Scaffold to access tank?

[karimwassef]

My tank is a wall-in ~8' x 3' x 2' on a 3.5' high base. That means the top is at ~6' from the floor.

I have a suspension platform for my surge that comes down from the ceiling about 2.5' (10' ceiling). So it's at about 7.5' up.

That leaves a 1.5' window between the tank and the platform. This is where the MHs, LEDs, fan, and surge plumbing goes.

The left and right sides are blocked with a wall and plumbing leaving only the 8' side accessible.

So... I've literally painted/plumbed myself into a corner.

Solution? A wooden platform made of 2x4s and 1/2" plywood that's 8' x 4' that is suspended from the ceiling struts with a pulley and cables. It lowers just to be flush with the tank top. I use a ladder to get up to it and then lay face down on it and then slide as much as I need over the tank glass to get to wherever I need to.

So, it's a suspension scaffolding that gets raised to the ceiling when not in use.

My surge tank is on a suspension platform and it weights ~10x what I do when the surge is full of 100gals of water.

Warnings? Better ideas? Advice on how to do it? Links to other desperate mavericks who've resorted to such extreme measures before me?

Help

 

[Pife]

As long as your ceiling joists are rated for it I would think it would work just fine. Make sure to use the appropriate sized tackle. I think it is quite a novel idea.

 

[xdannyxrocksx]

Check this out.

http://www.melevsreef.com/node/143

 

[sfsuphysics]

Check this out.

http://www.melevsreef.com/node/143

There's a reason I design a "bar top" around my tank, and it's to do this type of function.

 

[karimwassef]

The walkboard is a great idea. The problem is the width of the tank (34") with the closest 6" dedicated to the overflow and then the depth (27"). There's also a 2" pipe against the tank.

If I stand on a walk board, I need to reach out 8" horizontally before I go down into the tank 27" to the bottom. Or in the worst case, I need to stretch out 8" horizontally to get to the water, then 28" to get to the front glass, then 27" to the bottom.

My arm (fist to underarm) is 26"... So my underarm has to be 8" over the edge before I can reach down. So I can only do that lying down on a ledge that overhangs by 8" over the tank to bypass the overflow and plumbing.

 

[pacu mom]

Our big tank/fishroom has been a 3-yr on-going project and is not complete. We built a platform behind the tank. The floor of the platform are lids that open up so we can access the filtration under the platform. Here's the platform not in position.

The grating over the two 3" floor drains will be removed to accommodate our waste lines.

The back railing is removable, and is there because I am acrophobic.

I can climb in the tank from the platform, but once all the plumbing is in, it will be difficult. We use a stepladder to climb on the platform. I don't know if we are going to place steps or a ladder on the side of the platform.



I got the idea for a platform after reading this build thread on MFK. Unfortunately, we don't have enough room in our equipment room for steps like this:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...om-Aquatics)&p=2489326&viewfull=1#post2489326

 

[RockyMtnReef]

I made a catwalk for my in-wall 450 gal by making the stand larger than the tank on the sides and back. Works great but if you do it be sure to really make it strong. Attached a few photos for reference.

 

[karimwassef]

The catwalks and platforms are great ideas but they don't work for my geometry. Here's a view of a model standing on a platform - the upper arm length is wasted getting over the plumbing leaving only about 16" for in tank:

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/4498AC40-8CE0-4047-9836-D44D27181C66_zpsfmr5dbco.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/4498AC40-8CE0-4047-9836-D44D27181C66_zpsfmr5dbco.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 4498AC40-8CE0-4047-9836-D44D27181C66_zpsfmr5dbco.jpg"/></a>

Here's an approximation of lying down overhanging the plumbing:

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/283FDC0C-6077-454A-B8EE-8B557AB519A3_zpsesffianv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/283FDC0C-6077-454A-B8EE-8B557AB519A3_zpsesffianv.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 283FDC0C-6077-454A-B8EE-8B557AB519A3_zpsesffianv.jpg"/></a>

That gives me 26" of access in the tank.

 

[karimwassef]

And better visibility