Southern Guy's 270 Advance Acrylic Build

looks like its coming along great, i like the fish room... only got 2 tanks right now but hoping to have a nice room set up someday
 
Actually subscribed this time since things are coming along. I just did my third order with BRS and came in today and hoping that is the last order! (Not quite as convenient as going down to the plumbing store, eh?)

***Pics look better too! I'm still taking the pics in my build thread with my Bionic and hoping to pick up a nice DSLR soon.

Haha, thanks for giving me a second chance. and yea I definitely used to get frustrated with all my trips to Lowes and HD, no looking back it seems I took that for granted. a whole project on hold because you have to wait for an internet ordered schedule 80 elbow is frustrating. Those pics are straight out of the box, with no adjustments and you can tell the difference in a nice DSLR. Stay tuned for better shots as I learn what I am doing.

Looks like you are on your way to great setup! Thanks for sharing. My only recommendation....and this is something that can be done at a later date, is I would get a bigger skimmer, like the Vertex 250.

My 400 is acrylic and I really like it. Do not use fine/sugar size sand as a substrate though, it will get caught up in the magnet scrubber and create scratches.
Thanks for the comments. And yea I love my vertex 200 and will roll with this for a while. Funny enough, when I was planning my sump size, I had the skimmer section and skimmer stand made to fit a Alpha 300, so I am with you. Upgrades are always an option.
No sugar fine sand here either, just brand new reef flakes, nice size. And yes I will be careful with all cleaners. Plan is a daily wipe down with magic eraser pads. No magent cleaners left over night, etc.
looks like its coming along great, i like the fish room... only got 2 tanks right now but hoping to have a nice room set up someday

Thanks for joining me for this one. No fish room for equipment unfortunately, but that room itself will be centered around the tank, much to the girlfriend's dismay.
 
Nice tank. John at AA is building mine as we speak a 8x30dx24t with a coast to coast. And custom sump. Im following along with you thread.

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Great build, nice tank, nice dog, nice house, nice camera, nice lights...subscribed!!!
and you're a nice guy....:bounce3:

Seriously though. Thanks for following along.

Nice tank. John at AA is building mine as we speak a 8x30dx24t with a coast to coast. And custom sump. Im following along with you thread.

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well it looks like our tanks our very similar. Keep me posted on how long it takes to get it. Thanks for following along. Got a build thread? If so, shoot me a link please.
 
and you're a nice guy....:bounce3:

Seriously though. Thanks for following along.



well it looks like our tanks our very similar. Keep me posted on how long it takes to get it. Thanks for following along. Got a build thread? If so, shoot me a link please.

No build thread yet waiting for the tank to get here. I will keep you posted as to when it comes. Hopefully close to when he said but I know the stories. Your stand looks lime it will be great. Im gonna have a metal stand built as well and skin it down the road. Im anxious to see how your turns out hopefully it gives me some ideas

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Update time. Good news, good news, bad news...

Some real progress was made to getting this tank off the ground, literally! I found a welder who didn't charge me my first-born, and a powder-coating company. Met the guy at the powder-coating shop today and he dropped it off. Here is the raw stand...

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Got off work and had free delivery from the company who powder coated it. Same day turn around with free delivery, great news. Gonna get some plastic ends caps, but really happy with the gloss white finish...

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Now for a bit of (manageable) bad news. The welder took a bit of artistic license with my VERY clear and specific designs and welded the gussets on the back support legs inward! I noticed as he was dropping it off, but I was sort of already pot committed with my material deposit and just accepted it. I realized shortly after in the middle of my work day (during a presentation. space cadet moment) that my sump is 30 inches wide and these gussets only allow for 28" of space! So, not the end of the world, but a bit frustrating, because I thought it was pretty clear what I needed.

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Any ways, I will just have to build up the floor around it with plywood until it levels out over the gussets. Other than that, I am super stoked its finally here. Love the finish and love the 42" height. I am 6'4" and wanted it to be closer to eye level to me. Sorry kiddies. Real work begins next week. Thanks for stopping by.
 
Woo hoo!! Nice looking stand
I like the white as well. How do you plan to mount the lights?

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So I'm taking it you'll need at least 2"-3" of plywood just to go over the gussetts?
That's a real bummer but that stand is sexy! Did you at least get a good deal on the stand? I'm looking for someone local to build me one but the prices are outrageous.
 
Woo hoo!! Nice looking stand
I like the white as well. How do you plan to mount the lights?

Light mount will be a little different than the norm. Stay tuned...

So I'm taking it you'll need at least 2"-3" of plywood just to go over the gussetts?
That's a real bummer but that stand is sexy! Did you at least get a good deal on the stand? I'm looking for someone local to build me one but the prices are outrageous.

yea, went and measured it. about 4" build up with 2x4's then 3/4" ply base. Lose a solid 5" under the stand, and as we all know, every inch of clearance down there is valuable real estate. lucky I have a 42" stand but still don't wanna lose it. Contacted the builder and seeing if he will stand behind his work or not and come fix it.

Should mention his price was reasonable. But it looks like you get what you pay for. Trust me, I got some OUTRAGEOUS quotes too, up to $2900 or so!!!!
 
It roughly cost me $240 to do my stand for my 270 used 1.25 square tube and 1/8th inch steel for gussets it ended up being 72L x 41.25T x 24D and it took all of about 8 hrs at my buddies shop and he is interested in building more and we are in savannah ga and by the way awesome build man will be following along
 

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Bummer about the stand and hopefully they get it worked out and stand behind his work. Your design is very clear on where they need to be so no real reason they should have screwed that up. I've got a 600 gallon tank being delivered tomorrow and I'll be looking for a welder to beef up the 2" square steel but hoping I have some luck finding a good welder!
 
Wow 2900 that's crazy talk right there. Im having mine done 84x30x36 using 2" x2"x.120 wall and a custom light setup with swivel feature so I can move the lights out of the way for yank Maint. Powder coated black for 750. I thought that was a fair price. But 2900 ouch some people must think alot of there work
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It roughly cost me $240 to do my stand for my 270 used 1.25 square tube and 1/8th inch steel for gussets it ended up being 72L x 41.25T x 24D and it took all of about 8 hrs at my buddies shop and he is interested in building more and we are in savannah ga and by the way awesome build man will be following along

Thats great to have that resource! congrats and thanks for following along.

Bummer about the stand and hopefully they get it worked out and stand behind his work. Your design is very clear on where they need to be so no real reason they should have screwed that up. I've got a 600 gallon tank being delivered tomorrow and I'll be looking for a welder to beef up the 2" square steel but hoping I have some luck finding a good welder!

Its hard man, I thought I was getting a quality guy, but he just seems to lack in the following directions department. haha. I am still happy with it though. Good luck.

Wow 2900 that's crazy talk right there. Im having mine done 84x30x36 using 2" x2"x.120 wall and a custom light setup with swivel feature so I can move the lights out of the way for yank Maint. Powder coated black for 750. I thought that was a fair price. But 2900 ouch some people must think alot of there work
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yea I was astonished. Not just one quote either. I got a few that were way up there. Been following along with your build too, keep the updates coming.

Damn Kelly I fell in love with your stand.. Too bad about the mishap. Hopefully they can and is willing to fix it.

Thanks man. yea he is willing, but I said screw it, see below...
 
Update time...

Well after getting my stand all I wanted to do was get rolling on the build. Needless to say, I immediately had to leave town for the weekend, and then came back to my business' annual meeting and was busy all day and night last week. Finally had this Saturday and Sunday to get moving.

First off, called the stand builder to correct his mistake, he agreed but said it would take him a couple weeks to come back. At which point I said screw it, and just moved on making some lemonade out of that lemon. Didn't turn out too bad, only lost a couple inches after building a platform out of 4x4's. A few coats of Kilz2 and some polyurethane gloss finish. The sump deck will sit on these.

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I brought the stand inside to its likely resting place and lined the bottom with heavy duty minimum compression weather stripping to help relieve stress points and protect the tile.

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Then off to Lowes, Home Depot, Lowes, and then Home Depot, back and forth collecting everything I would need. I like this build because it gives me an excuse to pick up some tools that I "need". Came back home and spent the last 36 hours measuring, cutting, sanding, painting coat after coat of Kilz and Polyurethane.

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Got the stand inside and laid down the deck frame.

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Finished up the top piece of 3/4" ply and cut the foam to fit. ( the extra in the back will be drilled to support all the plumbing coming off the external overflow box)
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Thanks for following along, more to come later this week.
 
Should also mention that after getting the stand in and finally determining where everything will go underneath this thing (boy its gonna be a tight fit), I actually decided to turn the stand around! The doubled up center brace to maximize front space wasn't necessary. That would have put the bar dead center in front of the filter sock and skimmer area, the places I reach and maintain the most. Its ok though, these two bars actually serve as nice dividers in a sense. My next update should clear up what I mean.
 
When you think you have a lot of room you don't. I've got a whole room now dedicated for fish but seems that I'm having to think wait too much about space for every component I consider adding.:headwally:
 
When you think you have a lot of room you don't. I've got a whole room now dedicated for fish but seems that I'm having to think wait too much about space for every component I consider adding.:headwally:

I definitely hear you. Seems to be an affliction for all reefers.
 
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