finally beginning my 480g 5'x5'x30" SPS Reef Tank

[jnarowe]

When I was in college, I used kegs for chairs. I had a garbage can right near my bed with a drain line going to my shower. I kept a keg in it and just replaced the ice every couple of days. I could drink directly from the tap while lying in bed. So a few pumps and off to bed!

 

[cbui2]

it was worth a shot? yeah my next display will definitely be custom built to my specs out of wood and fiberglass, but not 5x5x30 more like 8x8x35 . your cube is one of a kind though, well thought of and well plan :thumbsup: also are you sure all the equipment will be there by the time you get back :lol: . you might want to check ebay every now and then :rollface:

 

[cbui2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10544204#post10544204 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
When I was in college, I used kegs for chairs. I had a garbage can right near my bed with a drain line going to my shower. I kept a keg in it and just replaced the ice every couple of days. I could drink directly from the tap while lying in bed. So a few pumps and off to bed!

then what you became today

 

[ReefingBuddha]

Ingenious... unfortunately my college had a "dry" campus, not that it really mattered. But I couldn't run a hose down my halfway to drain my keg ice. But we did use empty kegs as legs for our beer pong table, made a urinal at our end of the halfway because we were to lazy to walk to the other side of the building when we were drinking, and I strategically placed wall mounted cup holders made out of duct tape around my bed, desk, and couch in case I was going to pass out there with an unfinished drink. It took a few mornings of waking up in a pool of spilt beer before i decided to take action.

Oh, the good old days. . I'll drink to that :beer:

 

[ReefingBuddha]

bart - always worth asking. 8x8x35... is that all? I'm thinking my next sump will be at least that big . Can't believe that you just finished your tank and I'm not even close yet but we are already shooting higher. Thanks for the props, I hope it comes together as well as I have invisioned it.

I'll check ebay now... haha

 

[erics3000]

Man I was waiting for someone to say something about that garage. I thought that was a Posrche in the first pic. Sweet cars..Nice really Nice

 

[pcostanzo]

Have you guys ever read Delbeek and Sprungs "The Reef Aquarium Vol3?"

They got a tank in someones basement that's built on the floor wall to wall. Another one that was made of concrete the whole length of the room with a glass panel. Thats my next one. Maybe I'll keep a blacktip.

 

[Reefski's]

great book, my tank building companion.

have you been to the Waikiki Aquarium. 5000 gallon reef tank. magnificent!

 

[pcostanzo]

That place must be amazing. Its been referred to in about every book I've ever read.

 

[jnarowe]

One of those giant basement tanks ruined the house it was under.

 

[ReefingBuddha]

Too bad we don't have basements in Florida . My living room seems like it ould be a nice aquarium though.

For a tank that size I would only build it on straight base rock under the house and then seperate the entire basement from the rest of the house. A basement tank is SWEET but not sweet enough to risk my house. Must be a rediculous amount of pressure on the foundation and horrible humidity from evaporation. Hmmm, challenges... interesting.

 

[ReefingBuddha]

More sketchup crap... Here is how I invision it happening. I would use 4 X 400 pound guide rails, with a 30" stroke" in each corner to let the canopy move smoothly into the encloser. I think I will use two actuators, rated at 150 pounds, to move it a stroke of 24". The reason for using 2 instead of one actuator is so that I can get a faster speed out of them. A 400 pound actuator only moves at 1/2 to 3/4" a second max.

The canopy will also be on a ratchet system so if the actuators fail, I can crank it up manually. This brings me to my questions about using wires on a rotory motor rather then actuators attached to the canopy. It would make it easier to use the ratchet system this way and only have one motor that I need to rely on as opposed to 2.


Hood down

Hood up

Attic encloser
http://web.mac.com/thomashirschmann/iWeb/Thomas%20Michael%20Hirschmann%20jr./Reefcentral%20pictures%20sketchup_files/canopy%20down%20attic.jpg[IMG]


This is fairly far down the creative process for me. Any advice or opinions would be appreciated.

 

[ReefingBuddha]

sorry

btw I have talked to a contractor about this and he doesn't for see any problems with the weight associated with lifting the hood.

 

[goetzc]

Is there any reason a standard garage door opener wouldn't work for you to lift the canopy?
That way it's pretty fast and has a remote already. It may be a little noisier than an actuator, but I'm sure you could find a suitable one.

Chris

 

[TandN]

I bought on of those actuators actually w/ a remote I nevr used it just sits here

 

[ReefingBuddha]

goetzc - Not sure about the cost of a garage door opener but its a interesting alternative that I will look into. You could easily attach some wires with a pulley to the trolley and that should work fine. And your right, it would be fast and the new belt drive motors are very quite.

Thanks.


Tanya - Seems like a fun little gadget to play with.

 

[kamico]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10102172#post10102172 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thirschmann
Sorry it took so long, enjoy the pictures.

equipment room setup 1... this was my first idea.

What program did you use to design this? this is amazing work!

 

[cbui2]

great sketchup as usual :thumbsup: , JMO maybe try some stronger actuators. it shouldn't be that much more in price, but better to have a little more then less. did you calculate how much weight total with 4 PFO fixtures, wood and metal?

 

[ReefingBuddha]

kamico - program I uses is sketchup. And thank you.

bart - Thanks. I have to wait until I put the thing together, can't imagine that it will weight more then a few hundred pounds but I will have to see once the thing is built and then make a decision on actuators. You have some experience with actuators right? Do you think a garage door opener would work better?

 

[jnarowe]

that will be really cool to have full access like that. I couldn't do that because my tank is set into a load bearing wall.