180G in-wall Display/350G system

[13threefmaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13589634#post13589634 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jar*Head
Yes it will shorten the life span of the tank but we are talking about 10yrs +. My new tank has 3" brace, my old glass tank 240g cube has 4" brace.

One final question (for now at least ). How thick is the acrylic on your wavebox?

 

[Jar*Head]

1/2" thick.

 

[13threefmaniac]

Friday(the day i place my tank order) is getting close and after reading up and getting as much feedback/advice as possible i think i have finally got the final tank design down. The tanks outer dimensions will be 60" x 36" x 26". The bottom panel will be 3/4" with all remaining panels being 1/2" thick. Both viewing panels (front and right will be made from 1/2" Starphire glass. The tank's eurobracing will be 5" wide to provide extra stability/strength in view of the waves produced by the external waveboxes. In addition to this, there will be 4" wide bracing all around the inside bottom area of the tank. All braces will be made from 1/2" thick glass.

The external overflows(3/8" glass) dimensions will be 24" x 4" x 12" and it will be situated at the rear right hand corner (6" away from the end). Three holes (2 x 1.5" and 1 x 1") will be drilled into the overflow. One will feed the skimmer, the other will go to the sump and the third one will function as an emergency drain/water change outlet.

There will be 4 external waveboxes built into the left hand side of the tank. Two of them will be used from the start and the remaining two will be for future additions/upgrades. In the meanwhile, i plan to fill them up with LR rubble and use the empty ones as "pod stations" (might as well use the extra real estate for something).

Black Oyama paper will be used for the background.

I think i am addicted to Sketchup!!

:lol:

 

[Jar*Head]

Dude, i think you are mistype What are you doing with 4 wave boxes? You only need 2 MAX. With the 2 wavebox you can create the wave as big as 4" or more.... Unless you are planning on the stream box which will require larger hole....

 

[mcliffy2]

Whoa, too much Tunze for Jarhead??? Thats a first

The tank looks awesome...I'd make one change however. Make your overlow box 6" wide instead of 4"...mine is 6" and it seems like any thinner would be too thin.

 

[13threefmaniac]

Stream boxes..hmmm..now why didn't i think of that!!?! That means the dimensions of the boxes can be the same right? How big a hole would i need for a 6105? and a 6085? If i am not mistaken they have the same output diameter.

 

[Jar*Head]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13591395#post13591395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcliffy2
Whoa, too much Tunze for Jarhead??? Thats a first

The tank looks awesome...I'd make one change however. Make your overlow box 6" wide instead of 4"...mine is 6" and it seems like any thinner would be too thin.

:lol: what are you trying to say?

I agree with mcliffy on 6" wide overflow box vice 4". I also think 3/8" kind of thin for glass, i would be scare to tight the bulkhead.

 

[13threefmaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13591395#post13591395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcliffy2
Whoa, too much Tunze for Jarhead??? Thats a first

The tank looks awesome...I'd make one change however. Make your overlow box 6" wide instead of 4"...mine is 6" and it seems like any thinner would be too thin.

Lol. I guess i got a wee bit carried away with regards to the wave boxes. :lol: :lol:

Thanks Mcliffy,
I shall look into the overflow box (another excuse to mess around with Sketchup). What are the drain sizes in your overflow? Someone is willing to sell me a RD10m3 but i am afraid that might be a little too much flow for the tank/overflow to handle. Time to go have another look at your build thread.

 

[13threefmaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13591540#post13591540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jar*Head
:lol: what are you trying to say?

I agree with mcliffy on 6" wide overflow box vice 4". I also think 3/8" kind of thin for glass, i would be scare to tight the bulkhead.

I could easily go with 1/2" glass for the overflow in that case.

 

[Jar*Head]

Chris, you can always split the pump and run other stuff like Prop tank, fuge or media reactor etc. If you can get it for cheap and make sure it is in good condition with some warranty on it

 

[Jar*Head]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13591624#post13591624 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 13threefmaniac
I could easily go with 1/2" glass for the overflow in that case.

1/2" is perfect..... I rather break my back from lifting the tank then break my back from mopping the floor

 

[13threefmaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13591695#post13591695 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jar*Head
Chris, you can always split the pump and run other stuff like Prop tank, fuge or media reactor etc. If you can get it for cheap and make sure it is in good condition with some warranty on it

The only thing i am worried about is the condition of the pump and also the fact that i have read a few threads about RD's choking up, broken shafts etc etc. The Eheim on the other hand could probably keep going after a direct hit from a SCUD missile.

1/2" is perfect..... I rather break my back from lifting the tank then break my back from mopping the floor

I'd rather not break my back at all but between the two, i would choose the former. My parents would break my back if there was a flood in the apartment though so i guess 1/2" it is.

I think you missed this Steve.

Stream boxes..hmmm..now why didn't i think of that!!?! That means the dimensions of the boxes can be the same right? How big a hole would i need for a 6105? and a 6085? If i am not mistaken they have the same output diameter.

 

[Jar*Head]

You will need 3" hole to get the water in and out the box. Look at SeanT build thread. He has 2 stream box in his 300g tank.

 

[13threefmaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13591879#post13591879 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jar*Head
You will need 3" hole to get the water in and out the box. Look at SeanT build thread. He has 2 stream box in his 300g tank.

Thanks Steve.

 

[Ed Reef]

Alternatively just cover the whole back, using a section for wavebox and the balance for the streams..... if you look at my build, that's what I did so no visible pumps.

Since you're going to redo the drawings, might want to also look into putting more pre-drill holes along your eurobracing for future pumps or got knows what else you want to add along the eurobracing.

Also not sure what's the water level going to be?? You might want to do your wier lower with 2 wavebox ala' Steve as I think you will be getting a 4" wave at the minimum!!

Other than that I think your tank looks sweet and it's going to be another great build!!

 

[mcliffy2]

For the overflows in my tank, I have wholes drilled for two 1.5" bulkheads. I forget the exact dimensions, but if you go to www.savko.com, they have them...sorry if this is a silly question, but aren't you guys on the metric system? I thought us silly Americans were the only ones who talked in feet and inches

 

[Ed Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13595119#post13595119 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcliffy2
sorry if this is a silly question, but aren't you guys on the metric system? I thought us silly Americans were the only ones who talked in feet and inches

We are but just making life easier for you Americans

 

[13threefmaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13593953#post13593953 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ed Reef
Alternatively just cover the whole back, using a section for wavebox and the balance for the streams..... if you look at my build, that's what I did so no visible pumps.

Since you're going to redo the drawings, might want to also look into putting more pre-drill holes along your eurobracing for future pumps or got knows what else you want to add along the eurobracing.

Also not sure what's the water level going to be?? You might want to do your wier lower with 2 wavebox ala' Steve as I think you will be getting a 4" wave at the minimum!!

Other than that I think your tank looks sweet and it's going to be another great build!!

That's exactly what i was working on actually. I think i will increase the tanks length by about 7 to 8 inches and partition that area off for waveboxes/streams etc etc. I might also try to work in the overflow into this added space. Alternatively, i could increase the width of the tank and partition an appropriately sized area off to be used as the overflow.

I will also look into adding a few more holes as per your suggestion (maybe a few different sizes as well) in the event that i do change/add pumps in the future.

4" wave?? That's pretty big!! How low should i go?

Thanks for the kind words and guidance Ed. It is very much appreciated.

 

[Ed Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13595543#post13595543 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 13threefmaniac
4" wave?? That's pretty big!! How low should i go?

That's Steve area of expertise... Steve??

 

[13threefmaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13595576#post13595576 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ed Reef
That's Steve area of expertise... Steve??

The Wave Guru must be fast asleep.

Which part of China are you at btw? Shanghai? Beijing?