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Downhill's 200g Starfire Marineland Deep Dimension

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jmorrell View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jmorrell Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 11:51am
the dimensions on this tank are awesome.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote downhill_biker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 1:37pm
i think i figured out the heaters. i will go with a 800w titanium. if i dont need it, fine, but if i do, it will be there. i am only going with one so big because it is for the 200g, the 72g, a 100g sump, and 30g fuge. i know the lights will most likely do fine, but in the winter, and having tank/sump/fuge in the basement, i just want to be safe.

jmorrell: i love the tank dimensions too. i think that it is "cube-like" dimensions, without being a perfect cube. i just didn't want to have to light something 4' deep, and 36" seems kindof small to me. i really like everything about the tank, except the silicone job is kindof bad in some spots.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cl2ysta1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 3:54pm
Originally posted by sanddune600 sanddune600 wrote:

Originally posted by Adam Blundell Adam Blundell wrote:

I haven't had to use a heater in years.  Before you rush out and buy one I'd fill the tank and watch the temp for a few days.  More likely you'll need fans to keep it cool and nothing to keep it warm.
 
Adam


may never really need one but it is cheap compared to alot of things in this hobby

on what size to run I recommend 2 300watts or 2 250watts then if one goes bad and stays on without shuting off you arent heating the water as much or if it goes bad and wont turn on you have a backup
 
i second that
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chk4tix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 4:27pm
I guess i will add my input on the heaters factor for the tank. My system consists of a 120g display and a 75g frag and a 40g sump. The sump and frag tank are located in the basement and the return is a iwaki 70 pump.  up until a month ago, I ran 2 x250w mh on the display (now switched to t5's) and I have 2 x 150w mh on the frag tank.  With this system, I still needed to use heaters to keep my tank at proper temp levels. (in the winter)  For this I use 3 - 250w heaters. I could just use 1 or 2 but I like the redundency just incase. I had a 500w titanium heater for a while but I got worried about it sticking and frying the fish.  I run all of them off a my ACIII and with a fan, I keep my tank within 1 degree year round. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote downhill_biker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 5:52pm
thanks for all the input everyone.

chk4tix: why would you worry about the titanium heater sticking if it was on a controller? wouldn't the controller turn off all power to the heater at the plug?

also would like to update:

my corals are doing great, much better than i had originally thought. i have small "flecks" of pieces that i thought were completely dead. 1/8" of coral that hopefully will grow back and save my colony.

some of the pieces that have 1/8" to 1/4" left that i thought were dead are:
sunset monti
pokerstar monti
oregon tort
california tort
tyree war coral favia
morningstar monti
radioactive monti
chilli pepper monti
ora green birdsnest

there are probably more, but you get the idea. i thought these were completely dead, and am SO EXCITED that they are alive! thanks again to Greg (Pinner Reef) and Fish 4 U for saving my corals.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chk4tix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 6:01pm
I have has some strange things happen, like the temp sensor going out on the controller.  If the the 500w sticks and a temp sensor calls for heat even though it doesnt need it, things go south really quick.  with the smaller heaters, it takes longer before I hit critical stage.  This problem may or may not happen, but I have plenty of babkup systems just inc ase.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote downhill_biker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 6:08pm
i certainly understand that. temp/thermometers/heaters are some of the worst things in the hobby. honestly i have yet to find anything that is accurate and reliable for heating. digital thermometers suck, heaters never seem to last, and now you tell me that temp sensors go out on controllers. it just really stinks, i wish they could make something truly great for temperature control. maybe i will just stick with my 200w flow through heater, and get like a stealth 300 or something.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trunks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 11:04pm
Originally posted by downhill_biker downhill_biker wrote:

i certainly understand that. temp/thermometers/heaters are some of the worst things in the hobby. honestly i have yet to find anything that is accurate and reliable for heating. digital thermometers suck, heaters never seem to last, and now you tell me that temp sensors go out on controllers. it just really stinks, i wish they could make something truly great for temperature control. maybe i will just stick with my 200w flow through heater, and get like a stealth 300 or something.

I've personally had headers stick before, so I did some reasearch with my current tank. It seems like the consensus of the veteran RC members is that Ranco controllers are the most reliable. I bought mine unwired for less than $60, which is a small price to pay for the peace of mind.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote downhill_biker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2009 at 3:19pm
thanks trucks, i will look into that. do you happen to know of any posts on RC?

got the tank plumbed today, and the back and sides taped up, ready for paint. i will be painting later and it should work pretty well. i am using krylon fusion in black, and will paint the back, the side against the wall, and the overflow area of the showing side. eventually, in another house, i would like to view 3 sides, so i will have to use stripper or razor blades to remove the paint from the one side against the wall.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote downhill_biker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2009 at 3:49pm
Here is the aquascaping plan. I really enjoy open tanks and large rocks. i enjoy rockwork with open caves and lots of places that you can see completely through the rockwork. i plan to keep this in mind when doing my rockwork. island #1 and island #2 will be larger islands and go about 3/4 the way up the tank, maybe even slightly more on one or the other. the anemone island will be small and isolated keeping the anemones away from the corals.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike Savage Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2009 at 7:03pm
I like it though I would consider moving island #2 back some.
 
Mike


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cl2ysta1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2009 at 7:11pm
looks a lot like ours :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote downhill_biker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2009 at 11:51pm
Mike Savage: i am still not set on locations and sizes of islands. this is just the general idea, and i will have to see what it looks like once i get the rock actually in the tank. i do agree that it might make it look nicer if the tank had more open sand/space in the front.

cl2ysta1: i love the open spaces of your rockwork. the arches are awesome. how do you have the rock holding together? do you get rocks that shift very often?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike Savage Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2009 at 12:46am
Don't get me wrong. I like it a lot and think it will look awesome!
 
Mike


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote downhill_biker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2009 at 12:14pm
Mike, not to worry. I took it the right way. I know after seeing many of your photos, that you have a very good artistic eye, and I appreciate that and will take any constructive criticism and keep it in mind when doing my build. Got the black painted on the back and sides, and it looks great. Unfortunately I am getting a lot of glare and can't get pics that turn out. I will have to wait until i get the lights over the tank, that way the light inside is brighter than the light outside.

Going to collect rock tomorrow with MadReefer, and it should be a blast. We are heading out to Stansburry Island and plan to do a half-day adventure collecting rock and sand for our tanks. I will have pics of that event up early next week.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike Savage Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2009 at 12:27pm
I look forward to seeing the pictures and I hope the weather holds out for you.
 
Mike


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote downhill_biker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 07 2009 at 7:50pm
The weather held up great. We had no problem finding sand, but rock was another story. We finally found some, but it wasn't quite the quality that we have seen from some of the others. Found some larger pieces, and they are porous, but not a grade "A" rock. I will post pics of the adventure in a little bit.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote downhill_biker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 07 2009 at 8:47pm
Had a blast today loading up rock and sand. It was very tough to find rock, but sand was pretty easy. Once we found a hot spot for rock, it went pretty good.

Oolitic Sand


Jesse Came with to play in Sand


There were some pretty good views out there. Pictures dont do justice.




And here is where we finally found rock. Hope you all recognize it.



Got it all loaded up, some nice pieces in there!



Here it is all unloaded at home.



Me holding a medium sized rock...lol....we got some big pieces.



Finally a close up of some of the rock. Not perfect, but pretty good.

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I'm glad you found it!
 
Mike


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MadReefer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 08 2009 at 8:38pm
It was a good time. I hope it works out well for your tank and I can't wait to see it setup.
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