Well, maybe more of a "built" thread since I'm getting around to this part a little late. I know I'll miss the chance at some of the feedback that might have helped me along the way.
But I've so enjoyed reading about others' setups over my years of lurking, that I wanted to post my experiences in case it helps others or others have suggestions for me as my system continues.
Tank: 72 x 28 x 30 (30 high) 3/4" Starphire glass tank, built by Miracles in Glass, whom I strongly recommend. 40" high steel stand also built by them. Glass eurobrace partly to help with jumpers, partly to hold return line bulkheads, partly for strength (using wawebox). Barebottom with starboard bottom.
Well, after a few discussed locations, my wife and I chose my ground floor (not basement) office, with a 3 foot wide opening that allows part of the tank to be seen from the front door hallway.
It is perpendicular to 5 floor joists. Unfortunately, it doesn't fall over where the joists overlap the main steel beam and posts that run the center line of the house, but about 1/3 to 1/2 of the span between that beam and the perimeter foundation. I could see that even without a tank there, since 1957 there had been some bowing of the 2x10 joists. So I consulted an engineer about reinforcing the floor, not wanting to add posts in the finished basement. I ended up with specs for 10 foot long, 10 guage (1/8") steel beams sistered to both sides of each joist for stiffening. They are bolted every foot. I burned through a LOT of drill bits!
8/30/08:
I ran pipes to my fish room, maybe about a 40' horizontal run. I ran 2 1.25" returns since I wanted to use 2 return pumps for redundancy/safety. One 2" drain line (I know, many people do one return and 2 drain). And a 1" siphon line that goes to the drain, for tank siphoning (love it!)
I built a stand to hold a frag/refugium 50g rubbermaid and the 100g rubbermaid sump. For possible future experimental cooling use, I embedded copper tubing under the leveling concrete shelf I poured. I know that copper is toxic; it would have to be used with some heat exchanger made out of high grade stainless or plastic; not doing anything with it now, but we'll see this summer.
The tank arrived, well-packaged, nicely built. Internal end overflow.
10/8/08:
We rented 6 suction cups and used furniture dollies to move the tank. I installed some reinforced hooks from the attic and used chain hoists to lift the tank straight up and slid the stand under it. I wasn't sure how else to gracefully to do it since we only had access from 2 sides, really and it weighed maybe 600+ lbs (don't remember exactly). Those of you more experienced may laugh at my overkill method, but the thing was heavy and this method worked great.
I am maybe the world's second-worst drywaller but after 9, 376 coats it turned out great (not done in these pics!)
A top priority for me was keeping a fairly open rockwork plan. I was fortunate enough to buy large rocks from a LFS display tank, with a few others from other sources because I wanted fewer larger rocks, not a dense pile of boulders. My wife and I arranged them the way we wanted, on the basement floor. I had a mister bottle of saltwater to keep things damp. I also DRILLED a few holes and took pictures showing where they were so I could find them later. I wish I'd drilled more! Great for helping mount things and if you don't use them they get overgrown and are barely noticeable.
But I've so enjoyed reading about others' setups over my years of lurking, that I wanted to post my experiences in case it helps others or others have suggestions for me as my system continues.
Tank: 72 x 28 x 30 (30 high) 3/4" Starphire glass tank, built by Miracles in Glass, whom I strongly recommend. 40" high steel stand also built by them. Glass eurobrace partly to help with jumpers, partly to hold return line bulkheads, partly for strength (using wawebox). Barebottom with starboard bottom.
Well, after a few discussed locations, my wife and I chose my ground floor (not basement) office, with a 3 foot wide opening that allows part of the tank to be seen from the front door hallway.
It is perpendicular to 5 floor joists. Unfortunately, it doesn't fall over where the joists overlap the main steel beam and posts that run the center line of the house, but about 1/3 to 1/2 of the span between that beam and the perimeter foundation. I could see that even without a tank there, since 1957 there had been some bowing of the 2x10 joists. So I consulted an engineer about reinforcing the floor, not wanting to add posts in the finished basement. I ended up with specs for 10 foot long, 10 guage (1/8") steel beams sistered to both sides of each joist for stiffening. They are bolted every foot. I burned through a LOT of drill bits!
8/30/08:
I ran pipes to my fish room, maybe about a 40' horizontal run. I ran 2 1.25" returns since I wanted to use 2 return pumps for redundancy/safety. One 2" drain line (I know, many people do one return and 2 drain). And a 1" siphon line that goes to the drain, for tank siphoning (love it!)
I built a stand to hold a frag/refugium 50g rubbermaid and the 100g rubbermaid sump. For possible future experimental cooling use, I embedded copper tubing under the leveling concrete shelf I poured. I know that copper is toxic; it would have to be used with some heat exchanger made out of high grade stainless or plastic; not doing anything with it now, but we'll see this summer.
The tank arrived, well-packaged, nicely built. Internal end overflow.
10/8/08:
We rented 6 suction cups and used furniture dollies to move the tank. I installed some reinforced hooks from the attic and used chain hoists to lift the tank straight up and slid the stand under it. I wasn't sure how else to gracefully to do it since we only had access from 2 sides, really and it weighed maybe 600+ lbs (don't remember exactly). Those of you more experienced may laugh at my overkill method, but the thing was heavy and this method worked great.
I am maybe the world's second-worst drywaller but after 9, 376 coats it turned out great (not done in these pics!)
A top priority for me was keeping a fairly open rockwork plan. I was fortunate enough to buy large rocks from a LFS display tank, with a few others from other sources because I wanted fewer larger rocks, not a dense pile of boulders. My wife and I arranged them the way we wanted, on the basement floor. I had a mister bottle of saltwater to keep things damp. I also DRILLED a few holes and took pictures showing where they were so I could find them later. I wish I'd drilled more! Great for helping mount things and if you don't use them they get overgrown and are barely noticeable.
