My new tank

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 [You must be registered and logged in to see this 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. [You must be registered and logged in to see this 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!
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Good luck with the tank man
make sure to post some progress pictures, can't wait to see that 3D background

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.

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

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"

Gryphon wrote: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"

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

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

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

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

There's a TAP in downtown and another in Bellevue.

Well, to keep a 2 inch overlap, I need a 7"x8" piece to patch with on the inside.

theres a TAP in Lynnwood too. they would have everything u need.

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

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

I'm heading up to TAP in Seattle to pick up my order tomorrow!

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.

What did you end up doing for lighting? I am thinking of doing LED's for my new tank.

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.

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

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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.

Anthraxx wrote: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.

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?

Gryphon wrote: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

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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.

I have looked at that bulb too on ebay. The issue I have with that is the depth. I am thinking with socket and bulb that is going to be pretty tall. I am trying to decide if I want to fuss with doing 12v and a transformer. If you want to order a bunch of them from ebay we might be able to get a better price if we do it together. I am renton so we are prettly close to each other. I think I going to do a MR16 or MR11 put in several sockets blue and white.

Well, from what I've read up they'll fit in a standard light socket, so my current plan is to install 3 standard sockets above. I have enough overhead space that their length isn't going to be an issue. All I have to do is wire them into a switch, and from the switch I have a connector already bought to plug them into a power strip.

Or were you referring to the flood lights I had posted earlier in the thread?

ya its on a planted tank. i would compare the lighting to that of a saltwater setup. its really impressive. long term we'll see how well it works for the plants but so far so good. fish dont mind it and its not burning plants ill try and get a picture of it.

Yeah I'm not sure how well they'd work for a planted tank, I'm keeping live plants to a minimum, if any at all as cichlids are notorious for tearing them up.

The first ones you posted are MR11's they have a different base than a standard socket. They are smaller and have a lower profile. The other side of those is they require a transformer larger than the total wattage of all the bulbs. The second ones use a standard socket, I just wonder how long they will be.

I found this [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] for led's and plants. Its a LOT to read but some pretty good stuff.

Yeah, I'm now looking at these [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] which was in the quote you posted. Those ones aren't MR11's and should fit in a standard socket.

This a good one for a standard base.

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This person seems to have some good pricing.

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Well, the reason I am looking into the latest I listed is I can change the color to blue for moonlighting, which means I don't have to wire leds into the lid panels.

I saw a few of those on there but I am still new to the world of fish. What would the moonlighting be for?

I am thinking about doing a diy inline heater.

Moonlighting is for seeing the nocturnal activities in the tank. With my tank it'll be more for seeing my Striped Raphael Catfish moving about. Also as a nice look for the tank without having to have the main lights on.

Update:
Ok got the patch installed, looks good other than the tiny air bubbles that formed when I got up to get paper towels to wipe the excess cement off.

Stand is done and clear coat is on. Tomorrow it'll be move to the storage unit until I finish the move and get a chance to set it back up

Also shelved my LED lighting system for now. My ideas were getting way too ambitious and the price tag was sky rocketing. So instead for now I'm going to pick up a 4ft fluorescent light at home depot for $11 and use i until I can make up my mind on the LEDs

Gryphon wrote:Update:
Ok got the patch installed, looks good other than the tiny air bubbles that formed when I got up to get paper towels to wipe the excess cement off.

oh no ....better to just leave the extra... live and learn ... future note dont touch the glue either ....unless you want a perma fingerprint in the acrylic
also when you clean the outside of your tank dont use paper towles as it will leave micro scratches over time go get your self a nice micro fiber towel for cleaning possibly save you a lil headache down the road good luck cant wait to see the pict of it up and running

Well, finally got around to filling this bad boy up for the first time to leak test. So far the only leaks I have are from the two plugs for the bottom "ports" (I think at one time the original owner had them set up for a sump?) and thats not a real problem as I just need to get my pliers out and tighten them down. Tomorrow I'm going to start sanding everything down again, the paint bubbled and looks nasty now =(

Also Looks like I'll have to replace the lid portion of the hood. The trim is starting to sag and the plywood on top is starting to separate.

Looking forward to some pics when its set up!

Unfortunately it won't be this year like I wanted. If the wife decides she can handle living in Ohio for a while, we'll be moving east next year. If she can't, then some time around Dec-Jan I'll be getting an apartment and getting that bad boy set up

The waiting is the hardest part!

I wanted my 210g set up to be just right so I took months getting everything ready. Rebuilding/reinforcing the stand, painting it. Buying all the right pieces of equipment. Not wanting to risk any damage to the house, I reinforced the joists underneath. Now that I'm on the home stretch and just waiting for some wood to sink to get fish moved over, I am happy I took my time on it.

Whatever happens, you need to keep us all updated with pics when the time comes!

I plan on it, I'm going to have to chemically strip all the old spray paint off though. I gunked up 5 sander pads today and only got 1/2 of a door done

Gryphon wrote:I plan on it, I'm going to have to chemically strip all the old spray paint off though. I gunked up 5 sander pads today and only got 1/2 of a door done

Its a ton of work but good prep by removing all the old stuff ends up with a much nicer finished product. Just be patient and take your time. Any progress pics for us?

None worth taking yet. I only got half a door stripped down lol