83gallon tower tank

[Giga]

So one my way to work today I stoped to get the glass at the glass cutters and silicone from a local store, and online they had scs1200 and they said had it in stock at their store. When I got there they had no idea what I was talking about so I was little upset, but much to my surprise/delight they had the RTV100 series of silicone which is WAY better then the scs1200. It has a higher tensile strenght and bonding, and is fda aproved for food contact. I got rtv103(clear) and rtv108(black) is what i've been useing for years to build aquariums.




Just for kicks this is my current marine aquarium that I built in 2010 with rtv103

[bobrez]

Nice score on the silicone, looks like the good stuff
What store carries it, quick search showed graingers had it
any others?

[Giga]

nailed that on the head-I had to drive almost a hour to the store(didn't know the existed locally) so thats why I was so perturbed. I wanted to start my tank as soon as I could so I didn't want to order the silicone and have to wait a week or whatever the shipping would be.

On that note I've been reading about false bottom and I'm gonna use leca and then ABG with a eggcrate barrier. Would it be cool to have a 1/2" bulk head in the bottom to drain the excess water. I would have the drain sit 1 inche higher then bottom glass so there will be standing water but anything higher then that would be automactically drained away. I have the ultimate mistking system system on the way and I most likly gonna use a fogger as well so I don't want to have to manually drain excess water away. I'm still debating if I want to install a water feature.

[mcaiger53]

I would skip the leca (I think its the same as hydroton?), as I don't see a need if you are using egg crate. They both serve the same purpose of keeping the substrate out of standing water. Leca and hydroton will also absorb a lot of water and become very heavy which isn't a big deal until you have to move it. I had to move all my tanks last fall and haven't used hydroton since.
Mike

[Giga]

Oh I was under the impression that you use hydroton then the eggcrate with some sort of fine mesh, then the abg?

[goof901]

hydroton AND egg crate is redundant. go with one or the other

[parkanz2]

Originally Posted by Giga

Oh I was under the impression that you use hydroton then the eggcrate with some sort of fine mesh, then the abg?

Leca or egg crate is just to provide structural support with minimal water holding properties for your actual substrate layer. Many of us use egg crate propped up on supports like short pieces of PVC. I like this a little better than LECA personally. I always thought leca was more work and more expensive.

[jacobi]

Originally Posted by Giga

Oh I was under the impression that you use hydroton then the eggcrate with some sort of fine mesh, then the abg?

Its mostly a matter of preference. One isn't really better than the other, and people sometimes get hung up on one over the other. The hydroton is simpler, put down layer of hydroton, put down screening, put down substrate. The false bottom method is more time consuming, since you have to measure, cut, carve, and attach everything. There may be a weight difference, but that's not something I generally take into consideration, partly because its a matter of only several pounds, and partly because it is inconsequential in my opinion. Once you have a tank that size, its already going to be too heavy to be casually moving around, and it isn't going to be heavy enough to require any structural considerations regarding your floor. Personally, I prefer the false bottoms. I find it easier to drain standing water, it allows for easier landscaping, and of course, its something to actually build, which is fun

Jake

[Giga]

The stand alone is pretty heavy, and it's not gonna move from where it is untill I move(that will be fun day) I already ordered the hydroton so I'll just use that and see how it goes.

also and another not I just silicone the the glass together so once that cures in a day or so I'ma start working on the design!!

[Giga]

Siliconed and cureing


didn't silicone the rest of the glass on just yet as I want to have ez acces when I put then the background together as the back and side is where I'll create my background. Also don't know if I said this but this will be going in the corner of my livering room hence the to larger pieces of wood on the back of the stand.