Epic Overhaul/Builds: 3D Backgrounds 300g-125g-120g

[Redearsunfish]

two canister option - Nice tank!!!

 

[aclockworkorange]

I told you to try vinegar when I was over at your house! Apparently I have to tell on MFK for you to listen! Haha.

 

[JK47]

I have been through many a gallon of Four Monks Brand White Vinegar... (Costco's finest!)

I used to be into reef tanks, so I have spent a lot of time cleaning out nasty-looking tanks. I have 20 or 25 gallons of bioballs that were covered in calcium. The vinegar would soften everything up to the point where I could just blast it off with the hose. It took a while, but they all came out as good as new.

Glad to see things are going well. I was thinking about the bulkhead issue - have you looked at Seahorse Aquarium - http://www.seahorse-nw.com/ - they say they have "The largest in-stock supply of plumbing parts in stock" and they are in NE Portland. I've never been there, but it is worth making a call.

Thanks for the heads up! I will check them out. A place for you to check out next time your up north is "Saltwater Fanta-seas", they are in NE on Sandy and have lots of sumps and plumbing.

two canister option - Nice tank!!!

Thank you.

I told you to try vinegar when I was over at your house! Apparently I have to tell on MFK for you to listen! Haha.

Meh! You never said to soak it! lol I've tried using it to scub and it never worked very well for me. You just have to wait till I'm frustrated enough to choke out a plumbing engineer before I'll try something I wasn't planning...

 

[JK47]

I decided I am going to push out the goal date on the 300 gallon and give the overflows two days to clean up. Now that I know I can get them this clean, I would like to do it the right way instead of painting over them.. I doubt I will regret taking the time to clean them up, there won't be much time for it later. I cannot believe the difference soaking these towers in a 50/50 mix of vinegar/water for 24 hours has made. I only used a cheap toothbrush to scrub.

Check out these before and after shots I put together for you guys.

Front Before:

View attachment 542257

Front After 24 hour soak (about 5" deep):



Back before:

View attachment 542255

Back after 24 hour soak:





I need a couple days to work with the foam anyway as well as find a way to mount these towers in the tank and still be able to remove them easily. I was planning on magnets but am open to any creative ideas MFK has for me as well????

 

[DaveB]

I swear I counted 3.. WOW I'm losing it.. Good catch Dave! Looks like my brain is recovering a little slower than I thought lol..!

Heh. I just had to check to be sure mine was still functioning.

BTW, I sent you a rambling nonsensical PM, I think. My internet has been spotty so maybe it didn't go. It mostly deals with my concern about the RO stuff we talked about. I've figured out how I can plumb and fill everything, and even drain the below-grade one, but now I have no idea what to do in the event of an emergency drain... you probably have room for a reservoir. I don't.

 

[David K. Bradley]

I decided I am going to push out the goal date on the 300 gallon and give the overflows two days to clean up. Now that I know I can get them this clean, I would like to do it the right way instead of painting over them.. I doubt I will regret taking the time to clean them up, there won't be much time for it later. I cannot believe the difference soaking these towers in a 50/50 mix of vinegar/water for 24 hours has made. I only used a cheap toothbrush to scrub.

I need a couple days to work with the foam anyway as well as find a way to mount these towers in the tank and still be able to remove them easily. I was planning on magnets but am open to any creative ideas MFK has for me as well????

I see your 10 gallon is moving right along as well as all of your tanks. It will look grand as a planted tank with the rest of the ideas you have for it. I have ideas of doing one on a grander scale of 110 gal. someday. With any luck, I'll be able to borrow a few of your ideas, and merge them with a few of my own. I'm being stonewalled right now, so I have to wait for opportunities and conditions to change.

Gettingback to your post, . . . I like your idea for the improvisation with the use of the PVC pipe and spray black foam for being able to reach your 30" height in your 300 gal. tank. But when it comes to seams, I like the idea of using the black silicone as suggested, mainly for a thin and hopefully even seam. But on the otherhand, if I'm reading correctly what you're thinking, is the idea of using "of like or similar materials", which I think is an excellent idea and the best way to continue. Makes it easier to recut in needed and will not gum up a saw blade.

The question on your canister filters is a tough one for me as I have no experience with either one. I've always used HOB filters. So, I am of no help there. Sorry.

On the mounting of your O.F. Towers, I will have to think on that, and get back with you on it, but I'll have a possible plausible answer for you. One tower goes on either end of your background and will be even at the top, as well. Am I correct in this process of thought? Just let me know for certain.

I continue to see your high quality of excellence and attention to detail on this build. A fountain of knowledge you are, and the skills you possess continue to go unchallenged. Just an amazing young man you are. I know from personal experience there will be times where there will be some slow processes with this build. Everyone has them. Just know and understand we members of MFK, will be here regardless how ever long it takes, so it's okay for this to happen, if it does. Patience is a virtue and most times the best restults of something comes from using and having patience on a terrific build like this one of yours. Your doing great, keep it up.

Waiting ever so patiently with excited anticipation. Thank you, for sharing with all of us.
~David

 

[aclockworkorange]

THOUGHT I SHOULD LET EVERYONE KNOW:

JK47 is having some health issues and is back in the hospital for a couple days. This build has been a huge part of his recovery, so if any mods see this please don't shut the thread down... He should be back by the end of the week with more updates. Let's wish him a speedy recovery, but not take up thread space doing so... I'm sure he would welcome private messages.

 

[JK47]

THOUGHT I SHOULD LET EVERYONE KNOW:

JK47 is having some health issues and is back in the hospital for a couple days. This build has been a huge part of his recovery, so if any mods see this please don't shut the thread down... He should be back by the end of the week with more updates. Let's wish him a speedy recovery, but not take up thread space doing so... I'm sure he would welcome private messages.

Thanks brother. I appreciate you offering to help out too, your a good friend! Guess who's back down to 2.4 and cleared for take off!!! I'm going to take it easy and work on the 10 gallon and smaller stuff for this weekend. I gotta eat my weatie's before I can tackle the big stuff lol..

 

[JK47]

I see your 10 gallon is moving right along as well as all of your tanks. It will look grand as a planted tank with the rest of the ideas you have for it. I have ideas of doing one on a grander scale of 110 gal. someday. With any luck, I'll be able to borrow a few of your ideas, and merge them with a few of my own. I'm being stonewalled right now, so I have to wait for opportunities and conditions to change.

Gettingback to your post, . . . I like your idea for the improvisation with the use of the PVC pipe and spray black foam for being able to reach your 30" height in your 300 gal. tank. But when it comes to seams, I like the idea of using the black silicone as suggested, mainly for a thin and hopefully even seam. But on the otherhand, if I'm reading correctly what you're thinking, is the idea of using "of like or similar materials", which I think is an excellent idea and the best way to continue. Makes it easier to recut in needed and will not gum up a saw blade.

The question on your canister filters is a tough one for me as I have no experience with either one. I've always used HOB filters. So, I am of no help there. Sorry.

On the mounting of your O.F. Towers, I will have to think on that, and get back with you on it, but I'll have a possible plausible answer for you. One tower goes on either end of your background and will be even at the top, as well. Am I correct in this process of thought? Just let me know for certain.

I continue to see your high quality of excellence and attention to detail on this build. A fountain of knowledge you are, and the skills you possess continue to go unchallenged. Just an amazing young man you are. I know from personal experience there will be times where there will be some slow processes with this build. Everyone has them. Just know and understand we members of MFK, will be here regardless how ever long it takes, so it's okay for this to happen, if it does. Patience is a virtue and most times the best restults of something comes from using and having patience on a terrific build like this one of yours. Your doing great, keep it up.

Waiting ever so patiently with excited anticipation. Thank you, for sharing with all of us.
~David

Thanks again for the kind words David. Yes, you have the basic concept of what I am trying to do correct. I have no clue if it will look great or tragic. Only time will tell but I promise I won't take it sitting down if it looks bad. I'll try something else.

I made lots of progress on my 10 gallon and finally have a few plants and fish in the tank. I brought it into the dining room so the plants can get abient light during the day until I find a T5 I am happy with. I will upgrade the stand with a nice one later after I buy the eheim canister. This will work for now.



I emptied out the water and moved it in exactly as it was in the garage. It's so nice and refreshing having a tank you can move on your own 1/4 full lol.. If you guys have large tanks, give sa small one a try. It's lovely having a smaller one to play with.



I pulled all of the substrat pro out and threw it in one of my FX5's. I changed my mind on how I did the plant set up last minute and I am really happy with it. More on that later.



This tank is going to get tons of sunlight so we shall see how much algae problems I am asking for. I want natural light and will see if the tank can support the plants with juust the sun. Any of you planted guys have an opinion on if this will work?



I love onion plants and wanted one in this tank for a nice top layer.



Rough draft on the inside scape..



Top view of the onion plant and water lettace (sp?)





FTS so far..





Lots more in a sec.

 

[JK47]

I have had this pothos clone growing in the 125 gallon for about 3 weeks. It has a nice aquatic root structure already going. I pulled it out of the 125g and moved it over.





With fishing line I tied it onto the ADA wood I just bought with the roots submerged and the leaves above the water column.





These are the roots submerged.



Fish in!! I took a totally different route than I was planning but I am REALLY happy I did.



I started another pothos clone in the HOB filter. Hopefully it can establish a root structure before I switch this filter out.



For S&G's I added a red mangrove I have had in the 125g for the last year. We'll see if it grows any better in this tank than the 125 gallon.



I planted the red mangrove in the substrate by filter the filter intake. Fingers crossed this things grows better.





More pics in a sec