Sierra_Bravo's "What did I get myself into??" 120g in-wall build thread

[Katrina71]

Oregon Tort slowly getting bigger!

Beautiful!

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

I've watched my phosphates climb for the last month from .012 to .092 and I haven't been able to come up with an explanation for why. I'm seeing hair algae growing between and around the edges of the rocks at an alarming rate. Relunctantly, I am starting back up my GFO reactor, which I haven't had on the system for half a year.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

I had to move my Fraghouse Corals Do-Si-Doe to take a frag from another colony and it ended up close to the glass. Opportunity to take a quick pic! I actually "thought" I had sold this as a frag to someone, after having decided not to keep it. I don't know what the heck I ended up giving that person, but I ended up with the wrong one.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

This morning as my LED's started ramping up, Farmer Ty's Ectoplasm looked too good to pass up taking a quick shot through the coral viewer:

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Oregon Tort slowly getting bigger!

How long have you had it? I have a myagi tort and the growth is laughably slow.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

How long have you had it? I have a myagi tort and the growth is laughably slow.

Well, we are right at a year now. About four-five months ago I bought a second frag from the same colony and glued it up with the original just to get a little mass since I'm trying to make this a highlighted piece in the tank. A switch seems to have finally turned on and the two of them have joined and started showing some movement.

Here's the original frag in the upper left of the group:

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Well, we are right at a year now. About four-five months ago I bought a second frag from the same colony and glued it up with the original just to get a little mass since I'm trying to make this a highlighted piece in the tank. A switch seems to have finally turned on and the two of them have joined and started showing some movement.

Here's the original frag in the upper left of the group:

Cool! Yours seems to be growing better than mine. Perhaps the addition of the extra frag somehow made it achieve critical thicknesses (or something) to start pushing some growth.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Love the PC Rainbow:

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Made my own screen tops since my plumbing prevents me from using manufactured and custom tops are ridiculously priced. I made them a little different than what we typically see with the available kits. I thought they came out pretty well.

 

[Reefpuck]

Wow those are clean looking! Question...where did you get those little fittings for the pump wires...and the brush edges? I built screen tops with the BRS do-it-yourself kits and am in the process of redoing them since the gaps are too big and my flame wrasse still finds ways to jump out.

 

[govolsguy31]

I usually spend a minute or two and browse through a build thread that I haven't seen before... Rarely do I do what I just did and spend an hour and a half combing thru one. This is an awesome tank and setup my friend.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Wow those are clean looking! Question...where did you get those little fittings for the pump wires...and the brush edges? I built screen tops with the BRS do-it-yourself kits and am in the process of redoing them since the gaps are too big and my flame wrasse still finds ways to jump out.

I was having the same problem. The wire thru-ways are 3-d printed by a guy here in San Antonio and sold by a LFS. The brush is actually a soft-bristled aluminum door sweep.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

I usually spend a minute or two and browse through a build thread that I haven't seen before... Rarely do I do what I just did and spend an hour and a half combing thru one. This is an awesome tank and setup my friend.

Made my day - thanks! It's been a journey!

PS - I won't even razz you about being a Tennessee fan (Gator here)

 

[govolsguy31]

Made my day - thanks! It's been a journey!

PS - I won't even razz you about being a Tennessee fan (Gator here)

Never mind, this is a terrible tank.

Born and raised in northeast TN. You know how it is... it’s not a sport, it’s a religion.

 

[WallyB]

Made my own screen tops since my plumbing prevents me from using manufactured and custom tops are ridiculously priced. I made them a little different than what we typically see with the available kits. I thought they came out pretty well.

Love the DIY screen.
I want to make one too since, I have some custom shaping I need to deal with. Also want a multipiece one like you did.
So what did you use for the Edging Frame? How did you join corners? and How did you attach screen?
I got a couple of Firefish in QT, so a better Net TOP is a must!!

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Love the DIY screen.
I want to make one too since, I have some custom shaping I need to deal with. Also want a multipiece one like you did.
So what did you use for the Edging Frame? How did you join corners? and How did you attach screen?
I got a couple of Firefish in QT, so a better Net TOP is a must!!

Hey Wally, hope all is well. So the frame is standard 3/8 by 3/4 screen frame that you can get at Home Depot. Instead of using the plastic 90 degree miter corners, I bought internal aluminum corners off eBay which allowed me to do much cleaner 45 degree cuts and tighter turns. I used super glue to strengthen the joint. The netting is from BRS and it is held in by a standard screen spline sized to fit. Not hard, but it helps to have done a little woodworking or other projects where you have a little experience cutting miter joints.

The brush material that I'm using to follow the contour of the return pipes are really soft-bristled aluminum door sweeps.

 

[Jason_J]

Any links to those aluminum corners? I love that idea.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Any links to those aluminum corners? I love that idea.

Sure. They make screen frame in different sizes, so make sure your corners match. FYI - I had to shorten them on some of the smaller openings.

https://www.ebay.com/i/391899607380...&rk=6&rkt=30&sd=233190092970&itm=391899607380

 

[WallyB]

Hey Wally, hope all is well. So the frame is standard 3/8 by 3/4 screen frame that you can get at Home Depot. Instead of using the plastic 90 degree miter corners, I bought internal aluminum corners off eBay which allowed me to do much cleaner 45 degree cuts and tighter turns. I used super glue to strengthen the joint. The netting is from BRS and it is held in by a standard screen spline sized to fit. Not hard, but it helps to have done a little woodworking or other projects where you have a little experience cutting miter joints.

The brush material that I'm using to follow the contour of the return pipes are really soft-bristled aluminum door sweeps.

Thanks.
Your frame because it's black, made me think you found some kind of ridged plastic, or fibreglass.
So I guess using Metal is ok (since the top of my tank does get mist/salt creep coating)? Aluminum is obviously immune to corrosion, so probably ok (since it's not like water off it drip back into Tank).
Pretty simple if just screen frame. I already have enough of the clear nylon aquarium netting, but I just kind of bungee cord wrap around tank corners. (Works but not perfect).

I see now looking again, you have your frame PERFECTLY fitting into the Tank Rim. Nice. I can't do that since I have a Glass Euro Top (so Frame will sit on top).

What I've be trying to build but haven't found a way, is a screen that is on a spring loaded blind roller. Just like blinds on a window, but you pull horizontally across tank top (Thin roller mounted on wall).
Was looking for a roller tube/mechanism and then use the netting (somehow).
Probably impossible to do, so your way should work for me.

Nice craftsmanship on your project. I bet those 90 degree turns which you had to re-enforce were a bit of a challenge (to keep Screen tight)
I see you got Cable guards,
and openings for a Feeder portal (Is there a safeguard in there? My fish (of the Past), targeted any opening to find their way to the DRY FLOOR ).

AND WOW. I first looked at your CORNER Pieces on Ebay, thought $27 is insane for one or 4, but it's for a pack of 100 (much better).