melev

midnight - the LFS by my house has a guy welding stands for his store, and I love them. So I'm going to hire him to build this one. Hopefully I'll meet up with him tomorrow to get that started. Marineland doesn't offer metal stands, nor do they hire someone to build them.

syedjilani - I've seen these external overflows for the past few years, but it was crucial to me that I couldn't see it. If it couldn't be hidden from sight, I didn't want to do it. With the acrylic sheet hiding everything, it was finally possible. I hate seeing the silicone line in the back panel of a tank, and even with an 84" front to back depth (looking from the 36" kitchen panel), I didn't want to see it. I asked for black or smoked glass, but that wasn't an option, and acrylic was the best solution. I"ll do my best to avoid scratching it, since I do like to keep the walls of my tank clean.

mro2you2 & TomNeely - the back of the shirt says "saving the reef one frag at a time..." with a image of a birdsnest frag on a frag plug. The store is Aquarium Oddballs and their number is 918-831-0099 Feel free to call and ask if they offer them still.

David - I'd like to think that the tank will be plumbed in and running by November 1. I'm not positive when the livestock will go in. I may plumb the vats into the new system so that all the water is shared as a larger system, then move the livestock over, then break down the vats.

agsansoo - I need to gut the fishroom 100% first, but I'm planning to pour more concrete to make the entire fishroom floor one height. I'm on the fence at the moment, but I'm considering pouring 2" more on top of the current slab and making the room match. Once everything is out of the way, I hope to get a better feel of the condition of the concrete slab, and may bring in some experts to give me their recommendations.

Ryan - no, that is all euro-bracing, double thick for strength. Having a 270 degree surface skimming tray would be an eye sore unless I lowered the woodwork enough to hide it. That would results in a shallow looking tank, something like an Oreo cookie. I don't want that look, which is why I didn't make this tank shorter than the last one.

Chrisfowler99 - custom tanks are expensive. One local company was going to clone my 280g and their bid was just over $3800. AGE tanks aren't cheap - they are gorgeous. My friend Mike in Austin still hasn't added a drop of water to his, and he's had it for well over a year in his new home. The one thing I've heard about AGE is that you have to wait a little longer than you want for a tank. That's what I've read, as I don't have personal experience with them. I've been seeing these Marineland Brick tanks since MACNA two years ago and loved them. When I wanted a new one that wasn't off the shelf, they were ready to discuss my ideas and help make it become real. What I really appreciate about the entire process is that in the end I got exactly what I asked for, not having to sacrifice anything on my list of desires. Maybe I'm not that demanding, or my list was a simple one. I mean, I didn't even ask them to drill any holes in the display area - who does that?! hehe

With the overflow being full width, I'm going to be fabricating some type of wood panel / access door. This not only allows me to wrap the tank with what I hope is a good looking built-in, but allows me to get to that area from the living room side when needed. The underside of the tank will be accessible from the livingroom as well. The woodwork will be held on with magnets.

Bobby - yep, once I have everything out of the way, I'll be calling you for the electrical phase and to discuss the concrete.

Raddogz - That's why it is called a dream tank.

Phil - LOL - no, I want this tank to run flush with the walls this time. No more overhang. Sump fits underneath neatly.

Cruelle - thanks.

Thanks everyone!

What kind of design are you thinking to build for your new sump?? I'm curious what you think will be an improvement over your last sump design??

congrats MELEV!!!! i had a feeling this new tank was gonna be awsome cant wait... and i know you are going to post awsome pics of it

duhfactor - The first step is knowing what will fit in the stand. Layout-wise, I've got a few ideas. I just need to lock in the stand tomorrow to proceed with how the sump will be laid out. It's a little tricky when you are building something and nothing exists yet (tank nor stand), so I'm trying to map everything out to the inch before I start. I want this sump to fit under the tank so that it is flush when you stand behind the tank. I don't want to have to have to lean over a sump any longer.

reefer50 - of course! Without pictures, it never happened.

melev, thanks for the response. I got in contact with the local Marineland dealer last night and sent in a request for a quote. I'm curious how it compares to a recent AGE quote. I know I'd be happy with a tank built by either company. Now it's just a matter of how much it costs and how long I have to wait to get it to my door.

Looking great. Can't wait to see the actual move happen.