Another build - 70 gallon tall

[TrishW]

I picked a tank up "on the cheap." I broke it the hubby gently and over a period of a few days.

The current plan in to refurb the tank and the stand and put it in my bedroom as a FOWLR. For this build I will be doing everything as cheap as possible. I won't be skimping so badly that it isn't safe to be in the house, lol, but I really do plan to see just how cheap I can make it be something that will look good in my house.

I found the stand on the local forum. I traded a couple of corals for it so the only expense in getting it to the house was a little gas for the Jeep.

These pics are from the "for sale" thread are were taken by the seller.

The back of the tank was painted pretty thickly with what I think he said was acrylic paint. It was a metallic paint and not really my taste so I removed it.

Forgot to take a pic until I had already started scraping

The tank has black frames but they were covered with a brown tape. It peeled off easily and left only minimal residue to be removed

 

[TrishW]

Off with the tape!

When I attempted to remove the bulkheads I realized that they were siliconed in place. The reason is that the holes may be a little too large. Hopefully the gaskets will be enough to keep it from needing silicone but if not I will use a smaller bead and try hard to keep it out of the bulkhead thread.

 

[TrishW]

The overflow appears to have been made from a hang on filter and was attached with some unknown substance and silicone

The top of the back was cracked

Notice the weirs are not cut perfectly even. It wasn't really noticeable when in the tank.

The fact that the back is not perfectly flat and that crack means that I will be shopping online for a cheap replacement

 

[TrishW]

Paint and bulkheads removed. I will clean the glass with acetone.

Paint flakes and the removed tape

I made a small mess on the floor of Richard's garage which he spent a couple of hours cleaning up today.

Removal of the evidence. He's too good about putting up with my addiction for me to leave a mess.

Now to shop for a replacement overflow and check out available bulkhead sizes.

 

[Hassablad]

LOL bet Richard was surprised... Then again he is probably always waiting for the next one...

 

[Nurse Payne]

This is great! I have about 200 lbs of lava rock that was in my tank when I bought it. Some beautiful pieces but I wanted a reef tank, so it's sitting on my back porch. You can have it...

 

[shovelrider]

If you are interested in a cheap overflow box, you might want to build it out of glass. I have done two so far, one for a 45g and one for my current 75g. I had the glass cut at Huntsville Glass and used tinted glass and black silicone to hide the box a little better than the clear. I think its like $18 for clear glass and $30ish for the tinted(tinted is the way to go with a black background!). It was really easy to build and significantly cheaper than pre-fab stuff. Not to mention you could build the box to fit the correct bulkhead size the tank had been drilled for.Just my 2 cents.

Good luck with the build!

 

[TrishW]

This is great! I have about 200 lbs of lava rock that was in my tank when I bought it. Some beautiful pieces but I wanted a reef tank, so it's sitting on my back porch. You can have it...

I will take it. I won't need anywhere near that much but I would be willing to take it all and give some away if you want it all gone.

 

[TrishW]

If you are interested in a cheap overflow box, you might want to build it out of glass. I have done two so far, one for a 45g and one for my current 75g. I had the glass cut at Huntsville Glass and used tinted glass and black silicone to hide the box a little better than the clear. I think its like $18 for clear glass and $30ish for the tinted(tinted is the way to go with a black background!). It was really easy to build and significantly cheaper than pre-fab stuff. Not to mention you could build the box to fit the correct bulkhead size the tank had been drilled for.Just my 2 cents.

Good luck with the build!

Thanks for the tip. I will keep that in mind. I didn't look for one last night but I will be doing that now.

 

[Nurse Payne]

Wonderful. Just let me know when you can come. I usually work 7-5 but my hubby is home for now. I live in Hampton cove. My cell is two56-six47-3078

 

[H@rry]

I don't have any personal experience with it, but I read that silicone may even cause a leak. Something about making the gasket want to roll up a little bit somehow. Whatever I would use new gaskets even if I had to get some gasket material and cut my own.

My frag tank has the return coming through the bottom glass and it has tended to seep just a little bit whenever I do a lot of wiggling on the plumbing. A couple of weeks ago I had to replace the return pump and install a different size hose barb on the plumbing. That got the seep started again. The place where it would drip was just about 1/2 inch from dripping in the sump which would have eliminated the issue. I put a cup where it was dripping and it stopped in a couple of days. A small seep like that will fill up with trash, algae, whatever until it plugs itself up.

Good luck with it!

 

[TrishW]

I think silicone can make BHs leak because it is almost impossible to keep from having micro air bubbles. I think that going up to a 1 1/4" bulkhead will work. I need to go out there and measure the hole. I keep new gaskets on hand at all times so at the very least I will be replacing the gaskets.

Like you, H@rry, I have had a small drip that would stop after a couple of days. I attributed it to salt creep sealing the leak.

 

[gcrawford]

You might also consider schedule 80 bulkheads if the holes are too big for standard. One time I ordered these from BRS and thought they would be stronger, but would not fit in my pre drilled 120. I think they were about 1/4 inch too large.

 

[markkazdad]

I would have painted the back black before removing the tape. Now you just have to re-mask it again.

Or you could go with a mirrored back and cut your fish budget in half.

 

[TrishW]

You might also consider schedule 80 bulkheads if the holes are too big for standard. One time I ordered these from BRS and thought they would be stronger, but would not fit in my pre drilled 120. I think they were about 1/4 inch too large.

thanks for that tip!

I would have painted the back black before removing the tape. Now you just have to re-mask it again.

Or you could go with a mirrored back and cut your fish budget in half.

Perhaps you were trying to be funny, but I wonder if that would work. Or would the fish kill themselves by headbutting their reflections?

 

[markkazdad]

There's only one way to find out.

 

[TrishW]

There's only one way to find out.

You are absolutely correct. Go hang a mirror on the back of your tank and let me know what happens. lol

 

[H@rry]

I have heard that putting a mirror right on the glass helps to calm down an aggressive fish. I guess it's like "here's a fish that's not afraid of me and won't run from me". The next time I add new fish and the Powder Blue bullys them I'll give it a try.

 

[markkazdad]

Nothing happened. All my tanks have black backs except the 20L which is "in the round."

 

[markkazdad]

Okay, you scraped the paint off the tank ten days ago. What's happening now?