I got first dibs on the tank when Ninong gets upset and drops out of the hobby.

(Lets all start giving bad advice to him)



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-Rich

http://www.rl180reef.com

WE ARE NOT WORTHY!

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"Remember...Wherever you go...There you are."
Buckaroo Banzai, circa 1978

Ninong, do you have any idea what they would charge for a more traditional 6' tank, in the 150 to 180 gal. range?

Thanks.

Marty

Marty, I received a quote on a 60x22x27 or 168g of 670.00 plus shipping. It would cost me around 285 their cost to ship to me in NC for a total of 955.00. This was with same specs as Ninongs tank. The price is the same regardless of 22", 24" or 27" high or wide. Apparantly the glass must come in 27" wide sheets so anything less is scrap.

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Paul C
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Einstein

[This message has been edited by Ltspd (edited 02-14-2001).]

OK Ninong, er shepard,

I thereby declare my conversion of religion from acrylic to staphire.

Congrads Ninong, the clarity is awesome. One of the biggest reasons that I did not like glass was because of its greenish hue (caused by lead). Next tank will certainly be staphire. Do you know what the dimensions of the glass panes are before they cut them up. Just trying to approximate max size of a tank made with sta[hire glass.

Really looks like you got a gem there.



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John Susbilla
Visit my My Reef Flat
tubs@firstworld.net

Come join us for WMC 2001 for a fun
and interactive conference in Monterey Ca
April 6-8, 2001
Visit Seabay for more info

Let's see if I can answer MartyD and tubs here.

Inter-American is willing to go as high as 30" with the 12mm Starphire glass (at least they did on a tank that was only 24" wide). They use 24mm glass on tanks longer than 72" and the price goes way up. They list a cheap ($650) 72"x30"x30" (280-gal) tank with regular glass in their ad in FAMA. Naturally, that's plain glass and you would have to add the cost of overflows, etc.

In talking with Mitch, the owner, I first requested a tank 22" high and asked whether this would be more expensive than 24" high as it is with some builders. He said the price would be the same for 22", 24" or 27" high and therefore, he would recommend I go 27" high, which I did.

The basic cost of my tank with three sides in Starphire was $400. Then it was $60 for the corner overflow with three holes and three bulkhead fittings, $25 to grind & polish the two front vertical edges, $25 for the black indicoat mirror option, $10 for a piece of styrofoam stuck to the bottom, and $30 for crating & brokerage fees.

Ninong [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]



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Irrational Exuberance!

Ninong I called Mitch today and here's what he told me. For a 72"L x 24"W x 27"H he first quoted me $850. Then I mentioned your beautiful tank and he lowered his price to $800 plus $300 shipped to my door. He said that everything will be built just like yours with dual overflows all plumbing included. It will take 3 weeks to build it and requires about half deposit and 1 week to ship it to me. The warranty is for 5 years and since your positive review he told me that he sold 18 units over the past week or so. Ninong what do you think about the price? Any special requirements that I should be aware of since this would be a 200 gallon tank? Also I was not able to talk to Lance that's why I went ahead and called Mitch. Thanks.

Hi Kooler ~

Sounds like a very good price to me, especially if you are getting three sides in Starphire like I did, plus the black indicoat mirror back. [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

I would advise you to insist on paying him direct for the shipping, rather than having the trucking company bill you. In other words, tell him to charge the full $1100 to your credit card. Also, even though he told you three weeks, figure on it shipping in 30 days and then add another 10 days for it to arrive.

Good luck,

Ninong [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

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Irrational Exuberance!

Kooler ~

I just thought of something. Since this is a 72" long tank, you are probably going to be using three metal halides, right? Is Mitch going to use one wide Starphire glass center brace? How about two smaller braces, each 1/3 of the way in from each end? That way all three metal halides will be above open space.

Ninong [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Irrational Exuberance!

The power of Positive advertising at its best [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Paul C
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Einstein

Ninong that's a great idea. I will definitely be using 3 MH and I'll call Mitch and see if he can do that. Also what do you think is the right size overflow for it? Two one inch overflow and three quarters return or just one overflow with one and one half hole. Or maybe dual one and one half overflow and an inch return. Since this would be a reef I would like to have as much flow as I can have. Your thoughts on this, Ninong. Thanks. Kooler.

Nice Looking Tank [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Put some water in it and let see some coral :-)
http://barryreef.homestead.com/index.html

VERY NICE NINONG!!
I'm still jealous. [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Hope the lights are easier to ship than the tank!

later,




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-schrocat

"Whacha got in the box?"

Kooler ~

This is going to be a 200-gallon tank. You will need two corner overflows with 1.5" drains in each plus 1" returns in each. There is no problem getting Mitch to build it with two top braces instead of one wide center brace. Ltspd is getting a 60" long tank but since he is planning on using 3 metal halides, I suggested that he get two braces instead of one and Mitch agreed to build his that way. This way you do not have to even concern yourself with whether or not you are heating up the glass center brace too much in case you decide to go with 400w 6500K Iwasaki metal halide lamps, which get pretty hot. One of the guys on reefs.org posted a few months ago that he blew up his brand new 240-gal Oceanic reef ready tank by placing a 400w Iwasaki too close to the glass center brace... it failed less than 24 hours after he set up the tank.

Good luck with your new tank. [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] I know you will like the Starphire glass and the Black Indicoat Mirror back... at least I do. [img]/ubb/wink.gif[/img]

Ninong [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

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Irrational Exuberance!

Originally posted by Salty Dog:
Just wondering..........does anyone have a pic comparing a starfire glass tank with a regular??? Your tank looks GREAT Ninong!!!! I would be interested to see a side by side shot comparing the 2 glasses. Someone out there must have taken a pic of a tank before it was filled.......lets see it...........I know that starfire edges don't appear green at all but I am wondering just how much it is different looking through a whole sheet of it......not just the edge. Again........SWEET TANK, will be awesome reef!!!

From the looks of it there is a definate difference between starfire and regular glass... once again great tank Ninong!
So have you named your maple leaf fish yet? [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] I think the scientific name is Canadius sticusonglassus [img]/ubb/eek3.gif[/img]

Henry

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Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall down an open manhole and die.
-Mel Brooks

hcp28 I will disagree I think that fish is called Canadius Beeralikus from my converstion with Mitch, [img]/ubb/lol.gif[/img]
Nice tank comarisons Ninong, I could have used that when I was begging, I mean discussing the tank with my wife. I will show here tonight. [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Paul C
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Einstein

Thanks Ninong........the difference is pretty clear, pun intended [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

Make sure you take pics throughout your setup process so we can all see the step by step reef birth........and don't leave out the pics of the bad times either, like when you smash your finger b/w a rock or the sump decides to spring a leak.........we've all been there [img]/ubb/wink.gif[/img]

Are you building your own stand?? Will that void the tank warranty??

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www.atlasreef.homestead.com

Ninong,

Couple of (stupid) questions.

Why three holes in the overflow box? Two returns maybe?

Why the foam siliconed to the bottom of the tank? I'm guessing just for shipping saftey?

Also, I like the idea of the perimeter bracing on your tank, but I didn't think you'd need a glass center brace and also the perimeter brace?

K, I'm done now [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

BTW, did I mention how nice your tank is [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]..hehehe . I'm definitely getting a 188g (60x30x24) by the summer with all the same options you have.

Salty Dog ~

My "stand" is already built. Actually it's a built-in china/buffet-hutch that is being converted for use as an aquarium stand. The warranty from Inter-American does not require you to purchase any particular stand.


JG ~

The three holes in the overflow box are: 1.5" drain bulkhead drilled in bottom of tank, 1" return bulkhead drilled in bottom of tank, and 1" return discharge bulkhead drilled in top of overflow box aimed along back wall.

Why is the white styrofoam stuck to the bottom of the tank: It was just an idea I had at the last minute. I asked him to ship be a piece of foam that I could put under the tank and he said he would stick it to the bottom of the tank with silicone for me. I'm not sure if I really need it for my situation. Also, I'm not sure if that would be the best way to go for someone who might really need styrofoam under their tank. It might be better to get the dense "blue" stuff from Home Depot. This is just a sheet of the regular white stuff that you see used for packaging computer monitors, etc. However, it was cheap ($10) so I'll let it stay there. It has about 1/2" sticking out all around that I will have to trim off with a razor knife.

Glass perimeter bracing and glass center brace: the custom tanks that you see with only perimeter bracing use a much wider perimeter bracing. My perimeter bracing is more like what you would consider a "splash guard"... it is 1.5" wide on both sides, 1" wide across the front, and only .5" wide along the back to match the width of the lip of the frame. Besides, my tank is 27" high, I would definitely want a glass center brace. The builder was going to make it 12" wide which is what he makes the center brace on a 48" long tank but I asked him what was the smallest I could go with and he said that since my tank was only 45" long, he would be willing to go with a 10" wide center brace, but nothing less. My two 250w 10,000K HQI double-ended metal halides will be over open space.

Ninong [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]



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Irrational Exuberance!