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Unread 02/28/2013, 06:42 PM   #76
sfsuphysics
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Interesting read, I have a shallow guy coming down the pipe whenever I can get some time to start cleaning out my basement and doing a major reno on it. I've run a lot of my tanks without sand because it's so much "cleaner" plus it's kind of neat to have corals growing right on the bottom, however I was tempted to put sand in just to make it loo nicer. Reading through this I was wondering how your vortec pumps didn't just blow it all to hell considering the height of the tank, however seeing all the nastiness on the sand it reminded me why I took sand out of my tank a long time ago

Great job, I think I might steal that bar idea though, seems like a neat way to really "sit up to" the tank. Did the canopy ever go up?


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Unread 03/01/2013, 11:49 AM   #77
JRChristiansen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bryanracing95 View Post
i also removed most of the sand in my 150 reef. Since I removed it the brown slime has disappeared! Im breaking my tank down now to move to a new home but when i set the system back up i plan to use crushed coral or crushed live rock for substrate. Should be alot better i believe because water will be able to flow through it better to flush out the detritus.
I have been dealing with this with my last 2 set ups. I am also thinking about maybe putting some crushed coral in there but I think I'm going to run bare bottom for a few months to see how things go.

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Originally Posted by sfsuphysics View Post
Interesting read, I have a shallow guy coming down the pipe whenever I can get some time to start cleaning out my basement and doing a major reno on it. I've run a lot of my tanks without sand because it's so much "cleaner" plus it's kind of neat to have corals growing right on the bottom, however I was tempted to put sand in just to make it loo nicer. Reading through this I was wondering how your vortec pumps didn't just blow it all to hell considering the height of the tank, however seeing all the nastiness on the sand it reminded me why I took sand out of my tank a long time ago

Great job, I think I might steal that bar idea though, seems like a neat way to really "sit up to" the tank. Did the canopy ever go up?
yeah I want to get some corals growing right off the bottom. I just had to place the vortecs just right so I wouldn't get a sand storm. Thank you. Yeah also use the bar to walk on to access the tank. No I haven't put a canopy on it because I'm doing a 400 LED build for the tank.


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Unread 03/01/2013, 12:32 PM   #78
sfsuphysics
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yeah the bar/walk way is something that might be necessary considering the tank I'm setting up is 5 feet wide. Funny thing is I had an 8' x 3' x 18" I got for ultra-cheap that unfortunately is just collecting dust in my garage, and then this next one pops in my lap, who knows I might use the other one for a sump


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Unread 03/01/2013, 02:27 PM   #79
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Sweet tank. Love the dimensions and your aquascaping. I think the two center overflows are great. Love the idea of a 4-side viewable tank. If you ever want to sell it, LMK!

How did you build your pillars? Did you cement rocks together when dry? did you use any PVC for a structure? What cement did you use between the rocks?


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Unread 03/09/2013, 10:24 AM   #80
JRChristiansen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sfsuphysics View Post
yeah the bar/walk way is something that might be necessary considering the tank I'm setting up is 5 feet wide. Funny thing is I had an 8' x 3' x 18" I got for ultra-cheap that unfortunately is just collecting dust in my garage, and then this next one pops in my lap, who knows I might use the other one for a sump
yeah the walk way makes it easy to get to the center of the tank.

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Sweet tank. Love the dimensions and your aquascaping. I think the two center overflows are great. Love the idea of a 4-side viewable tank. If you ever want to sell it, LMK! thank you. yeah sometimes I wish I just had one over flow at one end.

How did you build your pillars? Did you cement rocks together when dry? did you use any PVC for a structure? What cement did you use between the rocks?
I built my pillers useing marco rocks cement kit it works the best. I have tryed fiberglass rods and didnt like it as much. yeah I put them together when the rocks are dry.


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Unread 03/16/2013, 10:00 PM   #81
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JR- great tank, I've read this thread and watched the youtube videos several times! I've wanted a shallow tank like this a while and I just recently stumbled on a deal at my LFS that I couldn't walk away from: 9.5'L x 4'W x 16" T. You've had your tank up and running at least a year now, right? What would you do differently or what suggestions might you have given the tank dimensions?


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Unread 03/17/2013, 03:53 AM   #82
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Awesome LED setup in the first page. And I see you're making a new LED set right now too?

Do share on where you sourced the LEDs and hardware used. Thanks.


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Unread 05/06/2013, 06:57 PM   #83
JRChristiansen
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Originally Posted by guserto4 View Post
JR- great tank, I've read this thread and watched the youtube videos several times! I've wanted a shallow tank like this a while and I just recently stumbled on a deal at my LFS that I couldn't walk away from: 9.5'L x 4'W x 16" T. You've had your tank up and running at least a year now, right? What would you do differently or what suggestions might you have given the tank dimensions?
yes for over a year. I would not put any kind of sand in it to start off to see how things go. I would have added a lot more flow from the get go. I would have cut out one of my center overflow boxes.


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Unread 05/06/2013, 06:59 PM   #84
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Originally Posted by wideawake View Post
Awesome LED setup in the first page. And I see you're making a new LED set right now too?

Do share on where you sourced the LEDs and hardware used. Thanks.
thank you. yes I will be making a bigger one real soon. I am using satis 3w LEDs.


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Unread 05/23/2013, 06:24 PM   #85
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Here are some updates on my tank hope you enjoy the video. watch in HD!!!!

[IMG][/IMG]


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Unread 06/02/2013, 06:43 PM   #86
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JR, love the new video. Of all the tanks on reefcentral yours is one of the most similar to what I have and I am itching to get mine setup! You mentioned issues with sand blowing around as why you went BB. I am interested in doing a sand bottom with my tank, though it is 3" shorter than yours. Did you have problems because the powerheads couldn't be orientated to stop the sand shifting? I am considering a non-traditional setup without powerheads at all (instead a lot of blower inlets) to very precisely control water movement and am wondering specifically what you tried in your own quest to keep the sand from blowing before you decided on BB. Any advice on how or why would be great! Thanks!!!


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Unread 08/03/2013, 03:52 PM   #87
Stork141
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Great build i have always wanted to do a shallow reef. I may have missed it too amazed at the pictures but have you had any problems with jumpers at all? Thats is just the one thing that scares me with going with a shallow tank.


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Unread 09/10/2013, 07:35 PM   #88
JRChristiansen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by guserto4 View Post
JR, love the new video. Of all the tanks on reefcentral yours is one of the most similar to what I have and I am itching to get mine setup! You mentioned issues with sand blowing around as why you went BB. I am interested in doing a sand bottom with my tank, though it is 3" shorter than yours. Did you have problems because the powerheads couldn't be orientated to stop the sand shifting? I am considering a non-traditional setup without powerheads at all (instead a lot of blower inlets) to very precisely control water movement and am wondering specifically what you tried in your own quest to keep the sand from blowing before you decided on BB. Any advice on how or why would be great! Thanks!!!
THANKS!!! I could not keep the sand clean with out turning up the power heads and blowing it around. but I may try a crushed coral bottom with a ton of flow in the future

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Originally Posted by Stork141 View Post
Great build i have always wanted to do a shallow reef. I may have missed it too amazed at the pictures but have you had any problems with jumpers at all? Thats is just the one thing that scares me with going with a shallow tank.
no not since I built a screen top out of netting from B.R.S.


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Unread 10/20/2013, 06:43 AM   #89
azzkr
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This is such a amazing tank. Good job well planned out. Love that you can sit around the tank and rest a beer on the ledge. Any new pics or videos?


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Unread 11/08/2013, 12:01 PM   #90
JRChristiansen
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This is such a amazing tank. Good job well planned out. Love that you can sit around the tank and rest a beer on the ledge. Any new pics or videos?
No but I'll post some more as soon as I get the basement further along. I kinda had a crash over the summer so I lost a lot of corals in the process . But all my fish are doing good!


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Unread 11/08/2013, 04:42 PM   #91
Oiva
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Awesome tank!


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Unread 11/16/2013, 02:04 PM   #92
JRChristiansen
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Awesome tank!
Thank you!


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Unread 09/08/2015, 11:29 PM   #93
Ssteve
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Any updates?


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Unread 11/16/2017, 03:15 PM   #94
JRChristiansen
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Any updates?
Lol yeah the tank got a bad Dino infestation. Just about wiped all the coral out of the tank. Killed just about all my clean up crew most of the fish are doing good. Im In the middle of a 10-day lights out blackout with ozone to kill the dinos. I will post pictures Sunday morning when I remove the curtains to see if my tank is still salvageable without a restart fingers crossed.

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Unread 11/19/2017, 03:25 PM   #95
JRChristiansen
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Well after a 10day black out this is where the tank is now. No signs of dinos yet fingers crossed. Fish all survived lost a little bit or red monti.

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Unread 11/19/2017, 05:11 PM   #96
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Great tank you have! I assume it is made of acrylic? What is the thicknesses of the bottom and sides sheets?


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Unread 11/19/2017, 05:24 PM   #97
JRChristiansen
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Great tank you have! I assume it is made of acrylic? What is the thicknesses of the bottom and sides sheets?
Thanks! Yes acrylic. 3/4" sides and 1/2" bottom and top

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Unread 11/20/2017, 09:44 PM   #98
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The dinos are still gone. I removed some of the detritus on top of the sand bed and did a small 35gallon water change. Tank still looks pretty clear and the corals are starting to open up. I turned on the mh for about an hour-and-a-half today and the t5s for 6 hours.

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Unread 11/21/2017, 09:58 PM   #99
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Seen some signs of Dino today in a few small places but other then that all clear still.

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Unread 11/21/2017, 10:00 PM   #100
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Still looks 99% better then before

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