AJA Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 I havn't posted in awhile so I thought that I would send an update to see what you think. Here are some current photos. My setup is as follows: 7 Gallon AGA Bowfront 64 Watts (Power Compacts) Custom Canopy (2 Cooling Fans) Ebo Jager 100watt Heater Micro Chiller with LCD controller Red Sea Prizm Pro Deluxe Protein Skimmer 10lbs live rock 5 lbs live sand Critters: Green Hammer Green Frogspawn Xenia (2 Types Growing like crazy) Toadstool leather (Growing like crazy) Brown finger leather (Frag) Assorted Mushrooms 2 Feather Dusters 1 Turbo Snail 5 Blue leg hermits 1 Lawnmower Blenny Care: I change 1 Gallon of saltwater pre-mix per week. I don't dose with anything. I add about 2 cups of fresh water per day to top the tank off. I clean the skimmer once a week with the water change. Link to comment
My Alife 7 Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Very cool tank! Awesome pics. Link to comment
Metznreef Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 great tank dude. i have a 7 bow cycling right now. i just can't pick out the focal point in your tank though........lol Link to comment
Metznreef Posted June 26, 2002 Share Posted June 26, 2002 what's the difference between the prizm and prizm pro delux? Link to comment
Cam barr Posted June 26, 2002 Share Posted June 26, 2002 prizem pro delux i think can handle a bigger tank.a skimmer on a 7 wow, like the canopy looks cool whare did u get it or was it a diy looks good ,also did u add that micro chiller into the prizem???? looks good cam Link to comment
AJA Posted June 26, 2002 Author Share Posted June 26, 2002 The difference is quite a bit. The Prizm Pro Deluxe is a great skimmer albiet expensive. I have owned several different types of skimmers and had previously installed a CPR BakPak 2R that did nothing but pump bubbles into my tank and overflow. The first Prizm release was not a very good design and had overflow issues. The Pro is much more robust and I have no problems with it. If you can afford one I recommend it. Link to comment
AJA Posted June 26, 2002 Author Share Posted June 26, 2002 Hey Cam Barr. I built the hood myself thanks for the compliment. I added the micro chiller to the Prizm Pro as well. It's a great skimmer because the return side will also hold a 100watt heater. Link to comment
HuBu Posted June 26, 2002 Share Posted June 26, 2002 great DIY stuff man. i like the way the tank and canopy have a shiny look to it. the water must be so sparkling clean. Link to comment
AJA Posted June 26, 2002 Author Share Posted June 26, 2002 Thanks HuBu. I know that Chris and most of the people on the site do not support Protein Skimmers but I have always had them and like to think that they are an insurance policy for the tank. They also make it easy to do water changes. I drain the skimmer and refill it. Link to comment
second2n0ne Posted June 26, 2002 Share Posted June 26, 2002 d*mn good job! A techie's dream come true...MicroChiller w/LCD controller, Prizm Pro Deluxe, 2 cooling fans...WOW! It's good to see another fanatic. Link to comment
rickjg Posted June 26, 2002 Share Posted June 26, 2002 Great looking tank. Is that a DIY custom canopy? Lookin good! Link to comment
AJA Posted June 27, 2002 Author Share Posted June 27, 2002 Thanks for the compliment . Yes I built the hood. Link to comment
Guest AbSoluTc Posted June 27, 2002 Share Posted June 27, 2002 AJA- Can you give me some spescifics on the hood? Also, would you be willing to build one for sale? I can trade some frags for your time and throw in some cash. Actually - this offer goes out to anyone! I don't feel like making one, let alone my carpentry skills are ZILTCH! Nice tank. Also, those of you who want sparkling clear water? If you have an HOB filter, pop in a cartridge and let it run. You will see results overnight! I did this with my 7 a few days ago. Water looks like mercury. So shiny and clear! Link to comment
AJA Posted June 27, 2002 Author Share Posted June 27, 2002 Hi Absolutc! Unfortunately, I just don't have the time these days to do this stuff. Here is some information that I sent to "Vixywillie" and some photo's. Thanks for the offer though. :-) How I built the canopy: The canopy is 6 inches tall and the dimensions are obviously the same as the outside of your tank. I will warn you that this is a labor intensive project that involves cutting the rough shape of the canopy with a hand saw and then grinding the finished shape with a belt sander. The front of the canopy is comprised of 6 different pieces of wood glued together (See Photo). I then flipped the tank over on top of the glued up boards and drew the line that you see in the photo that matches the curve of the tank. I then measured the thickness of the wood that I was using (1/2 inch Poplar) and then used the tank again to draw a second line for the ½ inch thickness on the inside of the first line that I drew. I repeated these steps on the bottom of the glued up boards. I drew the lines with permanent marker so that I had a template to follow when I was cutting and sanding the final shape. I added the sides and the back using screws and glue to hold everything together and then used wood plugs so that you can’t see the screws. I achieved the smooth look of the canopy by finish sanding with 400 grit sand paper and then 600 grit. I then added several coats of Primer and Black Satin finish spray paint to achieve the final look. The fan holes were cut using a hole saw attachment on a drill which turned out to be the same size as the ones that they sell at most hardware stores for cutting out door knob hardware. Most people that see the canopy do not know its wood. They assume it is plastic like the base. As far as the wiring goes for the lights the ballasts are under the reflector and I added 3 switches to the back to turn on the fans and lights independently if I need to. My lights run on a timer for 10 hours. I hope that this information is helpful. Good luck! Link to comment
Guest AbSoluTc Posted June 27, 2002 Share Posted June 27, 2002 Thanks for the info. Just too much work for me Link to comment
Metznreef Posted June 27, 2002 Share Posted June 27, 2002 i think i'll just stick to retrofitting a smart lamp......lol :homer: Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.