[JimmyTheJeweler]

Well I finally got everone moved from the 55 to the 180. New pics on my website. I am not quite sure I am happy with the lighting. Hmmmm. Must think about this one.

http://www.reeftanker.com/In wall 180.htm

 

[griz]

Wow Jimmy! looks great. How big is that sump?

 

[primetime]

looks great jim sorry about the tank. after seeing your in wall ,think i will remodel basement and put tank in wall

 

[JimmyTheJeweler]

The sump is a old 75 gallon no one wanted because it has the cherry fake wood band around the top. I figured who cares!

 

[hjmtv]

How are you handling calcium? I am always curious if the big tankers go cal reactors or still just supplements. Looks good by the way!!

 

[JimmyTheJeweler]

Well for now I am using AgraMilk and lime water drip at night. Been pretty good so far at a steady 400ppm. My ideal source would be the CA Reactor but this whole project put a $ strain on the old wallet. The lighting is my next thinker not quite sure if it's to much or just to much 20k. Going to be doing som thinking on that one. Maybe should have went VHO or T5 with MH? Who knows you can probally always find something you wish you did better.

 

[primetime]

Ran into somebody in the store tonight, who was telling be about double MH bulbs, the cheap kind. I think their like $14-15 a piece, at home depot. The right K can't be much more. The fixtures are that much money, I'm using them in my backyard. They can't be that simple, or can it. I have to do more reaserch.

 

[wingsfan]

Very nice jimmy, I wish I had a wall big enough to put one in it.

 

[primetime]

my writings prity bad i know thats ok the bulds that i am taking about are only 1/4inch or less di will thous work 500tq/cl/130/ic500wquartz-halogen

 

[John Brancheau]

Looking good Jimmy.........

 

[skylergirl]

Jimmy: take care to shake up that bottle of AragaMilk really well.

I bought a new bottle when I first started my tank. I've used it pretty consistently and shake each and every time. However, it is now almost 1/4 of the bottle left, but there is a HUGE clump/blob of it at the bottom of the bottle. No amount of shaking seems to dissolve the clump. So I guess it's dead?

I have the super big jar of seachem calcium now that I will go through.

But if I get around to using the Aragamilk product again, I'd buy the AragaMite instead. It's the dry powder form. No clumping and you don't pay for the water they premix for you.

Also, a note on your pictures....

What camera are you using? Check out the WHITE BALANCE settings and see if you can manually change those. Put the camera on each white balance option and take the same picture. You'll be able to compare which setting is better when the blues are running. Photoshop probably won't clean that up much unless you REALLY know what you are doing.

About the most I ever do is hit the "automatic" levels, tint or contrast buttons

 

[Ocellaris]

Tank looks great

 

[Mermaid]

You did a great job on building that into the wall! The LR, Euro, sump and tank look great!

 

[JimmyTheJeweler]

Thanks everyone for your commnts. It was alot of work to get this all set up but it was worth it!
Skyler I am using a Kodak DX4530 5mp camera. I will try and mess with the stiings today and see what I can come up with.

 

[krusk]

looking good Jim

if you need some SPS frags to stock your tank shoot me an email

[email protected]

I'm also in grand rapids, 10 mins away from Chowhound

 

[mameloot]

fan's for non canopy enclosed lighting?

What's people's opinion?
Is a fan necessary for an in-wall setup like this. where the lights are hanging well above the tank, not enclosed in a canopy.

Not criticising, Jim... I'm genuinely curious.
I know Metal Halides get REAL hot, but in an open air set up like this, what type of ventilation do people think is best?

Jim's is built in pointing down at the water.
would an external cross ventilation work? Or not enough?

Most of the ventalation I've seen discussed is for canopy set ups, but I'd eventually like to do a wall tank like this in my basement family room. Any good reference material on this type set-up?

BTW - Awsome set-up... good luck!!

 

[JimmyTheJeweler]

One other thing I added black felt around the space between the tank top and canopy bottom so the rest of the basement wouldent be all blue. The fans help alot with the felt up. Without the felt I guess I was more tring to be safe than sorry. I would probally next time put a bathroom vent fan with dryer duct work away from the canopy those computer fans are a little nosy.