OK! Enough chat...Starting a 1000g+ Reef

[jnarowe]

No...I had my son workinig a screw gun and I used a crow bar. We got about 1/3 done in 1-1/2 hours, so that's not too bad. I want to get a move on with insulation etc. but I need quotes and it's hard to get anyone to come out. Also, I need to install the header and frame in the window...soon enough. Not enough progress to post any pics yet.--J

 

[jnarowe]

Quick update: no more screws...I tend you revel in having had a long and enjoyable bachelorhood, but I have never screwed that much!!

Glue-lam beam coming tommorrow...shall we all cross our fingers? I have support on each side of the load bearing wall equal to the load bearing wall, so I have double the wall up as temporary support. Should be an exciting day!--J

 

[asnatlas]

Quick update: no more screws...I tend you revel in having had a long and enjoyable bachelorhood, but I have never screwed that much!!

ROFL, that is funny as heck...

Shawn

 

[jnarowe]

What's even funnier (to me) is that I replaced the word "to" with "you"...product of stroke. Found out yesterday that the blood is all gone and I just basically have a dent and scar tissue in my left frontal lobe. Good news I guess, but I may have some executive function disability permanently.

I wonder if I really should be putting a header in the only load bearing wall on the first floor? Call in a pro? I don't think so!--J

 

[jnarowe]

Here's a shot of the new beam that went in today.

That's a nice 10 footer!--J

 

[melev]

Nice job! Did you remember to nail it in place?

 

[jnarowe]

Actually, it's not nailed in place at all. The posts that we built are all nailed together of course, and we cut them slightly long so the beam is jammed up into the top-plate.

I can't really figure out how to nail the beam itself. It's 5-1/4 x 18"! Maybe some metal brackets screwed into it would be good? I'll take a look tommorrow. The pressure of the house will hold it in place, but maybe I should give it some lateral bounderies!--J

 

[melev]

You need to nail it into the uprights, and also through the beam into the supporting "cripples" beneath it.

If the house were to shift for some reason, that piece should be secured if you expect it to hold.

It looks like you can nail it through the taller board (on the right) and into the beam, but there appears to be a substantial gap for some reason. I'd fill that with some lumber, and toe-nail it where possible.

 

[jnarowe]

Yeah, I am planning on filling the gap and nailing through the end. And I think metal brackets would be good too. Prior to my stroke, I would have planned it with brackets to begin with.

BTW, what's up with the black line through your avatar?--J

 

[Hop]

Don't worry... Installing that header was probably the hardest thing to do mentally. How long did you sit there contemplating wether you should do it or not? I thing I spent at least an hour debating if I really wanted to do it and mine was only a 6'gap. I planned escape routes if something was going to start giving way while I was Installing the new header.Then I would get the hammer and re-think things again and again before I finally said "screw it" and began knocking out dry wall

 

[jnarowe]

Well I just submitted a reply and it went poof!

 

[jnarowe]

yet that one shows up?

OK...the first hole is the toughest but I had to do it. I found a few problems including rot & mold. If I were to pay someone to fix that after I had noticed a problem, it would have cost more than the entire aquarium project, so I am getting a "two-for-one"!

Got a problem: One of the pumps that came with the tank is totally frozen. Took a while to get it to move a little with channel locks! I pulled the motor apart and it doesn't look good. Completely rusted inside, broken bolts, and it wasn't wired correctly. Buying the motor itself costs more than buying the complete pump too.

Any suggestions on pumps? --J

 

[melev]

You can add metal brackets if you like, and lagbolt them in place, or just nail them if the metal is thin. However, it will be tough to sheetrock over those as they will stand out off the lumber. Nailing it should do well, and that is what we did when I framed houses with a seasoned carpenter years ago.

Regarding my avatar: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=5958942#post5958942

The Sequence pump is really getting great reviews on RC for the most part. It uses less power than many, and provides great flow. I bought a Sequence Dart (160w) recently as a backup for my current pump. For now I'm using a Little Giant. I used to use an Ampmaster 4700 as it came with the tank, but it was costing me a fortune in electricity (384w).

 

[Kent E]

Thats one big beam, no worries there. good luck with the tank and the lobe.

 

[jnarowe]

melev: I figured something like that...wow. And I just don't understand how they can drop dead just because the pump was off for a few hours. Sorry for your loss.

I will have at least 2 pumps going, so maybe I can avoid such a problem if a pump goes out.

So the Ampmaster is called that because...it sucks a lot of amps??? That's funny, because the name makes it sound otherwise.

As far as the beam goes, I almost got the brackets today but got busy with other stuff. I could use L brackets on the underside. I could use a large T on the back side and countersink bolts from the front to back. There are many ways to tie it down. Leaving the ends open really isn't too bad because as the beam heats and cools, it will be able to expand without damaging anything.

KENT E Thanks for the good wishes...and what lobe? My frontal lobe? LOL...well, it's not like I can switch it out for another one.--J

 

[melev]

That's funny about the AMPmaster. :lol: It is actually a Dolphin pump. But I like your description.

I doubt your home will get hot and cold enough to swell a lam-beam much at all. If it does, you have far bigger problems to deal with than you think.

If you don't have any circulation at all, it is bad. I've proven that definitively. 8 hours is too much without some type of interaction on our part. Just remember to keep them running.

 

[chainsaw5vent]

Here's a shot of the new beam that went in today.

That's a nice 10 footer!--J

are you supporting an aircraft carrier w/ the lam-beam??:lol:

and can you add more details about the chest freezer w/anti-freeze solution in it? i've never heard of that one before.:idea: :hmm6: what size is it?

 

[jnarowe]

Interestingly enough, the wall that beam is in is the only load bearing wall on the bottom floor. Let me paint a picture:

The vertical dotted line represents where the beam is. That is the only 4 x 6 wall downstairs supporting all the floor joists for the 1,350 sq. ft. upper floor on this end of the house. I need to change my pants.

Chest freezer isn't worked out yet, but basically I will just use one that I already have and plumb it with a 3/4" copper coil and hook it into a heat exchanger. NBD really. The air temp. in this room will be fairly well controlled, and I will not install the cooling system until I know that I really need it. But it will be much less expensive to run that freezer than to run a chiller, and if you look at this TOTM you'll see where I got the idea. he uses a ground coil which is also an option here.--J

 

[jnarowe]

Look what I found inside the working pump. I pulled off the plumbing adapters and this was just inside the pump body. It appears to be some kind of tubing that was totally twisted up. I guess the guy I bought it from wasn't getting all the circulation he thougt!

That's one big obstruction!--J

 

[NeilsReef]

Look what I found inside the working pump. I pulled off the plumbing adapters and this was just inside the pump body. It appears to be some kind of tubing that was totally twisted up. I guess the guy I bought it from wasn't getting all the circulation he thougt!

That's one big obstruction!--J

Interesting find!