Going for a 40 Breeder build

geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#61
#61
Finished putting first coat of indoor/outdoor polyurethane on the inside of the stand tonight.

Well I zapped my DMM trying to test the ballast last night lol. I needed to get a newer one anyways it was very old. I'm thinking it's the igniter because there is no pulsing out of the bad side, but could be the transformer as it looked like it got really hot. I rather not mess up the other side's wiring to swap out parts to verify since its all shrink wrapped together nicely. I haven't' been able to find anything that is really 'for sure' a replacement for the igniter by itself. I found a different igniter that is possibly compatible, but I'm a bit worried if it would work properly. For now hopefully the spare whole ballast I bought will work anyways.

Also, I was thinking I could get to retrofit the VHOs to T5s. It doesn't look like there is enough room to have 4 T5s just 2 of them unfortunately. Unless I'm missing something out there? These I found below would be dim-able as a slight benefit I suppose. Not sure if its worth doing it yet or not. I guess it would be a good idea if VHOs are going to go away any time soon?

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/dimmable-t5-ho-miro-4-retrofit-kit-let-lighting.html

Other thing I need to decide on is where to put my overflow and the two returns. I just got the stuff in the mail today. I'm sort of wondering if I could put the overflow in the center and the returns on each end.
 
geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#62
#62
OK hear is the time where you say 'I told you so' or something to that affect. I didn't get my tank downstairs cause I was afraid to try to carry it. Unfortunately I finally got brave and took it downstairs. lol No I didn't break the tank, but I put it on the stand and it had some gaps between the stand and the frame. So of course I like to do things backwards I trying to sand down the high points to reduce the gaps. I don't know if it has to be perfectly flat or if a small amount of gap is OK like 1/16 of an inch or less? In some areas if I even put the lightest amount of weight on the tank it sets down on the stand. So its not very off in most areas.
 
neil82

neil82

Sting ray
M.A.S.C Club Member
#63
#63
I looked back at the photos as you constructed the stand. It looks like it is setting on plywood top. Is there anything interfering with how the tank is resting on the plywood top? Like screwhead, clump of glue, edge of the trim etc? If not, it should be fine. On a framed tank, I believe most of the weight gets distributed at the four corners of the frame's bottom.
 
geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#64
#64
Nothing is interfering with the plywood top its all resting on the plywood. It's just that I think it would require a small bit of weight (the tank is empty0 to start to rest down on the stand in some areas. I presume that if there is still a gap when it is full of water that would be bad.
 
geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#65
#65
Well I think I'm coming down with a cold so I was working from home today. I been trying to sand down the high spots and its getting better but there a ~1/16" gap in the middle front that persists so far.
 
SynDen

SynDen

Administrator
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#66
#66
So, if its a glass tank that has a frame around the base, you dont really need to worry about a gap in the middle. The most important part is that all four corners are evenly supported. If you have gaps near, or around, either of the corners then you have something to worry about, but if the gap is in the middle and the corner are all evenly supported, you are fine.
 
geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#67
#67
Cool thanks that is good information. I just have a little bit of one half of a corner than isn't quite there yet. (not sure why its that way) Hopefully I can sand it down and get it to set down onto the stand. It doesn't take much pressure at all to get it to set down however.
 
geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#68
#68
So I got sick the last few days and I'm really tired. I did manage to get some energy and I got my replacement ballast in the mail. I hooked it up and it fired right up so I'm at least good there. I thinking it was just the igniter but can't seem to buy just that part. The original transformer looked a little brown side anyways so maybe not a bad idea to replace the whole thing.
 
MuralReef

MuralReef

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#74
#74
The holes look good. Like they said so long as the gasket covers the chips it will still seal. Just be careful not to over tighten the bulkheads as I have cracked tanks this way in the past.


Sent from my iPhone using MASC - Marine Aquarium Society of Colorado
 
J

jda123

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#75
#75
Also, always loosen the bulkhead (or take them out) when you are moving the tank... if you keep it tight and just nick the bulkhead, it will crack the panel.
 
geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#76
#76
Thanks all for the good tips..

So I decided to buy a new 20 gallon long today because they were cheap wtih the $1 gallong sale and that way i don't have to tare up my old sump setup. I might end up using my old 29G setup for a QT tank anyways. I should get my sump kit in tomorrow and get that silicone-ed together if I have some time tomorrow.
 
TheRealChrisBrown

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#77
#77
I know it's not always possible, but I found if you drill from the inside of the tank toward the outside of the tank, you get the cleaner cut where the rubber gasket of the bulkhead is going to seat. On smaller tanks though the drill with bit attached might not fit... If the cut blows out a chunk it is on the back edge where the nut tightens to the glass.

Just my 2 cents...probably about 2 days too late as per my usual.
 
geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#78
#78
Thanks I was a bit worried about trying it the other way. At least with the one I did the worst on the gasket is suppose to go on the outside of the tank anyways so that's a plus. Its one of those eclipse overflows. Someone on R2R said that I should ignore the directions and put the gaskets on the inside and outside of the tank. If I understood them correctly.
 
geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#79
#79
Here is some pictures of my stand against the tank. Its hard to tell if there is much of a gap. The worst one is probably that one corner but if you put a bit of pressure on the corner it sets down on the plastic. I'm using a plant ID stick which is probably about 1/32" thick. Two sticks it hardly shows any gaps other than in parts of the center and one corner. View attachment 14289 View attachment 14290 View attachment 14291 View attachment 14292
 
geekengineer

geekengineer

Cleaner Shrimp
#80
#80
Well had another sort of disaster today. I hate to say it here but the tank I got I hadn't noticed the frame was cracked on the bottom on two places and the top was starting to crack in two corners as well. I'm worried maybe when I drilled it I might have did something but not sure as I didn't notice the cracks before, but it was an old tank so maybe the plastic gets really brittle after a while. I ended up not wanting to risk it and went to get a new tank at Petco, but at least it was for the sale price. :( Now I have to drill it again. :fearscream:
 
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