Custom Cabinet for 90g Reef (Build Thread)
- Thread starter RedEDGE2k1
- Start date
RedEDGE2k1
Member
RedEDGE2k1
Member
The water cleared up over the last day or so. Here's a better shot of the clown in his home
The setup isn't complete and/or fine tuned yet, and I still need to add ~100lbs more rock....but I couldn't resist putting on the top section to see how it would look. I couldn't install the main cabinet doors without removing the sump, so I didn't go that far. I'm very pleased with how the cabinet has turned out so far!
The setup isn't complete and/or fine tuned yet, and I still need to add ~100lbs more rock....but I couldn't resist putting on the top section to see how it would look. I couldn't install the main cabinet doors without removing the sump, so I didn't go that far. I'm very pleased with how the cabinet has turned out so far!
SUPERHERO2943
New member
WOW! and thats all I have to say about that.
RedEDGE2k1
Member
Not planning on cleaning the sides/back.
Suzukibusa06
New member
Very nice I am planning on doing something like this for a 300 gallon fish only. I will tag along. Anything you would have done different?
Hopeful Reefer
Premium Member
Definitely looks awesome...just read start to finish...when I bought my 75g, this is the EXACT model stand I wanted to build...although, the money for it fell through so I ended up buying an AGA stand used from a local here... 
Regardless, I guess I can now just live through your thread the dreams I had for my reef...
Great work!! More pics, I'm starving for them...
Regardless, I guess I can now just live through your thread the dreams I had for my reef...
Great work!! More pics, I'm starving for them...
RedEDGE2k1
Member
Had my first big problem with the tank right before Thanksgiving...when I turned on all the electric components, the total load was too much for our living room circuit and was tripping the circuit breaker. The total load is ~13 amps, and I was wrong when I assumed there would be enough room on the 20 amp living room circuit to accomodate the tank. Long story short, I spent Thanksgiving Day making a plan, and I was busy installing a new 30 amp circuit the day after the holiday, since I had the day off work.
I began by cutting a hole in the drywall directly behind the bottom-right cabinet. There is no back to the cabinet in that area, and it's protected from the sump evaporation/salt creep, so the location was perfect. I hooked up a 2-gang box with one standard receptacle and one GFI receptacle. I did that because the plywood "electrical panel" I built into the cabinet has four individual GFI receptacles, and I didn't want to power those on a single GFI outlet because that would defeat the purpose of having the four individual ones (if the one in the wall trips, all four in the electrical panel trip). Instead, I wanted to run the devices controlled by the AquaController's DC8 on the in-wall GFI outlet, and the non-controlled devices (skimmer, return pump, UV, etc) off the cabinet's four GFI outlets, which are in turn connected to the in-wall standard outlet.
My home's electrical service panel box is located in the garage, directly below the living room (where the tank sits). So, I made a cutout in the drywall ceiling of the garage, and pulled the new circuit's wiring down through the floor. Since this will be a 30-amp circuit, I used 10-gauge wiring.
Once I had the wire through the ceiling, I patched the hole.
I began by cutting a hole in the drywall directly behind the bottom-right cabinet. There is no back to the cabinet in that area, and it's protected from the sump evaporation/salt creep, so the location was perfect. I hooked up a 2-gang box with one standard receptacle and one GFI receptacle. I did that because the plywood "electrical panel" I built into the cabinet has four individual GFI receptacles, and I didn't want to power those on a single GFI outlet because that would defeat the purpose of having the four individual ones (if the one in the wall trips, all four in the electrical panel trip). Instead, I wanted to run the devices controlled by the AquaController's DC8 on the in-wall GFI outlet, and the non-controlled devices (skimmer, return pump, UV, etc) off the cabinet's four GFI outlets, which are in turn connected to the in-wall standard outlet.
My home's electrical service panel box is located in the garage, directly below the living room (where the tank sits). So, I made a cutout in the drywall ceiling of the garage, and pulled the new circuit's wiring down through the floor. Since this will be a 30-amp circuit, I used 10-gauge wiring.
Once I had the wire through the ceiling, I patched the hole.
Last edited:
RedEDGE2k1
Member
To get the wiring to the panel box, I ran it along the wall/ceiling joint, resting it on finishing nails every few feet.
I drilled a hole directly above the main panel box, and using a wire coat hanger, I pulled the new circuit wire down through the wall and into the main panel box.
I now have a 30-amp circuit dedicated to my reef
To hide the new wiring, I installed a simple style of crown molding in the garage.
I drilled a hole directly above the main panel box, and using a wire coat hanger, I pulled the new circuit wire down through the wall and into the main panel box.
I now have a 30-amp circuit dedicated to my reef
To hide the new wiring, I installed a simple style of crown molding in the garage.
RedEDGE2k1
Member
While I was at it last weekend, I replaced the 20g sump I built with a 29g tank because the 20 didn't hold enough water to keep the return pump submerged during operation. The 29g is several inches taller, and the change worked like a charm.
This brought up a new problem, however, because the ER RS-135 skimmer now sat too deep in the water. To remedy this, I bought a 2'x4' piece of eggcrate at Home Depot and made a simple table to support the skimmer and its pump. It's 6" high and is held together with small plastic zip ties.
If you'll notice in the new sump, I installed a double set of baffles because the single set wasn't enough to block all air bubbles from the skimmer in the original 20g sump. The new one works much better.
This brought up a new problem, however, because the ER RS-135 skimmer now sat too deep in the water. To remedy this, I bought a 2'x4' piece of eggcrate at Home Depot and made a simple table to support the skimmer and its pump. It's 6" high and is held together with small plastic zip ties.
If you'll notice in the new sump, I installed a double set of baffles because the single set wasn't enough to block all air bubbles from the skimmer in the original 20g sump. The new one works much better.
RedEDGE2k1
Member
Well now that I have everything fully operational on my setup, I think I can finally say the build is done. For comparison, here's my conceptual SketchUp design and the final product.
And a few more pics, just because I'm very proud of myself.
And a few more pics, just because I'm very proud of myself.
Similar threads
