Seabass's 17.4 Gallon (taken down)

[Giga]

I also got the sump baffles in. Looks like it should be enough room for all my equipment.

 

 

it's like magic!

[got2envy]

I was like ....

 

great looking rock! I can't wait to see this...I was a big fan of the 40B

[animalmaster6]

Now that's a cool idea!

 

Mounting the live rock on the wall so it looks like it's sitting on the sand... brilliant

[seabass]

Thanks!

 

 

I finished my sump with a couple more mods...

 

Makeshift paint booth:

 

Painted:

 

Auto window tint added:

[bitts]

nice work there, looks like it will be wet pretty soon. that silicone work is impressive.

[seabass]

nice work there, looks like it will be wet pretty soon. that silicone work is impressive.

Thanks bitts; it's slowly getting there.

 

 

Here's what the stand currently looks like...

 

Top of platforms:

 

Bottom of platforms:

 

Embedded copper flange:

 

Painted platforms:

 

Tank stand:

 

Stand with sump:

[bitts]

show off.

 

[animalmaster6]

Wow that's unique.

[~LadyBug~]

very urban

[Giga]

very cool But a word of warning that you might want to cover the copper with a coat of something. Because salt creep might be an issue with a open sump down there

[Deleted User 6]

i read the thread title as sexbass.

[seabass]

Thanks guys!

 

 

i read the thread title as sexbass.

Hey, anything to get a few more views.

 

 

very cool But a word of warning that you might want to cover the copper with a coat of something. Because salt creep might be an issue with a open sump down there

Maybe I'll put a coat of wax on it. Thanks!

[ajmckay]

Spray urethane maybe? That should keep it glossy too.

[acer]

personally i think it would look better when the copper oxidizes and has the aged look, which i'm not sure you will get if you protect it unless you have access to some acid and can artistically age the copper... I don't remember what products they have on the market now, but I know there are some.

 

looks awesome though

[Giga]

personally i think it would look better when the copper oxidizes and has the aged look, which i'm not sure you will get if you protect it unless you have access to some acid and can artistically age the copper... I don't remember what products they have on the market now, but I know there are some.

 

looks awesome though

 

The issue I see is some of the salt building up on the copper and oxidizing it. Then as the salt builds in random spot the salt might fall back into the sump-I could be worrying about nothing but I'm over zealous sometimes

[seabass]

personally i think it would look better when the copper oxidizes and has the aged look

Thanks, I like the old penny look too (that's what I was hoping to eventually get). There are some homemade recipes to patina copper, but I might just let it age on its own. Some of the tubing was already brown, but I used some synthetic steel wool to even everything out.

 

I'm not that worried about water dripping from the stand into the sump, and polyurethane seems like more work than I'm willing to put into it right now (I'm actually kind of tired of working on it). A coat of wax is about all I'm willing to put into it at this point. Maybe I'll try one of the recipes and then apply a coat of wax. Then again, I need to put water into this tank sometime soon.

[Shanghaid]

Very creative. This is gonna look cool when it's done.

 

Seabass has GRAVITY on his side. Even if some condensation did build up, it shouldn't drip into the sump, as there's no copper directly above it.

[googoomas]

Any updates???

[d9hp]

That stand is incredible. Love the industrial look.

 

Did you ever consider making it functional? Like running a vinyl return line back through it or anything? Just a thought!

[seabass]

Thanks d9hp! Yep thought about it, but I've been taking so long on this project that I decided against it.

[Paleoreef103]

So are you going for a steam punk salt water tank? Looks interesting!

[seabass]

I just ordered these from Diver's Den.

Group of Red Spot Glass Cardinalfish (Apogon parvulus)

 

Do you think this tank is large enough for all of them? I have other tanks for these if needed. I'm debating if I should put one, two, three, or all of them in here (assuming they all make it). I'm trying to consider what would be best for them (and the tank) and not necessarily what would look the best.

[Arkayology]

Those will be really cool in your tank

[Mudfish]

Re: the aging of the copper of the stand - I think the best outcome would be obtained through patience and just letting time and oxygen and salt do their work. You would have to be very careful and diligent, of course, to watch for any places where green copper boogers were dripping into the sump, and if so, take some kind of remedial action. But if you just include some careful light polishing of the oxidizing areas of the copper into your maintenance routine over time, with 0000 BRASS wool (not steel wool) (available at a good marine supply store), you will get the authentic oxidized copper look you are seeking. As soon as you coat it with poly/lacquer/whatever, it will need coating again.

 

And I think it would be worth it - that's about the coolest looking damn thing I've seen in a long, long time.

[seabass]

Those will be really cool in your tank

Thanks.

 

And I think it would be worth it - that's about the coolest looking damn thing I've seen in a long, long time.

I really appreciate that...thanks!