Reid's 120g Oceanic Tech Build

[reidcrandall]

Got a lot of staining done this weekend. No pics, because that would be about as fun as watching paint dry... litrally. Only had one mishap. The way that the stain dried on the face of the canopy dried didn't look very good. Just had to sand it down and try again. I just went out to the garage and checked the drying process, and it looks much better thi time. Definately didn't want to have to bild that frame again!

I'm thinking that I'm going to build a frame with some netting in it to put over the back opening when I get a wrasse. /anyone have any idea what kind of netting I should use? I definately don't want it to be melted by the heat of the MH lamps.

 

[reidcrandall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13857740#post13857740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by veloboy
Dig the final color man....Interesting how the camera makes it look so dark. The close-up is telling though, can see the grain of the wood - turned out really nice. I wanna see your doors too. I haven't seen doors constructed the way you are doing yours. Think they'll turn out nice. Gotta give you ups just for trying to construct your doors - I ordered mine.

What kind of stain are you using? Water based, gel stain, dye?

Looking forward to the finished product. Looking forward to seeing that tank on the top of the finished stand!

The stain is actually a full bodied stain that I had custom mixed from the Wood Classics line at Sherwin Williams. It's really thick and almost looks like paint, but when you apply it and it dries, the grain of the wood still shows through.

 

[crvz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13896577#post13896577 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reidcrandall
I'm thinking that I'm going to build a frame with some netting in it to put over the back opening when I get a wrasse. /anyone have any idea what kind of netting I should use? I definately don't want it to be melted by the heat of the MH lamps.

Mine could have been considerably more professionally done, but I'd recommend going to the hardware store and buying either fiberglass or nylon (I think that's the other non-metallic material) window screening. I just stapled it to the frame of the canopy, but a nice little frame would have been better done. The window screening is under $10.

 

[reidcrandall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13898438#post13898438 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crvz
Mine could have been considerably more professionally done, but I'd recommend going to the hardware store and buying either fiberglass or nylon (I think that's the other non-metallic material) window screening. I just stapled it to the frame of the canopy, but a nice little frame would have been better done. The window screening is under $10.

Good call. I'm thinking that I will do that and definately the frame so that I can remove it when I need to.

How's life with the new baby treating you? I saw in your thread where you have this whole month off. That's got to be geat for you and your wife!

 

[reidcrandall]

I've been giving a lot of thought to making this a yum yum fish specialty tank:

 

[crvz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13898718#post13898718 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reidcrandall
How's life with the new baby treating you? I saw in your thread where you have this whole month off. That's got to be geat for you and your wife!

It's new. I've always said that I would prefer skipping the first 3 months, but unfortunately we werent able to figure that out. He's a treat, regardless. My wife is very happy that I've been able to take the time off.

 

[reidcrandall]

I learned about a program that you can get for free through Google on Urban Sage's thread. It's called 'Sketch Up', and it's really helping me to design the basement and the fish room. I could definately use some feedback and ideas on the progress so far. Here's a pic:

The low thing in the middle is the sump. Haven't designed the baffles yet, but I'm pretty sure I am going to go with a center return-type setup.

Underneath the stand to the left of the sump is going to be my ATO water. I am going to have a solenoid valve connected directly to my RO/DO that will keep the level in this holding tank at about 5 gallons. I will plumb an overflow to the drain that is going to my ejector pump in case the valve gets stuck on.

I am not sure if I want to put a salt water mix container on top of this stand or leave it open to put a shallow acrylic frag tank on at some point.

To the right of the sump will be a little workbench area, and some shelving to the right of that.

The display will be just on the other side of the stairs with the plumbing running underneath.

Any comments or suggestions?

 

[crvz]

That's some sketch up, I suck at that program (though admittedly, I've put very little time into it). Would you consider raising the sump? That could make cleaning (siphoning) a lot easier if so. Mine is probably about that high off the ground, and it's sometimes a challenge to clean it (though if you have a shop vac, siphoning becomes moot).

 

[veloboy]

Yup, thats a sketch up. Sweet job man. Looks good. Wish I had the space for a fish room like that.

Is this room on an outside wall? I'm curious if you have ever found tanks to put off a lot of humidity and odor? If so, and the room is on an outside wall, you could consider some type of simple exhaust system. Don't know, maybe humidity and smell aren't an issue?

I know you mentioned a wrasse- What kind of fish are you thinking? Is this gonna be mixed reef or SPS dom or what? Are you thinking bare bottom (like CRVZ) or sand?

Lookin forward to seeing that stand and canopy trimmed out and stained!

 

[reidcrandall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13912766#post13912766 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by veloboy
Yup, thats a sketch up. Sweet job man. Looks good. Wish I had the space for a fish room like that.

Is this room on an outside wall? I'm curious if you have ever found tanks to put off a lot of humidity and odor? If so, and the room is on an outside wall, you could consider some type of simple exhaust system. Don't know, maybe humidity and smell aren't an issue?

I know you mentioned a wrasse- What kind of fish are you thinking? Is this gonna be mixed reef or SPS dom or what? Are you thinking bare bottom (like CRVZ) or sand?

Lookin forward to seeing that stand and canopy trimmed out and stained!

I'm going to have a dehumidifier in there, and that should take care of some of the mustyness... I hope.

I am going to do a thin layer of sand at the bottom, probably about an inch and a half. I like the look of it better than BB, and I have a shrimp/goby pair already that are going to be moving in to the new system.

The reef will be SPS dominated with a couple of other LPS corals as well. I have a huge frogspawn, but I think I am going to frag it and sell it off and start new. I also have a finger leather that I really like and will probably keep, along with a blastomussa wellsi, and about 5 RBTAs that will be on their own little island in the sand.

 

[PaulieWalnuts]

thanks for the lighting reply...i have been following this thread and love the build and the stand is top notch. can't wait to see it up and running!!! wish i could get a light set up like yours is going to be sooner lol.

 

[reidcrandall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13912519#post13912519 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crvz
That's some sketch up, I suck at that program (though admittedly, I've put very little time into it). Would you consider raising the sump? That could make cleaning (siphoning) a lot easier if so. Mine is probably about that high off the ground, and it's sometimes a challenge to clean it (though if you have a shop vac, siphoning becomes moot).

I may raise it a little bit, but I do love my shopvac!

 

[reidcrandall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13917389#post13917389 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PaulieWalnuts
thanks for the lighting reply...i have been following this thread and love the build and the stand is top notch. can't wait to see it up and running!!! wish i could get a light set up like yours is going to be sooner lol.

Glad to have you along! All the lighting comes in it's own time, my friend

 

[reidcrandall]

Progress from this past weekend

Progress from this past weekend

We got the front on the base:

Before we attached the top of the base, we caulked all of the seams in order to guard against any water seepage down the road:

And we attached the top:

The top and the inside of the base have been primed with Kilz. Once we get the trim around the top, we will be caulking the seam with paintable caulk, and then using a black exterior paint in the area where the tank sits. Before we put the tank on top, I am going to cut and attach a sheet of neoprene to the top in order to level out any inconsistencies. I stole the idea from JB NY's thread, because I like the idea of being able to have a black foamy sheet down there as opposed to the pink foam that a lot of people use from Lowe's or Home Depot.

We then started to put the canopy together:

We used these poplar triangles that were cut to perfect 90 degree angles at the bottom of the canopy to add strength and ensure that everything was square:

And then we used to old bar clamps to allow the glue to set:

We're getting there...

 

[reidcrandall]

Finally... an Update!

Finally... an Update!

It's been a while since I've been able to get on here and give an update. Melissa and I have been moving into the new house. We took posession on the 18th. We're both really excited about it and we love the new house.

We have started work on framing the basement. I will try to get some pictures up later today. We've got most of it done, we just have a couple parts of a bulkhead and ceiling left to do, then it's on to electrical. It's gonepretty well with me, my dad and my sister's boyfriend Justin working on Friday, and then yesterday my friend Paul and his wife were ove to help, along with my buddy Joe and his son, and my mom and my dad. We've gotten a lot done in two days.


Unfortunately with all of the activity in moving, framing and Christmas, not a lot has happened on the stand. It will pick back up again soon though!

 

[reidcrandall]

Basement Pics

Basement Pics

Here are a few pics of the progress we have made over the past week:

The fish tank area:

The tank will be placed along the wall to the left, with plumbing under the stairs to the fish room area.

Future fish room:

Obviouly, all of th junk will be moved out. It's going to be a few weeks before there is much progress here. I did pick up the floor epoxy today at Lowes. Now that the framing is pretty much done, and we are moving on to the electrical in the next day or two, I am going to clean the cement and get the epoxy down before the drywall dust mess begins.

Another area:

This is the another area, with a lower ceiling. The bar will be located here, and eventually a poker table or something like that. This was the hardest part of the entire framing process. There had to be a tray ceiling because of heating, sewer and water lines. They were a pain to work around.

Tray ceiling:

Bar area:

Behind the bar is a small framed half bathroom. We just need to get the header for the door in there and open up the landing, where there is currently a door, and the framing will be done. My dad and I hope to get that taken care of tomorrow, and then we can work on electrical and plumbing. This week I will probably have some drywallers out to give me estimates on hanging and finishing for me. If I did it, it would take a month.

 

[crvz]

Man am I still jealous, I want a basement. Good work so far. And who cares if it takes a month to drywall? It'll be a lot cheaper.

 

[reidcrandall]

It won't be that much cheaper It's only going to be about $800 for labor. It's worth it to me. I need to lock in my 30 year fixed rate soon, and need this construction done before that. Rates are really good right now. No time to wait!!!

 

[Padrino]

Finally read through it.. So far, so sweet!
nice equipment list i am using a lot of teh same equipment.

The one thing i want to talk to you about is teh dual pump situation you guys have been talking about for a while... you have two tunze 6105 which are over 3000 GPH power heads. This is a 120 gal tank.. how much more flow did you want.. personally i would stick with a single pump and you powerheads.

Im going for 3 of those pumps.. little pricy though..

 

[veloboy]

Framing looks great! Thats gonna be a nice basement. I'm with you on the drywall contracting! One job thats super messy and time consuming. Sheetrock contractors are relatively cheap and those guys can get in done in about 1/100 of the time it takes me...

Why the use of neoprene rather than the pink foam? Are you gonna have it exposed around the edges?