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House is just about wrapped up for awhile, so its time to start the 180 build.
Here's the space before, my 90, and a 30g frag tank currently reside here, but they arent in the way so for now they'll stay. Once the tank is in the wall to the right of 90 will be removed opening up my current fish room into this one and giving me much more room than I have now.



Here's the beginnings of the stand from the front,



and here it is from the side as you enter the basement. The 2x4 laid on the stand represents a wall to be built. I've made it so that the tank will also be viewable from one side. The tank has corner overflows so the wall will cover a portion of the side hiding the overflow.

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(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

Your crazy...wo would do stuff like that? =0)

Buttoned the house up for winter today and found a little time to work on the inwall.

Here it is from the front



and from the side.



Pretty much ready to set the tank on the stand, but didnt have enough hands. So I'll get the tank set tomorrow.

__________________
(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

Also ordered some black expanding foam.

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/...11715/cid/3029

I'll be using this to cover the back glass, and sticking some small pieces of LR into it as shelves for corals to grow on. I'll also have my return plumbing hidden in it.

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(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

looks like your off to a good start!nice work so far..

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Broke and lovin it!
Denis and Kim

Update, finally got to do a little work to the tank this week. Here's the progress.

Plastic board for semi barebottom cut and ready to go in.



The plastic is installed and siliconed to the bottom to prevent detritus from creeping and collecting underneath. Also siliconed in little pieces of eggcrate to support shelf pieces of LR.



Close up of eggcrate



LR pieces for back shelves. Thanks Marc



Here's how they will be positioned and a rough look at the closed loop plumbing. Still need a few fittings to complete the rough in.

__________________
(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

More progress tonight. Closed loop plumbing in tank done, expanding foam background is done, and the tank is back on the stand.

Closed loop



Black expanding foam, 3 cans! still had gaps. The expanding foam went in really wierd. Very glad I had gloves on. It came out of the can like a snake, and didnt stick to the glass at all. I found if I waited a few seconds I could smear it around and it stuck really well, and any little clumps expanded nicely. Added some white expanding foam to fill the gaps, and cover the bits of eggcrate still exposed. Its fresh so its really light, it'll darken with a bit of time, and once covered in coraline you wont even tell the difference.



Here's a full tank shot. Unfortunately the pics dont really give it any depth. It really looks nice and gives the back some depth and character instead of just a flat back. the upper shelves will look really nice with some tabling acros or plating monti.

__________________
(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

Now that the expanding foam has dried and expanded I'm not sure its going to hold up. Some of the larger expanding lumps have actually begun to lift surrounding area from the glass due to a poor bond. So time will tell. Worse case scenario some of the foam lifts from the glass and floats to the surface. When it was wet and gooey you couldnt have gotten it off the glass with a prybar, but as it dries and expands it becomes very smooth and must rely on friction to hold itself in place, not much friction against the glass.

__________________
(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

Finally made a little more progress with the build. The aquascaping is done, some water is in, and I just finished the overflow plumbing. Lights go on this weekend maybe, finish filling with water and turn on the return flow.

__________________
(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

gettin there man....looking good!

Wow looks great!

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75 gln ~ 10 gln frag/mantis tank
Pair mated Perc Clowns*Pair mated Maroons*3 Watchman Gobies*
Tube Anemone*LTA
Astd Zoos & Palys*Ast Mushrooms*Green Galaxea*Xenia*GSP*Toadstools*Nepthea*Neon Green Kenya Trees*Capnella*Double Neon Cloves*Candy Cane*Bushy Gorgonia*Colt Coral*Acro*Frogspawn*Rics*LT Pink Goni*Duncans*

Thanks, did a little more work tonight, added more water, and messed with the rock work a little. Also added my first livestock, a few zoanthid pieces from the draft.

__________________
(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

Coming along, pic doesnt show tonights work though, all the lights are now up and I've been placing livestock. Here's last nights pic. More to come tomorrow night.

__________________
(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

looking good, We can not wait to get our 180 and set it up!

I thought there would be more real estate than I can fill, and I'm finding it difficult to position livestock. It fills up really fast.

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(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

Everything is running, although some is still just temporary until the fish room is done and can be finish plumbed. Oh yeah still no closed loop yet, maybe this weekend, relying on powerheads for now. Diatoms are beginning to show up, so I've added a bunch of cleanup crew critters from my 90 display which is scheduled for demolition in the next couple weeks. Here's some updated pics of the tank, and a bit of the livestock.

__________________
(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

Livestock

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(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

Nothing really new to show picture wise, but just want to report that the coraline algae apparently loves the expanding foam. Its already covered in little pink spots. Within 6 months it'll be completely covered.

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(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

I've had experience with attaching black expanding foam inside a tank when I built a vivarium for poison dart frogs. Trick is to spread a layer of GE II black silicone on the inside glass. Allow to dry then apply the expanding foam. For the work you've done it looks great. I'd consider doing the same when I set up my next tank. Gives it depth, specially shelving with eggcrate, flat LR and enough support under each with foam.

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1930's/1950's Matchcover Collector
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90 Gallon, Softies, LPS, SPS
90 Gallon FOWLR

The expnding has completly lost its bond with the glass. Luckily I did the shelves and siliconed my closed loop plumbing to the glass. That appears to be enough to hold the foam in place. If there's ever a next time I'll silicone eggcrate to the entire glass to hold the foam. The extra dimension the foam gives the tank is awesome and well worth the trouble..

__________________
(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed