New 240g project

[Regalblue]

:drool:

[danotaylor]

Looks mint mate...well done...plants look great as well 👍

[Steve]

Had a stroke of genius tonight spent a bit of time trying to figure out how to best hide the 300w Jager heaters and was getting frustrated that I was not going to be able to hide them very well because of the length when I sat down at it hit me. The Stalagmite makes the perfect place to mount it to the backside of so it will be completely out of view, plus being right in front of the intake and return it will distribute the heat more evenly.

[kodyboy]

Looks awesome!

[Steve]

Thanks guys. Well I said it was gonna be a couple weeks till I was back at it but I just can't stay away from it. Trying to work a few minutes here & there on it between "real work" stuff. Managed to get the 2nd of the two 300w heaters ready today. Mounted it rigidly to the backside of a half round piece of sinking wood so it is hidden completely from view. Also bought some cheap impact resistant lexan and made some nice tight fitting covers for the top so I wouldn't have to deal with evaporation.


 
 

[kodyboy]

I've always had plastic covers warp.  How do you avoid that?

[Steve]

1/8" lexan is pretty resistant to warping. Then LED's don't give off any heat so they should stay nice and flat. If it were T5's or something it'd be a different story most likely.

BTW just filled it with water and bringing the temp up. Found one of the two 300w heaters must be bad because it was giving off a small shock when I touched the water. Pulled it and and seeing how high I can get the temp with just the single 300w going. Most likely gonna have to replace the 2nd one though because I doubt one will get the temp past about 70 


EDIT- lucked out and had another 300w heater in my spare parts bin. Back in business 

[Steve]

I still have to do all the finish work on the stand and build the canopy yet, plus finish the 20g x-tall tank with the sandfall that goes in the center of the stand under this tank. So still lots to be done, but as of last night it's filled, up to temp, and fish are in and happy. Water still has to clear up a bit more, but this morning I was able to sit and have my morning coffee enjoying the fruits of over 100 plus hours of work

Short video of the tank running with fish in it now...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDrdkagiJWg&feature=youtu.be

[danotaylor]

Bloody ripper mate 👍

[kodyboy]

That is either one of or the best looking cichlid tank that I have ever seen! Awesome!

[Steve]

Thanks guys, not done yet but it's getting there slow but surely. Scott next time you are in the area stop by for a cup of coffee and check it out in person.

[kodyboy]

Thanks, I will have to!  You are really close to work so I should be able to do so in a few weeks.

[Steve]

Decided on maple for the stand facing. I've done oak before on others and I wanted one this time that was more of an open grain to give it more of a furniture grade look to it. Stained with with special walnut stain and now have 2 coats of poly applied. Originally I planned to do a sand waterfall in the 20g tall tank in the center of the stand, but now I am kind of thinking of changing that and covering the whole front with this one piece since it looks so good and then add the doors on the ends of the stand for filter access. Might do some accents or something else on the front, not sure we'll see as I get more into it.

[Steve]

 
 
 
 
 
 

Almost 4 months of work finally comes to an end tonight. Just finished doing all the finish work on the stand and canopy and am now I'm finally done with the 240g tank build. Was a long and tiring project with well over 200+hrs into building the background/stand/canopy and all the other little details but now I can finally sit down in front of it with a cup of coffee and enjoy my fish

[jcunningham0295]

Awesome job Steve, that tank looks amazing!!!!!!