Back in the Saddle Again!! My new 480g In-Wall thread

[loserkidz]

Well if you haven't heard by now I basically lost everything including my tank in the Big Move to Texas, there are threads about it which I don't really want to talk about. Anyways I am going to be building a 480g in wall tank, it consists of a Acrylic 96"x48"x24" and is made of 1-1/4" completely to have a 4" euro brased top. Steve at SocalCreations will be handling this feat, and I will be welding the stand out of 4"x4"x1/4" mild steel. The reason for the industrial strength stand is it will be free standing including the 4-5" lip that will make the tank flush with the outside wall. I haven't seen one built like this so I will put my welding skills to the test. The front will be faced with a variety of high density urethane based crown molding,pilasters,friezes and other accents to create a pleasing look to the install. I have a crude pic of a ghetto drawing of the look I hope to obtain.

Here are some pics of the actual wall and adjoing "fish room" that will be housing the system. I will be using the same equipment but will be removing the Vho setup and adding on 3 more Lumenarcs to the mix, so a total of 6-400w lighting the tank.

I am debating on adding 4 of the wavy seas in each corner,or a pair of waveboxes w/ my 4 streams or 8- oceans motion. I will also be looking to upgrade my skimmer, I am looking at the Deltec 703 or comperable skimmer. Any suggestions or experience you have had in the past would be greatly appeciated.
Brent Higa

 

[818]

Nice recovery....with a 480g! Very Cool.

Questoin: You will be adding the wood paneling? I dont think I recall anything as nice as what you drew, in an inwall.

Good Luck!

Sam Nieves

 

[Konadog]

Brent, I like the Texas Autocad :lol:

I also don't see any water in that tank of mine!


Glad to see you getting an even better tank, I hope your wife doesn't shoot you in the end! Maybe you can make a fort out of your old tank for the kids.

 

[cali_reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6995074#post6995074 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Konadog
Brent, I like the Texas Autocad :lol:

:lmao:

That plan sounds great, can't wait to see it up soon.. How far are you from Gainesville?

 

[David P]

Gainesville...I thought that was in Florida?

Brent, the wall with the blue tape on it... is that a load bearing wall? If it isnt, no interest in moving the tank to the corner so you can see it from to sides?

 

[loserkidz]

Dave,
Good to hear from you, No the wall isn't load bearnin. I finally got around last night to tearing out he studs and just got back form HD with the materials to finish it off with. Unfortunately I can't have the side showing since the side wall is angled off about 45 degrees.
Any new diving trips scheduled for you?
Brent
PS
pierce about two hours away......

 

[David P]

Brent, so if I ever get out to DFW to visit my aunt and couzins, do I have an invite? Especially since I never made it over to see your Cali tank...

Just got back from the Channel Islands, Two knuckle heads almost drowned! Next week is diving the Canadian Destroyer Yukon down in San Diego and on April 15th, 3 other ship wrecks!

 

[gregr]

Hey Brent-
Sorry to hear about the trouble during the move bud.
But glad to hear about the new tank- yay. Looking forward to seeing it's creation

 

[loserkidz]

Well I was able to make some time this week with my busy and akward work schedule and was able to finish riping out the wall and bracing up the perimeter. I ended up shooting the texture coat and knocking it down to match the rest o fthe wall. I should be riping up the carpet in the fish room tonight, and will start cutting up the 4x4 steel sunday. I will have to wled it in the room as there is no way to move it once it is built. I also picked up the rubberized truchk liner for the stand too.
Steve at t Socalcreations.com said the tank should be here the first of May. I hope to have everything done including laying the tile out in the room and have the full facia done on the oustde as well.

Brent Higa

 

[Konadog]

Nice work Brent, I can't believe how fast you work sometimes.

 

[loserkidz]

Well I ended up welding up the stand yesterday and will finish grinding down the welds and applying the first coat of the sprayon liner. I had a hell of a time flipping the stand around to do the welding, remember it is 4"X4"X1/4" square tubing. Once I welded the top structure I had to weld on the legs and turn it 180 degrees to stand it up. I have it worked out to be over 800#s so it wasn't an easy task. That is the reason for me welding it inside the room, not that I wanted to but I couldn't see any other way for one person to do it. And yes, my kids had on welding goggles, I just couldn't find any small enough for my fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[loserkidz]

I would have liked to have all of the corners mitered as I usually do, but with it being made out of such large tubing my chopsaw just wasn't up to the task, believe me I tried. If you notice in the following pictures the whole stand will be supporting all of the weight. Most inwalls rest on the front pony wall. I actually have a 1/4" gap between the stand and the wall, hence the reason for such a beefed up stand.

 

[cali_reef]

WOW!! Very Nice!

Put a 1/4" sheet of steel around it and use it as a bomb shelter.

 

[gregr]

amazing...

 

[loserkidz]

 

[Konadog]

Brent, are you going to seal up those ends? You might be able to go to a motorhome place and buy some end caps, they use them for the rear bumper that stores the dump hoses.

 

[loserkidz]

Well Steve over at www.socalcreations.com posted some pics of the tank being manufatured. I am thinking that we are getting pretty close to a bullet proof enclosure,whatcha think?

brent higa

 

[Konadog]

I think .................. holy crap that's some thick acrylic!

 

[Konadog]

Brent, check out the new toy I just picked up

 

[loserkidz]

Ken,
That isn't what I thought the 8 way looked like, here is one of the pics on their website.

It looks a wee bit more difficult in plumbing with the setup you have at the house.
Brent