60 Gal Cube Build...... help wanted!
- Thread starter likefish
- Start date
Finally made time to get things moving again.
Stand frame is done. All of the "you better make it look good" work is done for the wife. Decided on a piece of oak butcherblock for the stand top. Pretty happy with how it worked out.
To-Do list at this point:
- pull power from room behind tank and install new outlet.
- Drill holes hole in butcherblock for supply and return line from cube.
- make final decissions on plumbing and get it under way.
Stand frame is done. All of the "you better make it look good" work is done for the wife. Decided on a piece of oak butcherblock for the stand top. Pretty happy with how it worked out.
To-Do list at this point:
- pull power from room behind tank and install new outlet.
- Drill holes hole in butcherblock for supply and return line from cube.
- make final decissions on plumbing and get it under way.
Decided to drill the 40gal under the cube with a 1.5" bulkead and 1.5" return line to the sump under the 120. Its overkill but i dont believe i will have to worry about it clogging and overflowing. The bulkhead will be fed by an acrylic overflow that i plan to DIY with some acrylic scraps and silicone. This 40G breeder (under the cube) will serve as my frag tank. The sump will remain under the 120.
Anyone anticipate any problems with a 1.5" return? It only has 2" of fall from the frag tank to the sump. Hoping that oversizing it will prevent any issues.
Anyone anticipate any problems with a 1.5" return? It only has 2" of fall from the frag tank to the sump. Hoping that oversizing it will prevent any issues.
got bogged down lately but back under way!
Finally manned up and cut the hole in the wall and drilled my drain holes in the cabinet top:
Framed out a box to fill the hole to try to keep moisture out the inside of the wall (evaporation from my frag tank is still a concern), Also added shower pan to the underside of the oak top to prevent absorbing moisture from evaporation:
Jail shiv / drywall saw:
bottom shot of cube drains:
also got my DC return punp finally! should be interesting;
Running all the return plumbing today and drilling the frag tank. Fingers crossed!
Finally manned up and cut the hole in the wall and drilled my drain holes in the cabinet top:
Framed out a box to fill the hole to try to keep moisture out the inside of the wall (evaporation from my frag tank is still a concern), Also added shower pan to the underside of the oak top to prevent absorbing moisture from evaporation:
Jail shiv / drywall saw:
bottom shot of cube drains:
also got my DC return punp finally! should be interesting;
Running all the return plumbing today and drilling the frag tank. Fingers crossed!
ITS ALIVE!!!
I go the frag tank online friday night and added the final touches on the cube today. I integrated the cube water to the main system slowly and then ran some tests with the valving.
Works fantastic and no leaks!!! Tonights project was rebuilding my algae scrubber and getting it back online.
Unfortunaly all of these changes stressed my tank and my 2 clowns and one tang are iched up now. Now sure how im going to address this. They cant be caught so we shall see.
Still need to mount my lights and find a light for my frag tank.
I go the frag tank online friday night and added the final touches on the cube today. I integrated the cube water to the main system slowly and then ran some tests with the valving.
Works fantastic and no leaks!!! Tonights project was rebuilding my algae scrubber and getting it back online.
Unfortunaly all of these changes stressed my tank and my 2 clowns and one tang are iched up now. Now sure how im going to address this. They cant be caught so we shall see.
Still need to mount my lights and find a light for my frag tank.
Now for the rockscape for the cube: (todays other project)
I wanted a gravity defying look to the build with multiple tiers to place euphilia. i also am aiming for lots of open sand.
I built a PVC frame to mount baserock to. I mapped out the tank footprint on the counter and drew in the overflow. This allowed me to see exactly how close to the glass the rock would end up and cabinet above the counter is 18" witch is the max height i wanted my rock to be.
I mounted the pvc frame to a scrap of starboard to give it a solid footing and allow me to ziptie it down to account for the cantilever.
I started piecing rocks together with zipties and fiberglass rod. I did the drilling with masonry bits.
This is the heaviest overhanging piece and the tallest part of the build. TO make sure it mounted securely i used a heavier PVC dowel and drilled it into a PVC fitting to allow it to be glued to the PVC frame.
Finished overhang pieces ready for foaming. I Use black pond foam to fill the voids and bond the pieces together. That foam is super sticky and fills voids well resulting in some great adhesion! Once the foam cures i will pull the excess off with pliers to shape the joints to my liking.
Same pieces right side up built into the frame
side view, starting to add more pieces:
I wanted a gravity defying look to the build with multiple tiers to place euphilia. i also am aiming for lots of open sand.
I built a PVC frame to mount baserock to. I mapped out the tank footprint on the counter and drew in the overflow. This allowed me to see exactly how close to the glass the rock would end up and cabinet above the counter is 18" witch is the max height i wanted my rock to be.
I mounted the pvc frame to a scrap of starboard to give it a solid footing and allow me to ziptie it down to account for the cantilever.
I started piecing rocks together with zipties and fiberglass rod. I did the drilling with masonry bits.
This is the heaviest overhanging piece and the tallest part of the build. TO make sure it mounted securely i used a heavier PVC dowel and drilled it into a PVC fitting to allow it to be glued to the PVC frame.
Finished overhang pieces ready for foaming. I Use black pond foam to fill the voids and bond the pieces together. That foam is super sticky and fills voids well resulting in some great adhesion! Once the foam cures i will pull the excess off with pliers to shape the joints to my liking.
Same pieces right side up built into the frame
side view, starting to add more pieces:
Tiem to call it quits for the day. Ran out of foam and still have a few more rocks to place.
I am not filling all of the voids just making sure that the joints have a strip of foam between them. The foam expands but will get peeled off later to clean it up.
Final product for today:
This is what the joints look like after expansion:
24 hour work shift tomorrow. Progress will have to wait till Tuesday.
I am not filling all of the voids just making sure that the joints have a strip of foam between them. The foam expands but will get peeled off later to clean it up.
Final product for today:
This is what the joints look like after expansion:
24 hour work shift tomorrow. Progress will have to wait till Tuesday.
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