The Reef Tank banner

100g Acrylic system build

614K views 6K replies 67 participants last post by  Japonicus 
#1 · (Edited)
Finally underway, it's been a over a year getting here.
From selling the tank to a friend, getting it back still
unused, it's time to dust it off and BUILD.

I had the tank customized by Tenecor through fishtanksdirect.com. Was supposed to be 3/8" thick,
but my buddy when he called Tenecor about using his
2 Vortech MP40's, they cautioned against, since it's only 1/4" thick. The top is 3/8".
The top I had made with the two openings as wide as possible for ease of
maintanance, and LR size won't be an issue should I
ever find that prized piece. + a feed tube in each lid.
This keeps floating foods out of the overflow...mostly.

Filled the tank on my deck, and showed a 1/4" bow in
front centre. That's ok. I intend to use 4 Hydor Koralias.
3/8" thickness would probably not have bowed.

Table of Contents
Transfer Day 3/4/12 pg 117
Cross Stitch MP covers pg 148
Salt Mx Comparisons-pg 218
Drinking PURE WATER- pg 315
Light Program Key pg 384
Dolphin Feeding Frenzy HD pg-363
Figuring RO membrane rejection rate - pg 372
 

Attachments

See less See more
3
#2 ·
It was actually fun making the frame. I did make one
boo boo though. I'd planned on 3 vertical supports, and built it that way. Then whilst adding the 2x6 joists, my
wife asked what I was going to do with the front...When
the gears finally began to turn, counting doors, I realized the centre support was where my 3 returns and drain plumbing would be. So Tony looks at it and says, you're already on over-kill, remove centre, bring other 2 supports in evenly. That works. Now I only have 3 doors with more
elbow room, and only have to make 3 drawers. Maybe with drawers, I won't have 5 cans of food and supplements all over the living room. Still haven't answered her question...
 

Attachments

#3 ·
Cost

The cost of the frame and screws, right about $60
Dressing it up and drawers, slides,doors, hinges
and electrical will be the largest cost.

Would like to water proof/tub the interiors' bottom
Any ideas????
 
#4 ·
Frame steps / build your own

I've never been able to draw a detailed plan,
but I've done intricate woodworking for years.
I have a plan in mind, and go with it. Putting it
on paper after the fact maybe.

The frame is 6" deeper front to back than needed
allowing for an upgraded tank in the future. 24"

The heigth gets the top of the tank at my arm pit
allowing for easier maintanance.

The ends allow for sump removal, and access.
 

Attachments

#7 ·
Been a few days, rains been daunting and Mon. was my
1st day back to work in almost 3 wks. They don't call it the
"sunshine state" for nothin! Sweet vacation!!!
The stand gets heavier each day. The bottom is in and the
sides are faced up.
I planned on being proud that it was completely screwed together
making for an easier move...should that ever happen. Also makes
re-customizing it a snap in the future.:angry: But things happen:nuts:.
Another goof. Just for the record, always have more length and width
than you need. I measured the top of the aquariums' length and built the
stand 6" deeper than necessary (future upgrade). Then when finished
with the length, all is screwed together, and low and behold...I measured the bottom of the aquarium. It sits 1/16" wider at bottom than top.
This would leave an unacceptable 1/32" hangover on ea side of a tank
with only 1/4" thick walls already. So each "end cap", horizontal face
front to back, is glued and screwed 1x6 (3/4 x 5-1/4) solid oak.
I havent found 3/8" oak plugs to cover the screw heads yet and still
working on water proffing/tubbing in the bottom. Bought 2 cans of
Plasti-Dip pour/liquid to seal the bottom when the time comes. I used the
spray vs of plasti dip on my current stand. Nice rubbery gripping seal coat.
Get a break in the rain and I'll cut the top 3/4 plywood and face the front and post more pics.
 
#8 ·
"The ends allow for sump removal, and access."

great Idea!!!!!

also as for the bottom, just kalk it well, and use a few coats of oil based primer paint, then a few coats of latex, and it should hold a bit of water till you clean it up.

I have dumped a few gallons in mine while I was at work, sat in there for over 8 hours, will no ill effects...

you could always go and get a gallon of pond liner, but thats a lot more money..
 
#9 ·
Hey Nateman, I'd planned on caulking, priming, and ??? Well your
pond liner sounds like a great idea. I likes it. :thumbup: The Plasti-dip stuff costed about $7 for 14.5 oz. Figure 4 or 5 of them would do the trick for a
3 or 4" deep "tub". From there up stain and polyurethane.
By the way, it's been 18-19 days since I cleaned my glass off at all.
Replacing the PO4 remover before vacation was a great idea. Of course the turbos help a bit. Probably have to use a razor blade instead of a sweep. I mean it's like there's no reason to
clean the glass. Actually a w/c would be more necessary at this point.
 

Attachments

#11 ·
Please notice forethought in my design of the sump Post #1 pic #2
Lifereef customized. L to R
1. Berlin style
2. supports horizontally for bio-tower + lid
This diversity was part of my main priority.Part two was
3. an area lg enough to house submersible pumps, as well as additional prefiltering at far right
4. and bulkheads for up to 3 exterior pumps. + lid
Lids to help with evaporation should I run berlin and exterior pumps
Then there's the chemical reactors. I have 3, 2 in pic.
And the 1" skimmer return bulkhead. My 36" skimmer's a stand alone.

Hindsight
I should've had a 2" bulkhead in the the works.
One Reef Flow pump can do the job of 2 pumps
with the power draw of ONE!

That said, would it work...to Y two 1" bulkheads into a 2"
adapter. The flow should be there. Unlike adapting a single
1" up to a 2". Because my 2 Blueline pumps are too noisy for her.:grr:
 
#12 ·
Hindsight
I should've had a 2" bulkhead in the the works.
One Reef Flow pump can do the job of 2 pumps
with the power draw of ONE!

That said, would it work...to Y two 1" bulkheads into a 2"
adapter. The flow should be there. Unlike adapting a single
1" up to a 2". Because my 2 Blueline pumps are too noisy for her.:grr:
2" to 2x 1" Y may work, not sure how it will affect the pressure or head, but it could work out.

so there is not time/space to drill a 2" hole?

if it was mine I would drill a 2" hole, and plug the 2x 1" until a later date when you decide you have a use for them. its hard to add more holes after the system is running...
 
#14 ·
Had I not incorperated the bio tower into the design of the sump,
I would have ample space saving 5" overall, even though the tower
is 12+" square. Just a design thing on saving 5".
Originally was to be 36"
he gave me this one at same price. Shipping was a true killer on cost though.
Professionally double boxed wrapped and padded.
 
#18 ·
Is my customization a flaw? And how do I make it work?

Alright, I have the sub-floor cut and ready to instal.
Again I'm sceeered. The overflow support is a real concern.
I've started a new thread in question of this most important area.
Here's the link to that thread with CAD drawing of tank from Tenecor.
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f6/help-with-support-under-tank-167637.html#post1874742

I can place tank on solid sub-floor, mark and drill holes.
My God, by the time I drill holes big enough, they'll overlap.
Ok overlaps is best way to make it work?

I had planned to completely leave this area open underneath.
Plans are like rules, they're made to be changed. Still...the amount
of stock left to support is a joke when overlapped holes are made.
There will be NO LEAKS on my tank. period
:biga: ------------------------- :biga: -------------------------- :biga:
 
#19 ·
Back to the cabinet. I abhore staining!

I have alsways taken the stance, if I want the color to
be this or that, I use this or that wood. My main 3 woods
I work with are Af. Mahogany, Oak, and Walnut.

I have at least 50 board ft of Mahogany, and here's the real
beauty of it. 75% of it, is consecutive cuts, off the same log.
A wood workers dream. The boards just get a little narrower
width with ea cut. It is planed, and drum sanded and ready to
go. Problem is, I bought it to make a $4000 grandfather clock,
and I just can't bring myself to put it under my tank. If I lose
my job, I lose my tank. If I can't work/same. So no good as a
dust collector. Pains me to go to Lowes and pay more for oak
(that needs working the ripples out of from the planer) than I paid
for my Mahogany :shocked: :eek4: It's just that the Mahogany would really
match the Amendoim hardwood floor I put down last year...crappers
 
#21 ·
yeh bummers, the clock will have 9 or 12 chime tubes, not rods. So the movement is close to $2K.

I take it ur passin on input on the overflow support? I'll call Tenecor
and gripe again. Ya know, I never got an owners manual with my tank.
Then warranty changes recentlly, and excludes ME. How can that be. Because I did not purchase a stand at the same time of the tank. What, am I made of money. Besides, I make better...for less. I truly regret my
purchase, and should/ve taken them to court, day1. Didn't know it wasn't 3/8" thick till I sold it and got it back.
 
#25 ·
A pic with the tank



I would've, but the end accesses are to wide, and I didn't want to
use vaneer for some reason. Then there's the 3 doors. That's alot
of wood man.
 

Attachments

#24 ·
Haven't been to the thread yet today. Did you open the pdf drawing?
It's much more descriptive than a photo of acrylic against plywood.
Where the holes are drilled, 4 of them, there just will be enough room for
the bulkheads, and not sub-floor underneath. The most of the large overflow will be completely unsupported.

You can read and follow and I envy your education. I wanna see the
beemer. Audi looks like it'd be hard to fit the kayak in, but a sweet ride.
Most people just can't appreciate my paranoia of property damage from a
blown tank...that is till they've experienced it 1st handed.

For instance, my buddy who easily bred clowns, used a friggin car jack on his
commercial stand under a 150g made of 1x's and stapled together. So he could
support the end, to remove sump, flip around, and instal a reeflo pump.
 
#26 ·
I looked at the PDF briefly but didn't really have a chance to examine it but I will when I get home from work. What about instead of a subfloor, you run a handful of beams across for support and they would give you some open space for maintenance? And the bimmer is nothing special, just an 08 328i that's dark blue/light tan. The Audi is the cool one, when it was ordered it was custom built in germany and it was the only one like it in the states. The kayaks go on the roof too, definitely no room inside lol
 
#28 ·
Just doin it the way Tenecor said to. + steel beams sliced by laser welded
and ground would be a feat at that, to be all perfectly in contact along entire spanse each one equally. Just screwing the oak face boards on, have to be clamped 1st, even after pre drilling, because just the clockwise torque of the drill will shift the wood in that direction to point of over hang. I mean you can't get just beams all the same, but top them off
with plywood, and the weight of the tank will crush the plywood, and take up uneveness, causing weight to be distributed over a more even surface.

I have a glass 20g on 3 2x4's for the length, . Not so worried about
that one though. it's in the same room my 90 broke in.
 
#27 ·
ya cannot use silicone on acrylic!
fishtanksdirect said not to even use water soluble wood glue
under the 3/4" plywood. Tenecor said they're being too cautious.
Soooooo, I'd planned on using aqua putty stick 2 part stuff u knead,
to stabilize the rock so a tumble wouln't scratch the acrylic. So what
am I supposed to do now. I have a couple pcs of totoka the size of your
calf, one I like vertical. Maybe I drill the bottom and screw a square pc of
acrylic say 8" sq and add sand on top of that. Frazzlin slurpees batman
 
#31 ·
awww I'm gladsya likes it mun
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=81308&d=1306014826

if ya haven't seen it in the other thread, here it is above/link
the holes are many and offset/staggered. By the time it's all
cut out for the bulkheads, there's not much wood left.
In my strive for perfection, I think I just figured it out, and will
have costed me, 3 sheets of plywood.
The bulkheads are long enough to put the nut on the underside
of 3/4" plywood. That means, yeh, scap the 2 sheets I've already
used, and go to Lowes tomorrow, and havem rip me a 3/4" sheet
of oak plywood at 24" wide and 61.5"L. My radial arm saw only
takes up to 23" I believe. Cut out the 2x6 under the plywood
for 90% of the overflow, but cut holes for the bulkheads.
Daggone, see what I mean about doin it for a living, it comes naturally.
By George, I believe I've got it. Maybe not so fast, I forgot to take
into count the thickness of the tank. I'll try it tomorrow and see how it goes.
I gotsa router, I can undercut the plywood if I have to recessing the nuts.

guess you can tell I've been using it for storage RO filters and the like
but mostly stuff I need for the tank.
 
#33 ·
You wanna buy this thing? Sumps not for sale...LOL
Well maybe I sell it too and just buy a chiller for my
46, and get rid of my tang before he's outgrown it.
Sump still has protective backing on the acrylic. No
water been it it.

When you've used a Lifereef system for 15 years with
no problems. It is so worth the money :eek:ldman: Even the
2 Little Giant pumps he supplied with it only needed new
O rings after about 13, 14 years. And one impellor.
They too are made in USA.
 
#34 ·
New day...NEW PLAN.
You know how when you lay in bed, and the days activities wash over your thoughts.
I think that's "low-tide" when your thoughts are more clear. Yesterdays plan
to use nut underneath plywood, was assuming...that the tank side of the bulkhead
never had the possibility of starting a leak. My plumbing's all been good, I've never had more than an O ring on a pump spring a salt creap leak. But capillary action
says that the most minute creap of a leak will cause mold in the short run, and
compromise the supportive integrity of the sub-floor, on down the line as time goes.
Think I'm going with 10% periphial coverage leaving 90% open. Afraid of using vertical support as expansion would be at a different rate with humidity fluctuations.
Don't want a support cracking the bottom of the tank.
I know acrylic is tougher and more flexible than glass. I'm designing for either type
and treating this design as if I had glass. + I've seen my Father n law (with parkinsons) fall frequently, and put his hands out to catch himself on my 46g tank, or whatever furnature is closest. This build will not worry me about anyone falling into it, except the scratching woes.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top