From the link fr Dave_C you're only about $37US for material costs. Should be able to get close to that local.

Nice! That's good news!

- Chad

Try Jolle Chef on 39 ave SE. The guy does comercial kitchen installs and usually has some scrap sitting around. I got a piece that about that size to use as a cutting board for $10 or something.

Hey Chad let us know where you end up getting it from. (I'm going to want a large piece too within the next couple months, for my 280.) Thanks and good luck!

Hey Chad, ever find some starboard? What did you end up doing here? (I'm just curious, I'm starting to think about what I need to get going for my own tank..)

PS. Apologies if you mentioned it in your tank build thread, I didn't see it in there (I only went back to about page 14 though :p )

Haha, actually Tony I never did go get any. I am still in a mental conflict over whether I want the bottom of the tank white or not...
Maybe if you bought some it would help me make up my mind.

- Chad

Ha ha ha, I've been having this whole sort of "Do I? Don't I?" dilemma over it myself and was thinking "Well if *Chad* has some maybe that would help decide if I want it or not ...." :lol:

.. Basically I'm a little conflicted as well. I'm a little unsold on the idea of the gaps in between the edges and the glass accumulating detritus, and what exactly happens underneath the starboard (toxic anoxic whatever).

IPP was like "well we can see you 5 pieces of 54x12 at $50 each" (um, no thanks) and the price at the link Dave C provided was a pleasant surprise after that, although still at $160 (for 6'x2.5' basically) plus shipping, that might at this point be better spent on .. say, maple plywood for my stand or something like that.

Keep thinking that leaving the bottom as bare glass will have a bit of an "unfinished" look, but .. well .. so you basically see my conflict on this one as well basically. :)

I never claimed to be good at making decisions...

That was my concern too Tony. I think I might go with plain glass on the bottom for now - especially with some of those prices you listed!!
A glass bottom doesn't look natural like sand would, granted, but the plan I am considering is for my LR and corals to be 'showcased' like a sculpture on display. Glass sides and bottom with black background underneath that... nothing to detract from the art, you know?
I am also considering growing gsp, zoos, and mushrooms in little meadows along the bottom and thought that the glass&black would provide a nice contrast.

- Chad

FWIW, I went with black sand and a black background on my FW planted setup and I'm really liking it.

My problem is I'll have 1/2" styrofoam under the tank, and unless I can find a big panel of the white, I'm afraid I'll be stuck with the pink and.. well.. I don't want a pink bottomed tank (unless it's coraline.. but that's different). Maybe I'll just paint the styrofoam..

I have never painted Styrofoam, would the paint react with or dissolve dissolve it??
If you wanted to go that route, you could always through a coat of pant on the outside of your bottom glass... I guess you would be stuck with only one colour though. But you could always just cover it over with starboard or sand if you wanted later.

- Chad