The build thread: 430gal. display

[Ummfish]

Lots of new house photos: http://www.ummfish.com/remodel.html

The metal guys showed up this afternoon with the support pieces for the outer stand sheath (if that makes any sense). These are all powder-coated stainless.

This is the access panel support for the living room side under the aquarium:

They installed metal corner pieces to trim out the edges around the glass as well as to give the frames for the access panels something to attach to.

And the bullnose on this side as well.

 

[dtech]

It's looking amazing, I really like the tile work on the doorway too.

 

[Ummfish]

Thank you. I'm not sure where we were really going with that doorway tile. It really doesn't go with anything else. But, some of the tiles on the inside of the archway are metallic and reflective and those should look really cool with the tank lights.

 

[Ummfish]

I took the kiddo over to give her a bath this evening in the "fun" tub and noticed that the metal guys had snuck over sometime today and installed the under frame for the access panels. Very nice! I really like the steel frames. It allows so much more room inside the stand.

 

[Ummfish]

A few new photos up: http://www.ummfish.com/remodel.html

I really need to turn all those around so the newest are at the top.

But, I did want to present this one. This gives you an idea of how the viewing panels of the aquarium will be framed. The lower panels will be covering a couple of inches of the sandbed and the water line at the top will also be covered. The bullnose gives some depth to the viewing pane and acts as a frame. BTW, the steel does not touch the glass at any point. That'll allow for some bowing of the glass (it better not bow, though) and will allow me to work with the access panels with no fear of the vibrations in the steel being transferred to the glass.

 

[Ummfish]

New house photos: http://www.ummfish.com/remodel.html

I spent part of the day today taping the top of the display tank completely closed in anticipation of the floor guys starting tomorrow!

I also picked up the plastic observation window for a 55 gal. drum converted to a tank for pelagic spawners today. When I came out a fox was running through the parking lot, not six feet from the truck. Pretty cool! The exciting part, really, was seeing all of the off-cut acrylic and acrylic cylinders available. The mind races....

 

[Ummfish]

Well, I'm not done with it yet, but I finally got all of the holes drilled and the acrylic bent around the barrel. Note to self: Next time use webbing clamps. I could have used far fewer bolts if I'd done that. This time it was mostly just my rear end as a clamp and my kiddo inside the barrel setting bolts for me. I'm going to let the acrylic sit for a day of so and then loosen all of the nuts, spread in a silicone gasket, and tighten it all down. I'll also cover the bolt heads inside with a layer of silicone. I still have to set up an external overflow/egg collection system.

 

[Zooid]

Hey Andy, did you remove the protective paper on the internal side of the acrylic?

 

[Ummfish]

Okay, okay, "Loosen the nuts, remove the paper, spread the silicone...."

I didn't want to screw up the acrylic and didn't know what the process was going to be like. Honestly, I fully expected to pull the plastic back off again.

Thanks for the barrel, BTW.

 

[Zooid]

No problem.....keep us posted with it.....I may copy you and try to raise some small angels.

 

[Ummfish]

Oh Gale, you were so right. I had to pull the whole acrylic pane off just to get the protectant off. Silly me. Anyway, 'tis done now and the first coat of silicone is on.

I have a couple more photos, but I'm posting from my phone and this is a huge PITA.

Edit--

Back at the computer now:

 

[Zooid]

Looks good Andy. When you want to start spawning those purple tangs, I have another one of those tanks for you LOL......wouldn't that be nice to spawn purple tangs.

 

[Ummfish]

Nice! Is it in the ~20,000 gal. range? That would probably be plenty of room for the tangs.

I think the other barrel of yours is going to be for attempting a large copepod culture. Heck, if I actually get any larvae, maybe the copepod culture becomes a rearing tank?

 

[Zooid]

cool. I'd like some calanoids when you get some going

 

[Ummfish]

I think "if" is still the word. Brave new world and all.

But certainly. Thanks!

 

[Ummfish]

Ugh. Just got a big dose of floor sealer in my mug. There's a lake in the living room! So, the second coat of sealer is down. The first finish coat goes on tomorrow.

And, despite the raging 90mph winds that started at sundown last night and continued up 'til about ten minutes ago--yes, we are all in a good mood today, thank you --I managed to get outside and try a preliminary water test on the barrel. Not too shabby: Just two small, weepy leaks coming out of a couple of bolt threads. I'm siphoning the water back out now and I'll put a second coat of silicone on everything in the inside whenever it dries.

Full!!

 

[jgonzz]

crazy man, very intresting build been watching since the start.


Now lets get er done...

Josh

 

[Ummfish]

Well, thanks Josh! The first finish coat went down on the floors yesterday. The last coat goes on tomorrow. Monday starts the big push! They scheduled the cleaning crew to come in on the 16th!

 

[Ummfish]

Well, playing around with shapes for larvae tanks. I had this unit for rot cultures (with an air pump) a while back. I added a large diameter pipe in the middle of the tank. Even with leaving the neck open, the flow dynamics were pretty darn good. I would assume that plugging the neck would make it work better. The example creatures in there are RN Arctipods (so largish, heavy, and not alive) and the flow worked pretty well at keeping them up in the water column. At least the ones that didn't have trapped air and wanted to float. Not much you can do about them.

The lower third of the container even had a decent kreisel-type flow. I still need to figure out an overflow up high and the fact that it's only a 5 gal. container is working against me. The mesh screens on the overflow will have to be relatively small so the water movement would be more concentrated. I wish they were 20 gal. If anyone knows of a container with a curved cone like the water bottle but in a larger size, please let me know.

I certainly need to also rig up a system that can hold the center tube in place while still allowing for small adjustments.

Thanks!

 

[Ummfish]

Actually, I'm kind of silly. The muck buckets I bought have sort of the characteristics I want, aside from the flat bottom. I'll try to get into the basement in the morning before they put on the next coat of finish and try one out.