High Tide Aquatics

The Ugly Tank

Looks great! I also have a TruVu 150 gallon tank, and find the small access openings at the top annoying. How much of the bracing did you cut away with your saw? Did your tank come with the overflow already installed in the back right of the tank, or did you fabricate the overflow?
 
sfsuphysics said:
Island tank is going to be some chore to make sure all 4 sides are sparkly clean :D
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No kidding. Sounds like Mighty Magnets are the ones to get?

I thought 24x24x60 was a good size, but 30-36 front to back would have been better for 2 sided aquascape. I did leave space from all sides of the tank for cleaning, but the kitchen side view isn't much to look at.

I already scratched the acrylic like 4 times, grrrr...

When I first got the tank, I sanded it inside and out and hit it with Novus 3 and 2. When I used the Novus 1, the tank got all hazy due to a microfiber cloth that wasn't as clean as I thought it was. I resanded with 2500 grit and did the 3 and 2 again.

I set the tank on the stand and test filled with fresh water and cleaned up the polishing residue. Seemed ok, so I drained the tank and somehow scratched it when I was drying it. So I resanded it inside and out, and polished again.

Then I cut open the top and laminated and routed the braces. And scratched the tank while cleaning up... Had to touch up the new scratches.

Finished transferring the last of the frags and fish this evening. Tried very carefully to wipe some drips..... and SCRATCHED THE TANK AGAIN.

The tank panels are going to end up 1/4" thick at this rate.

Am I supposed to do like the car detailing guys and use brand new microfiber cloths and throw them away after 1 use???
 
99sf said:
Looks great! I also have a TruVu 150 gallon tank, and find the small access openings at the top annoying. How much of the bracing did you cut away with your saw? Did your tank come with the overflow already installed in the back right of the tank, or did you fabricate the overflow?
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Thanks!

I cut the openings to within 5" of the front and back, and 3.5" from the sides. Except for at the corner overflow where I did an angle cut to leave a little extra material by the opening. The center brace is down to 6" wide.

The tank came with a corner overflow. The bulkhead opening was a little small and didn't leave enough space for any more holes. So I drilled it out for a 1.5" bulkhead fitting that I had laying around. The overflow piping is 1.5" pvc, but I had to cut down the ell and the tee to get them to fit. I had to offset the bulkhead from the original location as well.
 
Norm, finally the tank is setup. Glad you are making use of my old ADA tank. What color is that favia? I have one just like it only its green and blue.
 
Mr. Ugly said:
sfsuphysics said:
Island tank is going to be some chore to make sure all 4 sides are sparkly clean :D
Click to expand...

No kidding. Sounds like Mighty Magnets are the ones to get?
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Not necessarily. MM products, like the algae sock, coraline scraper, etc, sure. But you can get similar strength magnets for cheaper, I use a magnavore which ended up costing like $40 less the the MM equiv, the up charge for a floating magnet is a bit much IMO. But yeah, don't get the cheap $20 magnets, they will get that light dusting of diatoms off the acrylic, but once it turns to the hard spots, they don't have the strength to remove squat.

I already scratched the acrylic like 4 times, grrrr...
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Hehehe, love/hate relationship with acrylic. love it because it's so easy to modify/cut/drill it, hate it because it really is a pain to keep scratch free. I got a couple of large gouges out of my tank, was pleased as punch to my work... then I found out my wedding ring scratches the tank if I rub it against it... and I shouldn't touch the front acrylic if there's any superglue on my finger tip... and that little asterina really can scratch the acrylic if you smoosh it hard enough against it with above said magnet ...

basically the quicker you stop caring the saner you'll be :D
 
Mr. Ugly said:
Am I supposed to do like the car detailing guys and use brand new microfiber cloths and throw them away after 1 use???
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I don't. I got a great kit from Marc in Sacto. HE had a acrylic aquarium polishing business and created a great little kit and really worked out the procedure.
 
iani said:
Norm, finally the tank is setup. Glad you are making use of my old ADA tank. What color is that favia? I have one just like it only its green and blue.
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Yep. Thanks on the tank. It's working out great.

The favia is kind of bluegreen and yellowgreen.

Here's an old blurry pic from when I first got it.

FrosariaDSCN1456.jpg
 
Tumbleweed said:
Now we all know why Norm doesn't wear sleaves, he has to reach to the bottom of his new tank. :bigsmile:
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Which reminds me, I still need to radius the sharp edges on the inside of the top cutouts...
 
Yep. 2 layers of 3/8".

I'll probably just hit it really quick with a deburring tool and call it good.

Don't want to drop chips and/or router into the tank :D
 
and voila, chips everywhere!! Unless you get a small army with shop vacs and some custom cardboard baffles. Been there, done that!!
 
Mr. Ugly said:
Tumbleweed said:
Now we all know why Norm doesn't wear sleaves, he has to reach to the bottom of his new tank. :bigsmile:
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Which reminds me, I still need to radius the sharp edges on the inside of the top cutouts...
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And maybe even shave your arm pit ? making sure you don't introduce a different variety of curly hair algea :D
 
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