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

 

[Bill Wann]

A suggestiom , screw the 4 inch euro and extra thick acrylic and use a welded steel frame , made of 1.5 angle , Tig weld it so its nice . an dthen cover ot the pve angle thats miteres and welded at the corners . I buils all my tanks this way and its the only way to , look at some of the german tank bulider thay do it that way . You will still gt a alot of bow with a 4 inch brace . One of my tanks is 6 x 8 x 4 foot high and has no bow .

 

[AcroSteve]

Very interesting.

What do you plan on making the lip out of? 3/8"x 8" would be the minimum, probably.

 

[AcroSteve]

Bill, What thickness angle would you suggest for 8'x4'? Your 8' tank has a center brace. Could you possibly use 2" angle and avoid it?

Are you saying to just build an open top acrylic box "tank" and then put the frame around it? Or build it in the frame from the beginning?

 

[Bill Wann]

Build the box and put he frame on , the cover the frame in pve so it doeasnt corode .I Have a six foot cube tank with out a center brace and sitll using 1.5 inch angle ,

 

[SERVO]

You still have your Chalice corals and a few acros!
I'll be following this closely; Check out some of your babies.
Your Chalice corals are one the left and right of the tank at the bottom.

Once this thing is up and running, I'll give you all the frags you need to start over.



Welcome to Texas!!! Give me a call yah loser!

 

[TCU Reefer]

Welcome to the metroplex Brent. I see that the sump that Marc fixed is holding up. Can't wait to see this system up and running.

 

[Ixthys]

I've always used tubular steel to build my stands, but some of you seem to prefer angle iron. Any particular reason?

Loserkidz, are you using Mig or Tig to weld?

 

[newtophish]

I will be following along hoping not to drool on my keyboard. Welcome Home. Remember some people were born in Texas, the rest of us got here as quick as we could.

 

[loserkidz]

Ixthys,
with the steel being 1/4" I am using my Lincoln Ranger9 arc welder with onboard Generator since I will have to weld it in the fish room, my calcs come up with 827# worth of steel. I don't think I will be trying to move it into the house. Servo, thanks for your help with housing my corals that lived. i know you and Marc have been a great help. I just hope to return the favor later once I get my system up and running. I still owe Marc some welding work too.
Thanks,
Brent

 

[SERVO]

No problem man! I know what it is like to move across the country with a big tank. Too bad you didn't move a little closer toward the Metroplex, anyway, I'm sure you'll be active in the club. I hope your family is making the adjustments!

 

[Ixthys]

Dang that's a lot of steel! Are you planning on just melting it all down into one big solid mass?

On a serious note though, what are you going to use to protect the metal from rust?

 

[loserkidz]

If you check out my Cali. friend Konadog in the Maslac forum he catually coated his stand with Linex. I saw in person and you could hit it with a wrench and it was dead silent. I swear it was 1/4" thick. I will definately have to buy the Diy kit since I wouldn't be able to haul the stand around.
Servo:
please pm me you number I liked the look of your tanks facia boards. Very clean and appealing.
Brent

 

[Konadog]

This is what Line-x on my stand looks like.

 

[Ixthys]

Konadog, that is just plain sweet! Plus, it looks like you've got some nice joints there.

How do you do it on-site? They make a DIY Line-x type material? I know some folks looked into this, and you had to buy big drums of the chemicals as well as the sprayer.

 

[Konadog]

I don't know of a DIY kit or even a portable system. HD carries a roll on bed liner, but it's nothing like Line-x. I do think it will work since we aren't tossing a ton of junk on it and driving like a nut job down the freeway with it!

As Brent mentioned, this stuff definitely deadened the sound transfer of a metal stand.

 

[saurus]

Brent, glad to see you are back in the saddle. Good luck with the project. I have a couple more luminarcs if you need them.

Cheers,

Clint
p.s. If you get a chance I would love to see a few pics of the new house.

 

[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

 

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

very nice start...

 

[sixxer]

Looking great so far....