Fishtank Coffee Table / Glass-Bottom Effect

[gouch]

i dont know much but i think your on the right track with making sure you murphy proof this thing with lots and lots of knowledge. you know.........heres an idea. what if you designed the top of the table to have a lip or molding that covered like 3-4" all around the top display. then you could add those wingnuts like some protien skimmers have on top. you could use a rubber seal and if you needed to access the tank you could remove the molding and the wingnuts and viola. just kinda came up with that on a wim. but just some idea you can maybe work with. i say make the top removable and hide your work with molding.

[mxracer19]

It's responses like that that make me so glad I decided to post on this forum. I hadn't thought of wingnuts before...Thats a good call...back to the drawing board!

[gouch]

very glad i could get your brain moving!!! let me know how it pans out. even if you had a molding that wasn't flush witht the table it would still be awsome. post some pics!!!!!

[mxracer19]

So I've plumbed the system. I figure I'll test everything one step at a time, then come back and fabricate the removable top, sealing it with silicone for the time being to make sure it works. The plan is to eventually drill holes every 4 inches around the perimeter of the wood and utilize hooks extending over the 1/2" wood edge to the glass surface, with a wingnut on the bottom for tention.

If this doesn't work, moulding around the perimeter secured with bolts and wingnuts should suffice. I figure I'll try the hooks first because theyre less obtrusive and if they fail the moulding will cover/utilize the holes anyway.

Attached are three images, one of the plumbing inside the sump, one from the right side showing the return line and overflows, and one from an aerial quarter.

In the plumbing shot, the three down tubes are all drains: the lower, larger two are from the tank overflow. The third is a drain from the return. In order to throttle the return pump back when required, a ball valve is installed. when this valve is closed, flow is diverted down the return-pipe drain to keep the pump unrestricted. I'm going to plumb this slightly different but the basic idea will remain the same. From left to right in the image: Clear line - line connecting PVC to pump with pump fitting on end, 2 lower pipes - tank overflow vent returns, 1 shorter pipe - return line excess drain.

-Matt

[mxracer19]

Attached is a picture of the type of screw I need to find, however I have no idea what this screw is called or if it even exists...if anyone knows, please let me know!

[gouch]

looking real good. are those pipes gonna swing away from the top of the tank so you can access it? also ive never seen a screww like that before but if you find them i would only habd tighten them for fear of breaking the glass

[Loverotties]

Looks like you can use a reg screw and file or cut one side off.

[mxracer19]

Originally Posted by gouch

are those pipes gonna swing away from the top of the tank so you can access it?

Yep. The joints are only hand-fit since the overflow won't be taking any pressure. It comes apart fairly easily but it's still water-tight.




Hmmm, I hadn't thought about grinding down a wide-flange bolt...good call!

[mxracer19]

Vaccuum = 1, Display glass = 0.


I had a large amount of moisture from a little standing water in the bottom of the tank, so I hooked up the vaccuum to draw air out through one of the drains. I figured the less moisture, the better the cure on the silicone that I'd used to attach the display glass temporarily while I tested the plumbing and designed a better way to attach the glass mechanically.

Unfortunatly and without thinking, I'd closed the valve to the return because I was also testing my return overflow system with the new pump. Therefore the only vents were those which the vaccuum was hooked to, and (4) - 1/8" breathing holes in the left drain.

My experiment was PROMPTLY(!) halted with the explosion of glass and water as the display glass imploded after 4 or so seconds of vaccuum. The boom of 826 square inches of 1/4" plate glass imploding was great enough that my dad heard the sound over the noise of the saws in the basement. It was truely...incredible.

Back to the glass-store I go tomorrow...luckily 1/4" plate is standard in that size and the piece is only $25.

-Matt

[AquaMan91]

Wow!! i like the idea and the design.. sorry on the glass implosin...

[J-LUIS]

oh man!

[Dragonist]

Just was thinking....what effect will the salt creep have on the design?

[gouch]

you need a tank to worry about salt creep,lol....try custom acrylic man it would hold up better. melevsreef.com this guy is the acrylic king and hes all diy

[mxracer19]

lol touche` gouch. I thought about acrylic, but with it being a coffee table I figured it would get scratched to hell.

[gouch]

aaah true.....very true. you could set it lower and place a sheet of glass over it to protect it.....maybe even incorporate it into holdin down the top glass