12 Loooong

[Weetabix7]

Well, definitely let me know how that GE 6500 and a UVL Super Actinic combo looks, when you have a chance. And if anyone else has other ideas, let me know. Luckily bulbs are cheap enough to replace, if I don't like the way it looks...

 

I'm supposed to be getting the fixture back in just a few days and I can let you know how it looks then.

[pmemmer]

Add a little of this...

 

 

 

...to a little of that...

 

 

 

 

 

(to be continued in just a moment)

[racerfreak]

I'm using 2 x 24w KZ 14k bulbs and they are a nice blue with enough white, otherwise the tank looks really divided in color IMO.

[Jake42393]

sweet.. this is gonna be cool

[pmemmer]

And you get...

 

 

 

 

And the end view:

 

 

 

Obviously I suck with a jigsaw... but I think it will be a cool view from end to end, and it actually looks far worse in the photo than it does in real life.

 

Not yet pictured: the JBJ ATO, or the stand that this whole thing will sit on top of (which needs to be refinished still).

[jcmkk3]

I really like where you're going with this. It's a very clean looking build. I kind of feel like it would look better with the heater on the filter side though.

[racechase]

awesome tank, its going to be freakin sweet man !

[pmemmer]

I really like where you're going with this. It's a very clean looking build. I kind of feel like it would look better with the heater on the filter side though.

 

That was the original plan... it doesn't quite seem like it will fit, though, with the outlets from the filter there. I'm going to fiddle with it more when I actually set it up.

[fiddly_foo]

Wasn't sure exactly were this was going when I first started reading this thread but I'm very impressed with this set up it's different and don't see to many of these tank's out there . I like the DIY and the mp10 on the side will move the water nice . Any LR scape ideas 2 island's and an open look in between with maybe 1 small rock would give a nice lagoon type look good luck and look foward to seeing the next step.

[yardboy]

Very nice build. Not sure why you are so hard on yourself with your woodworking skills. I've done worse!

Curious what kind of wood you used. Yellow poplar? Kinda reminded me of it. Takes a stain and varnish very well.

also, since you mentioned viewing from both long sides. If you haven't set on how to aquascape, might want to look at my contest tank thread, example of a peninsula. Effectively doubles rock area for growing corals.

Anyway, I'll be watching this thread. Good luck with it.

[pmemmer]

YB, I'd seen your thread before... very cool tank. And yes, yellow poplar on the hood. I'm glad people like the way it looks. It passed the spouse test, which is the main thing I needed to worry about.

 

For the aquascape, I'm going to play with it a lot. Two islands is one idea I'm kicking around, though I might also try for a more extended long piece of rockwork. One thing I'll need to worry about is that I cannot create a typical "pile" anywhere... the tank is too shallow for that. I'm going to have to keep the rock stack to about a maximum of 6". I suspect more power tools will be involved.

[yardboy]

I love that wood. Very stable and takes color so well. Most commonly used furniture wood, though most of that is for upholstered stuff.

 

Hammer and chisels, Dremels, grinders, tile saws. All valid methods of manipulating the shapes of liverock!

[pmemmer]

OK, a setback. The Missus (who had pre-approved the entire plan) has now decided that the way the tank would have to stick out into the room in order to be viewed from both sides is too awkward. Which means my peninsula tank has now become essentially a very long one-side-view tank. Yes, there'll be a little viewable area from the side with the MP10, but still... the main front-on look will now be the only significant viewing angle.

 

And to top it off, the piece of furniture that was going to be converted into a stand has also now been disapproved. So now I'm building a stand...

 

And now I'm left with a dilemma... paint the back of the tank or not? Part of me says no, but then, part of me says yes. I hate it when you can see the wall behind the tank...

 

Time for whiskey...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's still going to be cool, though. Just not as cool as I planned.

[steve0xr]

love the creativity.

[pismo_reefer]

Thats Hawt!!!

[pmemmer]

OK, so after my wife's little revision to my plans, I've been working on the stand... what a pain. I've made about five trips to Lowe's in the past few days, and spent tons of time... but at least now I'm getting close to finished. Just need to cut one more board, add doors and trim, and three coats of polyurethane, and I'll be ready.

 

 

 

 

 

It's a bit of a mess, really... but most of the mess is hidden beneath the nicer exterior Trying to construct something level in a 130 year old house (without a single level surface) is an adventure.

[pmemmer]

Just about there... just need a couple coats of polyurethane on the bottom part, and I may or may not add a little more trim if I feel like it needs it:

 

 

 

I also need to find some sort of thin mat to put under the tank itself... not sure what, exactly. The surface of the stand is nearly--but not 100%--level. Given the small water volume, and especially how little of that volume will be up against any particular spot, I'm not too worried... but better safe than sorry.

 

 

 

Hmm... that picture looks dark. Here's another:

 

 

[Weetabix7]

Cool!

I got some of that spongy stuff you put beneath flooring to use as a mat underneath my tank.

Works good.

[nanoty]

Looking good.

[Tigahboy]

I love those dimensions!

[violinist]

I vote for don't paint it. Estrogen is a neurotoxin. She may recover, and you may yet get your peninsula...

[hamiltonra25]

Im looking at the same exact tank, but cannot decide if I should go the long route or the taller/deeper. Really have no idea at the current time. Would 2-koriala nanos provide enough current for a tank that long? Anyone have any problems that are caused by getting a long instead of a tall?

[pmemmer]

@ violinist: LOL!

 

I'm probably not going to paint it, it turns out... when I switched on the lights, it was apparent that the brightness of the T5s completely overwhelmed whatever color the wall was behind the tank, and it doesn't look bad at all. I may change my mind once I hook up everything, if I can see too many cords hanging around... but hopefully I can organize them in such a way that they won't be overly visible.

 

@ hamitonra25: Based on the output of the K-Nano I have in my 12g tank, I'd guess probably it wouldn't be enough... maybe two K2s. But the main reason I didn't go that route was the interior footprint of the pumps... two Koralias of any size would take up a lot of room in a tank this shallow and thin.

[fewskillz]

Use window tint to hide the cords. Get some 2.5 or 5% and DIY. I got a 28"x78" roll of 5% at walmart for like $10. If you ever get to go two-sided you can remove it.

 

I used it on the short end of my two-sided tank to hide chords. I didn't want to paint it because if it ever goes back to a normal against the wall tank I want that short end to be visible. My buddy used it on his new 75. It's not completely solid, but it hides the chords great!

[pmemmer]

OK, the stand is done... at last. No new pics for now. The only things left to do now are to get the ATO materials set up (waiting on the pump and airline tubing to arrive) and add water.