730g In-Wall Display
- Thread starter tgreene
- Start date
tgreene
Reefer
It's difficult to really be able to appreciate the look of it in pics, but here it is. Just ignore the temporary braces that had to be placed for a couple of days until the adhesive fully bonds and cures...
At the last minute I decided to have another 2x4 placed under the granite to raise it up another 1.5" is so that the sandbed will be at least 1.5" or so below the ledge. This was a last minute "precautionary measure" in the hopes of eliminating the possibility of the cleaning magnet picking up sand and scratching the glass. Also, since the sandbed will now be completely hidden from any penetrating light source along the front edge of the glass, there won't ever be that unsightly red Cyano stain that shows up from time to time on every tank due to light penetration in the anoxic area below the surface.
Once the wall is refinished we'll add the same door/window trim around the whole thing, butted up to the edge of the granite which sticks out 1/4" on the top and sides. The bottom ledge sticks out 2" to create a nice ledge, though it was originally intended to be flush with the wall all the way around... My granite guy is a friend and fellow reefkeepr, so I gave him full "artistic control" over how he wanted to do it. He picked the color & style of granite and decided to make a wider lower ledge, citing that's what he would have done if this was his tank.
At the last minute I decided to have another 2x4 placed under the granite to raise it up another 1.5" is so that the sandbed will be at least 1.5" or so below the ledge. This was a last minute "precautionary measure" in the hopes of eliminating the possibility of the cleaning magnet picking up sand and scratching the glass. Also, since the sandbed will now be completely hidden from any penetrating light source along the front edge of the glass, there won't ever be that unsightly red Cyano stain that shows up from time to time on every tank due to light penetration in the anoxic area below the surface.
Once the wall is refinished we'll add the same door/window trim around the whole thing, butted up to the edge of the granite which sticks out 1/4" on the top and sides. The bottom ledge sticks out 2" to create a nice ledge, though it was originally intended to be flush with the wall all the way around... My granite guy is a friend and fellow reefkeepr, so I gave him full "artistic control" over how he wanted to do it. He picked the color & style of granite and decided to make a wider lower ledge, citing that's what he would have done if this was his tank.
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SeaJayInSC
New member
Yum! I can't wait to see this tank in action...
tgreene
Reefer
I cut my contractor a final check today for the remainder of the building materials to build and finish the walls in the garage, finish the foyer wall, put in a 100amp electrical sub-panel, build a custom air intake ventilation system, and anything else that goes with this project that falls under his realm rather than mine. We discussed things long and hard, and we're at a point where we had to make a decision on whether we want to cut corners to save a few bucks here and there or spend a couple thousand more on building materials than we had initially planned to spend. We chose to stay the course and in regards to doing it right and opted to just throw more more at it since it's not something that you ever want to have to think about potentially having made a mistake.
The next couple of weeks should show the most progress of all as we enter the home stretch and begin preparing to do the ever important fresh water test.
-Tim
The next couple of weeks should show the most progress of all as we enter the home stretch and begin preparing to do the ever important fresh water test.
-Tim
NewSchool04
New member
That 2" extra ledge gives you a nice place for a cold beverage. 
KingNeptunesBou
New member
Tagging along.
tgreene
Reefer
Due to the 100* plus temps and high humidity, my buddy/contractor can only work for so many hours in the heat, thus this is taking a lot longer than expected... Even w/ an 11,000BTU portable AC unit running 24/7 it's still miserably hot in the garage! :eek2:
Anyway, we are kinda in the home stretch since he's now building and wiring electrical in the walls. Also, as with facing walls, FRP board will be installed over top of the sheetrock and it will all have siliconed seams to be as moisture sealed as possible.
-Tim
Anyway, we are kinda in the home stretch since he's now building and wiring electrical in the walls. Also, as with facing walls, FRP board will be installed over top of the sheetrock and it will all have siliconed seams to be as moisture sealed as possible.
-Tim
KingNeptunesBou
New member
Looking great. The temperature here in New York is starting to get into the 90's as well so I can understand how uncomfortable it can be to get the work completed. Looking great, keep the updates coming.
tgreene
Reefer
The walls facing the garage door are nearly complete and already have the FRP on them, and once they are we'll be able to put the doubles into position before building the other wall... The doubles need to be placed before the room is buttoned up, because it would just be too tight to try to get them in through the door and properly positioned.
Hopefully I'll be able to have updates pics by the end of today or tomorrow.
-Tim
Hopefully I'll be able to have updates pics by the end of today or tomorrow.
-Tim
tgreene
Reefer
The remaining wall has been studded in, the temporary" copper plumbing to the water heater is now redone and is in-wall, and the electrical sub-panel is in place with most of the wire pulled.
Tomorrow the rest of the interior drywall will be put up and the insulation will be stuffed. If all goes as planned, the walls will be 100% complete and the electric will be connected and hot by the end of the day Saturday. We need about 4 more looong days to be ready for me to begin the actual tank plumbing.
-Tim
Tomorrow the rest of the interior drywall will be put up and the insulation will be stuffed. If all goes as planned, the walls will be 100% complete and the electric will be connected and hot by the end of the day Saturday. We need about 4 more looong days to be ready for me to begin the actual tank plumbing.
-Tim
tgreene
Reefer
The electrical aspect seems to continue to grow, as we're up to 6 dedicated Arc Fault outlets (5-20's and 1-30amp), 5 standard 20amp outlets, and 1 20amp switch for overhead room lighting. Every new outlet being installed will be on it's own dedicated circuit.
The cost is getting insane at this point, but we're down to the finite decisions before everything is wrapped up and finished this next week.
My goal is to be pushing water by next weekend!
-Tim
The cost is getting insane at this point, but we're down to the finite decisions before everything is wrapped up and finished this next week.
My goal is to be pushing water by next weekend!
-Tim
seahorsedreams
New member
I'm just going to give this thread to my general contractor and say "Git er done".
This answers all the code issues I was running up against. Great job.
This answers all the code issues I was running up against. Great job.
wickedfish
New member
I am tagging along I am definitely taking notes for my wall build, i love the touch of granite as an edging. You did go nuts on the size but we all wish we has your huevos to pull the trigger on the scale of your setup. Thank you for all of the pics, and for inspiring me to get my 2 90's into a large in wall with an under stairs fish room, soon to get the big ones to do it.
