Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Thanks for the info, that looks great. Although I don't see how you supported it from the floorboard. It looks like your joists are being supported by the long 4x6. It looks strong at any rate.
My Dream Tank- 225 Gallon Custom Shallow
- Thread starter Jay Fortay
- Start date
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
It also probably helps our floor situation a bit that we span the same amount of joists at 60% of your weight load.
SPotter
Active 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.
Based on this picture and I think you will be fine. If you want to add additional suppot you can fill in the web area of the I joists with 1/2" plywood. That will be an easy and cheap reinforcement.
my display tank is a leemar 225 gallons w/ 2 sides starfire. and built in external overflow box. i am using a wood stand. with no sump underneath the tank. everything is plumb down to the garage.
my display tank is sitting next to two load bearing walls and spanning across 3 tji 230. and the house is built in 2007.
at the end we installed two parallel lams(16 or 18 inches deep?) directly under the floorboard - bypassing the tji230.
regardless, i know that the tji will support the weight. because i hired an engineer to come to my house and calculate everything out for me.
by adding web fillers, it will add more strength to the tji, thus allowing it to defect less but its the cushion between the tank and the tji that im concerned about. thats what caused my tank to start to "sink"
basically.... my water line started to touch my eurobrace thats around my tank (just one corner).
it may happen to you... it may not... (knock on wood) but just keep an watchful eye on it... dont want the same things to happen to you guys that have similar setups... :celeb2:
Last edited:
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Dang that's a good looking setup! Thanks for all of the pics. I will for sure be keeping an eye on it. Thanks again!
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Its been a while again since I've Updated with any pictures. I've got my refugium running now. Here is my current stock list for fish and inverts if anyone is wondering.
-Powder blue tang
-flame Hawk
-longnose hawk
-4 lyretail anthias (1 male, 3 female)
-blue chromis
-bicolor blenny
-midas blenny
-pair of tank raised ocellaris clowns (have no idea the GBTA exists)
-fairy wrasse
-6 line wrasse
-royal gramma
-cleaner wrasse
-gold sleeper head goby
-cleaner shrimp
-5 or so peppermint shrimp
-a few hermits (there were 30)...
The tank seems to ave very stable parameters. Coraline and stony corals are all growing and coloring up very well under the kessils now. I have had no fish deaths, and only a few corals have succumb to light intensity experimentation. Here are some recent photos.
hungry fish
full tank shot
trying to "plant" some color around. There is a lot of real estate to get covered in this tank yet!
Male Anthias. Probably one of the better iPhone shots i've gotten.
In this one you can see the nice rate of growth the ORA *frogskin (green on the right) has been experiencing. you can also see my rose millepora hanging on for dear life (bottom) with zero polyp extention and has turned bright green?
kinda blurry, but a cool shot from the left.
Picture of "hammer island" for later growth comparison.
The first coral that went in the tank. Probably a bit too early, in May. This long tentacle plate has probably at least tripled in size!
My green bubble tip anemone finally decided to come out of the shadows today after about 2 months of hiding under this rock.
-Powder blue tang
-flame Hawk
-longnose hawk
-4 lyretail anthias (1 male, 3 female)
-blue chromis
-bicolor blenny
-midas blenny
-pair of tank raised ocellaris clowns (have no idea the GBTA exists)
-fairy wrasse
-6 line wrasse
-royal gramma
-cleaner wrasse
-gold sleeper head goby
-cleaner shrimp
-5 or so peppermint shrimp
-a few hermits (there were 30)...
The tank seems to ave very stable parameters. Coraline and stony corals are all growing and coloring up very well under the kessils now. I have had no fish deaths, and only a few corals have succumb to light intensity experimentation. Here are some recent photos.
hungry fish
full tank shot
trying to "plant" some color around. There is a lot of real estate to get covered in this tank yet!
Male Anthias. Probably one of the better iPhone shots i've gotten.
In this one you can see the nice rate of growth the ORA *frogskin (green on the right) has been experiencing. you can also see my rose millepora hanging on for dear life (bottom) with zero polyp extention and has turned bright green?
kinda blurry, but a cool shot from the left.
Picture of "hammer island" for later growth comparison.
The first coral that went in the tank. Probably a bit too early, in May. This long tentacle plate has probably at least tripled in size!
My green bubble tip anemone finally decided to come out of the shadows today after about 2 months of hiding under this rock.
Last edited:
inktomi
Aviator
I really love your tank and rock work - it looks very natural (from what I've seen snorkeling..).
Your BTA looks faded, but if it's been in hiding for two months that'd explain it! You need a couple clowns
What is your thinking behind the hammer island? Are you just trying to keep it away from other corals?
Your BTA looks faded, but if it's been in hiding for two months that'd explain it! You need a couple clowns
What is your thinking behind the hammer island? Are you just trying to keep it away from other corals?
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Thanks, inktomi! Agreed on the BTA. I have a pair of ocellaris clowns they are not natural hosts of the BTA. The female has nipped at it a few times lately. I take that as a good sign.
As far as hammer island is concerned, it is just cool there. For now at least. The location of corals is very fluid at this point as new additions usually call for a change in location for one or another.
As far as hammer island is concerned, it is just cool there. For now at least. The location of corals is very fluid at this point as new additions usually call for a change in location for one or another.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
One day when I stop spending all my reefing money on livestock I may be able to buy a camera! Here are some updated pics of progress.
Reef Octopus SSS-5000
Some new artwork for above the display. A school of 18 lookdowns.
Reef Octopus SSS-5000
Some new artwork for above the display. A school of 18 lookdowns.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Thanks, Ghellin! I've got some clean up crew coming from Reefs2go today. They sent them regular Priority mail from Florida (4 days). Interested to see how they faired...
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Hey All.
It has been way too long since I updated this thread for various reasons. The main reason was having a parasite wipe out all of my fish. Then the tank wasted away with little nutrients for a while during the fallow period. That led to some coral and invert losses. That all ended in mid-september then i began quarantining and reintroducing fish back to the tank. I also have added a few new corals, a clam, some new cleaner shrimp.
Current stock list looks like
-original blue chromic (first fish we had in the tank)
-Fiji Pink Skunk Clown Pair
-kole tang
-flame angel
-6 PJ cardinal
-3 Banghaii Cardinal
-1 bicolor basslet
I also noticed a few weeks ago that my birds nest colonies (all from same mother) were losing tissue starting from the base up. I realized that this was due to shadowing, and not having enough light in general, due to the spot point nature of the Kessil a360Ws. I just added a 60" 8x80watt ATI t5 fixture. I moved the Kessil fixtures to goosenecks and I am currently acclimating the tank to the new fixture. Here are some updated photos.
The Previous light setup
Before New T5 Fixture
New light Setup (ATI fixture will be lowered 12" from this height)
It has been way too long since I updated this thread for various reasons. The main reason was having a parasite wipe out all of my fish. Then the tank wasted away with little nutrients for a while during the fallow period. That led to some coral and invert losses. That all ended in mid-september then i began quarantining and reintroducing fish back to the tank. I also have added a few new corals, a clam, some new cleaner shrimp.
Current stock list looks like
-original blue chromic (first fish we had in the tank)
-Fiji Pink Skunk Clown Pair
-kole tang
-flame angel
-6 PJ cardinal
-3 Banghaii Cardinal
-1 bicolor basslet
I also noticed a few weeks ago that my birds nest colonies (all from same mother) were losing tissue starting from the base up. I realized that this was due to shadowing, and not having enough light in general, due to the spot point nature of the Kessil a360Ws. I just added a 60" 8x80watt ATI t5 fixture. I moved the Kessil fixtures to goosenecks and I am currently acclimating the tank to the new fixture. Here are some updated photos.
The Previous light setup
Before New T5 Fixture
New light Setup (ATI fixture will be lowered 12" from this height)
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
In this one you can see the tissue loss at the base of the birds nest
Maze Brain loving the new lights
Banghaii
Totally agree! That is one of the coolest things Ive ever seen on here. Sure you see the random big shell, or glass angel fish or knick knacky things like that people put on a shelf above or around the tank...always looks tacky to me. This is just plain awesome.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
Great experience. Very professional. Great price. My tank was unique and they had no problem helping me figure out a way to make it work.
