Karim's 1500gal dream reef

Wondering how I would level the concrete blocks...

I'm assuming the floor is level, but there are always imperfections.

I could use shims between the concrete and plywood? Wood? Plastic?
 
well. the good thing is. you can level the base before building the aquarium around it. I would just try and add more wood between the brick and base to level it. as needed. tank of that size will not have to be perfectly level anyways. though the level accuracy needed will depend on your overflow location no?
 
karimwassef said:
Wondering how I would level the concrete blocks...

I'm assuming the floor is level, but there are always imperfections.

I could use shims between the concrete and plywood? Wood? Plastic?
Click to expand...

I had assumed you'd use a self leveling concrete to create a base before building anything on top of it. After that, my personal choice would be the concrete block, wood hybrid. Less material, super strong, and you still have room underneath for your ladders, etc.
 
I could make 2" concrete feet out of self leveling concrete.

But several separate feet (16 of them) is counter to the concept of self leveling concrete since the accuracy of the level would be based on my ability to make the molds and fill them exactly level, rather than taking advantage of the concrete's self leveling property.

If I did make a 2" pedestal for the whole structure (9' x 8'), the mini-scaffolding legs underneath the tank wouldn't roll out level with the rest of the floor... so I'd lose the advantage of an easy and fast prop up...

I could ask the contractor pouring out the slab to leave me a 2" indentation for that area, but if it's not level with the self-leveling pour later when done, I'd still end up with two levels of concrete.

I think wood shims are easiest? Can they handle 800lbs (weight per block face)?

Or just get small sheets of 1/16" wood and cut to shape. With a 9' span, small angles add up and I am a bit OCD
 
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The base sheet of plywood will weigh 250lbs (1.5" thick x 8' x 9'). I don't plan on moving it once it's in place. Maybe build it backwards, then seal the bottom and sides before flipping it over to the front to add the two additional inset sheets and seal the top... that's 500lbs of wood sealed top and bottom with epoxy! Might need a jack to shim it.

The 32 cinderblocks would weight 42.5lbs each for a total of 1400lbs.

So the base alone is going to weigh 2000lbs.

The glass will weigh 1000-1500 lbs.

A hoist sounds like a reasonable piece of equipment.
 
Just throwing this out there... the starphire sheets come in 144" x 96" and 130" x 96" for full size...

I was originally limiting the tank to 8' long, then 9' to make room for the circulating pumps, but really... there's no reason it can't be 10' or 12' ?? This line of thinking is scary, but if I'm just buying the glass and assembling it myself, what's another 3' ??

Please stop me with a logical argument for why I shouldn't!
 
Here's what 12' x 8' x 30" would look like

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/1_zps0yu6imnd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/1_zps0yu6imnd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 1_zps0yu6imnd.jpg"/></a>

I'll get a quote for the materials for both the 1350 gal 9' tank and the 1800 gal 12' tank.

The difference may be better utilization of a full starphire sheet on the 12' and that might improve the $/gal on the materials. Since the top is really shallow at 18", the usable tank region "reef" gets extended from 800 gal to 1100 gal.

I also made the dropoff section a full 2' wide (it was ~19" before), so that's 300gals in that section. That's actually almost the side of my current tank... perspective.
 
so this would be more difficult because it would increase the solar radiation heating from 3600W to 5000W setting a higher requirement for cooling.. which now requires a larger underground heat exchanger...
 
not necessarily. more water means more heat displacement and stability. i think you will be fine. same heat sources going in. less needed to take out.
 
I think you already know that going bigger is always better... no exceptions. :0)

I'm sure you'd never regret it.:beer:
 
karimwassef said:
Just throwing this out there... the starphire sheets come in 144" x 96" and 130" x 96" for full size...

I was originally limiting the tank to 8' long, then 9' to make room for the circulating pumps, but really... there's no reason it can't be 10' or 12' ?? This line of thinking is scary, but if I'm just buying the glass and assembling it myself, what's another 3' ??

Please stop me with a logical argument for why I shouldn't!
Click to expand...

The only logical answer is to do it the way you want the first time...If you don't do it you will regret it one day...may not be right away but 5 or 10 years down the road you would....unless you plan on upgrading again by that time LOL
 
I might have to consider changing the glass with square cutouts into strips and glue them together. The corner stresses may be too much.

Alternatively, it may be that they're large diameter rounded corners like 4" circle cuts and then cut out the edges to make rounded square openings.
 
ok. going with 12' (11' visible and 1' for plumbing) until I determine that the cost is out of bounds... but let's start with this.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/0_zpsirt8jumt.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/0_zpsirt8jumt.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 0_zpsirt8jumt.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/1_zpss1qqjzr5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/1_zpss1qqjzr5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 1_zpss1qqjzr5.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/2_zpsrcri09dc.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/2_zpsrcri09dc.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2_zpsrcri09dc.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/3_zpspwjm27es.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/3_zpspwjm27es.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 3_zpspwjm27es.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/4_zpsdo94ous8.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/4_zpsdo94ous8.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 4_zpsdo94ous8.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/5_zpstt08rnjl.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/5_zpstt08rnjl.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5_zpstt08rnjl.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/6_zpszttvu1lg.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/6_zpszttvu1lg.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6_zpszttvu1lg.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/7_zpsdgi53xrk.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/7_zpsdgi53xrk.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 7_zpsdgi53xrk.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Designs/8_zpshssuq4p0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Designs/8_zpshssuq4p0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 8_zpshssuq4p0.jpg"/></a>

other changes:

- 1/16 gaps
- concrete base with plywood skin
- 2" plywood and epoxy lip
- 30" total glass height = 28" actual depth
- doubled the powerheads and expanded the powerhead window to accommodate the increased length
- Eurobrace and other glass sections changed to 3/4"
- Added floor supports with 3/4" glass
- Changed the back from 1" to 3/4" but doubled up with a 7" strip against the bottom to strengthen the region around the holes
- Extended the top channel separator
- Changed the false floor and false back into double stacks of 1/2" glass sections (total 1" thick). This is much easier and safer to cut
- Changed all moving parts to PVC or acrylic to avoid scratches or other potential incidents.

This should be more manufacturable. I'll spread out the glass plates and get a new total count with dimensions for a quote.
 
In regards to securing the hose to the titanium tubing, if you can get get a bead (a type of tube end forming) put in the ends of the tube it will give you a much more secure joint.
 
would multiple closed loops be more economical and heat friendly than all the powerheads? Though what u have planned would be amazing.
 
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