Meegwell 90g Basement Build

[meegwell]

I am finally getting around to post my build thread...I'm running on a delay here so I can get a lot of pics/steps up over a condensed timeframe.

There was a good amount of DIY planned for this build. Hopefully, the outcome is a mixed reef colorful clean setup. My "inspiration" tanks focused on minimilist rockscapes with open spaces and plenty of open sand.

It's a standard 90g build so it's 48x18x24 tall.

Lets get started with the stand build. I used the classic design found here on RC.

2x4s and 2x6s were used with construction glue and deck screws.

Laying out the top frame:

Top and bottom frames complete, checking for square for the who knows how many time:

2x4s for the bottom frame, 2x6s for the top:

The stand was going in this perfect little place between a room divider short wall and a storage closet. I ripped up the carpet and used self-leveling cement to level the original concrete slab.

My house is 105 years old (yes, 105) so nothing original is close to flat or level, including the slab.

level!

I wanted a "built in" look for the tank stand so I wrapped it in drywall and finished like the other walls in the room:

enjoy!

 

[Twin Reefs]

Wow...looking great so far. I never thought about dry walling it.....good idea! Can't wait to see this thread progress.

 

[mess7777]

that is a great idea!

 

[RA]

I don't mean to be negative but why didn't you use green board drywall, or even cement board. It's going to get wet sooner or later and that would help prevent mold.

 

[Dholmblad]

I don't mean to be negative but why didn't you use green board drywall, or even cement board. It's going to get wet sooner or later and that would help prevent mold.

Couldnt he seal it with something? Good catch though, some people probably thing the inside of their stand will never get wet.

 

[sleepydoc]

Ditto the greenboard comment. You can certainly seal it, but no sealant is absolutely perfect and we all know that minor spills happen.

Also, depending on the what you're going to have underneath, I'd consider putting another cross brace under the bottom plywood panel to make sure it has adequate support and doesn't bow or flex

 

[DougRoberts]

Looks Great

 

[bryanracing95]

great looking stand, looks like drywall time...........the worst of construction is the mudding and taping!

 

[meegwell]

On the green board - the only thing underneath will be kids toys and games. This is all plumbed from the top back through the wall into a fish room. The chance of that drywall getting real wet is about the same as the wall behind it and to the sides. The platform, wood w/ gloss paint, hangs over about an inch. I may get drops here and there but all the plumbing is in the back room. I am more concerned with my twin toddlers scribbling on it, which has already happened.

 

[meegwell]

On the green board - the only thing underneath will be kids toys and games. This is all plumbed from the top back through the wall into a fish room. The chance of that drywall getting real wet is about the same as the wall behind it and to the sides. The platform, wood w/ gloss paint, hangs over about an inch. I may get drops here and there but all the plumbing is in the back room. I am more concerned with my twin toddlers scribbling on it, which has already happened.

On to the Background and overflow. As stated above, my plumbing is out the back - with a bean animal setup. I had my LFS drill the holes for me, 3x1" and 1x3/4" for the return (plumbing size).

I built the overflow ('almost" coast to coast') myself using glass cut from a local glass shop. I've never used a local glass shop before and realized most of the car window repait joints do custom work (their bread and butter is window replacement via insurance).

For the background, I used the sign shop black vinyl technique with warm soapy water...worked perfectly!

Drilled holes and DIY overflow:

Black vinyl from sign shop:

Squeegie out the soapy water:

Tank on stand:

 

[nemosworld]

Looks really good! how do you plan to compensate for moisture in the bottom and also from spills on the outside?

 

[meegwell]

Looks really good! how do you plan to compensate for moisture in the bottom and also from spills on the outside?

The bottom is empty - storage for toys. All the plumbing will reside in the fish room on the other side of the wall.

The platform overhangs an inch. I would expect plenty of drops on that as I do basic maintenance. I wouldn't expect much more than the equivalent of a splash on the lower section. Much less than what two toddlers and a 5 year old (all girls) do to the walls in this room!

Thanks for the complement!

 

[sleepydoc]

On the green board - the only thing underneath will be kids toys and games.

In that case it should be fine! Nice setup!

 

[meegwell]

Overflow Build

Overflow Build

I chose the bean animal/Anthony Calfo design for my overflow and plumbing so here is a few quick shots of getting that coast to coast put together. I got the glass pieces cut from a local glass shop and requested the darkest tint they had available.

The overflow is about 35" long by 5" by 5". The tank being 48", this left room for the return line which I wanted high and not in the overflow.

I basically siliconed and clamped it piece by piece then siliconed to the tank.

Always a great reminder to those doing this type of work to use masking tape on either side of the bond line that you rip up immediately after settlement so the silicone lines are clean!

Keep things square!!!

meegwell

 

[meegwell]

Building the rockscape...

Building the rockscape...

While I filled the tank for the plumbing test, I worked on the rockscape.

Just a plumbing test, not actually using hose water in the tank!

After getting inspiration from various threads here, I laid out my plan on paper.

The front view is on the left and the top view on the right:

I used fiji dry from online (I believe BRS) and got some LR from two different local shops. about a 80/20 mix dry/live.

Most of the LR went into the sump. For the most part this plan revolved around the dry rock.

I laid cardboard out on a table and marked the tank footprint so I was working to scale:

Outside I busted up big chunks by going mid-evil on them with a big chisel and a mini sledge hammer. For more precise cuts I used a standard sawsall:

I used JB waterweld as the adhesive...jeez does that stuff stink when you knead it !!! Seriously, a skunk would run from this stuff.

Got the look I wanted (roughly):

By the time I drained a re-filled the tank my light had arrived:

• Maristar II
• 2 x 250w HQI (phoenix 14k)
• 4 x 54w (geissmann 2 x pure actinic 2 x aqua blue)
• 10 x blue 1/2 LEDs (moon)
• built in timer, dual fans

So here is the rock form transfereed to the tank w/ sand and light:

The somewhat-minimalist look I was after. SPS will fill the space at the top of the formations.


mike

 

[infamous_6969]

That looks very nice.. I would be interested in seeing a picture of that fish room on the other side of the wall..

 

[meegwell]

That looks very nice.. I would be interested in seeing a picture of that fish room on the other side of the wall..

It's an embarrassment right now because it is a mess of unorganized wires and water lines. I cant get myself to post a picture yet until I organize a bit. It's a tight space space since it it shared with my hvac blower, hot water heater, and bigger than healthy tool collection. I have a pump-out system for water changes so there is a good amount of pvc when you add that to the bean animal and above-head rodi ato system.

 

[bpcardona]

In that case it should be fine! Nice setup!

Okay so I have seen you post a number of times, and I have to ask.

Why Halothane? Are you a vet, or and older anesthesiologist?

I am guessing anesthesiologist, ie sleepydoc.

 

[meegwell]

That looks very nice.. I would be interested in seeing a picture of that fish room on the other side of the wall..

OK dont cringe too much....so glad this is out of view.

you can see the three pipes coming through the wall for the drains. The angled pvc to the left of that is the return which Tees off to the fuge first, then the pump-out that goes outside to a drain. Behind the pump out is the ro/di unit and on the shelf above that is a 20 gallon brute resevoir feeding the ATO, the hose to the mixing station on the floor, and there is an emergency pvc at the top that will spill into the sump if the ATO from the ro/di in the reservoir were to fail.

Most all electrical is labeled so it actually is easy to see what is what once your used to it. Plastic protects the wall from any splashing. The wall footer, as with all of them in the basement, is treated. Obviously I didn't bother with treated on that 10 minute stand build...

Its not pretty, but it functions quite well.

 

[meegwell]

More stand shots - still need final coat of paint and touchup on trim, doors, etc but that won't come until the bar room next to the tank is painted. That is why the drywall in the walkway between rooms remains unpainted/unfinished...awaiting on mahogany to arrive!

From bar looking toward play/movie room. The tank sits in a nice transition area between these main entertaining rooms and outside a bathroom (I asked the fish, they dont mind).

meegwell