My ReefMonkey nano buildoff entry

[dobejazz]

I'm glad you were able to pull ahead and win Your tank is beautiful. None of the others seemed to have the attention to detail that yours has. but I only read your threads so I guess I'm biased.
again a sincere congrats!! You deserved the win.
Kelli

[Whitten]

Yardboy, you are just the guy I was looking for...(I mean that in the best way possible).

I am about to build my own grow out tank and it looks as though you have built the exact dimensions and tank that I wish to build.

I have a few questions for you, and they are as follows.

When siliconing the tank to gether did you rest the sides on top of the bottom glass, or on the sides? I would guess on top of the bottom plate of glass but I could be very wrong.

Any suggestions to a first time tank builder?

I noticed your Euro Bracing how did you secure it at the places where it met up to the other pieces of glass?

Thanks for the help man. I am really excited to see a tank like this. You really gave me some great ideas.

[yardboy]

Here's my thread to building the system for the contest:

http://www.reefmonkey.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=118

I decided the dimensions and went to www.garf.org where there's a tank building section and I pretty much followed that. Look on the left side index for "How To-pages", it's under there. The tank has to rest on the side pieces, otherwise the bottom glass may crack. Notice the thin dowels used to elevate the bottom glass 1/4".
On the braces, garf's are overkill. Another contestent just used some triangular pieces in the corners (See Codetoad's buildoff entry in the same forum as mine at Reefmonkey) and I think they'd do fine, if you're using 1/4" glass. any thinner and you'd have to use the ful braces. They're put together with silicone same as the sides. O, and the holes were cut with a Dremel and diamond bits. That's fun too, and you can place them just were you want them.
I found that it's much easier for your first time to have an extra set of hands to help hold it in place while you tape. The silicone starts to skin over pretty fast and to get nice neat joints you need to work fast so you can smooth out the silicone in the corners before it starts to skin.
Good luck! It was my first tank also, but I've gone on to several more and refugiums etc.

[yardboy]

Hey guys!

I was cleaning my skimmer yesterday and decided to take a shot of my refugium. That's "Spike", my "lawnmower" Diadema urchin. I say lawnmower because he is very handy when a little algae patch crops up. I just put him right on the patch and he eats it all up! Then its back in the refugium. MAybe one day he'll be trained enough to climb up on my finger, but as for now it's a very gentle process, don't want to break off any of his spines, particularly in my finger!

[VWD]

Roger I will be the first to ask this. I am in a build off on TRT and I know You will want to Vote for My tank, I voted for your tank on reefmonkey and I hope You can do the same for me on TRT!. LOL

[capt2000]

hey, wait a minute. I was counting on that vote

[yardboy]

VWD, since you voted for me, I'll vote for you.

[yardboy]

Capt, if you'll vote for me, I'll vote for you.

[yardboy]

Wharyat, if you'll vote for me, I'll vote for you.

[yardboy]

Ooops. Well, it worked with the Democrats anyway!

[VWD]

Originally Posted by yardboy

VWD, since you voted for me, I'll vote for you.

I bet You will. LOL

[tabwyo]

no padding the vote

[VWD]

It'sa not padding the Vote, LOL

[yardboy]

I received two gift certificates as the winner of the nano buildoff. One from www.midwestreefs.com and one from www.fishworlddirect.com

Jeff at Fishworld Direct was able to get me a copy of Vol. II of Delbeek and Sprungs "The Reef Aquarium" and I've had much pleasure reading about soft corals and anemones. I've had Vol. I for some years and have about read a hole in it. Now working on Vol. II!

Steve at Midwest Reefs, with a fantastic collection of corals, but who unfortunately for me had a huge sale right after I got the gift, and I was too slow to take advantage. So I waited for awhile and finally scored these nice pieces. I've always wanted an A. tortuosa, and this one is very healthy and its polyps opened immediately. Hopefuly I can keep the sweeper tentacles from a nearby Favia off of it.



I've had some good luck with millepora frags, but don't have a green, and I think this one has colored tips:



Finally, I got a red M. digitata, it was a great price, and though I was a little doubtful from the photo, it really is red, compared to my orange one.


Thanks Guys, for some great prizes!