griss' Tank Upgrade Thread

[BeanAnimal]

Thanks John. I’m NOT good with woodwork and, up close, the hood isn’t very good. But, it’s functional.

Still need to add the Apex moonlights, but no sense in that until I’m ready to move the 40 livestock to the 75.

I think it is fine. If you are that bothered by it, you can fill some of the endgrain with bondo or wood putty and sand it and repaint. You could also picture frame the 3 visible sides with simple flat 1" or 2" flat trim, no need for 45's butt joints would be fine.

 

[griss]

I think it is fine. If you are that bothered by it, you can fill some of the endgrain with bondo or wood putty and sand it and repaint. You could also picture frame the 3 visible sides with simple flat 1" or 2" flat trim, no need for 45's butt joints would be fine.

I’m actually fine with it. I’m more of a functional person than a, “it looks perfect” person.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I’m actually fine with it. I’m more of a functional person than a, “it looks perfect” person.

That is all that matters. What is amazing about any of these projects is that every one of us gets something different out of them and has different skills and expectations. I love following along with other people's projects.

 

[griss]

That is all that matters. What is amazing about any of these projects is that every one of us gets something different out of them and has different skills and expectations. I love following along with other people's projects.

Thanks buddy. Funny, after these billion years you and I have been in this hobby, we both are happy with simple successes

 

[n2585722]

Thanks John. I’m NOT good with woodwork and, up close, the hood isn’t very good. But, it’s functional.

Still need to add the Apex moonlights, but no sense in that until I’m ready to move the 40 livestock to the 75.

Unless you have a good table saw and router table it would be hard to get it any better. Also a Kreg pocket hole fixture is a big help. Below are photos of my pocket hole fixture. It has had lots of use over the years. Yours looks good and it works.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I pocket holed the little stand for my new skimmer this evening

@griss I am still a perfectionist when it coms to certain things, but I have calmed way down over the years and learned a few things but mostly that we are our own worst critics. Nobody else usually notices or cares.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

It's like my wife says " nobody is going to see it", "only you know it's there".

 

[furface]

Back in 2017 I bought a 40 Breeder and a 75 to replace a 92 corner bowfront. I was replacing that tank as I didn't care for the look and difficult interior maintenance of the 92. The original plan was to make the 40 a Caribbean biotope and the 75 was going to be an Indo-Pacific biotope. I got the 40 going and just never had the time/drive to set up the 75. So, the 75 has been sitting in my basement since.

We're in the process of re-doing our basement and I figured I would just upgrade the 40 into the 75 instead of having 2 tanks. I originally planned to make the 75 an in wall tank, but have since decided against that. I was looking at stands for the 75 and a cheap Aqueon was going to run $450 and a much nicer stand (can't remember the make) was going to be well over $700. Since I'm cheap, I didn't want to spend that amount.

I was visiting my Mother and step father this weekend and my tank came up in conversation. They mentioned they have an old Oceanic 75 and stand in the basement. This tank and stand are well over 30 years old and have been in storage for a million years. My mother used the tank as a terrarium at one point and to raise guinea hen chicks at another point. The top bracing is melted and cracked for heat lamp she used, the silicone is torn to pieces, and the glass is scratched up so, the tank is worthless.

The stand was a little rough and wobbly, but the 3/4" birch plywood it's made from is still solid. So, yesterday, I removed the doors and sanded it down. Then, I replaced interior fiber/resin (pegboard type material) bottom with 3/4" plywood and added 2x4's to strengthen it up.

View attachment 32374614
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Thank God I have an air compressor and nail guns Next up, I'm going to cover it with a coat of Kilz and then paint it either a dark grey or black.

Then, I have to remove a wall in the basement and move the wall back about 3 feet. Once that is done, I will begin to set the 75 up and eventually move the LR and livestock over from the 40.

I have an Icecap 36XL sump I'll use, which has an integrated fuge. For skimming, I'm going to use my current eShopps cone skimmer and add an Oceanic #6 venturi skimmer I picked up on evilbay for $25. Lighting will be (2) Iwasaki 175 watt 10K MH and T5 actinics.

View attachment 32374617

MH eh very nice choice Sir

 

[mtnbike101]

It's like my wife says " nobody is going to see it", "only you know it's there".

For me, that is the problem! lol I know it's there.

 

[griss]

For me, that is the problem! lol I know it's there.

Agreed.

 

[griss]

Okay, so I haven't had any updates because I'm a bit perplexed as to how to move the wall I need to move.

I only need to move it back three feet, but the problem I'm trying to solve is this. The frame of the existing wall rests against the support beam for the house. However, behind that beam are the following:
1. An empty space
2. Duct work for the HVAC system
3. Vent pipe for the water heater
4. Natural gas line for the water heater and furnace

Logistically speaking, I can only move the wall back 3 feet to leave enough space for the fish room that will be located behind the wall. Trying to figure out how to frame around all this. The new wall will be somewhere around the duct and the vent pipe. I'm attaching a rough drawing of the layout if one were able to view from above.

I'm good at framing up regular walls, but I've never had to frame around something and then attach a wall to that frame. So, I'm open to suggestions.

 

[griss]

If it helps, I can post some pics when I get home tonight.

 

[griss]

Okay, here’s what I’m dealing with. Please ignore the cat’s playground and general mess

 

[griss]

I want the wall just a bit to the left of the window in the pic.

Also, for some reason I thought the existing wall was against the beam, it’s actually under it.

 

[kharmaguru]

Who put the wall under the beam, the builder? Is there support posts on footings for said beam if said wall is removed?

So you want a wall to the left of the white pipe and then a bulkhead surrounding the pipe and the ductwork and likely drywalled?

 

[griss]

Who put the wall under the beam, the builder? Is there support posts on footings for said beam if said wall is removed?

So you want a wall to the left of the white pipe and then a bulkhead surrounding the pipe and the ductwork and likely drywalled?

I put the wall under the beam a million years ago and simply forgot that in my earlier post. So, the wall is not supporting the beam at all. Yes, there are metal support posts under the beam in several locations.

Yes, wall to the left of the white (vent) pipe. Just not sure how to best frame (bulkhead?) around all that stuff.

 

[kharmaguru]

I put the wall under the beam a million years ago and simply forgot that in my earlier post. So, the wall is not supporting the beam at all. Yes, there are metal support posts under the beam in several locations.

Yes, wall to the left of the white (vent) pipe. Just not sure how to best frame (bulkhead?) around all that stuff.

The bulkheads only job is to conceal the stuff and support drywall, so it doesn't need to be overbuilt. Here's some net pictures I stole to illustrate.

it can be like this, but you lose some height under the ductwork.

If you need max headroom, you do it like this, but you can only screw the drywall on the edges and you can never mount anything to the bottom of the bulkhead (because you'll puncture the things you're hiding). Obviously in your case, the one side would be a wall with a nailing strip on the side for the drywall to attach.

I can do it with way less wood than these guys lol.

 

[griss]

The bulkheads only job is to conceal the stuff and support drywall, so it doesn't need to be overbuilt. Here's some net pictures I stole to illustrate.

it can be like this, but you lose some height under the ductwork.

View attachment 32382226

If you need max headroom, you do it like this, but you can only screw the drywall on the edges and you can never mount anything to the bottom of the bulkhead (because you'll puncture the things you're hiding). Obviously in your case, the one side would be a wall with a nailing strip on the side for the drywall to attach.

View attachment 32382227

I can do it with way less wood than these guys lol.

Pic 2 was kind of what I was envisuoning, BUT there’s a lot of space to cover between the beam and the vent pipe.

 

[kharmaguru]

Pic 2 was kind of what I was envisuoning, BUT there’s a lot of space to cover between the beam and the vent pipe.

If you are encasing the beam as well then I would add another framework like picture 2 has between the beam and the duct.

 

[griss]

Six years in a trash can cooking. Decided to bring it out to bleach in the summer sun.