2-125g tank double decker build

flfirefighter13

flfirefighter13

New member
Alrite, the build has begun, after a few request Ive decided to log it here. Feel free to chime in with any ideas you may have, I am by no means dead set on anything other than a lot of DIY stuff on this build. The end goal being two 125's on top of eachother, the top will be carnivore/ soft coral and bottom will be heavily stocked with LR for filtration and some fish as well as a makeshift fuge, the skimmer and return area. Here is a pic to give you the idea of the end goal. Stand is built from 2x4 adn will be trimmed in Rough cut cedar when done. Stand is also 8' x 24" to fit a 180 in the future as well as have room on the sides to build a shelf or put nano tanks.
build4.gif


here is a long shot of the stand, it will have 2 more legs added in the back and one in the front. Note you may be able to see the stainless screws with robertson heads......... I decided to try Mtowns method, but had a little more luck than him, I guess my drillerer did good, didnt even need the hammerer once:)
build1.jpg


The underside of the stand. Note that the legs are 2x4's married to each other with screws to create a L. The frame sits on this to support the weight. I have attached them at top and bottom with angle irons, so far I was able to jump on it and it was solid, no wobble at all. Im thinking if a 280lb live load didnt move it the tank should be ok especially after adding 3 more legs. What do you think? 4' span of 2x4 decked with 1/2" ply should be ok right?
build2.jpg


here is the cedar, I finished the smooth side with one coat of polyurethane. The rough side will end up faceing out and be sealed as well, but I wnated to ensure it was sealed on the back to.
build3.jpg


Well thats it for now, stay tuned for more, any words of advice? Skimer will be a asm g2 to start, Ill also be building a cedar canopy with VHO's and maybea closed loop if the mag 12 isnt enough flow.
 
Hey Brian, so two more legs equally spaced in the back and one in the front? Will the front interior leg be to the right of the lower tank? Just trying to picture it.
 
the single leg in the front should be fine.i have no front leg on my 180,i just doubled up a 2X6 for the header(i can send you a pic if you want,don't know how to post on RC).it's been back up for almost a year with no problems.knock on wood.everything else look good.


paul
 
Daywn, no pic needed I can picture what you have, good to know someone else pulled it off with no leg, everyone keeps telling me im nuts:)

RDMPE, Yeah it will most likely be towards the right, it really depends on final placement of the tank in the stand, I may end up shifting the viuewable part of the tank all the way to the left, I want to experiment with the baffles on the 125 and possible put the skimmer and return together on the same end in a 2' compartment. Im just worried a little about micro bubbles haveing the drain lines, and skimmer all fall into a 2'x18" compartment any ideas?
Also the bottom tank is a drilled 125 with overflows on the back wall, how do you think it would work to have the drain lines dump into the overflow box and then flow out over the top? Im thinking it may be kind of a built in bubble trap? Ill have one dump straight into the skimmer/return section and the other flow through the show tank on the bottom?
 
Well, I do know how to set up drains to give no microbubbles/noise. But microbubbles from the skimmer are going to depend on the skimmer. I have my skimmer and return pump intake (Sequence Dart!) in the same 22 gallon rubbermaid tub with no microbubble problems at all.

This is what I did with my drains and it has worked perfectly for a year so far:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=344892

Having the upper tank drain into the lower overflow chamber may be a good idea, but may generate some noise or bubbles where the water falls out of the overflow. Also - you'll have to look at how well the overflow is attached. If it is acrylic, it may come loose from the tank glass when it is full and the main tank is low. They aren't typically designed for force pushing in that direction.
 
RDMPE,
Yeah that thread is cool, I found it after i bought all the stuff for a durso on this tank so Im gonna build a durson for it, My reef 125 that will be built in the next month or so will most likely have that style though, or the hoffer's maybe.
Its a megaflow installed from the factory so im assumeing the glue job is decent, but thats a valid point about not being designed for the force. I think im going to brace it somehow, maybe a baffle. What skimmer where you running in that rubbermaid? Ive got a asm g2 or 3 thats going in here. Decision has been made though the return and skimmer will be on the same side, Ill build baffles as needed. Im off to the garage to cut some more cedar, stay tuned for more pics later!
 
I have an AquaC EV-180 with a mag9.5 running it. I don't get any microbubbles from it. Every skimmer is different though, so that will have to be a play by ear.

With the ASM, you can do the gate valve mod and then pipe the output into a corner baffle or something to help with bubbles.
 
Good thought on the gate valve mod, Im gonna do some research and size it out when I build the tank. Also remind me when this build is complete I should have some nice rock left over for your nano.

Stand is comeing together, framing is done, all cedar is cut. I put a coat of poly on everything and got to work tommorow, Planning on another coat on tuesday, nail the trim on and with any luck start plumbing the tanks on wednsday!
 
I have had a 75 AGA on a similar 2x4 stand for 3 years with no problems. The stand has 4x4 verticals with notches that the 2x4s sit in. There are 2 legs in front (48" span) and 3 in the back (2x24" spans). Only one data point, but positive.

It wasn't supposed to be that way.... it's a long story involving a change of sump plans and a lazy stand builder (me) that never put the front leg back.
 
I wouldnt know anything about being lazy:) Thanks for the post, glad to see another 48" 2x4 span with no problems, after building the ebast Im pretty confident, it weighs a ton, and is approximately ten billon times more solid than the AGA stand I saw in the store yesterday, the AGA's where 1x4 horizantals as well as vertical, with glue and brads holding it from teraing apart. If that will hold up I think Im WAY safe............. knocking on wood:)
 
I agree, the stands that most RC'ers build are WAY overbuilt compared to the scary looking garbage sold in the fish stores! After seeing those, I felt much better about my stand design...

I may get some of that LR that verve is selling - so if you get there before me save me some pieces :) Since I'm doing a nano I'm looking for smaller pieces with good shapes. I don't want to just put big boulders in there :)
 
have no fear I wont take much, Im really just looking for some big flat pieces for an arch build in the 125. Who knows maybe we will run into eachother there, im really unsure of what time Ill be that way, gotta go pick up my 2 125's sometime, just waiting on the call.
 
I did kinda what you are going to do i am still working on finishing it up but here is a terrible pic of it.
new1.jpg
 
Staticx, saw that in another thread, up till then I thought i was being original:) Any pics of your underneath? Did you baffle that tank or do something different?
 
copy cat
LOL just kidding. I like it alot so far I still need to finish out the stand. the bottom tank has baffles on the right of the tank I have my skimmer and drains and on the left is my return. I am doing the same thing as you are I am giong to have alot of live rock iin the bottom tank and maybe a few corals and fish. I thought about putting some stuff in the bottom that would not really be reef safe but not sure yet. you will have to keep posting so we can throw ideas back and forth as I am also still in the setup stage. I wish I had two 125's I really like the double decker look and after this one I think I will always have it this way. I will take a few updated pics of the bottom and post them
 
Sounds good cant wait to see the pics, Ill have some more hopefully tommorow, decided to put extra coats of poly on the stand so Didnt get to put it toghether tonite. I should be doing some plumbing work tommorow and a freshwater test by next monday. What sizes are your tanks?
 
My top tank is only 100 gallon and my bottom tank is 70 I m in the middle of changing my substrate to a white sand. Its hard to get a pic of the bottom tank cause i painted the back of it black but I might be able to get a couple side shots. I was actually thinking about redoing the stand. I didnt really give myself as much room as I wanted. Oh well live and learn
 
Yeah room is key thats why i decided to go 8' by 2' by 40" tall on my stand, gives me spare room underneath and the top is big enough to upgrade as I want. Plus its tall enouugh to fit just about any skimmer in so I should be set for while.......
 
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