Build Log 44gal Hex

[Waterkeeper]

And so I am ready to begin. it's time to jump in and DO IT! I am a very patient person and plan to do this once, the right way, so let me thank you in advance for your help along the way.

This is a Perfecto 44gal hex that I picked up on clearance from one of my suppliers. I would normally use only Oceanic tanks but I'm use to my saltwater hobby... I'd hate to ruin an Oceanic.
I originally wanted to do a 90gal corner bow.. but man they are expensive.
I got this tank and stand brand new right off the Marineland Semi truck for $84 plus my $12 delivery fee. Managing a pet retail store is the only thing that makes these hobbies of mine affordable!


The Start of something great... The False Bottom will measure 3" from the floor, 1" from the water table, and cover the entire bottom except for the water that will be in the front. I don't want any of the fb, foam or underneath visible so all 3 panes of the front will show only my water feature. (That's my helper in the background)


Here you can see the panel that will give me a compartment in the back that will allow me access to my heater, pump and other equipment behind the scenes. It is going to be sealed in with the GS foam and will touch the glass top preventing any critters from finding their way in.


The red square shows where I am going to mount my circulation fan. I want to re-circulate the air in the tank, not circulate"fresh" air from outside. The pink square shows the outlet for the water feature. I am using head pressure to regulate the right amount of flow instead of a valve.. if this fails to work I can always add a bigger pump. I may also put a fogger in here somewhere. You can also see that the backpiece fits perfect to the lip the glass top sits on preventing critters from finding their way back there. (I got lucky on this one) The glass top will be custom made and open 3 different ways.


I am going to screen up the eggcrate and cut my pvc legs tonight. I plan on doing the foam on friday...
couple questions:

1. is it necessary to run silicone over the entire area of glass that the GS will be applied to if i won't see that side of the glass anyway? and if so do I apply the GS while the silicone is still wet?

2. is a fogger deadly to the animal only if they touch that stream on top, or does it affect the water in some way?

3.
I am thinking of layering these plastic plant pots(cut to fit) largest on bottom leading to smallest on top, up the back wall to make layers of plants ascending the waterfall. any thoughts on that???

[Devil_Boy]

Hey there,

Nice tank by the way i love those corner tanks, although a bow front would be nice i know where your coming from with price, still thats a great deal for that tank.

The Silicone on the glass and such, i beleive hides the GS and it also allows you to remove it from the glass later on in case you decide to do something else with that tank. Ive never siliconed under GS but i have none on my glass.

From what ive read with those foggers, they only effect the water coming out of it, ive never used on in a reptile tank, but i do have those decorative misting lights around my house. and if you do touch the top of it you get a good zap. So you could place it out of the animals reach like under the false bottom and have the fog come out of all the cracks, or even make a fake hollow rock with some wholes in it might work to.

as for the plant pots i dont see why it wouldnt work. once you get your tank more to the decorating stage youll see if it looks good or not. and if its going to work.

[beefcakemighty]

i got the exo terra waterfall fogger combo for only $25 at the flea market heh...when i first got it home i was testing the fogger and when i put my finger on it nothing zapped me but the water is really hot to the touch soo i would use something for a cover and drill holes in it

[Waterkeeper]

I was planning on keeping it out of his reach, i wasn't sure if it put some kind of charge into the water or something rediculous like that....

[beefcakemighty]

ive never had that type of problem it just makes the water directly around it hot

[Waterkeeper]

finally getting to the screen part... I cut the front off my false bottom, cut my 3" pvc pillars and cut the front uprights of eggcrate.

now I am screening them up. I layed the eggcrate out on a piece of screen, cut the outline a little large, smothered the front of the eggcrate in silicone and set it down on top.



It may just be the brand of eggcrate that I bought, but there is one side that has wider edges than the other. like 1/16th inch vs 1/8 inch. realizing this is making this part go much easier.

if anyone else is a graphic design major.. this is the best use you will ever get out of your quark book...


I'll be back later for some more updates.

[Waterkeeper]

I got my false bottom about finished today.
Any ideas on how to close this gap? I have 2 because of the way the front is shaped.




here you can see in the background where I set in the whisper 10i filter. I'm debating on skipping the big water fall and just making a small stream out of this, or using this and the big waterfall.. is 2 waterfeatures overkill???


This is where I am leaving it for today.... silicone the legs onto the FB. after I set it, I thought that I should have siliconed the legs to the tank bottom, then to the FB... DUH.


Here is a 10g I am doing for the FBT's at work. its just giving me some practice on my background skillz.

[Devil_Boy]

Looking good.

Those little gaps i had them to, i just took slivers of eggcrate maybe 2 or 3 boxes wide and put it in behind the other pices then ziptied it and a little bit of silicone, cause once you put stuff on those angle pieces you wont even see the 'cutting & pasting' of eggcrate.

I wouldnt even silicone the legs to the tank, after you get everything on there it will be heavy enough that the platform wont move, although your choice, it wouldnt hurt to.

[Waterkeeper]

I got this stuff in today.... WOOHOOO

The lighting is new to Hagen..should be pretty sweet!
The ballast runs 2 20w 2.0 (or any 20w) has a built in 10,12 or 14 hour timer and lighting cycle, Self Test system, and simulates Dawn/Dusk by phasing the lights on and off instead of just "BOOM" "Let There Be light!".. I'm not sure how you can phase on fluorescents like that, but then again i'm not tooo familiar with electric ballast technology.

[jpstod]

How much did the Dusk to Dawn control run you?