lockrookie's 180g (build #3)

[Nano]

Personally I would go with regular glass but thats just my opinion, I hear starfire scratches very easily

[lockrookie]

i have heard that as well and that is a deciding factor in all this as well but yet in my current tank i have regular glass and it and have managed to scratch it as well so im hoping that if im extra careful and not use cheap scrapers i will be abletokeep it scratch free for at leasst a year lol

[Nano]

yea I have regular glass on my cichlid tank, and the sand alone, has cause some scratches, so I guess it depends on the amount of abuse too! I know you can buy those plastic scrappers for acrylic, I'm sure they would work for star fire, I'm just not sure how well

[lockrookie]

most scrached happen from substrate getting sandwiched in the scraper thats how mine happened anyways but since ive used magfloat i havent had an issue.. nothings perfect forever.

[lockrookie]

so i have been doing some drawing and yes it looks simular to the tank i currently have we love our stand and wish to keep it the same if possible





any thoughts and ideas let em shoot

[-=James=-]

I have mine setup exactly the same as your drawing. 2 cross braces on both sides of the overflow is enough.

Im guessing youre doing a bean overflow. I would put the 2 standpipes higher to have the top caps near the water surface. You'll need to put an airline on one of the standpipes.

If I was to do it over, I would build an external or coast to coast overflow instead of the center internal overflow to get more tank space to play with.

[lockrookie]

Originally Posted by -=James=-

I have mine setup exactly the same as your drawing. 2 cross braces on both sides of the overflow is enough.

Im guessing youre doing a bean overflow. I would put the 2 standpipes higher to have the top caps near the water surface. You'll need to put an airline on one of the standpipes.

If I was to do it over, I would build an external or coast to coast overflow instead of the center internal overflow to get more tank space to play with.

thank you that eases my mind a bit i still may try to make a sort of euro brace if i break it on irst try i stil lhave the option of two center braces lol.

yes i think thats wat its called i didnt do exact drawing still getting used to the program but the pipes will be higher when i did my 50 i just drilled a hole in the top and it was eno ough worked really well. the other pipe i just let as a tube.

i would love to do an external overflow, if i had the room and space to do one, instead this tank will be up against the wall with maybe 2" away if im lucky for room for wireing.. ir i may have to put a hinged mirror over a huge hole i may inflict into the guest bedroom wall. but hopefully it doesnt come to that.

even so the overflow will have its purpose as i will build a diy rockscape that covers it and hides all the tanks plumbing for the return pump/ future closed loop so that its not seen in the tank at all.i may still have to use powerheads regretfully but if the closed loop works as my mind envisions. it shouldnt be many. an xamplel of this is on my 50g build. i love how it worked.

[msjboy]

Take a look at the new super sized res sea max tanks construction which is on their site...some innovative features which include hiding the edges of the sand a bit...this allows deeper sand without the deeper sand look.
I am also not sure what kinda glass they use but it is supposedly even better tham starfire too.

Msjboy

[lockrookie]

Originally Posted by msjboy

Take a look at the new super sized res sea max tanks construction which is on their site...some innovative features which include hiding the edges of the sand a bit...this allows deeper sand without the deeper sand look.
I am also not sure what kinda glass they use but it is supposedly even better tham starfire too.

Msjboy

sorry for the late reply i dont get notified atm of comments and missed it

i did look at the tanks and do try to hide the sand bed a bit with moulding. in fact i like to hide everything if i can..