No visible equipment

[Mikeeal]

I'm in the early planning stages of a build for a friend. He'd like it in the middle of his living room. His requirement:

He wants it completely walk around with NO VISIBLE EQUIPMENT.

We've been throwing around ideas like this flatwire seen here:

http://www.gizmag.com/go/7370/

To run down the side of the tank, the problem is it looks like that's still really low voltage stuff.

The other kicker, we're gonna go small for now, like a 10 gallon. The plan is to build one on the cheap to actually see how well this "invisible" system can be accomplished. If it turns out like we hope, he'll upgrade to a larger cube or something similar.

I'm thinking a very minimal system, stocked with primarily soft corals. I figure we'll benefit from the lower maintenence corals by needing less equipment. An example would be one or two maxi-jets hidding in the rock island on those Hydor "spinner" outputs and that's it. Not planning on a skimmer or any type of mechanical filtration.

We're planning on the stand sitting directly in the middle of the room and running the main power line under the floor in the stand. We need to figure out how to conceal the three or four wires needed to run the system, (heater, lighting, pump/s) My plan was a standpipe of sorts in the center of the tank above the water and run the wires down that. My buddy would like to see the wires go through the bottom without the standpipe but I can't figure out how to do this.

Since we've come to a stand still, I wanted to bring your DIY minds into this. I appreciate any suggestions, comments, useful or otherwise.

 

[jbird69]

I would suggest the standpipe as a conduit. Thats where my mind was going as I read and then saw you were thinking that too.

A 10g would have minimum flow and heating requirements. You could put everything in a corner along with the conduit. You could drill a hole thru a stack of live rock and slide it over the standpipe to conceal it from all sides.


Its totally doable and if it were me, I would do all my homework and save my $ and go with the larger system the first time. It will be so much more expensive and time consuming to do it twice.

Jay

 

[Mikeeal]

I agree with it being more sensible to do it with the final size, however when I brought that up he said he didn't have any problem doing it twice. For me, I don't object because I enjoy a build process as much as the rest of it.

Exactly what I was thinking, have the "standpipe" in the center of the tank, surrounded by the rock, along with the pumps and heater hidden in it. Seems to be the most sensible option right now, but doesn't mean it's the only one.

Thanks for the reply Jay, stick around if you're interested, I'll post up any progress as it develops.

 

[noahm]

What about a central overflow box? You can use part of it to run cables through. You can even plumb returns out the side or the box. That is how I would do it.

OOps, didn't see you talking about a 'standpipe' in the center.

You can divide it so that it has a 'dry' side for chasing wire.

 

[chrismunn]

why not build a canopy thats attached to the ceiling? run all the electrical to lighting through the attic.

to get power to the stand run electrical thought the crawl space under the floor.

 

[spamreefnew]

i agree with noahm

 

[cloakerpoked]

I think I've seen pipes filled with some kind of gel or silicone or something that creates a water tight seal and wouldn't require a stand pipe of sorts. Especially with only 10 gallons of water pressure, I'd think this would be doable.

 

[chrismunn]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1441135&perpage=25&pagenumber=5

 

[Bdawgfl]

What about creating an overflow box in the middle, drilling out the drain and return for standpipes. Stack the rock all the way around. Use a t at the top of the return and a y of locline on either end to provide flow. No powerheads required since it is small. But I would use a pump that is slightly oversized for the job. Also the power line for the lighting can come up through a third hole in the middle and run the just above the water surface to the inside of the canopy and up to the lights.

 

[hahnmeister]

The 500g I am planning has no visible equipment. The tank is viewable on all 4 sides... 6'x6'x2'h with a central 18"x18" overflow covered in aragacrete. The circulation controls and lightingare concealed in the canopy which extends to the ceiling where the electrical sockets and mounts are (ballasts as well). The stand is open underneath, but because the piping is in the center of a 6'x6' stand, a simple mirror trick covers up any evidence of plumbing going through the floor to the basement.

Simple Enuf...

 

[dipan]

The 500g I am planning has no visible equipment. The tank is viewable on all 4 sides... 6'x6'x2'h with a central 18"x18" overflow covered in aragacrete. The circulation controls and lightingare concealed in the canopy which extends to the ceiling where the electrical sockets and mounts are (ballasts as well). The stand is open underneath, but because the piping is in the center of a 6'x6' stand, a simple mirror trick covers up any evidence of plumbing going through the floor to the basement.

Simple Enuf...

Planning on using your XPG's? How did that lighting test work out? I read somewhere that you ordered the 7up boards from Cutter. I did the same, but do not have them yet ...

 

[d2mini]

Re: No visible equipment

Check out my build thread. It may answer a lot of your questions.


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