Daplatapus's upgrade

reeferfulton · #1 03-02-2014, 12:17 AM

just read through your build . .You have put alot ! of work into this tank so far . impressed . cant wait to see it running .

Rice Reef · #2 03-02-2014, 12:28 AM

Cool rock work! I think Kien should give your journal a cool name too!

daplatapus · #3 03-02-2014, 03:45 PM

Ooooo, a cool tank journal name! Kein would have to do it, cause I certainly don't have the imagination for it, lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by reeferfulton

just read through your build . .You have put alot ! of work into this tank so far . impressed . cant wait to see it running .

Thanks, man. And neither can I, neither can I. And my wife too, lol. She's getting tired of staring at an empty tank for almost 2 years haha.

Ram3500 · #4 03-02-2014, 07:09 PM

I love that floating rock that's a great idea looks slick .How did you mount it on the back glass ?

daplatapus · #5 03-02-2014, 08:41 PM

I just used the GE SCS1200 silicone. On the previous page I showed how i cut all my rock so it was flat on the back so sticking it on there was pretty easy. I had to do only a couple pieces at a time and let it set then do another couple pieces. I held them in place overnight with clamps and wire strung over the eurobracing or with plywood shimmed up underneath them. I also put one of my big work shirts underneath them in case they fell before it was all set up.
I thought I had more pics but here's a couple when I started it:

reeferfulton · #6 03-02-2014, 09:01 PM

wicked ..
i love the coat in there just in case it fell while you slept lol . good call

daplatapus · #7 03-09-2014, 12:20 AM

So a wee bit more progress. I started the canopy for the tank. I ended up using a cabinet grade 5/8" pre-finished birch plywood. I'm going to seal the ends with Diamond Finish Varathane. Here's a pic while putting it all together in the shop:

Then I brought it in to dry fit it and make sure everything is going to work as I think it will. And as normal, nothing does, lol:

There's a slight twist in my legs that's apparent if you look close, but I'll be taking another sheet of ply and cutting out the access holes so that will straighten all that out and keep that front nice and square with the rest of it. I will be using pocket door rail running from front to back for each of the 3 light fixtures I've built. If I see the need in the future for it, I can also add 2 more rails 6' long running from left to right to give me even more flexibility for light fixture locations.

I have thought of one issue I'm not completely certain how to overcome yet. When I mount my light fixture, my wiring comes out of the back of the heatsink. And it's big. 20 wires in one, lol.

When I go to push the fixture all the way back out of the way to work in the tank, I'm not sure where that 12"-16" of wire will go. I may cut a 1" oval hole in that back sheet so that it just slides behind the tank.
Any comments or concerns, fire away. I'd rather find out now than later