area !)

 

Not a sore spot at all. The cube did sustain some loses from the power outage but it didn't totally crash. When this tank is ready I'm going to transfer the rock and corals and start it new.

 

 

What's the dilemma? It should go right in the middle of the family room! Just kidding. I totally understand. I had a tough time with my wife agreeing on a place to put my 8 gallon tank!

 

My wife wants to put it in the living room but we don't spend much time in there. Plus the lights give off a strange unsettling glow out the bay window. I can already hear my paranoid freaked out neighbors talking. They will accuse me of growing something and it won't be corals. lol.

 

It was originally designed to go into the den. The stand matches and thats where we hang out most of the time, but the room gets quite hot in the summer and I'm pretty sure I will need a chiller.

 

I wouldn't need a chiller if I put it in the basement rec room. We do a lot of entertaining down there. I am just worried that drunk friends, pool tables and aquariums isn't a good match.

 

 

Your light set-up almost looks like it would just sit/rest on top of the tank. Will it?

 

It will but it is not secure. It is a little too long to fit into the recessed part of the trim. It was originally intended to but I would have had to shorten the light. I decided it would be better to hang it. I am going to suspend it with a pair of SunRise lifts, that way I will be able to raise and lower it about 3 feet.

[stallen]

Plus the lights give off a strange unsettling glow out the bay window.

 

 

Yeah, your light fixture is totally awesome. But the unsettling glow is something that concerns me as well. It seems like it would light up the whole room. If you have it in a room where you want the ligthing to be a little more dimly lit for TV viewing or whatever. I hope to have a set-up like yours in a couple years, but I think I might try to have a closed hood with good ventilation to prevent glowing the whole room. Was this ever a consideration for your tank?

[stoney waters]

I designed the pendant to focus most of the light into the water column. There is actually very little spillover. Once the tank is filled with water it should soften up and evenly refract the light throughout the room. It is the color of the light as seen from the street through the large window that concerned me. It just looks odd and out of place. Maybe I'm just being weird. Anyway I would get the same effect rather it was in a canopy or not.

[Travis]

wow, AWSOME TANK!!! I love that light fixture, you should consider putting it into production.

[stoney waters]

wow, AWSOME TANK!!! I love that light fixture, you should consider putting it into production.

 

Hmmm..... Any investors out there?

[stoney waters]

Hmmm..... Any investors out there?

 

Thats what I thought.

[akbuuur]

Very nice set up, i always like the 40's its almost like a wide screen tv since there so short but wide. cool stuff

[stallen]

Time for an update!!!

[stoney waters]

Alright Alright.

 

I finally got around to doing a water test and ran into a few problems. The mag used on the closed loop that I took on trade was leaking from around the seal. I ordered a new impeller cap and the leak stopped but the impeller was ticking like mad. I then ordered a new impeller and it now works fine. While waiting for the parts I decided to make a screen for the open top. It should contain any jumpers and not restrict the lighting.

 

 

Water testing

 

This ones for Dawn.

 

 

 

A ton of totally random current. No dead spots.

 

 

Veiw of sump and fuge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some pics of the screen top.

 

I ordered the netting online but it didn't list a name brand. After the problems I had with the Mag I was surprised to open the package and see who made the net. Kind of ironic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am sort of taking it slow. I don't want to place this tank until everything is ready to go. I am in the process of building a retractable pulley system to hang the light. I will try to update often.

 

-Stone

[Kirin1]

Nice Update.

 

Is that frame a standard window screen frame?

[stoney waters]

Nice Update.

 

Is that frame a standard window screen frame?

 

Yes, it is the standard frame sold at HD. Its sold in 8 ft lengths.

[stallen]

Come on!!! Let's see the tank full o' stuff!!!

 

BTW, HAPPY EASTER

[Pship]

wow.... nice work. The only thing I would be concerned about would be the mag directly on the tank, the vibrations have been known to cause cracking of tanks. I would be very careful with that, even a 2" piece of rubber or vinyl hosing would dramatically reduce the chances of it cracking.

[AresDoggy]

This may be the single most incredible DIY tank Ive ever seen... Wow. I wish I was handy and had the extra money to do something like that... Its hard enough for me getting a couple 12g cubes together!

haha

 

I'll be following along.. Cant wait to see it with life!

[stoney waters]

Come on!!! Let's see the tank full o' stuff!!!

 

BTW, HAPPY EASTER

 

I know. It depresses me that I can't find more time to finish. This is a busy time of year for me. I have too many projects going on at work and home, and then there is the kids with school and all their activities. I have decided on a location for the tank but I want to get the carpet cleaned before I move it in. I hope I can get that done this weekend.

 

 

wow.... nice work. The only thing I would be concerned about would be the mag directly on the tank, the vibrations have been known to cause cracking of tanks. I would be very careful with that, even a 2" piece of rubber or vinyl hosing would dramatically reduce the chances of it cracking.

 

I was wondering when someone would comment on that. I feel fairly confident that it wont crack, it really feels solid. I have an Ice-probe that is attached the same way on my Nano-cube, and that glass is thinner. Just in case I plan on reinforcing the glass with another piece of glass and or find a way to support the pump.

 

 

This may be the single most incredible DIY tank Ive ever seen... Wow. I wish I was handy and had the extra money to do something like that... Its hard enough for me getting a couple 12g cubes together!

haha

 

I'll be following along.. Cant wait to see it with life!

 

Thanks, I think I have as much fun putting tanks together than I do taking care of them when they are finished. Maybe thats why this tank isn't done yet.