3? Questions for 300DD, stand placement & windows, cover, stand design.

Fitz19d

New member
Hokay, Got a few, first two I havnt seen elsewhere or confused on. Third, I think I know the answer but given the importance want to confirm.


#1 First up is my marineland 300dd with basement sump, I intend to put it in a corner office of the house along an outside wall. There is 2 windows with like 5 inch divider between them. Below them is an air vent I'd like to run the overflow and return to the basement. Outside the windows is the covered front porch. I would intend to probably leave the blinds closed most or all the time.

I originally intended to be able to open blinds in evening and let neighborhood enjoy tank from back, but I decided the clear background would take away from my own viewing too much. My mover buddies though have cautioned me against this placement. I have another option, but for several reasons I'd much prefer to stick with it. The concerns were primarily around condensation with the windows and salt creep.

I was wondering if I should be worried about that and options? I need to find something that wouldn't make the wall too unsightly, so just hanging plastic tarp isn't great. My ideas include possibly using a cover on the tank to further cut evaporation (between that and sump in basement figure it cant be too bad) Or possibly just moving the stand forward a bit to give me some clearance on the back wall I can squeeze behind a little to do some clean up. This would require the overflows going from just a 45 angled into the vent straight under stand to being still same angle really but just angled out the back of the stand to the vent. Was planning on Herbie drain as the ML 300dd only has 2 holes in each overflow.



#2 I'm probably getting a steel stand made, I think it would be prettiest and easiest to get glossy black vs trying to mess with a big wood stand and look nice for my skills. Fairly tall since it's a DD tank for better viewing. Looking at emulating this tank from on RC. Difference being it's a FRAMED marineland. http://ksimonian.com/J/Fish-Tank-03.jpg So my question is with a steel stand similiar to the one linked. Is there any reason I should be having a board either under the stand or on top of the base like in image? Sump will be in basement as stated. Floor is wood laminate so I'll be putting towels down to work often regardless. Would like to avoid destroying it with imprints of the tank.

For the top of the stand, since Ive got the plastic rim, means I should NOT use foam or anything right? But any advantages to having a board across it vs just making sure the rim fits onto the foot print of the stand correctly.

#3 How much variation or whatnot do I have when it comes to steel. I see all the info on wood, but I don't know what changes for steel. Here's a stand unpainted by the guy I was going to have do mine. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160114/07e20022aec81967c89cdd5b51467338.jpg

But I notice its legs differ from the gorgeous one above. I am guessing I can skip those little wing supports in the back of the rimless 300 pic. But for my size tank (6x3x27high) Is it wise to stick with 2 vertical supports front/back besides the corners? And if so is it fine with the 3 foot width to not have an aditional vertical on the sides. (Not having it would be ideal for sliding in equipment if I had to abandon the basement sum for some reason.) Builder guy says he usually uses 1.75 square (so basically 2x2) for the steel.


Stand then be left open or just rare earch magnet some panels.
 
The wall/windows.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20160127_110422.jpg
    IMG_20160127_110422.jpg
    98.1 KB · Views: 5
Bueller....

Other forums gave me a few notes. Mirroring my xp with my 210, I think humidity won't be that bad. It's colorado and mega dry. That said for the windows I was given idea of foil backed rigid foamboard with a layer of plywood or something overit. Then "fat head" wall sticker of marine stuff over it. (I might try to just dry wall and paint with trace marks where to remove or do some kind of wall hanging, dunno)

Think I'm just going to try and guy have guy mirror nice stand above.

Think I'll accept my laminate being messed up, hopefully tank will be there for 20 years anyways. Otherwise I was told maybe non permiable padding with 3/4 marine plywood paint and sealed might do it, I'm just nervous if that allows too much flex or something on the floor.

Not seeing anything to say I should place a board at top of stand, and I think I like idea that maybe if I get a bare spot in glass in the dim room I could have blue led shimmer coming down from the tank.


Biggest conundrum and that will be needed in the reinforcement thread is how far away from the wall is ok. Would like to go about 2 feet maybe to give the wall a respite from the tank, but might be bad for shear strength or whatever on the support wall joists?
 
Back
Top