My restored/used 75 gal starphire

[phishmonkey]

Picked this up from (son619) SDreef member last month. Wish I had a before pick of the MDF/particle board. Alot of sanding and soaking up the parts of wood that expanded with wood glue. Hit it w/lots of primer & Rustoleum semi gloss. Previous owner siliconed a mirror to the back to black it out. Took me a day to crack and peel the mirror off the back. Re-silicone the corners & painted bottom white. Going bare bottom. Working on canopy & DIY canopy lift with car hood shocks. More pics to come. This will be a stoner tank for the most part some chalice and favias on the bottom. Im torn between MH & T5's...havent decided yet.



75gal went to a new home

 

[Reefer08]

Wow nice tank! Nice stand, looks great. Im interested in seeing the car shocks for the canopy!

 

[phishmonkey]

Well, canopy being re-built. I just purchased 2-400 watt radium set-ups from an SDreef member. What do you think? One on a light railwith couple of T5 actininc or run both with a short photoperiod. Seems like its too much but they are 20k Radiums. I run a 250wt Radium over my 24NC w/ great results. Tips or suggestions anyone. Why 400's? I thought it was a good deal. I could always save them for a bigger tank.
http://www.sdreefs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59549

 

[Letsgotothezoo]

Wow..nice tank.

Pls post more progress pictures.:elefant:

 

[EyeReef]

Thats a sweet tank...whats the dimension on the 75 gallon 48x18x20?

Your going to cook your fish with those lights:loldude:

 

[phishmonkey]

Yup...48x18x20. Guess I will put one 400 on a light rail & supp w/ couple blue+ T5. That should fill dark spots while light moves. Anyone wanna buy the extra 400 set up?

 

[phishmonkey]

Never finished the 75gal. Sold it cuz there were too many deals on tanks that I couldn't pass up. I'm working on this. Initially I chose the 75gal cuz of its size and ease of cleaning. In the back of my head I always wanted a 4x2x2.

First ,Picked up scav1180 (Joe) 4x2x2 120gal with canopy and stand. Then traded his tank and got the above...time to do a little cleaning. I think this one is a keeper.

 

[LotsaFishies]

oooh...gorgeous tank dims!

 

[Tangwich]

that's not scav's old tank..his has a left corner overflow...that tank you posted I'm pretty sure is yinger's old tank IIRC.

 

[Letsgotothezoo]

Yes, that's Yinger's old tank. He swapped the tank with me because he wants starfire glass front.

Chris, time for vinegar bath.......:loldude:

that's not scav's old tank..his has a left corner overflow...that tank you posted I'm pretty sure is yinger's old tank IIRC.

 

[phishmonkey]

that's not scav's old tank..his has a left corner overflow...that tank you posted I'm pretty sure is yinger's old tank IIRC.

Sorry, was too lazy to load scavs pics, left out the trading part. You get the idea though...Bigger is better!!!:evil:

 

[phishmonkey]

K...w/ bigger tank I still don't know if I should still run one 400 watt on light rail. Both 400's since tank & canopy is taller. Or just find dual 250watt setup.
I see alot of 120g running just two 250 wattmh. I'm thinking 2 -400's would be wasting electrcity.
With the 400's coral placemnt won't be an issue, but turning my living room into toaster oven will.

 

[marcof]

I think a dual 250 watt setup would work fine and uses less electricity. You could always supplement with t5's but i don't think its necessary. I switched from 400's to 250's and have been very happy. I know a few others who have also switched and get great growth on their sps.

HTH,
Marco

 

[EyeReef]

How about all T-5s..you wont regret it and your can use all the money that you save from the electricity bill to buy other goodies

 

[phishmonkey]

How about all T-5s..you wont regret it and your can use all the money that you save from the electricity bill to buy other goodies

I was gonna go all T5's. I was impressed with my cousins tank that ran all T5's. Every frag I gave him outgrew my microcolony in just a few months. I love the shimmies and the deep color Radium /super actinic gives me. T5 coloration is too flat and pastel looking to me. I know T5's in the right hands can produce some amazing sps coloration, I just don't have those skills right now.

That was alot of coraline,ran outta vinegar. Boy my arms smell like a d---he!!!

 

[Wes]

if you're not afraid of fuming acid, use muratic acid to clean it. works amazingly quickly and well. just wear gloves and a mask or t-shirt over your mouth and do it outside.

 

[marcof]

Muriatic acid works great. Home depot sells a diluted version in gallon containers. I have used it to clean some old tanks. Be careful with it, it can burn you and if you get it on concrete it will fizz up.

HTH,
Marco

 

[Letsgotothezoo]

Use the DD EZ Klean. Muriatic acid is too strong...might burn your hand.

 

[phishmonkey]

Use the DD EZ Klean. Muriatic acid is too strong...might burn your hand.

I will go buy some of this. The coraline on the glass was easy to get off with vinegar and a fresh razor blade. The stuff on the overflow is a PITA.

 

[Letsgotothezoo]

I don't think you need to remove all the coraline from the back wall. Leave it alone. It will grow again in no time anyway......:fish: