~450G Display (~1000G system) documentary starting
- Thread starter kwl1763
- Start date
kwl1763
Premium Member
Sorry Guys, I was out of the country for a couple weeks.
ReefWaters, It's not a true criptic as the flow is high but there should be plenty of sponge and pod growth there for sure.
Things are progressing fine. Everything was fine while I was gone. I setup an autotoppoff before I left that was 20G so my wife only had to fill it once while I was gone. Everything seems to be good. The skimmer production has slowed but I'm pretty sure that's just because the rock is almost cured. I have an all zero reading now so It's humming along. They are supposed to build the walls for the fish room and the hole etc either this week or next.
ReefWaters, It's not a true criptic as the flow is high but there should be plenty of sponge and pod growth there for sure.
Things are progressing fine. Everything was fine while I was gone. I setup an autotoppoff before I left that was 20G so my wife only had to fill it once while I was gone. Everything seems to be good. The skimmer production has slowed but I'm pretty sure that's just because the rock is almost cured. I have an all zero reading now so It's humming along. They are supposed to build the walls for the fish room and the hole etc either this week or next.
kwl1763
Premium Member
Well things are coming along. The fishroom is all framed out! I did a 90G water change this morning again. More then anything I'm doing it to maintain levels since I don't measure the calcium and alkalinity and such on a regular basis. I have a touch (less than 5ppm nitrate and nothing else detectable.
Here are some pics of the room.
First this is a shot of what you will look at so this is facing the front of where the tank will be.
The fish room itself is 12x14 plus a little 5x4ft notch for the sink area which I'll get to in a minute.
This is looking into the fish room from the same angle as the last shot.
Here is the best shot of the full room I could get from the side.
Here is a pic showing the 5ft double door framed.
Here is a close up of the stand. It is not done yet as I still am going to put some bracing in the center. It's made of 2x6s.
Here is the sink area. They have run the lines. I told them to put the dran low and they are going to leave a connection on the top of the drain PVC so I can hook up and drain for a water change. I think I'll just put a union. Have a cap on one and then a barb on another and leave the cap on until I do the water change then just change out the top of the union to the barb, connect the drain hose. Open the drain valve and done!
Coming right along!
Here are some pics of the room.
First this is a shot of what you will look at so this is facing the front of where the tank will be.
The fish room itself is 12x14 plus a little 5x4ft notch for the sink area which I'll get to in a minute.
This is looking into the fish room from the same angle as the last shot.
Here is the best shot of the full room I could get from the side.
Here is a pic showing the 5ft double door framed.
Here is a close up of the stand. It is not done yet as I still am going to put some bracing in the center. It's made of 2x6s.
Here is the sink area. They have run the lines. I told them to put the dran low and they are going to leave a connection on the top of the drain PVC so I can hook up and drain for a water change. I think I'll just put a union. Have a cap on one and then a barb on another and leave the cap on until I do the water change then just change out the top of the union to the barb, connect the drain hose. Open the drain valve and done!
Coming right along!
melev
Well-known member
I don't think that stand is nearly strong enough Keith. I know you are going to add more bracing, and I also know that you know what I know that you know what you are doing, but....
The flat 2x6 frame at the top is not strong in that application, but would be if it was on edge. Others may disagree. I see the 8 uprights as being 8 high points, with each section between them as possible sagging points. The corners should be very strong, so I'd double up the uprights there.
Other than that one small issue
I think it is coming along great. I want to see it in person after you've got all the hard work done. 
The flat 2x6 frame at the top is not strong in that application, but would be if it was on edge. Others may disagree. I see the 8 uprights as being 8 high points, with each section between them as possible sagging points. The corners should be very strong, so I'd double up the uprights there.
Other than that one small issue
I think it is coming along great. I want to see it in person after you've got all the hard work done. 
jnarowe
New member
so nice to start from scratch! It looks like it's coming along nicely.
I do have to echo what Marc said. I know you said you are adding bracing, but looking at the picture it looks to me like only about 30-40% of what I believe you should have. My stand is all 4 x 4 with many doubled up. Take a look at some others on RC (like mine) so you can get a better feel for how stout it should be.
Since you have the luxury of building eveything from scratch, try to take advantage of that and build everything 50% stronger than you think it needs to be. At the very minimum, I would double up every 2 x 6 in that frame including top and bottom. You will end up with at least 10 lbs. per gallon riding on that thing, plus the weight of the tank! I would estimate that my tank with sand, rock, & water will come in around 11,000 to 12,000 lbs!
I do have to echo what Marc said. I know you said you are adding bracing, but looking at the picture it looks to me like only about 30-40% of what I believe you should have. My stand is all 4 x 4 with many doubled up. Take a look at some others on RC (like mine) so you can get a better feel for how stout it should be.
Since you have the luxury of building eveything from scratch, try to take advantage of that and build everything 50% stronger than you think it needs to be. At the very minimum, I would double up every 2 x 6 in that frame including top and bottom. You will end up with at least 10 lbs. per gallon riding on that thing, plus the weight of the tank!
I would estimate that my tank with sand, rock, & water will come in around 11,000 to 12,000 lbs!
melev
Well-known member
I underestimated, thinking it was more like 5000 lbs. The good thing is that all of that can be pulled out easily and replaced with a better design, and honestly it doesn't matter how much is under the tank since your sumps are not going underneath. As long as you have bulkhead access, that's all you need.
Keith,
That room is going to be great once it is completed. It looks like you will have a lot of room to move around in there...great work on the planning and setup. I have to agree with Marc and Jonathan about the stand. Having spent a lot of time reading about these larger systems, I got used to seeing really massive stands, stands that were incredibly over-built, and stands that were overkill. If it were me, I would err on the side of overkill, just for peace of mind, and make the stand as bomb-proof as possible.
That room is going to be great once it is completed. It looks like you will have a lot of room to move around in there...great work on the planning and setup. I have to agree with Marc and Jonathan about the stand. Having spent a lot of time reading about these larger systems, I got used to seeing really massive stands, stands that were incredibly over-built, and stands that were overkill. If it were me, I would err on the side of overkill, just for peace of mind, and make the stand as bomb-proof as possible.
kwl1763
Premium Member
OK I actually had a guy do the real structural analysis in the computer using 15,000 lbs. Stand with the litle extra bracing I did add still had a safety factor of over 2. I know some people build ridiculously overbuilt stands. It doesn't mean you need them. I'm perfectly comfortable with 30,000 lbs. instead of 100,000 lbs.
melev
Well-known member
Yes, because as it dries out the shape changes and flexes/warps/twists. If you let it dry out for a few weeks before using it, you can set up a reasonably decent setup that will stay stable. However, if you build the stand with wet lumber, it will change as it dries out and this can cause problems.
kwl1763
Premium Member
It does amaze me how much people overbuild. I think it's probably just due to not having intimate knowledge of strengths so we just go super overboard to make sure. Luckily I was an engineer by schooling so I have lots of friends who have cool modeling software that can actually figure some of this stuff out.
Not that there is anything wrong with overbuilding. Much better safe then sorry.
On that note and in an ironic twist fate, I was moving the sumps around last night (clearing the fish room for sheetrock, paint, etc.) and the middle stand cracked and I spilled about 10G onto the floor! That was obviously underbuilt. Should have consulted my resources on that one! I'll be rebuilding it tonight!
I transferred the water and the rock into the third sump that was not currently in use and moved everything to the next room over. It was not a fun process and it took about 4 hours total. Luckily I won't have to do that often!
Not that there is anything wrong with overbuilding. Much better safe then sorry.
On that note and in an ironic twist fate, I was moving the sumps around last night (clearing the fish room for sheetrock, paint, etc.) and the middle stand cracked and I spilled about 10G onto the floor! That was obviously underbuilt. Should have consulted my resources on that one! I'll be rebuilding it tonight!
I transferred the water and the rock into the third sump that was not currently in use and moved everything to the next room over. It was not a fun process and it took about 4 hours total. Luckily I won't have to do that often!
Keith,
Glad to hear things are moving along! When you say the stand cracked, do you mean the ones you built on wheels? Sorry to hear that happened, but luckily you had the other sump ready and available to transfer all the rock to.
Can I ask a question about your circulation in the tank. You mentioned having two waveboxes, in what sort of configuration are you going to place them? Also, aside from the two Streams, are you thinking closed loop? Sorry if this is putting the cart before the horse, but curiosity is getting the better of me!
Glad to hear things are moving along! When you say the stand cracked, do you mean the ones you built on wheels? Sorry to hear that happened, but luckily you had the other sump ready and available to transfer all the rock to.
Can I ask a question about your circulation in the tank. You mentioned having two waveboxes, in what sort of configuration are you going to place them? Also, aside from the two Streams, are you thinking closed loop? Sorry if this is putting the cart before the horse, but curiosity is getting the better of me!
kwl1763
Premium Member
Sorry guys I was out of the country again! To bad it's on business and I don't get to enjoy. It was Portugal this time!
No real updates though. I am going to rebuild the broken cart this weekend. I think I might get to painting the fish room this weekend. The only real progress is being made on the basement itself. Tape and bed is done so it's moving along nicely.
I haven't read the setup yet but I'm pretty sure the waveboxes have to be used on the same side of the tank. For other circulation I have 4 Streams (2 6100s and 2 6000s) and Iwaki 55 for the return and a Hammerhead (5500GPH) on a closed loop.
No real updates though. I am going to rebuild the broken cart this weekend. I think I might get to painting the fish room this weekend. The only real progress is being made on the basement itself. Tape and bed is done so it's moving along nicely.
I haven't read the setup yet but I'm pretty sure the waveboxes have to be used on the same side of the tank. For other circulation I have 4 Streams (2 6100s and 2 6000s) and Iwaki 55 for the return and a Hammerhead (5500GPH) on a closed loop.
