MMcDonald 285 gallon Plywood Build Thread

Discussion in 'I made this!' started by NASAGeek, Feb 16, 2010.

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Maximum Water Depth (Surface to Sand)

  1. 15-17"

    1.8%
  2. 18-20"

    5.5%
  3. 21-23"

    7.3%
  4. 24-26"

    32.7%
  5. 27-29"

    25.5%
  6. 30-32"

    18.2%
  7. 33-35"

    9.1%
  1. horkn

    horkn Giant Squid

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    I don't take it as argumentative at all either. :)

    A good debate is a good thing.



    Regarding possible powerhead issues... You will need sure grip 100's (50s won't cut it) or maybe tunze magnets, or the magnets on the RIO polario to hold up any sort of powerhead on a tank like this. Trust me, I have been down that road. By the time you glass and epoxy that 3/4" plywood, it is close to an inch thick.

    The issue I have with CL's is the extra wasted pump electricity and the pain it is to clean them. I do really like the clean look to them though Oceans motions do work very well.
     
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  3. NASAGeek

    NASAGeek Eyelash Blennie

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    The OceansMotions.com website is cool. Some neat stuff.

    Off to do more flow research.

    M
     
  4. NASAGeek

    NASAGeek Eyelash Blennie

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    Here is the Part V of this series.

    Feature Article: Water Flow is More Important for Corals Than Light, Part V | Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine

    Very interesting reading. Gyre tank flow makes sense.... off for more research.

    M
     
  5. Powerman

    Powerman Giant Squid

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    I would like to get a 60x30 185g tank. My thinking was to have two MP40s on one end on one side, and two others on the other end other side going horizontal top and bottom. Figured I would slave them all and get a mass movement around an island of rock in the middle of the tank. Obviously I don't have any reason to say this is the way it should be, it just sounds interesting and seems right.

    You couldn't do it with MP40s, but if you used a closed loop with solenoids like you want, you could set up a mass flow in one direction and ten reverse it too. That sounds really cool. I didn't book mark it, but if you google gyres or gyro tanks, there are some closed loops running out there like that.
     
  6. NASAGeek

    NASAGeek Eyelash Blennie

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    I am off reading about gyre and configuration now... exactly what you are talking... island in the middle with flow moving circularly around it.... and then alternating and reversing the flow.

    M
     
  7. horkn

    horkn Giant Squid

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    My woody is pretty much those dimensions. 62x 30x 24T.

    If money was no object, I would use 2 mp40w's to make the flow in my tank. Vortechs will apparently work through 3/4" glass, so they should be able to hold through my plywood and epoxy. The suregrip 100 magnets which are designed to work through 3/4" glass hold just fine through my tank sides.
     
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  9. NASAGeek

    NASAGeek Eyelash Blennie

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    Reading the articles last night... gyre and worrying more about water mass movement makes a lot of sense. I do think I am going to go closed loop, gyre as my first plan. I am having to alter tank dimensions, so I need to play with it.

    M
     
  10. NASAGeek

    NASAGeek Eyelash Blennie

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    Metal Halide Lights Question:

    What is the distance from the water surface to the top of a MH reflector??

    Trying to fit within constraints on total height from my wife....

    M
     
  11. horkn

    horkn Giant Squid

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    I run mine like 5 " off the water. The bulb is about another 4-5" up from there.
     
  12. NASAGeek

    NASAGeek Eyelash Blennie

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    March 19 Design Update

    Latest in the saga.... my wife decided that 6 1/2 feet was too tall and it would dominate the room... aside from the fact that she was right, I want to stay married. Thus, I had to cut 12" off the total stack. In order maximize tank volume, I switched several things around.

    In addition, in measuring and planning the details, I noticed a light switch in the way. I thought about relocating the light switch, but my wife didn't want to do that either. By switching things around, I end up accomodating the light switch, getting much better access to the skimmer, and adding a small work station for water tests and such. I also added some hiddened cavities to run plumbing and wiring along both sides of the tank which was a problem in my previous design that I hadn't tackled yet.

    I also switched to an SWC skimmer with a smaller foot print. Tanks stats for the new design included in one of the pictures.

    Mark