lastlight's 404

[lastlight]

I dunno. Why not right?

I met with Dave at Concept Aquariums and they should be starting the build on-site sometime in February. I was talked out of starphire once again and feel really good about that choice (again). Dave let me handle a glass sample while we talked...yeah it was hot.

Here are the rough details:

96L x 36W x 27H
19mm
External overflow on end
Viewable 2 sides

But then somehow my wife will screw it all up and it will sit empty until I tear it down!

Ok my wife typed that bit in quotes while I was away parenting for 2 minutes. If she's right stay tuned for hot deals. If she's wrong maybe a flooded basement? The fun is not knowing!

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Table of Contents:

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+ The Mess
+ The Cleanup
+ The Stand
+ The Little Helper
+ The Tank
+ The Temporary Office
+ The Sump That Attacked Me
+ The Lots Of Wood Update
+ The Reno From Hell Part I
+ The Whitewash
+ The Shiny Floor And Scribe Party
+ The Reno From Hell Part II
+ The Salt Tower
+ The Rock Kid
+ The Big Sexy Skimmer
+ The Laying Of Pipe
+ The Power Centre And Fill Up
+ The Great Cycle
+ The Scape
+ The Transfer (Video)
+ The Tailspot (Video)
+ The Backlit Reef
+ The Livestock Photo Dump (FTS)
+ The Truth About Frags
+ The Paranoid Squarespot (Video)
+ The Romancing of the Squarespot, Chromis Gang (Video)
+ The T5s
+ The Ugly Filtersock Tower Of Terror
+ The Triple Threat - Striped Damsels And A Filefish (Video)
+ The Big Mac Part I - Acanthurus Maculiceps
+ The Big Mac Part II (Video)
+ The Random Livestock Peep Show
+ The Big Mac Settles In (Video)
+ Rip-a-reef-apart-apalooza (Filefish Edition)

[lastlight]

Here is v1 in sketchup. I am leaning towards using one of Paul's new Ocean Motion devices but I need his (and anyone else's) input to plan where I need holes. I would like to have current flow one direction for maybe 60 seconds, then reverse and flow the other way. I'm interested in reversing the intakes as well like I think Paul has demonstrated. I'm still confused so hopefully he can chime in here.

[Aquattro]

Why talked out of Starphire??

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Why talked out of Starphire??

Scratches easier and I was actually surprised that the 19mm didn't really look all that green to me. In the end I always think...tank gets filled with water which certainly isn't 100% clear and then I turn on a small army of Radiums and the tank is quite blue. I'm going to spend my money elsewhere =)

[Aquattro]

Ok. I've been having the interanl debate over this for my next tank, which may be plywood with a glass front. Figured the cost of one pane wouldn't be too much more.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by zum14

That will be quite the tank. Any ideas for the wall with the overflow box? How are you planning to hide it? Or are you even going to hide it? Ive got same style overflow box and dont like seeing glass edges or inside the overflow box. I was thinking a piece of black acrylic against that wall but i dunno anymore.

Yeah I hope it will be. I do have a history of not finishing haha. With my current tank I picked up some black acrylic from IPS here in town and siliconed it over. It blends perfectly with a painted black background and so far it scrapes clean as well as the glass with my Kent scraper. I will most likely be doing the same thing on this tank. It would be nice to have a removable black panel so I can peer in from the room but in my experience that black will not look the same as the back panel which has no air gap (painted right on) and also I really don't want to see in that box. The box will go there because I want my access tunnel to be obstacle free.

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Ok. I've been having the interanl debate over this for my next tank, which may be plywood with a glass front. Figured the cost of one pane wouldn't be too much more.

The cost for front and side in starphire as quoted by Concept Aquariums was very reasonable but I think I'm forever a regular glass guy. I got extremely tempted though. I want to have this tank done not obsess over too many fancy details so that I never have budget to run it.

[dave_C]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Scratches easier and I was actually surprised that the 19mm didn't really look all that green to me. In the end I always think...tank gets filled with water which certainly isn't 100% clear and then I turn on a small army of Radiums and the tank is quite blue. I'm going to spend my money elsewhere =)

Brett just to add a little more stress to your build for you lol

we are bring in a new glass from china, not sure what to call it but will name it "ever clear"for now, it's half the price of starsphire and i am told just as hard. Had a simple to see today and i like it is clearer than the starphire glass but here is two pic's for you to check out

the new glass is on top and starphire is on the bottom

again the same thing from the side
If you like this idea there are only two problems, i know i just had to throw something else in there for you lol,
1) it looks thinner than the starphire
2) glass won't be here for another 2 to 3 months

thanks Dave

[lastlight]

Dave come on you tease.

Ok how much thinner in mm? Any reason to worry about their claims considering it's unknown glass in a way? It sure looks clearer!

We'll have to talk lol.

[Delphinus]

Ooh, a 404. Is there a web based meaning hidden in there?

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Ooh, a 404. Is there a web based meaning hidden in there?

Lol I *was* going to title this 'lastlight's 404 (Not found)' but thought it'd be lost on most. Thx man I respect that!