Time for a new start

DanSreef

DanSreef

Premium member
Well I have wanted to start a new project for a while now. I had originally thought of a 120-180 gal SPS tank that I would build into a wall. All new equipment and custom built stand…etc. The reality of the cost associated with such a project was something that I simply could not get over. In this economy spending that kind of cash for this hobby is tough so I decided I would look for something off of CraigsList. After MANY reviews of tanks and MANY emails to sellers…I was kind of getting discouraged.

A couple of weeks ago I found a listing for a 90 Gal Corner Bow Front that jumped out at me. I personally like Bow Fronts… My other tank is a 72 Bow. I have some limited space in my home office in a corner behind my desk that I have pretty much reserved for my next project. The dimensions and the size of this tank seemed to fit the need and desire. I really like the corner set up because of the depth it gives visually… It is acrylic… which I have owned before… I know that it is much lighter…and that it scratches very easily…and unless it has been very much abused…would be a good candidate. I contacted the seller and went out to look at the tank…as it was still set up. Believe it or not, the seller is a member of this board…. a pleasant surprise frankly. I will let him identify himself if he wants to. I looked at the tank and it is in good shape… it looked like it will fit the bill. So I agreed to buy it. I just had to wait for him to transfer his livestock to his new tank…. Well the time has come it is ready to go!

So, today with the help of my esteemed neighbor and Team CR guru ETR….I am going to pick up the tank. I did some cleaning and rearranging and took a couple of photos of where it will fit.


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The tank will overlap the window slightly 4 or 5 inches. It is a north facing window and will not get any direct light.

My plan is to create an SPS dominant tank. I am planning for LED Lighting…not sure AI or Radeon… I am going to add a controller… I plan on starting slow… maybe without a sand bed… still doing some research there… and starting off with some dry base rock and taking it VERY SLOWLY. It might not be even until Thanksgiving until I put water in the tank. I have some business that is going to be all consuming the next couple of weeks… Of course… I know I will be drawn to work on the tank when I can.

So, I invite you to sit back and watch as I start my new project. Feel free to give advice and pointers along the way. If you see me doing something stupid….smack me upside the head… No… buying a second tank of this size does not count… I am waiting for the wife to beat me up enough for that.

I will try to share pictures…and ask a ton of questions. Hopefully we will all learn along the way!
 
Awesome room and.. cnt wait till you start ur new tank.. That'll be awesome.. keep us updated
 
Wow, you already started a build thread, before getting my tank. Glad it's going to a good home. Good luck with the build. I just finally got all the sand out, it took me until 4am today to do that, so it's ready for you to pick up.
 
An update.... The tank was a little bigger than I had thought. I seem to remember Nino saying it was 30” long sides and 30” high….well it is 36” long sides and 30” high… In any event...we could only just get the tank in the exploder...so I will need to make a return trip tomorrow morning to pick up the stand and canopy. Nino I will be there before you need to leave for sure. I may need your help as my helper won’t be with me.

On the way home we took a side trip by MCF (but of course) and another place...to pick up some sweet stuff for ETR's tank...and I picked up a few items for my 72 Bow. Anyway, I got home and the tank is now in the basement waiting for some cleaning and buffing. There are some scratches….but it is in really good condition. I did take the door of the stand with me…which was good so the boss (wife…. ) could see the color of the wood. As it turns out….It looks like a pretty good match wood wise…so I am not going to paint the stand. Instead I will clean it up and get it ready for the tank.



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Now the one challenge is the extra 6”. This will mean that it will overlap the window a bit more than I had planned. I also have an office door that will come into play a bit. It is a side door… that I usually do not use anyway….so I do not think it will be a problem. Overall…I am disappointed I do not have the stand…. But I will soon! I am pretty stoked for the tank as a whole…. Stay tuned!
 
Hey dan if you need help tmmrw I'll be at nino's I'll be picking up some sand in the morning frm him.. Anyway awesome tank.. I cnt wait till you get it started
 
I don't think your stand matches the wood trim in your office. I believe a total refinishing project is in order, LOL :)
 
Time for a New Start - Cleaning Up the New To Me Tank

Ok, it has been about a week and I have been swamped at work... until last night I really had not done much to the tank. With the holiday week upon us... I will hopefully have a little time to get things rolling.

Last night I cleaned the coraline and crusts out of the tank. There were a lot of scratches that I had not seen until I got it cleaned up. I used Novus 2 to buff out the inside and outside of the front of the tank. I used my Griots Garage orbital polisher... I was a bit worried at first....it seemed to make things worse. Over time though...and a number of applications many of the fine scratches disappeared. Even with the orbital... my arms and shoulders are really sore this morning. I am thinking there is only so much I will be able to get out... I literally spent 3-4 hours buffing...and all in all it is looking ok.

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Hopefully I will spend a little time on the stand today. I am going to paint the inside of the stand and put a rubber mat underneath it to hopefully protect the wood floors. I am going to do some work on the sump.... I am actually thinking of buying a new Aqueon Sump 3. I saw one and was fairly impressed.

I hope to more the tank inside this next week and get it plumbed and water tested for leaks. So, things are moving ahead ever so slowly.
 
Hi Dan
have you tried sanding it first. Just using the novus doesn't really work with scratches. To do it right, you have to sand with the 1000grit, then the 1500grit sandpaper, then use novus 2. I would sand the whole front side of the tank, then use novus 2. I guarantee that all the scratches will disappear if you sand it first. That's what I did with my new tank, and my new tank was scratched up worse than yours.
I know I was abe to fit inside the corner tank, but I'm a small guy. I would get someone to go inside to sand the inside of the front panel. Otherwise you could lay it down I guess.
 
Hey Nino... I did wet sand the front side... pretty extensively. I was able to get a lot of the deep scratches out... not all... I am now trying to get rid of the micro scratches and hazing...that the wet sanding left behind. I will probably give it another go later. My wife has some projects I need to get to. Hopefully another round of Novus 2 will get me to a place where I can be happy. The fact that the front side is curved is making it a bit more difficult. I also need to hand rub the corners and edges.

One thing that I keep telling myself... that the work I do now will pay off in the long run.
 
Well....never made it to the tank today. Perhaps the next couple of days I will have some time to get at it again. No rush. I have a lot to do.
 
Ready to start assembly....

After a lot of work cleaning up the tank…buffing it…and buffing it again….and again….and again… I think I am at a point where most of the scratches are out… There are a couple of deeper ones that I will just have to live with.

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I have the stand already to go. I installed a rubber membrane on the bottom of the stand to hopefully protect the wood flooring in the office. I am hoping this will prevent the small amounts of water from causing problems and I think it should help isolate any vibration from the wood stand to the floor…hopefully making it a bit quieter.

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Here is the tank all ready to be hoisted up….through the window in the office and put into place. I am hoping to do it this afternoon / evening as soon as my helpers are ready. Once the tank is in place I will take another picture and post.

Now the fun begins… except I hate spending money. My wife just says I am cheap. I think it is more like I HATE spending money…. Anyway, I need to compile a list of things to get. With Black Friday coming up, I am seeing places like Marine Depot and others offer deals. If I can get some % off… might not be bad timing... I am looking to buy an Aqueon 3 sump, some GFO, Carbon Reactors, a Controller…thinking the Apex is cool. I have a RKL on my other tank. I saw that you can control an Apex via your PC and monitor via your smart phone…. Might be kind of cool! The big investment is LED lighting. I have been waiting for the Phoenix to come out…I like the Radion….but that thing is way too much money… may need to just get the AI SOL Blue’s instead. I may wait on this part of the investment as I expect I really do not need my final lighting until after the tank cycles….which at the rate I am going will be after Christmas.

Stay Tuned!
 
Wow it looks great!

Wait for the Pheonix. AI is posting on its facebook that it'll be any day now.
 
In place....

Thanks to EricTheRed the tank is in place. Thanks Neighbor!

Holy Crap…. I was actually thinking this thing was not going to be large enough….I think I am going to have to take this very slowly to get used to it... This thing is HUGE! LOL!!!

When this thing is up and running...when I am trapped in my office on conference calls all day… I am going to be able to sit back and stare at the tank and all the life in it! Who needs TV… Discovery…NatGeo… Crap this thing is going to be non-stop entertainment for me…. :pop2:

Here are a couple of pictures. Time for a drink…and to sit back and take this all in…. Wow! Wait until the boss sees this… She is going to wig out…. LOL!

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How about my new Video Conferencing Background..... LOL!!! Sorry about the poor quality.. it is a screen shot....

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