Ryan_Laps 10gal Build
 

Hey All,

Heres the budget for the $395.45:

Hardware:
Used Hydor Koralia 4 - $40.46
Used 200W Weipro Heater - $15.12
Used 175w Metal Halide Setup(20k bulb) - $100

Livestock:
5 Astrea Snails $1.99ea as per LA. $9.95

Free Budget:
Standard 10g - $20
Tube of black and clear silicone - $10
Scrap Glass/Acrylic - Free
Approx. 8 pnds of Rock - Extra Laying around
Stand - roughly $25
Canopy - roughly $25
Mag Float - $15
Thermometer - $3

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____

Remaining: $229.92

Hard to get a good full tank shot with this type of tank... Ill post from both flat panes consistently for the monthly shot. All other pictures will be in the thread.

15th November 2008
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond030.jpg
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond031.jpg

15th December 2008
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...an_Lap/486.jpg
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...an_Lap/489.jpg

15th January 2009
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond041.jpg
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...an_Lap/489.jpg

15th February 2009
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...amond002-1.jpg
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...amond001-1.jpg

15th March 2009
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...amond004-1.jpg
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...amond003-1.jpg

This be the empty 10g. Afew beers in there for good measure. Somehow a couple are empty. Its hard work putting a 10g on the counter. haha
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...p/IMG_4233.jpg

Well after a couple weeks of no posting progress is taking place.

First removing the braces from the glass:

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...Lap/90g015.jpg

Then the glass is all apart and ready to be siliconed back together

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...Lap/90g016.jpg

The final product:

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond005.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond008.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond003.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond004.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond006.jpg

The stand you see is not the one Im using. I will be building one tomorrow along with a canopy. Hope to have water in the tank before this weekend so I can play a lil catch up.

The Light Im using is a 16" hamilton tech light fixture(28w x 2):

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond009.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond010.jpg

I got it off of a local reefer for $20. Confirmation of price will have to be included I presume at a later time.

What a beautiful tank this is going to be!

Bit of an update....

Freshwater tested the tank tonight. The koralia 1 I planned on using isnt producing enough flow for my liking thus far. Had an extra 4 laying around so I tried that and I think we may have a winner. Ill see if its too much flow when I finally have rock in there and corals, but its easy enough to change out for others.

Ill be building the stand this evening and hopefully finishing it tomorrow. Still want to have water in it come this weekend.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond011.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond013.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond012.jpg

:mrgreen:


and yes Im getting a few micro bubbles with the larger pump. Im sure the problem will go away once Im running filter floss.

Looking good dude. Glad it held for you but you're still going to brace the base right? Or are you going to gamble?
You need to run the water level a little higher and that should stop any microbubbles.

That's a "superman" looking tank!

building the stand tomorrow which with have a 1.5" lip around the base. The I will silicone the tank into the stand. That should be plenty for bracing. I was just making sure there were no leaks.

Maybe something will be flying in the tank........:lol:

Another small update.....

Well I didnt meet my hope of getting the tank filled for the weekend. I was watching that Riders game Thursday night. I Finished building the stand. Still have to sand it and paint it. Building the cap will come next week when Im off for a few days and then Im going to get this tank filled.

One more picture....

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond014.jpg

Looking very nice man, and I thought I was the only one up at 2am looking at reef forums haahaa!

Im sick in the head....sanding an aquarium stand at 2:20 in the morning. Is there a meeting for this type of behaviour? :lol:

Haahaa it gets really bad when you use the apartment fireplace hearth as an anvil to pound nails into wood since carpet has too much give at 3am. Neighbours don't like that very much...

Any idea on what livestock you are going to so with, or is it a closely gaurded secret?

I have a couple ideas, but the fish in mind run far too high a price tag for the nano I fear. I have a lead on a borbonius anthia for a very very reasonable price. I really would rather not disclose where I got it from though.:twised:

Haahaa, I don't need to know. Everyone has their own little dealers they like to use. I find that loyalty leads to better opportunities to get the "rare" stuff that most don't get to see.

Get a oriental helmet gurnard... if your tank was 10 times bigger maybe haahaa! But they you could have a cool "flying" fish!

I just think that using a $300 fish in a budget 10g build isnt the way to go. lol
I think Im going to have to use something else. I cant really say I paid $30 for it, even if I did.....

Im thinking of a small angler or a couple small pipefish. Not together of course.

Hey man, if you can prove that you paid that much then rock on! Fish aren't super expensive, but the building, tanks, electricity, DOA's etc etc etc are, and that's where Mortar stores costs increase compared to someone just ordering from a wholesaler.

An angler would be very cool but you won't get a lot of movement in the tank for that fish. then again they aren't large tanks so it could be left up to wow factor of the livestock! And lets face it, the right angler looks hella cool!

There lays the problem of saying where I got it then......argh the inner turmoil . :lol: It may be a hit or miss anyways.

Its hard to think of fish for my weeee tank. Having a hard time also deciding on corals.

Thats ok I.m still trying to decide on my stand :)

Well I guess im out of this contest. I will explain further when I have more time.

WHAT? NO!... I SAY NO! Backing out is not an option... forget it. Whatever it is work it out. My father and finance aren't even in to fish tanks and when I told them about the contest and showed them peoples tanks they both liked yours a lot. WORK IT OUT!

What the hell man, you're tank was looking great! Hope you can figure something out to stay in!

Im honestly too afraid of your tank built to continue......

and yours......:mrgreen:

Just tell us... maybe we can help??

Ill have an update with pictures in about 10 min ..........

Ok less than 10 min


Got the tank full tonight...looking good......
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond016.jpg

Damn Im impressed.....
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond017.jpg

Uh oh where the tank go????
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond018.jpg

Oh there it is....now why is it sitting in the basement in shambles???
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond019.jpg

Oh thats why.....:cry:
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...diamond020.jpg


Fantastic...........

Im just glad my girlfriend wasnt home......:biggrin:

woah how did that happen? it was looking so good!

I was sitting on the couch being quite pleased with myself(as usual). When all of a sudden I hear CRACK...glance at the tank and see water flowing at a high rate from the tank. I ran down downstairs (in a about 2 leaps), grabbed a rubber main container and rammed it under the stand. Grabbed every towel out of the bathroom and threw them on the floor. I figure I got about half of the water in the bucket and the other half on the floor. Thankfully none of the water made it to the tv and all those cables. I got the floor all cleaned up and it looks like the laminate will be ok. I figure what went wrong was crappy thin glass.

Yeah where did it break and how? It was looking very nice... I say you got time to rebuild :) Rebuild Rebuild Rebuild

Good thing you were home... yeah the glass is thin. Did it source from and edge or mid pane? Rebuild Rebuild

bottom pain cracked from one end to the other...how, well me looking at it. Guess I looked at it the wrong way. The pump was running and I noticed the tank was vibrating a little. But that should have never made it crack. Crappy thin glass

Ok... let me tell you what you're going to do. REBUILD.. and then put another piece of wood in the bottom of the stand followed by the Styrofoam = Golden = You Second Place Winner ahah

Is there rules for this kinda stuff? Oh wait there is... "Rule 64: If your tank should break within the first week of being filled because you did not put wood in the bottom of the stand you MUST REBUILD"

Im thinking of rebuilding....however I dont think I can trust it again in my living room.

Yah you see. I thought of styrofoam.....then I didnt. I only have a 1 inch lip around the base. I really dont want to rebuild the stand. I think the styrofoam will sit higher than that. I CAN NOT clean water off the floor again....

I think the rule is....no water nov 15...you done....dont think its gonna happen

I think the pink stuff is only like 1/2 inch and I just wrap the edge with black duct tape. You don't have to rebuild the stand. Just put a 1/2 piece of plywood and some Styrofoam in the bottom and if it pokes out just do the tape thing.

So take the bottom pain out of the tank and find a scrap piece a little thicker for the new base:)

That is 9 days away... not to mention 2 Saturdays.

I got somebody on it :biggrin: