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Old 05-16-2013, 02:36 AM
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No new coral pics yet. I'm waiting for them to look a little better
Here's something else to report

Tuesday, 5am, I wake to the sound of rattling eggcrate ...
Bleary-eyed, I get up to investigate and what do I find ? Asrai flopping around on top of the eggcrate, about an inch away from carpet surfing behind the stand
I got her back in the water pretty easily
Then, too tired to realise I should go back to bed, I found myself standing there, staring at the eggcrate and wondering "how the heck did a 2-1/2" Lubbock's get through eggcrate?"
I stumbled back into bed, but the ol' brain wouldn't shut down
I lay there thanking the fishy god that saved her from a fuzzy slow-death, and started devising a plan for a surround canopy that will fit my suspended fixture. Next thing I knew it was time to get up for work

When I got home last night, Donna was amazed that I woke up, even thought I can sleep through so many other things
RKE alarm, Tunze alarm, overflowing chaeto tank, snails in the Vortechs
They're fishy noises ... I wake up to them

So, the eggcrate is gone and now anyone who jumps can flop around on top of either the center brace or the overflow cover until they dive back in
Last night, with some help from my wife, a roll of packing tape, and a $6 sheet of white corrugated plastic, I made a temp surround
It rests inside the top trim

Cut-outs for the returns and wiring


Vents - fibreglass mesh


Feeding door


The glow that I will cover with some black on the outside
At first it looked kinda cool, but as soon as we're below fixture level, it's pretty irritating as it glows right in our eyes


I'm pondering making something similar that will match the pine Aqueon stand with 2 front access doors, a vent and an exhaust fan
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Old 05-16-2013, 03:05 AM
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Hey Greg, have you ever thought of the BRS 1/⁴ netting?

I made two screens which perfectly fit the two openings of the tank and works very well... I have 4 wrasses and the jump all day. if you want to see it, I can take some pics, out you can come over one day.
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Old 05-16-2013, 03:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ginu View Post
Hey Greg, have you ever thought of the BRS 1/⁴ netting?

I made two screens which perfectly fit the two openings of the tank and works very well... I have 4 wrasses and the jump all day. if you want to see it, I can take some pics, out you can come over one day.
Hey dude
Thanks for the heads up, and the visit offer
I've looked at that mesh before, and was thinking about it for a short while, but I don't like how it's turned out for many others (sagging), and I need to block the light from our fixture anyway
I've been using a black garbage bag taped to the light for a year already and this was the kick in the pants I needed
I want to make a wood surround that rests on the top trim, painted white inside and black outside

It will allow me to raise the light higher (with the white paint) so hopefully there's less heat penetrating the water
I won't have to remove the eggcrate everytime I want to get my arm wet, or wash it when we get food on it etc etc etc
And when I want to get seriously wet, I will only need to raise the light and remove the rectangular wood piece

It'll also cut down on the 'glow' we get from the light hitting the back, white-painted wall
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Old 05-16-2013, 04:18 PM
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I use lexan covers for all my tanks. So much simpler and more effective than egg crate or mesh. Covers can be in multiple pieces, doors, holes, or any way you want. Can't get any easier for access and maintenance. Very easy to bend, shape, drill and cut (just with tin snips, no saw required), and doesn't crack or warp like plexi.

And dramatically cuts down your evaporation, which is better for your house, too. Also great light transmission (different than plexi), and easy to keep clean (I just remove and wipe mine down about once a month, or longer).

I also have built in vented canopies, which is great for lighting.

Just another idea for your consideration...
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Old 05-17-2013, 01:58 AM
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Just another idea for your consideration...
Thanks
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:20 AM
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You have a nice tank, Greg!
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Old 05-28-2013, 06:15 AM
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Originally Posted by neoh View Post
You have a nice tank, Greg!
Well thanks, but it's still going through some growing pains. Or rather, I'm still learning

I got the canopy/light surround cut yesterday and half glued together tonight. I hope to glue the 2 halves together tomorrow night, fit the door hinges maybe on Wed and cut the trim, then sand it all down and get some primer/sealer on it by the weekend
Looks like I have to work Sat, so maybe I'll get it painted on Sun, and then be able to install it by the end of next week after the paint cures some

I'll be using a pair of 80mm fan guards for the fresh air intakes, and a 140mm fan for exhaust, with a piece of fiberglass mesh covering the fan
The semi-massive rectangular opening will be my access behind a pair of doors
Hopefully, when it's all done, it will sorta match the Aqueon stand, but only by the door widths and the outside dimensions
The wife didn't want it exactly the same as she doesn't like the stand much, so I had to tone down the build and make it a bit sleeker than a bunch of verticle pine planks
Except now it's just big, horizontal pine planks

This new surround will also allow me to raise the lights another 3", so hopefully I'll be able to turn on some of the other colors I've been missing since the corals started to bleach
It will put the bulbs about 10-1/2" (guesstimate) above the water




Last edited by gregzz4; 05-28-2013 at 06:17 AM.
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