Kraken's 166 Rectangle

[Kraken]

Hey guys!

Thought i'd post my build thread here and share my tank from the ground up with y'all. What was anticipated to be a simple tank setup, became a huge basement rennovation!

Here was the basic plan of the tank from AutoCad:

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1025/aquariumview2.jpg

Its gunna be a 40"x40"x24" with bean animal overflow, as well as 2 returns on the sides that will be mounted on the euro brace if I decide to go that path (might decide on rimless). This will be 3 sided starfire glass.

Equipment as of now:

- Custom DIY Led's from my old tank
- Neptune Apex Controller to run my lights
- BK Mini 200
- Eheim 1262 for Return

Still need to get:

- Still deciding on Tunze Vs Ecotech powerheads (Had noise issues with my last vortech's)

- Lots of dry rock
- Designing Sump in the next few days.
- Dead sand (I do not want live sand)

Well thats all for now. Will update once I have some progress.

[Kraken]

Well here is the plan for now. And ive decided to extend the tank to 48" as it would probably look better (took goffebeans advise and used tape to see how everything would fit together. Realized it would look much better as a 48" x 35" x 24") :p Thanks for the tip!

Here are the pics.

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/1412/jkx2469.jpg

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6269/jkx2471.jpg

[Kraken]

Well Just got back to Hong Kong from Korea.

Hectic trip. Level 10 typhoon landing scared the crap outta the passengers on the plane I was on and then waited 3 hours for a taxi due to the weather. On the way back to the hotel, we passed by 5 fallen trees and dodged many more branches at 3am...crazy night.

Anyhow! here are the photos of the tank.

Here are da pics:

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/6453/20120718114730.jpg

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/8555/20120718114726.jpg

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6229/20120718114709.jpg

[Kraken]

Well, just got the tank in my garage and will probably finish staining the stand today. Not sure if we are going to rip out the carpet yet so the tank will stay in the garage for now until we have decided.

Here are the goods:

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7121/flazky8210028.jpg
Before the stand was finished

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/616/img0549jm.jpg
After the stand is finished. Just need to add doors. Still deciding one what style of doors I want =[

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1033/img0548jz.jpg

This tank was damn heavy! Not sure how we going to get it to the basement!

[Kraken]

Alright! So I have decided to rip out the old carpet and install laminate instead as the carpet is quite old (10~ 12 years).

Here are the pic's anyways!


http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/9899/img0558rg.jpg

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/7887/img0557mt.jpg

[Kraken]

Well, I just ripped out the trim today, and these black spots are really scaring me. As I will be spending most of my days in the basement, I am afraid that this is mould, and will become a problem if not dealt with.

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/7532/img0559x.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/388/img0560nt.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7946/img0561g.jpg

[Kraken]

Well, after pulling out the drywall, we saw that the back of the drywall had mould too. Mostly near the bottom, but we took care of it. Took it all out and replaced everything.

Here are the pics!

This was before the drywall:
http://imageshack.us/a/img29/2922/img0564ps.jpg

Put a heater to the wall to try and kill any leftover residual mould spores.
http://imageshack.us/a/img29/732/img0565rj.jpg

This is after
http://imageshack.us/a/img855/3953/img0567r.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img341/8273/img0568yt.jpg

Also got my old LED's remounted and rewired everything. Works well with my apex now. Tried it out with sunrise/sunset. Still working for the code for clouds and such.

Here it is!:
http://imageshack.us/a/img811/2198/img0569xr.jpg

[Kraken]

Hey Guys!

It has been a while since my last update due to the newest member of our family! Her name is Pom Pom! (originally from cheer-leading pom pom's but then realized that she is also a pomeranian =.=;)

Anyhow, Here are the pics!

http://imageshack.us/a/img507/3358/pomwalk1of1.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img809/1942/macbook1of1.jpg

As for the tank, we just moved it into our basement. Just filled it up for the first time since it arrived in summer. Super Excited.

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/5725/pomwalk1of12.jpg

The Green walls in my room really screwing up the colours, but here is the tank! Going to get the plumbing and sump done by the end of the week hopefully!
Gunna add the doors and the trimming for the stand too!

[Kraken]

Well today was very productive. I managed to pick up the majority of the plumbing and got together the return and ordered the acrylic sheets for my DIY sump.

Anyhow here is a pic of the back of my tank. It is not yet complete but soon will be. Need to pick up a few things that I forgot tomorrow.
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/640/20121214jkx3133.jpg

Guess it doesnt really show too much since its so close to the wall =-p

[Kraken]

Picked up 4 tunze 6105 and set up the apex as well!

Here are some pics with the lights off:

http://imageshack.us/a/img32/6089/20120101p1010033.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img526/4782/20120101p1010036.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img823/6267/20120101p1010034.jpg

Just waiting on the ro saddle to set up the ro system in the wall behind the tank.

Already ran leak checks and all for the plumbing. Will get cycling asap!

[Kraken]

Hey Guys,

Just received the rest of my equipment.
Installed and now my tank is complete. Waiting on the cycle and then comes the livestock!

Here are some Pics:

Night shot of my tank with only middle leds on:

http://imageshack.us/a/img204/6616/20121228jkx3168.jpg

A night pic of the sump. White balance is messed up but too lazy to mess with it now. its 3:30am =(

http://imageshack.us/a/img94/2865/20121228jkx3175.jpg

Another pic of Pom Pom!
http://imageshack.us/a/img526/6403/20121219jkx3164.jpg

And here is a pic of my building the sump. Kinda late on posting it tho :p

http://imageshack.us/a/img651/2029/20121214jkx3137.jpg

http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/3339/20130103jkx3186.jpg

[Kraken]

I only took pics of the fish I got today:

http://imageshack.us/a/img837/6234/jkx33061.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img839/4864/jkx33161.jpg

[Kraken]

Alright so here is the tank shot as it stands.

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/9044/jkx33481.jpg

Here are my very first corals frags in the tank.
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/2048/dsc00971kp.jpg

[Kraken]

Here is a small update!
http://imageshack.us/a/img843/9916/dsc01451mq.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img841/5646/dsc01472or.jpg


http://imageshack.us/a/img22/7597/dsc01524x.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img690/5171/dsc01545mr.jpg

[Kraken]

Dendro

http://imageshack.us/a/img90/1518/dsc0285j.jpg


Peacock
http://imageshack.us/a/img706/3909/dsc0283cz.jpg

Dragon Eyes

http://imageshack.us/a/img28/3838/dsc0282ct.jpg

Firefly
http://imageshack.us/a/img849/3176/dsc0281sx.jpg

Dont know this one
http://imageshack.us/a/img171/3181/dsc0280w.jpg

Candy Apple Red
http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/4822/dsc0279am.jpg

[jorjef]

Any regrets, second thoughts or issues such as access to the inside of the tank on the 36" depth? What about when viewed from the front panel, does it look like 36" deep or is some of the depth of field lost after about 24". I have looked at tanked that are 24" plus but i don't get the sense of extra depth.. Maybe it was how they aquascaped the tank.

[Kraken]

I dont have that much of an issue with access, mainly because I have relatively long arms and im 6' tall. I can reach all the way into the middle of the tank with my armpits barely dipping into the water. Most of the time, I just use a long grabbing tool to do any "work". Glueing frags onto the rock is pretty easy for me.

[jorjef]

How thick is the glass? no bracing needed?

[Kraken]

How thick is the glass? no bracing needed?

The glass is 0.945" thick, no bracing needed :mrgreen:

[kien]

:pop2:

[sphelps]

The glass is 0.945" thick, no bracing needed :mrgreen:

I think you need a better measuring device :wink:

FYI your mold issue would be related to vapor barrier and insulation, internal warm air containing something cold forming condensate creating a moisture problem and mold. The issue would be fixed by sealing it properly which hopefully you did but just thought I'd mention it as just installing new drywall will only result in the same issue later.

[jorjef]

I think you need a better measuring device :wink:




Thanks, I was almost through my tongue...

[Kraken]

I think you need a better measuring device :wink:

FYI your mold issue would be related to vapor barrier and insulation, internal warm air containing something cold forming condensate creating a moisture problem and mold. The issue would be fixed by sealing it properly which hopefully you did but just thought I'd mention it as just installing new drywall will only result in the same issue later.

Yeah. We sealed it properly and we have a dehumidifier that is constantly running right now keeping humidity at 55%

[Whiston]

I love the look of this tank. Well done!

Good selection of fish also, it looks very serene.

[Kraken]

Thanks for the kind words. The tank is much more filled now, but I just havent been able to get a good full tank shot. Will update it soon tho!

[Kraken]

Small update on the growth of the tank!

http://imageshack.com/a/img15/3072/9d8s.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img585/2007/5l5z.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img607/1792/25y1.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img819/8190/om3l.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img46/754/kklb.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img30/2310/h1tr.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img836/162/5bkh.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img547/9778/89o3.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img801/5589/ykjk.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img607/6403/rnda.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img21/516/9lu8.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img59/4939/cxsj.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img801/9769/zlar.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img594/333/du9o.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img197/4952/0kcc.jpg

[Slyguy00]

Looking awesome! I need someone to come take good pics of my tank lol!

[Doug]

Great looking tank Marco

[Kraken]

Thanks!
All the corals in my tank started at as 1 ~ 2 inch frags or 1 or 2 polyps so its pretty cool seeing how everything ended up.