My Dream Tank- 225 Gallon Custom Shallow
- Thread starter Jay Fortay
- Start date
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
No offense at all. Thanks for looking out.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Thanks jt48 
. Appreciate you guys following!
. Appreciate you guys following!Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Ran a patch cable from my Router to the fish room today so I could start setting up my APEX.
Got the Apex programmed to run a dawn to dusk cycle on my Kessils
It takes a moderate amount of tech savvy to set one of these Apex controllers up, but it is absolutely mind blowing all the things it can do. I am really excited to get it hooked up to the rest of my equipment and to get some more programs running on it.
Got the Apex programmed to run a dawn to dusk cycle on my Kessils
It takes a moderate amount of tech savvy to set one of these Apex controllers up, but it is absolutely mind blowing all the things it can do. I am really excited to get it hooked up to the rest of my equipment and to get some more programs running on it.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Yesterday was the first day of plumbing and demo. We had a blast and this tank is coming together quickly! We should have the everything ready for water by early February =)
Here is the plumbing from the tank to the fish room and back. The tank will have a "coast-to-coast" style overflow that will be 36". It will feature 4-1"drains that will come through the wall to the crawlspace and dump into 2-2" drains that will head over to the sump. The return from the Reeflo Hammerhead will come back up through the same space in the wall via a 1 1/2" return. Here are some photos...
The 4-1" drain lines and the 1 1/2" return line. I will be adding a 2" piece of pvc as a chase for wiring.
Me ripping up the carpet in the fish room
Drain lines coming down from display into crawlspace. After combining from 4-1" to 2-2", it then runs across the crawlspace and back over and up into the fish room.
Tanner putting in work.
Here is the plumbing from the tank to the fish room and back. The tank will have a "coast-to-coast" style overflow that will be 36". It will feature 4-1"drains that will come through the wall to the crawlspace and dump into 2-2" drains that will head over to the sump. The return from the Reeflo Hammerhead will come back up through the same space in the wall via a 1 1/2" return. Here are some photos...
The 4-1" drain lines and the 1 1/2" return line. I will be adding a 2" piece of pvc as a chase for wiring.
Me ripping up the carpet in the fish room
Drain lines coming down from display into crawlspace. After combining from 4-1" to 2-2", it then runs across the crawlspace and back over and up into the fish room.
Tanner putting in work.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
We have also decided to add a 55g quarantine tank in the fish room. The 75g sump will be the bottom tier, the second tier will hold the 55g refugium, and the third tier will hold the 55g quarantine.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
I got the lights wired and mounted yesterday. The power is coming from an outlet in the closet behind the tank. The control wire is routed back out of that closet, down into the crawlspace, and up into the fishroom closet where the controller is.
I have some tidying up of the wires to do, but am happy with the look so far.
I have some tidying up of the wires to do, but am happy with the look so far.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Lol. I was thinking of adding a center support for the center support. 
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
A call to all of you structural folks! I have been getting mixed opinions on the ability of the floor to support the weight of the tank. I am in the "its fine like it is" column. My opinion is that it will weigh much less per linear foot and by sq. inch than a standard 220 gallon. By my calculations the total water volume of the tank will be 222.2 gallons. It is longer, wider, and more shallow than a standard 220. The back of the tank will be against a really solid wall with a cement footer. The Studs are 14" apart and 12" tall. Here are some pics from under the floor. Please tell me what you think.
Sorry, this one is a little dark, but shows a little more detail.
Sorry, this one is a little dark, but shows a little more detail.
dave.m
Active member
The vertical (on edge) blocking shown in the support wall to the right in this photo is what you should have under your tank. You have not said whether the length of the tank is parallel or perpendicular to the joists. You may need another support wall underneath like this one depending on how the tank sits on the joists.
Dave.M
Dave.M
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Sorry for missing that part. The tank runs perpendicular to the joists. So, it spans quite a few joists. The back of the tank will be parallel against the wall where the plumbing comes down. The well supported wall.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Also, I forgot to add to my theory on the standard 220 weight that most standard 220s will have a sump full of water and equipment to add to the weight total. I will have nothing under my tank.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Here are the specifications on the joists we have. Ours are the 11 7/8" 360 version. To me it looks like each beam is designed to sustain over 1,700lbs. The tank spans 6 joists. By my calculations the floor will be just fine.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
I got some 3/4" wire loom to cover all of the wires and chains going to and from the Kessils.
Anyone have any ideas, comments or suggestions on the floor support situation? We have an install date set for next Friday 11/14
Anyone have any ideas, comments or suggestions on the floor support situation? We have an install date set for next Friday 11/14
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Thanks for your input, Dave M. The way I am looking at it the way the floor is already built is "overbuilt" for this situation. If I am looking at the numbers correctly then this span of floor should hold over 10,000lbs. Of weight evenly distributed over the joists. I don't know where to go from here as far as overbuilding it more. What would I add to make it stronger? I saw your post about the vertical blocking. I suppose that would mean building another wall 30" out from the existing wall?
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
My tank should weigh around 2,200lbs. when full. And, span 88".
dave.m
Active member
You seem to be really concerned about this. Why not hire a consulting structural engineer to verify your numbers and suggest any other things you should be concerned about? I'm not an engineer. I am only trying to suggest things that might make you feel better about your plans.
Dave.M
Dave.M
