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Author Topic: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)  (Read 28617 times)

Offline Steve

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #15 on: November 02, 2012, 07:27:53 PM »
Cold Cathode lights as well as 48" Odessya T5 lights came today...

Cold cathodes mounted behind tank...


Tank in place in front of the cold cathodes...


Overhead T5 lights on...
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Better to have a short life full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.

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Offline Steve

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #16 on: November 02, 2012, 10:03:02 PM »
Cabinet facade is all done, just have to urethane it tomorrow. The whole front of the cabinet pulls right off it's Velcro mounts to provide full access to filters and equipment underneath it. Picked up some pure white sand as well as about 30 more lbs in rocks today. Just have to finish the side panels of the rock background, hook up the filter with some new hoses, finish up the sunset lighting mounts, silicone in the background once and for all, then it'll be ready to fill with water and start cycling.

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Better to have a short life full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.

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Offline PowerCerg One

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #17 on: November 03, 2012, 08:49:31 AM »
Wow you really have a way with this kind of stuff!
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Offline beach

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #18 on: November 03, 2012, 08:03:23 PM »
very nice!!   I noticed the peacock pics next to your tank - where did you get those? 
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Offline Steve

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #19 on: November 03, 2012, 09:55:03 PM »
Beach those are actually screen savers ;D I have dual 21" monitors wall mounted above my computer keyboard.
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Better to have a short life full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.

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Offline beach

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #20 on: November 03, 2012, 11:23:23 PM »
Quote from: Steve on November 03, 2012, 09:55:03 PM
Beach those are actually screen savers ;D I have dual 21" monitors wall mounted above my computer keyboard.

haha!!  I thought they were some cool lit up pic or something    :)    Someone should sell prints like that - i would buy some... 8)
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Offline djlamonica

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #21 on: November 04, 2012, 02:24:53 AM »
Please do not post any more as it makes me feel bad.  On a serious note your work is unreal ever think of selling those back grounds?
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Offline Steve

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #22 on: November 04, 2012, 10:32:05 AM »
lol thanks djlamonica, I do enjoy working on this sort of stuff. I actually have kicked around the idea of making a few 3d backgrounds to sell but I run my own business building custom fly rods so when I', not doing that or working on my own tanks I probably wouldn't have time to take on a new business venture on a large scale. I would probably help people on the forums and friends but most likely nothing more than that sort of thing.

BTW Ron- The more I thought about what you said about Lava Rock scraping fish the more I started really doubting my purchase of it. So yesterday I bought about 40lbs of new rocks to replace the majority of the lava rock. Picked up some really cool looking petrified rock that has a beautiful shape to it. I appreciate you mentioning that the lava rock could scrap up the fish. I did know it might but didn't think over my purchase of it well enough till you brought it up. Thanks for lookin' out for my fish. I'll post some pics of the new rocks once I get the sand cleaned and in the tank this week.

Steve
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Better to have a short life full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.

-Alan Watts

Offline Steve

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #23 on: November 04, 2012, 01:28:57 PM »
Left side panel and intake cover done...
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Better to have a short life full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.

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Offline Steve

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #24 on: November 04, 2012, 11:14:33 PM »
Spent the last couple hours down in the shop building the right side panel for it. Now the whole background is done so I'm glad of that because now I can final clean the tank tomorrow and get it all siliconed in place for good. Then start washing sand and putting sand in it probably Wednesday after it has had a chance to off gas. So with some luck it will be filled with water and ready to cycle sometime next week (still have to get my hydor inline heater first).

In the right upper part above the right panel I am going to cover that with the same blue as the background upper section and then get a 12" cold cathode to light up the upper right part just like the back which should look really nice.



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Better to have a short life full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.

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Offline beach

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #25 on: November 04, 2012, 11:52:06 PM »
Its lookin' really good!   8)
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Offline Steve

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #26 on: November 09, 2012, 03:44:10 PM »
Background is now all siliconed in and drying. Time to freeze my hands off washing sand this weekend.
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Better to have a short life full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.

-Alan Watts

Offline GrizzlysDad

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #27 on: November 09, 2012, 10:50:45 PM »
It's supposed to be gorgeous this weekend...especially Sunday Steve.
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Offline Steve

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #28 on: November 10, 2012, 12:13:22 AM »
Yeah I hadn't checked the weather (but just did) 55 Saturday and 59 Sunday...That sounds pretty darn much like good sand washin' weather to me ;D
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Better to have a short life full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.

-Alan Watts

Offline Steve

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Re: 55g Mbuna build (tank #2)
« Reply #29 on: November 10, 2012, 02:55:53 PM »
My 2nd 55g is now all done and filled with water now today. Sand washed and more rock work added. Ended up getting rid of the lava rock and replacing it with some better looking stuff that is not abrasive like the lava rock was so it'll be better for the fish that way. Just have to wait for the inline heater to come later next week and once that gets here I can start cycling this one then after that.

I also mounted the T5 lights so that they are on about a 45 degree angle so it takes a lot of the "harshness" of the light away. So now it is a nicer look to the way it start darker in the back of the tank and gets brighter towards the middle& front of the tank.











This one is with the blue moon lights, cold cathodes, and orange CFL on to imitate a sunset in the tank.



Steve
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Better to have a short life full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.

-Alan Watts
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