Fishtank Coffee Table / Glass-Bottom Effect

[mxracer19]

Update: So I drained the display tank and turned the table around to set the overflow at the high point. By doing this, filling the tank, and venting the last tiny bit of air with some airhose I was able to fill the tank. However as the tank has been running for aproximatly 20 minutes, the display glass is beginning to collect micro-bubbles. These micro-bubbles, if not eliminated, would cause an obstruction to viewing. If a dynamic "air pocket removal system" was not in place, these micro-bubbles would eventually collect into larger air pockets. Therefore, I shall propose my "dynamic air removal system"...

1/8" soft airline run to 3 corners excluding the overflow drain corner, pressed against the display glass. All three airlines pass through one of the drains and down into the sump where they are routed to the back of a Koralia nano located within the refugium. Hopefully, the Nano will draw enough water through the airline to bring air with it. This system would be similar to the "siphon break preventer" that you might find on many DIY HOB overflows.

...This project has failed at simplicity.

Ideas?
-Matt

[steelyphil]

Can you post pictures of what you have now? Is that pipe on the top going to stay like that or will you cover it up somehow?

[mxracer19]

Everything is in the same position as it was in the other pictures posted, the only difference is that there's water in the tank. If I can figure out how to link to videos, I'll post a video of the system running to show the supply and return. Those 2 white overflow drains will most likely stay white if I decide to go ahead with the glass-bottom effect. Mom hooked me up with a nice basket that I can invert overtop to act as a cover/shelf

-Matt

[gouch]

Originally Posted by mxracer19

Update! Success! Or close enough to it. With the top siliconed on it holds enough pressure to overcome the head of the overflow system. The two 1" overflow/drains are enough to prevent a siphon from forming. The Rio 1100 provides enough power to cause a mild current through the tank.

At this stage, the only minor setback is developing a way to "burp" the display tank to purge the air from the area above the vent opening. This may be as simple as shimming the table to ensure that the overflows are at the relative highpoint and inserting a tube through an overflow to vent the area around the overflow then removing the tube, or as complex as drilling a small hole in the opposite corner of the overflows to fit an airline valve in order to vent the system, closing it after all the air has exited. Sea trials will determine.

If an airline valve is fitted, I can see this project slowly becoming more "fish tank" and less "coffee table"...but at this point my only goal is stable operation.

-Matt

congrats! its always a good feeling to work hard on something and succeed. i think even the little bumps along the road keep it interesting.

IMO the aircontrol valve would give you the most control over the system. im sure if you shopped around you could find something that would work well for your purpose of keeping the coffee table look.

post some pics, and we'll all help you brainstorm.

[quader94]

i had to hit you with the squirrel lol

[gouch]

have you started considering what you want to keep in the system?
or how your going to light the tank?

i was thinking......maybe a t5HO retrofit kit that surrounds the top rim of the tank.
4 bulbs, one on each side. then you would have to use reflectors that were at a 90 degree to keep the light directed down and from going up into the room.
you could probably use 2 actinics and 2 daylights just like any fixture. just put the opposite each other. or if you wanted to keep some more needy corals you could use an 8 bulb retrofit kit and put an actinic and a daylight on each side.

all depends on what you want.....just some things for you to consider.

[gouch]

Originally Posted by quader94

i had to hit you with the squirrel lol

hahahahaha i almost did but i thought..........this is his first thread ill give him a break,lol

[Schreff]

I wanna see fish in it lol.

[gouch]

Originally Posted by Schreff

I wanna see fish in it lol.

lol, i know me too, i just figured we would let him build it first

[mxracer19]

ALRIGHT guys! Update time! I got it running, but I scrapped the glass-bottom effect and Im quite happy....except for the fact that the glass periodically fogs. Im working on that. ANYWAY! My point is that I filled the tank with some local sand and NSW, along with 15 or so pounds of homemade DIY aragocrete. Check out my other post on that. The tank is now home to my rather aggressive blue-finned damsel, as well as three B&W stripped damsels added last night. The tank no longer has that pink tint from the "aquarium and plant" lighting...I have since moved my 30" T5 fixture over from my other tank after getting MH's. A computer fan is going to keep the glass clear as soon as I get a little more cash. Ill post pictures later as Im currently wasting time in class.

-Matt!

[Kyuss]

Sweet! Can't wait to see pics!

[Loverotties]

Yes pics!

[mxracer19]

[J-LUIS]

OMG thats super cool! Now how do you clean the top of the glass?

[mxracer19]

The top comes right off...it just sits there. Once every few days I remove the top and wipe it down with a little windex. I just ordered a set of fans for those two holes to reduce condensation on the interior glass...thats why that last picture is a little fuzzy.