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Newtybar's 65g 5ft Long and Shallow


Newtybar

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I suppose I should have been satisfied after escaping near disaster when my IM Nuvo 24 cracked, managing to save 80% of the livestock and transferring into a nice, new Fusion 30L. The hunger was not satiated, however. After learning a bunch from this forum, I want to do things the right way and do things exactly the way I want without compromise (ok, not completely without compromise, but mostly...).

Found a decent deal on craigslist for a 65 long the seller was using as a frag tank and since I love shallow tanks, I bit.

 

Equipment List (11.12.2015):

  • Display Tank: 60x18x14 and 1" thick acrylic tank (compromised here, truly wanted Starphire but the deal was good).
  • Stand: Custom built stand
  • Sump: Aqueon Proflex Sump - Model 4
  • Skimmer: Reef Octopus 110 EXT Recirculating
  • ATO: Tunze Osmolator 3152, custom made Oceanbox Acrylic container
  • Wavemaker/Flow: Two Jebao RW-8s (replaced the Maxspect Gyre XF 130)
  • Lights: Nano Box Duo x 2
  • Automation: Neptune Apex Jr.
  • Reactor: BRS Dual GFO / Carbon Reactor


FTS (10.14.2015) - Click on Image for Larger Version

 

 

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FTS (08.04.2015)

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The beginning:

Stand is built and buffing out the acrylic.

 

Buffing out the acrylic was a PAIN. 800 grit wet sand, 1500 grit wet sand, 2000 grit wet sand, 3000 grit, Nuvo Stage 2 with random orbital, Nuvo Stage 1.

 

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Cencalfishguy56

The beginning:

 

Stand is built and buffing out the acrylic.

 

Buffing out the acrylic was a PAIN. 800 grit wet sand, 1500 grit wet sand, 2000 grit wet sand, 3000 grit, Nuvo Stage 2 with random orbital, Nuvo Stage 1.

 

19120730655_88136b48f4_z.jpg

Great start and reason why I won't buy acrylic tanks off Craigslist lol they need a lot of buffing!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Preview - painted the outside of the stand piano white. Going to make the doors gray wood grain.

 

Took a weeks worth of painting, sanding and buffing.

 

Used truck bed liner on the inside then added the plumbing. Got a bit aggressive with the pvc cement heh. Will fill with water tonight.

 

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Thats cchsoracle. I love the dimensions too.

 

Now I just have to figure out a way to hide the overflow box. I wish it was corner.

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Makes my long shallow look tiny.. :( defo following tho, Stocking plans?

 

Can u not put the over flow/weir on the back the tank? In the centre of the tank (Not a big DIY person so that could b a stupid question lol)

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Makes my long shallow look tiny.. :( defo following tho, Stocking plans?

 

Can u not put the over flow/weir on the back the tank? In the centre of the tank (Not a big DIY person so that could b a stupid question lol)

 

Going to transfer some stuff from my old tank. I definitely want to look for some shoaling fish that will stay together. In terms of coral probably a mixed reef. Need to get it cycled and stabilized first though.

 

The way it is plumbed and drilled, I am pretty much stuck with it there now.

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Going to transfer some stuff from my old tank. I definitely want to look for some shoaling fish that will stay together. In terms of coral probably a mixed reef. Need to get it cycled and stabilized first though.

 

The way it is plumbed and drilled, I am pretty much stuck with it there now.

Bummer would look nice with weir on back give u more room in the tank also.. :)

 

I couldn't wait for cycle went about and got a bottle of ATM colony and some clowns and boom it's done.. I put pics up on my thread if you get 5mins have a look, defo have a look at the colony tho.

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Water tested, ran bleach through it a day to kill off bacteria, drained and brought it into the house. I live in California, hopefully my neighbors don't report me for water usage during the drought :eek:

 

Glad I didn't go larger because at these dimensions it is bordering on too big...lol. Still working on the doors.

 

 

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It's like a Mr. Aqua 12 gallon but on steroids, haha. The only thing is that I only see one drain line which worries me. I like to always have a second emergency drain in case the first one gets clogged or even just slows down which could cause the display tank to overflow. I really like your sump too. Once I get established and get a get a non-petco tank, I'm definitely going to look at a prebuilt sump like yours.

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I live in California, hopefully my neighbors don't report me for water usage during the drought :eek:

 

 

 

Bruh :slap:

 

You're in Southern California, aren't you?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finally got the tank set up and cycling. Put on the lights yesterday...need to figure out a way to hide the cables. Fairly satisfied with the light spectrum these put out...although at first glance they sort of look like office desk lamps...don't want the tank to remind me of work haha.

 

There's also a dilemma of the Gyre placement, it is a bit powerful and is disturbing the sandbed below it...however if I don't turn up the power it won't reach to the other side of the 5 ft tank....

 

...not the final rock work.

 

 

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That's the issue with long tanks. I have a similar issue with my 20 long and RW-4. If you turn it up high enough that you get good flow on the opposite side, the area near the powerhead has too much flow. I would recommend getting another powerhead and putting it on the left side of the tank towards the bottom. That way it keeps the same circular motion from the gyre. The lights look great to me. Very sleak and futuristic looking. Goes with the rest of the tank I think.

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As for hiding the cords you could trying painting them the same color as the wall behind the tank or wrapping them and then painting that. Unless you plan on adding a backround to the tank either way I love the dimensions will be following for sure!

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What about a vertical mounting of the Gyre on the side of the overflow box?? Then you can hide the cord behind the overflow as well....

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