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#1
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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 |
#2
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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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Casual reefer |
#3
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![]() Quote:
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 ![]() 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 |
#4
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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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Reef Pilot's Undersea Oasis: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=102101 Frags FS: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=115022 Solutions are easy. The real difficulty lies in discovering the problem. |
#5
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#6
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![]() You have a nice tank, Greg!
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#7
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![]() 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. |