[kiwipetes marine set-up]

Thanks "Spoon". I have some reading to do. :slfg:

[kiwipetes marine set-up]

Was chatting to the fella in Organisms today and he suggested I might like to think about a "Red Sea Max 130D" tank set-up as a first marine tank.

I looked it up on the "Net" and it seems like a quite nice and compact system, no need to custom build anything for a beginner.

What is/are your opinions on this tank?

[Aarons First Marine setup Journal – Lots of PHOTOS]

What a great write up. Many thanks indeed. This has helped me immensely in my research on beginning my marine set up.

[kiwipetes marine set-up]

Good to see you are merely changing direction and not giving up

For sure Caryl, I just need to wait till later in the year before I commit, mid year holiday in Raro to get out of the way. Could I smuggle some fish/coral back. 8)

PS I must say I was rather depressed with it all when I saw the devastation.

Everything that is salvageable will be given away when I get it all sorted. Time to start afresh.

[kiwipetes marine set-up]

it is as important as a marine tank will have high oxygen needs and live rock produces nitrogen gas which will need to be dissapated however a good skimmer and circulation pumps will help out a lot with oxygen exchange so its not too much of a consideration as long long as its stocked accordingly to the surface area. perhaps a more important consideration is depth for light penetration i.e a tall tank may look good but will need higher powered lighting to reach near the bottom with useful PAR

Thanks Spoon, I was thinking of going back to an octagonal tank, but this is now out of the question. Maybe a corner tank?

[kiwipetes marine set-up]

I have followed these forums for some time now, but only the tropical fresh water side.

Since the Christchurch earthquake in February where I lost my entire 200L fresh water set-up, I am now thinking of starting a fresh with a marine set-up.

I will slowly gather all required equipment over the next 4 or so months before I do any more, have mid year holidays to get out of the way first.

I think I will stick with the similar size tank and custom build a cabinet to suit. This all depends where my wife will allow me to place it too.

I have just read the entire 'beginners guide' at the start of this forum and found it so informative.

Oh and I will also start a build thread as I go too.

No doubt there will be millions of questions fired at you all as I start and get this project under way.

Q1~Is the surface area of the marine tank as important as the likes of a tropical fresh water tank? I am asking this as I am unsure of the total size area I will have to build and place the set-up.

[BASIC MARINE STARTER GUIDE]

This is some fantastic information for a beginner wanting to get into a marine set-up. Thank you so much to those of you who have contributed.

This has inspired me to try something different.

[MDF Aquarium Stand]

If you do not have a sharp chisel handy, use a sharp knife and quietly carve a slice off it. MDF is nice and soft to work with like that.

[D.I.Y. electrical work around your aquarium]

Plugin RCDs have to be manually reset after their power supply has been disconnected, ie: after a power cut.

A fitted RCD outlet would be better, but they are expensive.

And well worth the money paid, there is no price on your life is there?

[D.I.Y. electrical work around your aquarium]

^^^^^^^ what he says, we have 5 RCD's protecting our place, indoors and out.

[Will this desk support a 4ft x 2 ft x 2ft?]

I would have a good close look at the joinery and dimensions of the main frame first. The panels will prevent the frame collapsing sideways. If the construction looks solid enough, and as I suspect the drawer frame is of 50 x 50mm timbers, I would go for it.

Maybe as an extra precaution, place a sheet of 18mm ply over the top for added strength, and a sheet of polystyrene to sit the tank on.

Oh, and remove the little feet from the bottom too so the frame sits nice and flat on the floor.

My reasoning for all this advise, Im sitting at a similar desk as I type and would not hesitate to place a bigger tank on it.

I have a 450 x 450 x 900 tank on a Criterion buffet unit that is not as well constructed with no problems.

You will have great storage in the desk for all your fishes bits and under it for the filter.

[Was octagonal tank design, now corner tank design.]

paint the glass on the outside then it wont happen also black paints got to look better than poly

Thanks but I think I will go for black glass, will look better from the other side of the window.

[Was octagonal tank design, now corner tank design.]

True, but I thought any water between the poly back and the glass will get green very quickly indeed and be visible from outside the window.

[Was octagonal tank design, now corner tank design.]

I have decided to scrap this idea because there is too greater chance of the panels separating with the water pressure.

I am however going to look at a large corner tank with 3 faces to the front. A little hard to describe but imagine a triangle with the two back sides being equal in length. The front panel will be something like a bay window is with the centre panel being twice the length of the outer panels. Make scene?

I think this will give a better surface area, will not be as high and be easier to brace.

Dimensions I am thinking of are something along the lines of 600 x 600 at the back and 300 x 500 x 300 in the front and 600 high. I need to draw it out on a large sheet of cardboard to see if the dimensions are balanced looking. Glass will be 10mm thick and tinted at the back to prevent light entering through the corner windows it will be against. I also want to make a nice polystyrene rock wall for the back too. Possibly black substrate.

Can anyone see any issues with this design?

[Was octagonal tank design, now corner tank design.]

Would 10mm glass be suitable for a tank of this size or should I look at a thinner glass?

What bracing should I do around the top?

[Was octagonal tank design, now corner tank design.]

because its so deep the lighting could be an issue for plants perhaps a 70w MH would be better or at least a few 2ft VHO t5 tubes. the circular tubes would be near impossible to find in a higher colour temperature so you would pretty much be stuck with a yellowish light(halogen would be the same)

Yes, good points, thanks.

[Was octagonal tank design, now corner tank design.]

Well after a couple of years without the octagonal tank I built, the good lady has convinced me to make another, but BIGGER :bounce:

Here is a picture of the old one i had.

http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z218 ... ure030.jpg

The new one will replace this tank. 46x46x92cm

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z218 ... 1260763982

Now for the new tank.

I am thinking of the base being 80cm high, 60cm wide and the tank itself 100cm high. The cabinet top will simply lift off for access.

Yes it's going to be rather big, but it is to be a feature tank too that'll sit nicely in a the corner of the lounge. I will be beefing up the floor boards so it doesn't go through it. :oops: This corner of the room has windows on both sides too so I will need to think carefully of what background I am to have in it to give shade from the sun. Lighting is going to be another issue too, but there are some nice round fluorescent lights on the market. Or maybe I go for halogen. a black light would be nice to have at night too.

Would 10mm glass be sufficient or should I look at something thicker?

Maybe black glass for the back to act as shade from the sun?

Is there any added bracing I need to think about?

Might get a FX5 filter for it too as it will make draining water easier, dunno how im going to add water, I will need a stepladder. Want a spray bar on top and another hose running directly in the tank forcing water down.

This will be a project well after new year so I am open for anny ideas, suggestions and criticisms.

Oh, I forgot to say that I will plant the tank and use water from the old one, let the plants establish themselves then transfer my fish. Thinking coarse white sand.

[Green kitchen pot scourers]

I have been using an old plastic card like a credit card for my tank and it works a treat. 8)

[Time for a trim?]

The trouble with that is the monster plec I have just loves pulling out and munchnig on anything I plant. :-?

[Time for a trim?]

lol, thats the reflection due to my poor camera work. :oops:

[Time for a trim?]

Not for much longer, the surface is well coverd, but I kind of like it that way.

[Time for a trim?]

I think itis time my tank had a hair cut

[DIY Co2]

it was because we used warm water for the bug, as it cooled down in sucked the water up the hose. we just let it cool down first now. Cheers for the heads up Spoon

Thanks, do you still have the link to making the one you have?

[DIY Co2]

Hiya

Thanks for the information, we have sorted it out.

So, what was the issue of the back syphoning?

[I built a stand]

Cross-straps would act as an "anti-racking" mechanism. Racking is when a structure deforms diagonally (and it's the reason triangles are so much stronger than squares!)

Square-based structures are very strong when the weight is pushing down vertically on them. But then if you can imagine a horizontal rocking movement, you can see how the structure could weaken and collapse. Diagonal braces would prevent the structure from moving horizontally.

I was going to say that.