165 Restore

ryant

Member
Hey this is a little project ive been documenting for about a month now. Just wanted to share to maybe get some constructive feedback. Its all posted in another forum so ill copy the progress over to here since im not gettin much feedback there.
I picked up the tank today. Good and bad news. Good news i was able to get him down to $50 w a brand new fluval 204 filter thats never been used. Bad news, it needs more work done than I thought. The trim along the top and bottom is cracked and discolored. The silicone along the inside looks sloppy, but it did hold water over night with no leaks. I kinda planned on resealing it anyway. Rather do it now instead of problems down the road with it filled. The glass on this thing is THICK. That raises the question: Why does this thing have a center brace? Is it because of the thickness of the glass or that fact that is not really that wide? The tank has to be over 10 years old. Its lasted this long without a brace, I guess its ok. The actual glass itself has no major scratches. This will be an ongoing project. Planning on totally resealing it and replace all the trim. The stand structurally is beefed up and will be ok but aesthetically it needs to be sanded and stained. Ill keep some updates goin on as I go through the process. I snapped some quick pics of it outside. Will it be ok outside as it sits for now? Im goin to put something over the top it to keep the weather off it. Ive got the stand at my neighbors house in his garage. Any links for trim and resealing would be appreciated. I put a quarter up to the glass for reference in that last pic.


 

ryant

Member
Update: Fought the cold and got most of the old silicone out. Man was this stuff thick. Still have a little bit left. Goin to get the rest out in the next couple days and hopefully be able to tape it up and throw some new silicone back in this weekend.


 

ryant

Member
Update on tank: So i stripped most of the trim off the tank and razor'd off the silicone that was under it and painted the trim. Still have a long way to go. Still have the rest of the silicone on the inside to do and the back and bottom trim to remove and paint. Then I will reseal the inside and reseal the the trim back on. So far so good, if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Im a newbie at this.




 

ryant

Member
Small update, since ive run out of things to do. Taped up the tank and put a coat of flat black on for the background. I want to seal this puppy up, but i have to find out on the curing process with temperatures being below freezing at night.



 

ryant

Member
So it warmed up enough today to reseal this thing up. Man this was a little more hectic than i thought it was gonna be. Had my 3 yr son out there with me helping out. Every time I looked around, he had silicone from hand to hand. I put it on thick just for insurance. Im goin to let it cure for a week and then go back and clean it up with a razor. I taped up the sides, but didnt really worry about the bottom since you wont see it with the sand covering it.





 

ryant

Member
One week later: I just put some water in (maybe 2 inches worth) to see if the bottom seal is good. So far no leaks. Ive got to wait to get my neighbor to help me put it up on the stand on level ground to fill it full.
 

ryant

Member
4 days later : Set the stand on level ground and put the tank up on it. Filled it up and it looks good with no leaks so far. Will take some pics tomorrow.
 

browniebuck

Active Member
I would be VERY leery of keeping the tank outside...I don't trust people. Someone could see that thing outside and just destroy it (I know that the glass is thick...but, a pellet gun and/or someone's shoe is all it takes to make for a bad morning).
Other than that, looks good so far. What are the dimensions of the tank? Are you planning on going fish only or are you going to go for a reef? Do you have any pictures of the stand?
 

ryant

Member
Originally Posted by browniebuck
http:///forum/post/3217275
I would be VERY leery of keeping the tank outside...I don't trust people. Someone could see that thing outside and just destroy it (I know that the glass is thick...but, a pellet gun and/or someone's shoe is all it takes to make for a bad morning).
Other than that, looks good so far. What are the dimensions of the tank? Are you planning on going fish only or are you going to go for a reef? Do you have any pictures of the stand?
Yes, thats been mention to me about vandalism and im hopeing it wont be outside much longer. Ive got a tarp that will cover it if needed. I live in a cul-de-sac and know all the kids around, so hopefully no one will mess with it. The dimensions are 72 long x 18 deep x 30 high. I wish it wasnt so tall and a bit more wider. Ill take some pics of it on the stand. Thats the only thing left to do is to figure out what im goin to do with the stand. Im thinking i will re-trim it and paint it black. As far as the strength of it goes, theres nothing wrong with it.
Ive had a 55 gallon fowlr setup for a year know and i will be moving everything from it over to the 165.
 

browniebuck

Active Member
I just went from my 55 FOWLR to my new 125...I could sit in the family room downstairs ALL NIGHT and just watch my fish. I had wanted tangs since I started saltwater...and now I can have them. I have a lavender tang that is gorgeous and so much fun to watch!
 

ryant

Member
Originally Posted by browniebuck
http:///forum/post/3217284
I just went from my 55 FOWLR to my new 125...I could sit in the family room downstairs ALL NIGHT and just watch my fish. I had wanted tangs since I started saltwater...and now I can have them. I have a lavender tang that is gorgeous and so much fun to watch!

Nothing more relaxing than sittin on the couch and watching your tank. Cold beer helps too
 

handbanana

Member
Hey Welcome to the site. its a life saver( Ive found).
Thats going to be a cool build. Im watching.
Id be a little worried about no center brace, did It have one in it once? I started My whole project over do to no center brace in my 60 gal. Just too nerve wracking seeing how much the tank bowed when filled.
Good Luck!! cant wait to see more pics.
 

ryant

Member
Originally Posted by Handbanana
http:///forum/post/3217326
Hey Welcome to the site. its a life saver( Ive found).
Thats going to be a cool build. Im watching.
Id be a little worried about no center brace, did It have one in it once? I started My whole project over do to no center brace in my 60 gal. Just too nerve wracking seeing how much the tank bowed when filled.
Good Luck!! cant wait to see more pics.
Thanks for checking it out. This tank has never had a center brace. They made this tank back when the glass was wayyyy thicker than what it is now. Its been filled for 24 hours and has no bow at all to it. The glass is 5/8 of a inch. thick.
 

bmkj02

Member
My 125 AGA tank also has no center brace and its 5/8 thick. Its awesome cause of it missing the center brace you can avoid the shadowing if you go with 2 metal halides. I recommend 2 x 400w MH or 3 x 250w MH. It looks awesome. Great job
 

ryant

Member
Originally Posted by bmkj02
http:///forum/post/3217466
My 125 AGA tank also has no center brace and its 5/8 thick. Its awesome cause of it missing the center brace you can avoid the shadowing if you go with 2 metal halides. I recommend 2 x 400w MH or 3 x 250w MH. It looks awesome. Great job

Thanks, Ive currently got a T5 setup thats goin on this tank. I was wanting to go trimless but i couldnt get the glass clean enough around the top.
 

ryant

Member
So ive been thinking about it and i'd be crazy not to go ahead and brace the middle top while ive got it empty just for insurance. Now heres the question: What size glass should i get cut for this? How thick and how wide should i get it?
 

ryant

Member
Took off the trim and doors and gave it a couple coats of paint today. Hopefully i can pick some molding today and get the stand finished up.

 

ryant

Member
Well, change in plans. The wifey didnt like how the edges were kinda tattered up around the front so i guess im going buy a sheet of plywood and replace the front. So much fun after i had already put two coats of paint on the existing.
 
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