cbatkinson
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Posts posted by cbatkinson
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I got all of the moulding cut, nailed down, caulked, etc...and was ready to start finishing and sanding before priming and applying the finished coat of Benjamin Moore "Simply White" Semi-Gloss.
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So i installed the floor and started priming the stand while thinking about moulding. I've seen a lot of different designs on the boards and knew that I wanted to keep it pretty clean and simple and that I would paint the stand white to match the trim work in my living room. I decided to frame the stand like a door with moulding and rosettes and doors with square routing. I thought it would look good together but had no idea how it would actually turn out.
I decided on a rosette that I liked after seeing a couple of different types and also decided to attach the moulding around the top of the tank to create a 2 1/2" lip to hide the tank trim. I mitre cut the rosettes and plinths to create a sharp corner and then had to run to a friends house to use a table saw to mitre cut the moulding for the corners to help create the "column" look I was going for.
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Before I put the floor in, I took the stand outside to make sure the tank would fit and try to get some ideas of how I'd like to finish it off. I'm pleased with the new height...and am already thinking about putting water in this thing....
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Sooo....I was happy that I'd finished the skin....and realized that I'd forgot to put my floor in.....so I ended up cutting my 1/2 plywood flooring into two pieces to fit it inside the stand. I figured that I'll caulk and seal it really well and you won't be able to notice.
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I figured that I'd use 1/4 inch plywood for the skin since it's only cosmetic and not really serving as structural support. I ended up using a jigsaw to cut out the opening of the stand...I'm limited on tools....and it was tough to keep it 100% straight....but it came out ok.
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Good point. Forgot to mention that the whole thing is plugged into a GFI...it'll trip if there are any issues...
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@CoralHind - Thanks Dave for the comments...seeing your tank inspired me to move to the 120....
I was surprised at how easy everything went together and now I could shift my focus to adding some electrical outlets and switches. I had a few junction boxes laying around and decided to wire a few outlets and timers into the stand to minimize the number of wires and keep everything as neat as possible. After working on the wiring and switches the stand was looking a little more like this:
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Since I'm over 6' tall I decided to build my stand 36" tall to avoid having to bend down to look at everything. I also decided to upgrade the stand build and use 2x6's along the top and corners of the stand and then 2x4's for the rest. I'm sure it's a little overkill but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I made all of the adjustments on my measurements and took a trip to Home Depot where they cut all of my wood and I was able to start putting things together. I eventually ended up with this frame once I primed it.
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Sooo....before I started to build the stand I decided to check into how much it would cost to have someone build it for me. I have ZERO woodworking skills and figured it would be a tough project to complete. Some of the quotes that I got back motivated me to see if I actually could build this thing myself. I found this template online and decided to give it a shot....
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After getting back into the hobby for a couple of years, I've decided (as many of you already know) that it was time to go bigger.... So i decided to move from my current 75 gallon pictured below to a 120 gallon.
The first decision that I needed to make was whether or not I wanted a reef ready tank or if I'd like to go with a drilled tank to enjoy more room. After a lot of thought I decided that I'd give the drilled tank a try. I also had to decide on what I was going to do for a stand...I didn't like most of the stock stands that I'd seen and since the tank was going to be in my living room, I wanted it to look as much like a piece of furniture as possible. I got lucky and found a decent used tank already drilled, so I just needed to focus on building the stand....
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I had a stealth...and i think it blew up....my tank temp shot up to the mid 80's. I replaced it with a Rena and haven't had a problem since.....
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I used IO for a while and have recently switched to Reed Crystals...I don't see a huge difference, but think I'll stay with RC.
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I've been running 250 W DE Phoenix 14K's on 250W Ice Cap Electronic Ballasts for a while on a 75G. Gong to be upgrading to a larger tank soon and am going to rethink my lighting. I've loved the look of the 20K Radium Bulbs when i've seen them on other tanks but i think all of them have been 400W and SE. Are there 250 W 20K Radiums that I could run on my current ballasts? If not what other bulbs are out there that might get me closer to that look without switching ballasts?
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I was doing some work on a tank that I'm getting ready to setup and I noticed that the corner seams are pretty thin and one of them has a small tear. Since its early and I've got the time, I'd rather address it before I come home to find an "accident". I'm trying to figure out what I'd need to do to fix it. I'd like it to look "like new" when I'm done. I know I can just grab a tube of silicone and go at it, but is there anyone out there with some ideas on how i can get it to look neat and like new.
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How often do you feed your corals...things like Acans, duncans, trumpets, etc?? Do you feed every day, twice a week, and what do you feed them...mysis, cyclopeeze, etc???
Just want to get a feel for what the routines are.
Thanks...
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Petland in Fairfax seemed to have a decent price...$45.99 for a bucket. Didn't feel like driving to the crab shack....would've spent the rest of my money on crabs...
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Who has the best price locally for Reef Crystals?
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Just wanted to give an update...the folks at AWI were right....I changed out all of the caps....and poof...the leaks were gone. Don't know why the old caps developed a leak, but AWI sent the new ones to me free of charge. Thanks for the excellent customer service.
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I have a one year old AWI Typhoon 75gpd RODI unit that has somehow started leaking where the housing screws on to the cap in the middle two chambers. I've checked and replaced all of the o-rings in the unit and don't see any visible cracks in the caps at all. I have new caps and will try replacing those as the next step. Has anyone else ever had this problem? I've replaced all the cartridges and am looking for a quick fix... can't make any water until i get this fixed.
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Anyone know a good place around to get SCH 80 PVC pipe, shutoff valves, etc..(the grey pipe)? I don't remember seeing any at Home Depot.
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very helpful. Thanks...My sump is going to be like Trockafella's. Does the sand have to be live or can I just add some new sand since the system is already established?
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Starting a fuge and wanted to get thoughts on what I need to put in it...some have different opinions. sand, cheateau, snails, crabs. What's in your fuge and how much is in there? Any other tips and pointers would be appreciated.
Thanks.
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I'll take the frag of Tubbs Blues. PM me with pickup details.
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Jan,
Same thing happened to me a few months ago with my sixline...had to drain the overflow and get in there with my net....it's a pain but it worked. Good luck.
Farmed Corals for Sale at Frag Fest
in www.fishnreef.com
Trying to get in touch with the folks at fishnreef.com. Tried to send a PM but the box was full. I'm looking for some pricing info. Is there a good number or another way to contact them?