46 Gallon Bowfront setup

meintn

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After about 5 years away from the hobby, I'm setting up another tank. It's a 46 gallon bowfront I've gotten from a friend of mine. I'd love to get a bigger tank as I used to have a 125 gallon but space constraints and woman want something smaller :) The stand is stashed deep in a storage unit but I'm thinking I'll build my own stand anyways. Still haven't decided if I want to go hang on back refugium and skimmer or build a sump and all. Probably hang on to start off and transition down the road.

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meintn

meintn

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I'm building my own LED light setup. I ordered in 2 Violet Blue Hybrid
Multichips 20 watt LED chips, 2 9k-10k/445 nm hybrid royal blue 20 watt LED chips, a dimmable driver, heatsinks and thermal adhesive.

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I mounted the heatsink/chip combos to some wood just to get over the tank to see how it looks. I'm looking for a light fixture to retrofit with these. I'll likely add individual 90 degree lenses to the chips as well down the road. I'll add 2 more LEDs likely for a "high noon" cycle in the middle of the day. I also dryfit my old live rock that I've rinsed and scrubbed up some. Will add black live sand and other live rock after I get my stand decided and water added.

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Dowtish

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Looking good so far. I would go ahead and set up a sump now. You will regret that you didnt.
 
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meintn

meintn

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I think I will go with a sump setup as I want to get a auto top and all setup too. I bought a stand off CL for a 75-110 gallon aquarium and put a top on it to set the tank on. Will give me plenty of room to work underneath :)

Before:
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After:
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meintn

meintn

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Thanks! I'm looking to get a controller for my tank as well and I have a question. My LED driver has a 22K potentiometer for a dimmer, does that make it analog? I know the driver isn't PWM compatible so looking for a analog solution in a controller I believe.
 
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meintn

meintn

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Update:

Tank has been drilled and finishing up the plumbing today. Water going into the tank tomorrow!
Old hang on the back overflow modified and siliconed to tank.
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PVC added to run between the tank and sump. Learned a few things in the process. Would use more unions next time.
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Modified old wet/dry with baffles and divider to add in skimmer, refugium and a return chamber that will be equipped with an ATO eventually.
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meintn

meintn

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Ya, decided to take some time and do it right :) Water, sand, rock in and pump running. Let the cycling begin!
 

Electrobes

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I like it! My only question is will that mod on the stand be okay for the weight of the tank in the long run? Did you fully brace the middle of the stand to hold onto the more centered weight of the tank? I assume, but I haven't a clue really, that the stand was meant to resist most of the weight at it's edges... which makes me worry that the weight of the new tank may be too centered on the weakest point of the stand.
 
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meintn

meintn

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I thought about that as well Electrobes. The back edge of the tank is nearly on top of the extra supports I added to span the wood across the middle so I think it's bearing most of the weight there. Here is a pic from underneath. I think it should be good as most of the weight of the tank is still on or near the edges. The front "bow" makes the front edge.

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meintn

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I cut some 2" x 4" and made some additional supports to run under the top wood and attached them to the main side rails so it should be golden now. Tank is coming along well. Ammonia, nitrites to 0 and nitrates staying low considering I still need to add a skimmer and some sort of media whether bio pellets or GFO I haven't decided yet.

First inhabitant:

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NeveSSL

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Glad to see you back in the hobby, James. :)

Do you get a lot of noise from your overflow with the open holes like that? Or is it quiet? I've always had to add a street ell to mine.

Brandon
 
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meintn

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Glad to be back :)

It's pretty quiet. You can hear it in the room but not overpowering at all. I have a ball valve on the lower hole that is closed to make a complete siphon and it's quiet. The top hole is just an emergency overflow if the other one gets clogged in anyway.
 
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meintn

meintn

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Update time...

Picked up some mushrooms from pickupman66, Lindsey, and a orchid dottyback which is a really cool fish.

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What the looked like closed up
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I also got a couple polyps and GSP in the tank from my brother, Michael Brumit, who is on here as well. You can see the polyp on the far right trying to steer and eat some flake food.
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