My 400G Through-wall "deceptively deep" tank
- Thread starter Spaced Cowboy
- Start date
Spaced Cowboy
South Bay Reefer
Yep, I've read about that. I'm planning on playing with it once it's all set up.
Cheers
Simon
Spaced Cowboy
South Bay Reefer
Simon looks great!
Interesting idea to use solar tubes. I keep trying to block sun hitting the tank
The sun can be a contributory factor in causing algae to grow, but I've read of several people who have solar tubes installed, and they seem to be doing pretty well.
You need 2 things for algae to thrive: the right light, and nutrients in the water. I guess I'm going to be making sure the nutrients are pulled out of the water pretty sharpish. I have plans for a mangrove-raceway tank snaking back and forth along the back wall, but we'll see how that turns out...
If all else fails, I can just cover them up, but it seems to me there may be something in sunlight that isn't in LEDs, and sunlight seems to work pretty well out in the sea...
Simon
nuxx
.Registered Member
sandyland
New member
I installed three 14" tubes over my tank. I think the idea is really cool but I am not yet sold on the results. The morning is cool when the sun comes up and the tank brightens up slowly. And around noon time the light it produces is pretty intense but it fades out quickly. I also thought that natural moon light would be an added bonus but we get none[emoji17] .
The real decision maker should be what you want your light cycle to be. If you are home in the daytime and that is when you plan to enjoy the tank then the addition of sola tubes certainly can not hurt.
I have not experienced and abnormal algae growth from the sola tubes.
Here is a pic of our tubes over the tank
The real decision maker should be what you want your light cycle to be. If you are home in the daytime and that is when you plan to enjoy the tank then the addition of sola tubes certainly can not hurt.
I have not experienced and abnormal algae growth from the sola tubes.
Here is a pic of our tubes over the tank
sandyland
New member
That's the problem I'm never home in the day to see it[emoji2]. I will post a photo next time i am around at lunch.
Spaced Cowboy
South Bay Reefer
The sun and I have an arrangement that I'm very happy with. The sun comes out and shines every day, without fail. No exceptions. It's those damn clouds that sometimes get in the way...
Of course, I'm in CA, USA... so the clouds aren't really here as much as I'd actually like. I dunno, the youth of today...
Dragging this kicking and screaming back on topic, the aquarium has arrived in San Jose, and it's waiting for pickup, probably in about 10 days or so when the contractors have removed the patio doors so that it will fit into the house...
Simon
Spaced Cowboy
South Bay Reefer
Thanks, and welcome to the thread
Demolition starts tomorrow (!) Although we'll be away for the first week..Simon
Spaced Cowboy
South Bay Reefer
They used 2" steel square tubing for the farmework, and a solid 1" steel plate across the entire top to cope with the cantilevered front, all powder coated. Stand is braced by two vertical supports On the long side to reduce the span between supports.
I'm on my last day of vacation - going for the hotels "Sunday Brunch" here in Half Moon Bay in an hour or so, then heading home about 1:00. I've had some photos sent by the contractors showing the new foundation posts/beams which I'll post later on
One disappointment is that, due to my roof already having solar panels on it, and the structural support in the interior, the contractors tell me that space constraints mean I'll only be able to fit 2 solar tubes in there
Simon
Spaced Cowboy
South Bay Reefer
Just floored...
Just floored...
So, given that a rough estimate of the weight (including when people are hanging around looking at the tank) is ~7000 lbs, I got a structural engineer to draw me up some plans for floor reinforcement. Just got back from vacation, and the contractors (amongst other things) have laid the concrete pads, and then the vertical 4x4's that support a lattice of horizontal 4x4's directly underneath the tank.
On the above image, you can see the original piers that supported the house floor above the crawlspace. Then you can see the new ones in the foreground. The {red, black, blue} water lines are {NSW, waste, NFW} respectively, for the old tank. The new system will be the same, but use 2" pipes rather than 0.25" pipes. Hey, if I'm paying plumber to do it, I'll get it done properly
The above image shows that these new piers are 3' on centre apart. They're actually arrayed in a 4x3 configuration, to cover a 9'x6' space, with the tank centred in that rectangle. This is in *addition* to the existing flooring... There ought to be plenty of support
Simon
Just floored...
So, given that a rough estimate of the weight (including when people are hanging around looking at the tank) is ~7000 lbs, I got a structural engineer to draw me up some plans for floor reinforcement. Just got back from vacation, and the contractors (amongst other things) have laid the concrete pads, and then the vertical 4x4's that support a lattice of horizontal 4x4's directly underneath the tank.
On the above image, you can see the original piers that supported the house floor above the crawlspace. Then you can see the new ones in the foreground. The {red, black, blue} water lines are {NSW, waste, NFW} respectively, for the old tank. The new system will be the same, but use 2" pipes rather than 0.25" pipes. Hey, if I'm paying plumber to do it, I'll get it done properly
The above image shows that these new piers are 3' on centre apart. They're actually arrayed in a 4x3 configuration, to cover a 9'x6' space, with the tank centred in that rectangle. This is in *addition* to the existing flooring... There ought to be plenty of support
Simon
FuzzyZipperbaum
New member
Have you solved the sound problem? I have built both a 1200 sq foot movie theater and 2 500 gallon tanks at my house.... I have a few ideas for you but I am currently at 38k feet over New Mexico...so if you still need some ideas PM me (so I get an email) and Ill do my best to get back with you this week. good luck
