The build thread: 430gal. display

[larryl]

Paranoia? From his explanation, silicone cures fastest on the outside as it has the most contact with the air. The center of the seam takes the longest to cure because it has no contact with the outside air and it just takes a while.

I'd err on the side of paranoia... For a recent kitchen remodel project I put down a bead of a type of silicone that starts out white but turns clear as it cures (so you can see what you're doing while you apply it). It was probably no more than about 3/16 inch at its thickest but took over a week to turn completely clear in the middle.

Larry

 

[Ummfish]

Well, the cool thing is that the main tank seams have turned completely clear. He also made test pieces of the bottom braces and broke one open for me. Their centers were dry, too, so it's likely all of those braces were completely dry before he siliconed those in this weekend. He didn't go ahead and do the top bracing this weekend because the floor guys came in on Saturday to put the final coat on the upstairs floors and the place stank horribly.

 

[Ummfish]

I hope that you'll bear with me for the off-topic photo, but we started to move back in today!

After a few more trips:

This _is_ on-topic. If you ever have any desire to work with invertebrate larvae, I _highly_ recommend picking up this book. You can buy it directly from the Univ. of Washington web site:

They started framing in the access panel in case for some reason I ever need to mess with the return plumbing behind the short L of the tank.

 

[Ummfish]

Getting close on the framing around the tank. The metal guys came by today to take measurements for the skin.

 

[Kieth71]

Looks great! what a wonderful build.I am sure you are getting excited and starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Ummfish]

Thanks, Kieth! It's actually getting harder as it all gets closer. I think Mike is over today gluing some PVC in the basement, so I may have another update later.

Hey ... does anyone know where I can find some food-safe 55 gal. drums?

 

[Zooid]

Andy, I have some 55g drums that had some food grade oil in them. You'd have to clean them out but they have been safe for me. I've been using the same type of drums for DI water and saltwater for a few months now.
Gale

 

[Ummfish]

Nice! Can I buy a couple from you? I want to set up a couple of tanks to try to get a couple of pygmy angel pairs going, like in the Wittenrich book.

(If you haven't seen the Wittenrich book, you really should: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Illu...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224895536&sr=8-1)

 

[Zooid]

Sure.....email me
zooid at comcast.net

I've wanted to buy the Wittenrich book for a long time.....bills come first hehe.

edit...oops don't want any spiders grabbing my email lol

 

[Ummfish]

Hey Gale: Did you ever get my email?

---------------------

The tank builder came by today and siliconed on, well, 3/4 of the first row of top braces. Sigh. I don't think he'll ever finish.

 

[Zooid]

Nope never got it, Andy.
zooid at comcast.net

I've been checking though hehe.
Gale

 

[Zooid]

I'll just send you an email and you can respond to that
Hopefully you still have the same email

 

[Ummfish]

Thanks, Gale! I just replied.

Some spammer used my email in their return addresses for a few days a couple of months ago, so it seems like a bunch of email strainers have cut me off from their customers. I guess it's about time to change it again.

 

[Ummfish]

Sorry, I've been ugly sick for a few days. I'm finally clawing my way out of it, though I still can't speak very well.

More photos: http://www.ummfish.com/remodel.html

They are soooo close to finishing the living room ceiling. Here's a current full tank shot. Sorry about the plastic, the insulation guys were here yesterday shooting closed-cell foam to make a vapor barrier between the area above the tank and the rest of the house, and they shot some over the end of the plastic cover, burying it. I'm already coughing, so I didn't want to disturb the insulation.

From the other direction:

The carpenters finished installing the MDO above the tank today:

Most of the PVC downstairs is glued. Almost time for a freshwater test, at least down there!

And there it is. Thanks for looking!

 

[Ummfish]

Oops. I forgot to point out the other tank-related issue that's going on. Here's a photo of the trench to install the gas line for the backup generator. Apparently, they are going to be installing that tomorrow!

 

[Ummfish]

It looks like the builder started the second row of top braces:

As you can see here, he's overlapping the braces so that seams never fall in the same place:

My return plumbing access panel:

Shot from the top of scaffolding. Oh, I'm daring, just to make sure you all get the best photos.

Happy Halloween!

 

[Ummfish]

Well, I have water. Just not in the tank yet....

The builder's actually there again this afternoon, setting the big panes of glass that run all the way across from living room side to bathroom side. I'll probably have some photos for you tomorrow. I've got to go hit the big candy beg-off now.

 

[Haddonisreef]

Man..... I just did a bit of catching up and everything looks awesome! I can appreciate to a very high level as to how much preperationand thought that is going into your up and comming tank of the mth!! On any forum on the web!!

 

[Ummfish]

Thank you. I'm not so sure about tank of the month, but thank you. It's a whole bunch of glass, but I'm sure I could find a way to have a big ol' ugly tank if I don't work hard at it.

But, thanks!

 

[Ummfish]

Updates! http://www.ummfish.com/remodel.html

Beginning tile work on the "tank maintenance platform."

Getting close on the braces. The big cross-braces are not siliconed yet. The paper towels are clearly just to give you a sense of scale.

Trying for a FTS, but can't quite get it all in.

Happy November!