My new tank

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Gryphon

New Member
Just want to say Hi! first off, new to the site.

I picked up an awesome deal on Craigslist last weekend, a 120 acrylic tank with stand and hood. Needs a lot of work, but I have 2 months before I can set it up. Currently I have a Green Terror, an Electric Blue Jack Dempsey, a Pleco and a Striped Raphael Catfish that will be going in, and planning on adding 1 Tiger Oscar to finish up.
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First thing is the tank has a hole in the back where the guy I bought it from was trying to install an overflow.
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Not too bad, I'm going out today to find the acrylic sheet and some weldon to repair it.

Secondly, it has 4 4ft florescent tubes in the top for lighting, but its missing a ballast? (I'm not too familiar with them) My current plan is to pull them out, and install 2 wide angle LED flood lights (Link) in their place, I believe they should be bright enough to light it up ok, if not I can run a third if needed.

Standard with a large acrylic tank this size it has the 2 opening on the top. I'm going to make lids to just sit over them out of plexiglass. I'm planning on drilling and installing 5mm LEDs (blue and purple) for moonlighting.

For Filtration I'm going to run 2 Grech 302s canister filters (260 gph each, bottom tray is floss, middle is bio-max, top is bio-balls) each with external Inline Eth heaters on the flow back into the tank. (link)


I am also planning on doing a DIY 3D rock background to help hide the patch work and the 4 small panels of acrylic the original owner had power heads attached to. I'm going to attempt to get crafty, and work in 2 air lines towards the bottom for bubbles. I'll take photos and post them here for those are are interested :)



I do have a few questions, as this is my first tank this big, and I want to get things done right the first time.

1.) Will 2, 200w Inline heaters be enough to heat my tank properly? Or should I get the 300w ones?
2.) With the LED bulbs I linked, do you think 2 will be enough to properly light the tank? I don't know if the acrylic will diffuse the light too much.

I think if I can pull this off the way I imagine it in my head, it's going to look fantastic!
 
G

Gryphon

New Member
Thanks, I'll need the luck.

Went looking for the 1/4" acrylic to repair the hole in the tank and couldn't find any. Tried Lowes and ACE Hardware with no luck, but someone did recommend trying home depot.

Also picked up a few things I'll need for my set up, A 30ft hose and adapter to make my python, and the paint for the stand.
 
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Anthraxx

New Member
enough silicone should do the trick? i know there is some serious business aquatic puttys that can be used in situations like this. take a look at like foster and smiths and maybe call em up. not quite sure how to repair it. gl to ya either way
 
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Gryphon

New Member
I've been told silicone does not bond well on Acrylic. I've emailed a few people that are good at acrylic tank repair, and the consensus has been placing a patch over the hole, overlapping the edges by 2"
 
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icer711

New Member
Gryphon said:
I've been told silicone does not bond well on Acrylic. I've emailed a few people that are good at acrylic tank repair, and the consensus has been placing a patch over the hole, overlapping the edges by 2"
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dont use silicone will not hold to the arcylic you need weldon 16 is your best bet and "CAST" (GP if i remember right not FF arcylic) plastic if u can find it ...try TAP plastics
 
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Gryphon

New Member
Yeah, Weldon 16 was what was recommended, haven't found anyone that sells it so I'm ordering it online.
 
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icer711

New Member
pop open the phone book tap plastic is somewhere around here and i think there is another around as well
as for home depot and lowes and ace they do sell plastic but it not easy to find in the store its in a rack setup and they dont have a good selection
if we were in oregon i would tell you right where to go but were not and they cant ship weldon very easily as it is considered hazmat just FYI
 
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icer711

New Member
also depeig on how much you think your going to need ...modlers glue in the hobby shops is also weld on 16
 
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Gryphon

New Member
Thanks, I just checked them out, and it doesn't look like it'll cost me too much to get the pieces I need!
 
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Gryphon

New Member
Alright time for an update!

In the midst of making my python, just need a waterbed fill/drain kit to finish it off.

Second Canister filter I ordered arrived today. I have the bio-balls for it, and just picked up the bio-max from the store today to go in as well. my LED thermometer should be in this week as well.

Lighting is all planned out. Doing 1/8" plexiglass lids, and I'll be drilling and mounting my blue and purple/uv LEDs in the lids themselves for my moonlighting. I've also found the LED Flood lights I'll be installing in the hood for main tank lighting.

Found TAP and I'll be ordering the pieces I need this week.

And just finished doing the first coat of black paint on the hood and base. My right index finger isn't working properly right now from holding down the nozzle on the can of spray paint lol
 
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Doza

New Member
why cant you just use a solvent like lacquer thinner. i swear i have read ppl using it to join everything in the construction of tanks. Between that and melting acrylic rod (scraps of acrylic sheets) with thinner and running that in the corners for extra strength and support at the seams.
 
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Anthraxx

New Member
i just got an LED setup recently. very small for bettas but omfg its just wow. the amount of light it produces is fantastic. i highly reccomend getting some. also there is some lights u could get out of hong kong. pretty cheap and they work. gf has gotten lights for two tanks now on ebay at substantial savings. Also howd the tank repair work out? got pics so perhaps the next guy looking for a similar solution has a place to look at step by step info on how to fix the problem.
 
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Gryphon

New Member
Repair is gonna be started here next dry day we have. I have the weld-on and the patch piece, just need a dry day to get it done.

I'm still going over my options on the lighting. It seems I no longer start to make up my mind, and I find something else lol

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JHZSEG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=AJ0QRPX8ADNI1

I'm thinking three of these now. With these I won't have to worry about drilling and wiring LEDs into the lids I got.
 
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TerenceH

New Member
Anthraxx said:
i just got an LED setup recently. very small for bettas but omfg its just wow. the amount of light it produces is fantastic. i highly reccomend getting some. also there is some lights u could get out of hong kong. pretty cheap and they work. gf has gotten lights for two tanks now on ebay at substantial savings. Also howd the tank repair work out? got pics so perhaps the next guy looking for a similar solution has a place to look at step by step info on how to fix the problem.
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I saw the lights on ebay but it showed the shipping time to be upwards of three weeks that is the only thing that has stopped me from going with them. Are the new leds on a planted tank?
 
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