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My 40 Gallon - New Pictures!

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Ryan Thompson View Drop Down
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    Posted: January 22 2010 at 1:49pm
Well the time has come for me to start a build thread on my new tank. This tank has honestly been in the making for probably the last 2.5 years. So I am super excited to get it going.

Here is the equipment list so far:

Tank: 40 Gallon Breeder
Sump: 20 Tall
Stand: Home made
Lights: ATI Sunpower 4x24W (2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 KZ Fiji Purple)
Skimmer: Bubble Magus NAC6
Return Pump: Quiet One 2200 (for now)
Powerheads: Voretch MP10w ES
Plumbing: Herbie style drain with an emergency backup drain
Controller: RK Lite Level 1


My lights will be ordered next week and I hope to have them by next Friday at the lastest. I also ordered my hole saw and some bulkheads and they should arrive next week also. So if anyone can help drill a tank I would love the help!

I will be dosing Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7 and Vodka to this tank. I have been dosing vodka in my sump that is curing rock right now and it is incredible how much better the skimmer performs when I dose vodka.

Ok enough of me talking let's get to the next post and I will show the progress so far.

Thanks for looking!


Edited by Ryan Thompson - September 01 2010 at 11:15pm
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Ryan Thompson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan Thompson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2010 at 1:50pm
So here is the stand build. I did miss a few steps when taking pictures. I sanded all the corners and rounded them to look a little distressed and beat up. I then painted 2 coats of green and then 2 coats of black. When I distressed it after painting, the green show through very nicelySmile

The stand is roughly 30 inches tall and is perfect height to work in the tank comfortably. I didn't want to get out a stool every time I worked on the tank but I also didn't want back problems from always bending over to look at the tank.

Now for the pics:

The stand with some of the shell put on.










Added some molding....I measured wrong and had to run to Home Depot to buy some moreWacko








First coat of green:





Second coat of green:







That is all the pictures I have for now. I somehow skipped taking pictures with the black painted on. Right now the stand is all finished and has been coated with a protective finish. I painted the inside and sealed it all off with three coats of protective sealer to help with the humidity and water drips inside the stand.

It took me 5 or 6 days to complete the whole thing and I am VERY happy how it all turned out! Big smile

I will get pictures of the completed stand this weekend sometime.


Edited by Ryan Thompson - January 22 2010 at 2:10pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jwoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2010 at 2:04pm
Oh wow looks like a certain place froze over!

You've been talking about this since I got on the board. LOL
None at the moment
Soon: 72 Gallon Bowfront
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jeremyw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2010 at 2:06pm
i just had a small heat attack then I realized there arent pictures so this cant be real! Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan Thompson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2010 at 2:16pm
Originally posted by woottonjeremy woottonjeremy wrote:

i just had a small heat attack then I realized there arent pictures so this cant be real! Wink


Jeremy you need to refresh the page and check again! I just put pictures of the stand build.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jeremyw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2010 at 2:33pm
You up loaded those 4 min after I posted dork! But hey looks good! 
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Ryan Thompson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan Thompson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2010 at 3:01pm
Originally posted by woottonjeremy woottonjeremy wrote:

You up loaded those 4 min after I posted dork! But hey looks good! 

I know! LOL I reserved the second post for pictures and then had to upload all those.

Thanks for the compliment!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jeffs_little_ocean Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2010 at 3:10pm
Are you going to drill the tank?
Life is good....right?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan Thompson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2010 at 3:13pm
Originally posted by Jeffs_little_ocean Jeffs_little_ocean wrote:

Are you going to drill the tank?


Yes I ordered the drill bit last night and it was shipped today. I will drill through the bottom for the main drain and haven't decided where I will drill the emergency drain. It will either be in the bottom by the main drain or on the back at the top.

I am gonna build my own overflow box with Burt when he returns from Idaho.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Corey Price Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2010 at 10:56pm
Um, not enough drama. The thread needs something, like a difference of opinions...

(looks great)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan Thompson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 27 2010 at 2:23pm
Well since I had Monday off I took the time to drill the holes in my tank for the drains and return. Overall it turned out pretty good for my first time ever drilling glass. I did learn some lessons though. I should have drilled opposite of what I did. I drilled from the bottom and into the tank. It chipped the glass where the gaskets will sit so I will have to use some silicone to make sure I don't have any leaks. Here is the picture of it all completed.





I will be getting my bulkheads this week along with the black acrylic to make my overflow box. Also my lights are supposed to be ordered this week!

One step closer.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jeremyw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 27 2010 at 2:26pm
Is that a crack on the right hand hole that goes from the whole to the back of the tank? 

Edited by woottonjeremy - January 27 2010 at 2:31pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan Thompson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 27 2010 at 2:28pm
No it isn't even though it looks like it. That is the first hole I did and the bit jumped on me and scratched the glass. It isn't as bad as the picture makes it look. When I run my fingers over it you can barely feel it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fishoutawater Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 27 2010 at 2:29pm
Going very very slowly with the bit, especially in the last half of the hole will reduce that chipping quite a bit. For the next build, there's always another build. Is this an SPS tank?
Some day, when I grow up,...

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan Thompson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 27 2010 at 2:36pm
Thanks Mike! That is one of the lessons I learned. Drilling glass is a piece of cake. I just rushed it this time but know now for next time.

Yes this will be probably 80% SPS and the rest LPS. There will be no softies except some Ricordeas (if those even count as a softie).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan Thompson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2010 at 6:03pm
Alright well I have some updates for everyone.

I took some pictures of the stand being totally finished. I also took pictures of the overflow that Burt and I built on Saturday.

We made the overflow out of 3/16" black acrylic. Learned some very valuable lessons from the whole thing though. Use at least 1/4" thick acrylic and do NOT heat the acrylic for too long.

As Burt and I were staring at our fine work we heard two loud "pops". Burt and I were totally confused at where the sound came from. Upon further investigation we found 2 cracks running horizontally through one of the bends. As Burt was patching them up, another loud pop and a third crack. huh!!!OMG!!!!SOB!@##$

So I call Eric at Marine Aquatics and ask him what could have caused that. Very first thing he says is "HEAT". So I tell him how we made it and he is 99% sure the cracks were from us heating the acrylic too long. So don't overheat acrylic if bending.

I am simply gonna silicone up the crack so water can't leak through. I have bent and tugged on the overflow to see if I can get it to crack anymore and it won't. I am 99% positive the thing is safe and will still use it. We will find out on the FW test, I guess. LOL

Also my lights are officially ordered and should arrive this week. I changed my mind and went with the 6x24W version instead of the 4 bulb version.

Plumbing supplies are on the way and as soon as I silicone in the bulkheads and the overflow it will be time for the FW test! I am really excited to be to this point.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan Thompson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2010 at 6:08pm
Pictures of the last week of progress...




















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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ksmart Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2010 at 7:21pm
Looking good! 

Edited by ksmart - February 01 2010 at 7:21pm






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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Crazy Tarzan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2010 at 9:28pm
One of my favorite sizes for a tank--has the same width vs height vs length as a 120 one of my other favorites.  I miss mine, but the next one will either be a custom black silicone tank or a 50 gal (same as 40, just a little taller).  

Looks awesome, don't let my wife see it--I'll have to have ryan over to build the stand for me.
Was that in there yesterday? Casper--WY windier than ?

Down to a 20, soon to double or nothing
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nick801 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2010 at 11:31pm
Man it looks sweet =) what did you do to bend the overflow? just toss it in the oven or?
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