Jessica's 110g Malawi Build

[Jess1ca]

Finally got my new tank today got it off Craigslist for a great price! I've just started cleaning the stand, hoping to stain here in the next couple of days. This thing is so dirty haha... Im gonna have a hard time getting it to come clean that's for sure. I'll post pics of my progress soon, the tank is still out in the car. Just pulled the lights and glass tops out of the cabinet, ewwwww!

[Convict2161]

Subbed!!

Toss the lids. Go topless! I do!

I just have a nice canopy.

[Jess1ca]

Originally Posted by Convict2161

Subbed!!

Toss the lids. Go topless! I do!

I just have a nice canopy.

Hey there friend! Didn't come with a canopy :/ and I don't think I can trust my kids around an open tank lol! Wait till you see the filter that came with it, yuck! I don't think I can use it.... I wanna, but it's disgusting! So is the tank tho! Can't wait to get it in the house to take pics! The glass on this tank is soooo thick to! It's super heavy! I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't try to reinforce the stand... I'll get more pictures of it once I get it cleaned up, I'm embarrassed to post it in this condition.I almost can believe that this was in his home!

[Jess1ca]

This is the best pic I have of it right now.

[Convict2161]

I'm sure you will get that tank looking brand spanking new!

Good luck! Can't wait to see the progress pics

[Jess1ca]

I hope I can! And thank you! Ugh, bummed this filter is pretty much useless. When I spoke to him and he said that it included a Marineland Magnum 350, I googled it an was like "YESSSS!" now I'm more like "dang..."

[Jess1ca]

And here she is... In all her filthy glory lmbo! A second look at the seal on some parts frighten me... Can't get a good pic without glare, will have to wait till morning...

[Zactheninja]

Looks like the bones of an amazing tank.
I just restrained my 100 gallon today.
Your in for some work lol.

[Jess1ca]

Originally Posted by Zactheninja

Looks like the bones of an amazing tank.
I just restrained my 100 gallon today.
Your in for some work lol.

Haha! Bones! Exactly that definitely some labor involved on this one! The footprint is just amazing, I'm sooo excited to scape this thing! I'm gonna need soooo much stone for the rockscape! Another reason I'd like to reinforce the stand... This thing is already heavy and I'm about to fill it with rock apartment buildings lol.

[Jess1ca]

Discovered one of the versa tops is missing a pane... Lame. Sooo lookin like I'm lookin for new tops... Do I stick with glass tops or try to find hoods? I have glass tops on my Peacock tank but I can't really think of any advantages to the glass vs plastic hoods, if n e thing the glass needs constant cleaning to keep residue buildup off... Maybe the price difference is the only thing, about to start window shopping online. It also came with 2 fluorescent light strips for a 55 with awful wood grain plastic lol. They both work but I can't stop thinking about those expandable led light dealies I see on eBay. Idk how that would work tho as they seem to stand over the top of the tank where the light strips on my 55 sit on the glass. Ahhh, decisions, decisions! Lets hear the pros, cons & suggestions!

[Jess1ca]

Forgot to post pictures of the stand yesterday. I have a hard time accepting that this could bear all the weight. Trying to come up with ideas on how to reinforce it just for peace of mind. I want to pull the flimsy piece of wood out of the bottom and put in a new one since it was obviously soaked at one time and pretty sure it was left to dry on its own. Tried the lights yesterday, and although ugly, they worked but today decided they didn't want to. Found a pretty awesome light online. The one thing I am gonna splurge on is lighting because I'm dying to have moonlights!

[Andrew McFadden]

I think I'd be looking for a new stand or build another. My 6 foot has way more braces then that plus it doesn't look like its in very good shape. That is a lot of water stains did you fill that tank up to make sure it doesn't leak?

[Jess1ca]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

I think I'd be looking for a new stand or build another. My 6 foot has way more braces then that plus it doesn't look like its in very good shape. That is a lot of water stains did you fill that tank up to make sure it doesn't leak?

That's exactly what I thought, it's very sketchy! I was thinking of using this "shell" of a stand and kinda build around it an brace underneath... Idk lol. Haven't put water in it yet, gonna clean it up but I must admit that the seals on some of it have me very nervous. Pretty sure I will reseal it just to be on the safe side. You can kinda see from these pics where there looks like it was bubbled and calcium got between the seal and glass, my guess may be they were using a mag float and running it right into the silicone when they cleaned the glass?

[Convict2161]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

I think I'd be looking for a new stand or build another. My 6 foot has way more braces then that plus it doesn't look like its in very good shape. That is a lot of water stains did you fill that tank up to make sure it doesn't leak?

+1 on the stand and water test. I don't like the way that stand looks. Put a piece of ply wood on it and load the family up on it lol see what happens. I bet you all fall down

[Jess1ca]

Haha! I bet ur right! No maybe about resealing, ugh. The bottom seal is beautiful, sides eh, not so much! This thing has been abused lol, the bottom is soooo scratched I pray that it isn't scratched everywhere

[Andrew McFadden]

This is the guts of my stand like this



So it has the corner up and down made out of 2x4 with 3 nailed together. The next one has two 2x4 nailed together. The center has 4 nailed together. The spacing between each one is not right because I left room for doors on the backside plus its not drawn to plan just an idea. If you want me to I can draw it as it is with measurements. It is as strong as an ox. Plus mine is a bigger tank so it will work for yours aswell

[Jess1ca]

That looks soooo much safer! Looks like I will be trying my hand at carpentry lol! Yes, measurements would be rad! So it took me a solid 2 hours to get half the tank semi clean. Still a lot if Crusties. Now that it is kinda clean all the scratches are apparent. Loads of em, all the way around. My OCD hates it! I think I'm gonna use a chemical cleaner as much as I hate to, this stuff is really on there tho. I was wondering about CLR?! I'm already planning to reseal so I'm not worried about it leaching into the silicone and I'm gonna use Cerium Oxide to attempt to buff out some of these scratches. I'm praying it works because the scratches are so bad in some areas it makes the tank look foggy. I'm do happy I only paid $65 because this is turning into a pain haha. The ol' man wants to clean it up and flip it and try to get a different one but it has been do hard to find a 6 footer at a descent price. I'm keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that the Cerium oxide will take care of the majority of the scuffs, I can live with a couple.

[Andrew McFadden]

That tank only has one top brace or is one missing? The outside of the stand looks clean and nice.

[Jess1ca]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

That tank only has one top brace or is one missing? The outside of the stand looks clean and nice.

U know that's another odd thing about this tank, it has only one, about 3 1/2-4 in thick if memory serves me correctly (I'm on my way to work) and its glass! Thought it was just sitting on the tank so I tried to take it off, it's most def glued but can't be original... Can it? I'll get a pic tonight. And thanks! I busted my butt to clean it up!!!

[Crawdaddy]

Originally Posted by AndrewsPistol

Discovered one of the versa tops is missing a pane... Lame. Sooo lookin like I'm lookin for new tops... Do I stick with glass tops or try to find hoods? I have glass tops on my Peacock tank but I can't really think of any advantages to the glass vs plastic hoods, if n e thing the glass needs constant cleaning to keep residue buildup off... Maybe the price difference is the only thing, about to start window shopping online. It also came with 2 fluorescent light strips for a 55 with awful wood grain plastic lol. They both work but I can't stop thinking about those expandable led light dealies I see on eBay. Idk how that would work tho as they seem to stand over the top of the tank where the light strips on my 55 sit on the glass. Ahhh, decisions, decisions! Lets hear the pros, cons & suggestions!

On my 55 I just had to get rid of the canopies, the glass tops just look so much cleaner, and with a decent LED light fixture, it really changed the whole look of the tank.