New 120 build, need some input please.

[IPT]

Okay guys my last build was a 75 gal about 6 years ago. It's still doing well but now I am going to be moving into a 120 gal. It is a mixed reef with a bunch of LPS, some softies, and a few hardier SPS. I'd also like to see a clam in there and really a few more SPS.

Stand is going to be 2x4 and 2x6 construction via the DIY tank stand thread. I was thinking I might just do ¾ ply but I'm out of time and since I already did one 2x4 / 2x6 I'm comfortable with that. I plan to use the ATI Hybrid light with 4 T'5's and the LEDS. From what I've read this needs to be suspended about 10" from the water. Skimmer is undecided. Need to look at what the latest craze is. I figure about $300-500 should do and I am open to suggestions.

I'll have one, probably 2 MP40's in the tank. My return will be a Eheim 1260 and I am debating about putting it into a Sea Swirl just to keep things mixed up water flow wise. I used to love my WavySea (except it didn't have great reliability). The return will be 1" flexible PVC.

For drains I'd like to drill the Right end of the tank. The tank will be mostly viewed from the front and Left side. Local guys are just drilling and mounting two full boxes inside the tank. I think I'd rather have a weir the depth of the tank without all the teeth to get more surface water. The boxes they have require 2 for the 24" and then one box is either useless or I need a minimum of 3 holes (one siphon each box and a safety). I'm thinking to have it be maybe 4-5 inches tall and triangular. Fat part in the back tapering to no side at the front edge of the tank (see overflow diagram). That way from the front of the tank you won't really see it. There would be two drains, maybe 3 all 1". I was thinking to do it in Plexi but I know I'll hear iot needs to be glass or silicone won't stick. Since this will be a commercial place and not monitored 24/ 7 I'll probably spend the $ and get glass cut once I know the measurements of the two pieces I'll need. I will run one drain full siphon with a gate valve and have the other will be backup. I have a 45mm glass bit to drill with.

I plan on doing a 1x2 to frame to sit on the tank and will skin it to make the canopy. That or a box from 3/4 ply wood with a 1x2 ledge so it can sit on the top of the tank. I'll need some frame in the front though to have access. Need to figure exactly how I am going to make access doors. Specifically what hinges to use. I suppose I could use piano hinges and build some sort of kick stand to keep it propped open. There will be no "œtop" proper so for feeding I can just pour in over the top. I'd only have to open the door for maintenance.

Need to figure out where to put my electric too. My Reef Keeper currently is mounted in my stand and it's slightly corroded. I think I would like it external this time. I also need to figure out dimensions because I won't two other tanks one either side of the tank or under to house the top off and storage for WC water.

I would like to push the tank about flush to the wall in the rear so no plumbing there. I'm still working out some of the details in my head. I'm stuck in a few places.

Challenges:
"¢ The return "“ if it goes back to the right side (where the drains will be) up and over the tank I have head in the way of lineal footage to push the water.
"¢ Drains "“ if I push the sump all the way to the left of the stand (to ease the head on the return) than the drains may have a nearly horizontal run for a span. Need to get more exact measures to see if that is correct.
"¢ How to cover the return and drain pipes, and still have it look good while being covered. I don't want the cover boxes to extend all the way to the front of tank. If I stop at the tank I'm not sure it won't look strange from the front.

 

[IPT]

so, I was just looking at the current stock stand and the 40 in it. Even if I add a few inches of stand height it's going to be tough getting a skimmer in and out of there. So I came up with this plan.



I'll use corner brackets on the right side of the base. I'll leave it open enough the 18" 40 breeder can hang out. That way my return can go straight up and make only 2 90 degree turns. My drain run will not be that long and I can slope it since I'll already have cleared the wall of the sump.

I'll also build 2 separate mini frames for each end. They will add storage and make the stand more symmetrical. I'll recess some magnets into the uprights, header and footer so I can make 4 "doors" that will attach to the front. It will hopefully look virtually seamless and very clean, slick looking. It will also allow that left side to be viewable without any obstruction. What do you guys think? Need some input here.....

 

[IPT]

man, over a 100 views and not one comment. No one saw anything they thought was a good, or bad idea? No thoughts on the configuration or suggestions?

 

[SGT_York]

I'd highly recommend you look into a bean animal setup it is far superior to the herbie you have outlined, A single weir is a must for any tank being designed, two just create additional hardships and problems. I have a RR 120 love the tank, wish I had a Bean Animal.

For electrical I made the stand the width of my front door, with the few inches left I built some cabinets that house electrical outlets and switches, they are out of the sump area so no salt issues and it looks really nice.

I use a 40G sump as well and it works nice, ATO resevoir is kept in the cabinet 5G container.

A bean animal will solve most of your issues noticed above.

Best of luck.

 

[IPT]

thanks man. Yeah, I think I am going to isolate my electrical. Won't need switches though as I'll be using DA Reefkeeper to control stuff. I'll read up more on the Bean Animal.

 

[izzyish]

I'd highly recommend you look into a bean animal setup it is far superior to the herbie you have outlined, A single weir is a must for any tank being designed, two just create additional hardships and problems. I have a RR 120 love the tank, wish I had a Bean Animal.

For electrical I made the stand the width of my front door, with the few inches left I built some cabinets that house electrical outlets and switches, they are out of the sump area so no salt issues and it looks really nice.

I use a 40G sump as well and it works nice, ATO resevoir is kept in the cabinet 5G container.

A bean animal will solve most of your issues noticed above.

Best of luck.

I just bought a RR 120 tank with two boxes. LFS gave me ribbed hoses and black hoses to run plumbing to my 36 trigger system sump. This seems pretty basic compared to what I've seen out there, will it suffice? Or should I trash that and do some PVC plumbing (I wouldn't even know where to start)? What kind of plumbing did you do with your tank? TIA

 

[SGT_York]

The two overflow boxes are great for their time but I don't think you can get enough flow with just two 1" durso's so I prefer the two herbie method, one herbie in each box with the return behind the tank. (technically it's the noise that is unbearable)

I used hard pvc with a small section of flex hose coming off of my external pump. Do a search for herbie and you'll get some good ideas. Also put a lid on top of both overflows that keeps the snail/fish out and if it is slightly larger than the overflow size it will shade the teeth on the overflow so you don't have to continuously scrape algae from growing where the snails can't reach it.

My next tank will be a Bean Animal setup.

 

[IPT]

I think I will try and drill 3 holes. Will look at the Bean animal but not sure I will feel the need to do it to the letter. May be sacrilege but I've been running the Herbie for over 7 years and never had it fail. With 2 backup drains seems nearly impossible that all 3 drains would get clogged before I noticed. Personally I leave the emergency drains plumbed to about an inch over the sump water level. That way if it is going down that pipe I know it right away because I'll hear running water. If my tanks are not silent I know something is up.

I also rarely if ever have to adjust the gate valve to keep the flow equal to the pump output. Maybe a little tweak every now and then but really not often at all. I will for sure use a better guard system this time. i've lost about 4 fish over the past 7 years from them "going over the falls". Backup drain worked every time and it was the sound of running water that let me know something was up.

I'll use the flexible PVC for my return line. I use hard PVC with some unions so I can get them on and off easily if need be (like a fish stuck in it!). I'll just have one Gate valve on the drain line. I think I might try and plumb it at the end of the run. This run will not be as vertical as my others so I think having it down low will allow the siphon to work most quietly.

 

[IPT]

Pretty sure I'll be spraying the Plywood covers with a black dye and not leaving is nude wood. It'll still show the wood grain and texture but make the tank the focal point.

In the side cabinets on the Left will be my two part. On the right the sump will hang out as shown. Then I'll build a partition with a cutout on the bottom and on the dry side mount my Reefkeeper and outlet strip. That should protect it way more that just under the stand as my setup is now.

I'm going to skin the back of the stand in 1/4 or 1/2 ply. Also the left side. On the right I might just use corner brackets to prevent sheer, and/or do a strip as tall as I can get it without blocking the plumbing of plywood.

To keep the weight down, in keep interior room maximal I don't plan on using the screw strips. I'm going to use pocket screws and glue. I might use the strips just to get it squared up but once glued and screwed remove them before the glue dries. Anyone see an issue with that?

 

[IPT]

to the few of you who commented and provided some recommendations, thanks, I appreciate it. It's what makes this place so great.

Thinking about doing corner braces instead of skinning it.

 

[IPT]

framed out, glued and screwed. Just needs brackets, a floor and paint. Stumbled on the Kin dried wood at Lowes. Worht every cent extra! This stand was so much easier than the last two I built. Maybe my carpentry skills have just improved but not having to fight twisted wood made it SO much easier.

 

[tippmannsniper]

That looks like the work of a Kreg jig... love mine!

Did you end up deciding to not install a shell/skin?

 

[IPT]

Yeah, that jig is awesome. I think i will not skin it. My current plan is to use some 5" triangles of 3/4 ply in most of the corners for racking control. I think it will be more than enough support/control. Where the sump sticks out I'll use the metal braces. It'll be some combination of those. I also forgot to put in the rear upright brace. It will be a 5" wide strip of 3/4" ply. Not that with the 2x6 header I should need more support across that span (about 40 inches) but I figure 5" of beam wedged (screwed and glued) should also add to lateral stability.

Anyone think that won't be more than enough? I'm thinking it's overkill as it is but I'd rather over build than underbuild.

 

[IPT]

Painted:



Messing around my Airbrush. Think I'll do something like this along the top rail and dip it down along the side uprights too . It'll be covered by the panels but it'll be fun and I'll know it's there. Might be cool to surprise people with to when I take the panels off if they want to see the guts of the system.

 

[IPT]

Not many contributors here but I'll try anyway in case someone decides to chime in. According to what I've read on drilling I need to be 1.5x the thickness of the glass away from the edge (so at least 3/4 of and inch for a 120) and 4x the thickness between holes (so 2 inches apart). Is that correct?

I'll probably be further for safety. I have a 45mm bit for a 1" bulkhead. I figure 3 holes from back toward front on the side pane. I'll have my hole edge 2" away from the back pane and an inch or two below the trim (so should be 2.5 inches or more from the edge of the glass). I'll probably go 3" between homes just to be safe. I have plenty of room across a 24" panel anyway.

 

[Pife]

That sounds correct. Good luck with the drilling.

 

[IPT]

Thanks Pife ... hopefully tomorrow drilling will commence! Those who've drilled a 120 how long did it take you to get all the way through the glass? With a 120 I figure it might take a while for each hole.

 

[IPT]

No ones drilled a 120 before? Hm, well it takes a while. I didn't time it but i know on the last hole I thought it was never going to get all the way through.

 

[IPT]

Apparently no one reading this has drilled a 120 (or didn't have the time to post?) but maybe someone know's something about Piano hinges?? How much space ends up between the 2 pieces you're hinging? Or can you router a recess so when closed they're flush to one another?

 

[SGT_York]

The distance is equal to the thickness of the piano hinge metal. when closed both pieces touch. Routing is a good idea, I just used a tablesaw.