From the start... 155g Bowfront RBP tank

[killzmke]

if you go on youtube there are how to videos of how to do your own 3d background. it only costs like $35 to make. im probably doing one for my 125, i have to do 3 pieces but it should work out. goodluck whatever you do.

 

[the buszkock]

Over I've

if you go on youtube there are how to videos of how to do your own 3d background. it only costs like $35 to make. im probably doing one for my 125, i have to do 3 pieces but it should work out. goodluck whatever you do.

ice seen some of those videos and some people have decent results. I'm impressed with all the effort that goes into them. and one guy who I believe might even be on this forum made his by layer Ing fibreglass over the foam and then removing and dissolvin the foam after the fiber glass dried. his came out great. but I don't see results quite as incredibly detailed as the ones cast professionally. It hurts my wallet but I think I'm willing to pay for the extra detail. I don't know, honestly I'm torn because I consider myselfa diy,er. I have lots of respect for those of you attempting backgrounds on your own...

On another note I've been working with acrylic and have a whole new respect for guys like the dude from Melevs reef. this material is so fragile and I'm still learning how to bond pieces properly. and mistakes area lot harder to undo than when I work wi th wood. pictures coming soon. I swear.

 

[kevinfleming21]

dude, very intese progress. Been a while since I dropped in to take a look, amazing work bud!

 

[Aqualoon]

I don't even keep Piranha and I'm enjoying this thread.

Love the comments coming from your son BTW, just wait until he can start posting on MFK

 

[the buszkock]

Since you have water supply right behind the tank, why not do an auto drip system? this way you don't have to change water, EVER~!
as for light, I really like how my metal halide look on my 180g, love the shimmer effect.

as for plants you can go with floating plants like water lettuces, they grow fast and that helps of absorbing nitrate. They can also create coverage at the surface to reduce light in the tank if thats the effect you are looking for. just put some screen/mesh around overflow inlet to keep the plants away. you can also keep them in the sump if you don't want them in the main tank.
as for other plants, typical low light plants will do such as java fern and anubias.

Above was the inspiration and advice to check out fishneedit.com --a site that offers reasonably priced metal halide pendant fixtures. I went with a 70 W fixture that has a shimmer effect. I like it a lot. In fact, I'm considering buying a second fixture so that I can keep this one over the 55 gallon. I set it up to see what it would look like and never even considered putting the old florescents back over the tank. Some pics of the fixture as I was inserting the bulb and some pics of the 55 with the light over it...

PeAcE!
--Mike

 

[jp80911]

glad that you like it.
how come you took it apart? i see you are using the clip to hang it right above the tank, might be too strong and may have algae issue. I have mine ~2ft above the tank.

 

[the buszkock]

glad that you like it.
how come you took it apart? i see you are using the clip to hang it right above the tank, might be too strong and may have algae issue. I have mine ~2ft above the tank.

I took the side off so I could remove the glass and insert the MH bulb, which was packaged separately. Haha, was there a way to insert it without removing the side panel and sliding out the glass?

As for the position of the light, although there's no algae problem YET, I'm sure you're right. I haven't had a chance to hang the light from the pendant. Like I said, I wasn't sure if this was going to be a permanent thing at first, I was just trying to get a feel for the light. I'll have to attach the pendant from the ceiling because there's no canopy on this tank. You can see from the pictures how much brighter it is being so close to the water's surface than in your tank. I like the way yours looks so when I commit to keeping this light over this tank I'll be sure to raise it up.

 

[jp80911]

I took the side off so I could remove the glass and insert the MH bulb, which was packaged separately. Haha, was there a way to insert it without removing the side panel and sliding out the glass?

As for the position of the light, although there's no algae problem YET, I'm sure you're right. I haven't had a chance to hang the light from the pendant. Like I said, I wasn't sure if this was going to be a permanent thing at first, I was just trying to get a feel for the light. I'll have to attach the pendant from the ceiling because there's no canopy on this tank. You can see from the pictures how much brighter it is being so close to the water's surface than in your tank. I like the way yours looks so when I commit to keeping this light over this tank I'll be sure to raise it up.

that's strange, mine came with the bulb already installed. what color temperature did you order? mine is 8000K

 

[the buszkock]

that's strange, mine came with the bulb already installed. what color temperature did you order? mine is 8000K

6700 K

Hey, at least now you know how you'll change the bulb if it blows out. Four phillips head screws and a few sliding panels. haha

 

[jp80911]

yea, good to know. let me know how you like the light and post some pics after you have it setup in the 155. wanna see if I should order more of the 8000k bulbs or 6700k