• Folks, if you've recently upgraded or renewed your annual club membership but it's still not active, please reach out to the BOD or a moderator. The PayPal system has a slight bug which it doesn't allow it to activate the account on it's own.

Ron's 240g build

malulu

malulu

NJRC Member
I have mine as open top, see below DAY-1 picture, and i am thinking to seal it up all the way to the top.

too much lights is not really a concern, it is just over time, you would want more stuffs to be on that areas, like a FAN, auto feeder, powerhead controllers, more lights fixtures...etc, having it to seal off the top, can definitely hide more equipments in it... but with another problem - need a way to deal with the moisture... :-\

332_12_11_07_11_26_15.jpg
 
malulu

malulu

NJRC Member
i bought the whole thing from OGII since day 1
and since i wanted to put in as in-wall (see from both side), i have someone help to CHOP the stand and the canopy short, so it have 4 inch sitting in wall, and the rest sitting on the chop-stand.
;-)

was running Coral-Light-Pro (150Wx3 + PC) before, not really like the Antinic color, then changed to the Outer-Orbit (250Wx3 + T5s) as of now. really thinking to upgrade to 400Wx2 w/ T5s (the 400W will be on a moving track - *somehow*)
 
R

rkaiser

Dan and I were talking about your moving track idea. Sounds interesting. I am not sure how far the pendants could move on my 5'. Were you planning on making custom reflectors, maybe something smaller then the lumenarc III's I have?
 
malulu

malulu

NJRC Member
rkaiser said:
Dan and I were talking about your moving track idea. Sounds interesting. I am not sure how far the pendants could move on my 5'. Were you planning on making custom reflectors, maybe something smaller then the lumenarc III's I have?
Click to expand...

my thought process:
- i am tired of cleaning the light's glass, cause they are too closed to the water surface which have a lots of salt built up
- i also want to upgrade to stronger light, but i don't want to generated more heat
- so i want 2 x 400W to hang higher (3 would be a bit too much)
- the problem for 2 lights is i can't position them correctly due to the two support braces will block some of the light
- so, for a moving track would be an ideal, it don't need to move too much, just 1.5 feet or so would be enough
- am thinking to use something like this:
LBpendent.jpg

thx
 
Baxreefs

Baxreefs

The lightrails are pretty sharp. I've seen Stan's and other's too. You rarely read posting with complaints from those who run them and you rarely see used ones for sale. Two very good pluses IMO. Seriously considering one myself.
 
R

rkaiser

Update:
* Polished the glass inside the tank, removed two cloudy areas, and cleaned everything to prep for water.
* Final sanding of the spackle in the tank room in the basement. Will sponge the dust away, clean up and get to painting.

Next steps: Paint, do soemthing with the floor, finish outlets, and plumbing. Move on to the canopy.
 
R

rkaiser

Hey Hawkeye, thanks for checking in on me. I bought all of the materials for the canopy. I finished the wiring, and the tank room is ready for paint. My weekends have been very tied up with my father. He went into the hospital for an infection in his foot, being that he is diabetic, this was a major concern. He is home now, and things are okay, so I am back on the job.

Trying to figure out what paint to buy for the inside of the canopy. Any recommendations?
 
Baxreefs

Baxreefs

Ron

I am big on Kilz (spelling) available from HD & Lowes as a primer sealer in one. I am considering a marine epoxy paint this time to paint over the sealer, but it is pricey! Another option is to glue reflective Mylar to the interior over the sealed surface to make the entire canopy a giant reflector, probably cheaper to do than the epoxy paint.

One thing I will do differently is use a film of silicone on the bottom edge of the wood (after it is sealed)and anywhere that might contact the top rim of the tank or catch salt creep before it goes on the tank to protect it. After time even high quality sealer takes a beating from the SW. It is abusive to wood!
 
R

rkaiser

Thanks! Here are more pics. I have built the canopy into the beam above the tank. Since I do not have a table saw, I have had to have them cut some at lowes and the rest with a straight edge and circular saw. I still have to paint the outside, and add the picture framing to match the base.
Foyer side
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_01_28_0.jpg

kitchen side
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_01_06_2.jpg

family room side:
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_01_06_3.jpg
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_02_20_2.jpg
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_02_20_1.jpg

I locked the hood on both sides with a 3" pin. It came out well I think:
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_02_20_0.jpg
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_01_28_4.jpg

I am hoping to take some time off and wrap this up as soon as possible.
 
malulu

malulu

NJRC Member
rkaiser said:
Thanks! Here are more pics. I have built the canopy into the beam above the tank. Since I do not have a table saw, I have had to have them cut some at lowes and the rest with a straight edge and circular saw. I still have to paint the outside, and add the picture framing to match the base.
Foyer side
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_01_28_0.jpg

kitchen side
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_01_06_2.jpg

family room side:
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_01_06_3.jpg
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_02_20_2.jpg
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_02_20_1.jpg

I locked the hood on both sides with a 3" pin. It came out well I think:
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_02_20_0.jpg
http://www.njreefers.org/forums/gallery/2013_28_02_10_1_01_28_4.jpg

I am hoping to take some time off and wrap this up as soon as possible.
Click to expand...


Helping Ron to repost the pics...
;D

Foyer side
2013_28_02_10_1_01_28_0.jpg


kitchen side
2013_28_02_10_1_01_06_2.jpg


family room side:
2013_28_02_10_1_01_06_3.jpg

2013_28_02_10_1_02_20_2.jpg

2013_28_02_10_1_02_20_1.jpg


I locked the hood on both sides with a 3" pin. It came out well I think:
2013_28_02_10_1_02_20_0.jpg
 
R

rkaiser

Thanks for the encouragement guys I appreciate it. I am pooling all of the info in the DIY forum to ensure I do this right.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top