The Garden -- Rakies shallow SPS cube

[Janci]

It still has some work to go, because I made an oopsie..

My problem right now -- I neglected to factor in the thickness of the top rocks, I also forgot to factor in the height added by the 5 layers of PVC connectors... This gives me a total height of about 18" right now, my water line is 17", I had planned for 13".

So my solution is three fold;
- Put a thinner rock on the top, lowering top rock from 3" to around 1" (+2")
- Cut a 1" chunk out of the top legs, lowering structure 1" (+1")
- Cut a 2" chunk out of the bottom legs, lowering structure (+2")

Doing this will give me around 5" more clearance, which should net me around 4" under the water. This isn't perfect.

I wanted it to definitely take up a lot of room, but I wonder if that top shelf will even be usable at 4" water clearance. That was my original goal at first, but seeing it in person makes a difference. I may need to take an additional step or two.. Otherwise, maybe I'll put a big table up there in the top back corner and let it cover that whole top rock by itself.
Anybody have any additional suggestions for lowering the structure height?

I have no idea how to lower the structure height...
But I do have one to raise the water level... New tank!!! ;Facepalm;Facepalm;Facepalm

On the other hand if you remove the top layer and structure and add a more rond rock in that same corner, you would also create an extra layer but remove the extra height.
This in combination with cutting the legs, might give you the height you like.

 

[Rakie]

I love this idea. I wish I would have thought of something like this when I did my scape.

I would shorten the distance between the levels. Especially the bottom level to the base of the tank .

Can’t wait to see how this turns out

Thank you! Right now it's only 5" off the bottom, which will be 4" off the sand. It seems "Just right", almost. Janci brought up a good point too;

I have no idea how to lower the structure height...
But I do have one to raise the water level... New tank!!! ;Facepalm;Facepalm;Facepalm

On the other hand if you remove the top layer and structure and add a more rond rock in that same corner, you would also create an extra layer but remove the extra height.
This in combination with cutting the legs, might give you the height you like.

Yeah that's true Janci, I could basically remove the top layer and fill in that second layer all the way to the corner with more rock. That will definitely make it work, while giving me that height I wanted off the sand. It will also kind of give me a step, which will be like a ledge, but it'll be missing the gap between layers I was going for.

I also could cut the top legs almost off.. And leave maybe a 1" gap with thinner rock. That way I still have the 3rd ledge and the shadow it creates, along with lowering the height a lot. All 3 layers are the same height, so removing the top, or lowering the top significantly will give me almost exactly what I'm looking for.

Tough call, all options work. But I'm leaning towards leaving just a tiny 1" gap between the 1st and 2nd layer -- as well as placing thinner rock on top, because I have a piece of very thin shelf (Real Reef Rock, it's like 0.25" thick) which will also help a lot.

 

[GoVols]

Tough call, all options work. But I'm leaning towards leaving just a tiny 1" gap between the 1st and 2nd layer -- as well as placing thinner rock on top, because I have a piece of very thin shelf (Real Reef Rock, it's like 0.25" thick) which will also help a lot.

 

[Rakie]

OFF WITH HIS HEAD.. Maybe the legs later too..

That top right corner will be fairly close to the INTERNAL overflow box, so I left it bare -- unless I also chop off the legs.

I'm still hemming and hawing on using putty to cover the white PVC, OR, just sanding it and letting nature take it's course. Basically be patient, or do more work and be impatient.. Decisions decisions.

 

[najer]

Rough it up.

 

[Rakie]

Rough it up.

That's where I'm leaning... The problem is i'm not sure if I'm leaning that way because I'm practical, or because I'm lazy lol.

Either way -- still need to get some more rock on the structure and fill a few gaps. I'm at the point where I need to creatively break some small rocks down to fit these gaps. It's a little time consuming, which is the issue. Time is the only thing I can't get enough of.

 

[Rakie]

My power is out from 10pm to 6am starting tonight..

Here's my plan;

Everything will be fine... But wish me luck anyways!

 

[GoVols]

Rakie,
We're pulling for ya!!

Is it a scheduled power outage?

Freddie

 

[Rakie]

Rakie,
We're pulling for ya!!

Is it a scheduled power outage?

Freddie

Thank you Freddie! And yes, it's scheduled.

 

[najer]

All good?

 

[Rakie]

All good?

Around midnight I called them and they told me they postponed the power outage to another day... They don't know which day, and they don't know if they will be able to warn me in time, but apparently they will "try".

So... yay.

 

[Mykesocalreef]

Around midnight I called them and they told me they postponed the power outage to another day... They don't know which day, and they don't know if they will be able to warn me in time, but apparently they will "try".

So... yay.

Who provides your power?

 

[Rakie]

Who provides your power?

Edison.

 

[Mykesocalreef]

Edison.

They should be able to give you the time of your next outage, unless it’s an emergency. Planned should have a scheduled time.

 

[Rakie]

They should be able to give you the time of your next outage, unless it’s an emergency. Planned should have a scheduled time.

I agree, they *should*, but when I called last night they told me there may not be a warning but they'll try. They tell me when it's a planned power outage about 75% of the time. The other 25% they forget to send mail to my address or the mailman fails me.

 

[Mykesocalreef]

I agree, they *should*, but when I called last night they told me there may not be a warning but they'll try. They tell me when it's a planned power outage about 75% of the time. The other 25% they forget to send mail to my address or the mailman fails me.

Its also strange to me that your outage is being done at night, generally nights are reserved for commercial and residential during the day. My only thought is that if you aren't being notified their system might have you attached to the wrong transformer. What city are you located in?

 

[Rakie]

Its also strange to me that your outage is being done at night, generally nights are reserved for commercial and residential during the day. My only thought is that if you aren't being notified their system might have you attached to the wrong transformer. What city are you located in?

Huntington Beach -- My planned power outages are ALWAYS at night. This happens all the time. I frequently have power surges killing power for 5-10 minutes a few times per month too. We have notified power outage maintenance around 3-4 times per year.

 

[Rakie]

Haven't done much, been busy!

Rockwork -- Nothing done since last update.

New Skimmer (Somatic 60)

Dipping

I'm not getting anything off the corals, I think I finished my AEFW by catching it very early.. I have one more dip, making it 6 weeks of dipping I think..

 

[Rakie]

So it looks like It's going to be more work than I'd like to hide all the PVC with glue and sand. I'm going to scuff it up with sand paper and just let nature take it's course. It'll only be white for a few months at most, not really a big deal.

 

[najer]

It will colour up in no time.