Starting Over Build Thread - Construction Intensive!

[thomb]

First time build thread Reef Central poster. We had an Elos System 160 XL that needed to be replaced (a long story I don't wish to publish) but here's what it looked like - sorry for the not so great picture, I deleted most of them...


We're going bigger, here are the tank specs.
Still going to keep the open look.


And more "custom"... learning from mistakes. Probably will have water by June! So here we go...

 

[thomb]

Here is the "major" equipment list.
Skimmer: Tunze 9430
Return Pump: EcoTech Vectra
Lighting: Pacific Sun Pandora S3
Sump: eShopps G3

I upgraded the 2 MP40's we had to the Quiet Drive drivers - wow what a difference! I have to say EcoTech is a great company to deal with and is a big reason we went with the Vectra.

 

[CafeReef]

who's building the tank, Elos? They make some beautiful setups that's for sure. I really like peninsula tanks, they look very sharp. Good call with the Eurobracing. Such a clean look. Good luck with your build.

 

[thomb]

This project involves two different rooms - what was a laundry / storage / jewelry studio and a dining room. I split the laundry etc into three spaces - laundry, fish/mechanical closet and a den w. fireplace. This of course involved much demolition.

 

[thomb]

I won't have a true stand, it will be a constructed structure. One key feature is what we call the "catwalk". The tank is in an addition off of our kitchen - you step down into the room and the tank will be on your right. Given that my wife and I both like to look down into the tank. I created a catwalk feature - allow you to walk behind the tank for at least half of its length. This is one thing we learned from the last setup!

Given its a 27" tank, this will help a lot for reaching down into it ect.
Here's how it's looking so far.
From the kitchen into the room, the blue tape lines are where the tank will be.


A closer view of the catwalk and tank location



The hole in the wall will become an access door from the fish closet to under the "stand". With any luck, I'll be able to reach the skimmer collection cup through that access.

 

[thomb]

We have a fireplace!
Not that it has anything at all to do with the tank, but I like any normal human male like looking at fire and from this vantage point, I will get to look at fire and reef!

 

[thomb]

Final catchup post... from now on, we're goin' realtime.
This is the fish closet thus far.



The space under the sink will hold a 12 gallon water tank I used for a salt mixing station before - worked really well. The RODI will live in this room as will all controllers. Our house is small, so as I like to say everything has its place and every place has its thing! Another design wrinkle, everything in here is removable to allow replacing the water heater - YEARS from now. BTW if you haven't gone tankless water heater - DO IT. It is like living in a hotel - endless hot water.

 

[thomb]

Hi,
The tank is being built by Coast to Coast Aquariums http://coasttocoastaquariums.com/

And thanks for the encouragement! I am very glad to be doing construction vs demolition at this point. This is the third time we've renovated these rooms:headwally:

 

[thomb]

I would be very interested in techniques folks have used to vent humid air. The tank will sit on a built-in - not a "movable" stand; this will house the sump and reactors.

I have a wall vent available (4") and was thinking of running an in-line fan to draw humid air out. I expect to the fan to be a consumable item under these conditions.

Thoughts?

 

[sfsuphysics]

Say what you will, I find that the construction/setup to be the most relaxing part of the reef tank process, all that keeping stuff alive, maintenance and electric bill going through the roof I could do without!

 

[thomb]

I agree with you, construction is the best part of the process if you ask me. Once its all set up, my wife is the one that really does the daily tank related things. But taking everything down that was built just 2 years ago did kinda sting...

But its an opportunity to learn and do a better job. So far I've really enjoyed the process. Hopefully this weekend I can start on the where the tank will live. But I suspect I'll be sanding drywall instead, which I don't enjoy one bit.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Yup, I did that a couple months ago with my 375G tank, things just weren't working, I knew why, and rather than trying to stick more fingers to plug the holes of a sinking ship, I just up and got rid of everything and hopefully will start new again someday... "un"fortunately I now have a 7 week old baby so the whole reef thing is on hiatus, and currently have a FOWLR tank to hold all the old critters I had.

Someday though I will get back in, just have zero time to do anything I want to do right now

 

[thomb]

I guess progress on other things is about as good as progress on the reef. Not much to show other than now you can get a sense of where everything is and shall go.
Laundry and fish closet


Where the tank will go

 

[thomb]

This house by all rights never was intended to still be here. It was summer cottage built sometime in the 50's and it just hung in there all these years. Bought it 10 years ago, and we've been working on it ourselves ever since - you name it, we've done it.
I've heard in construction that 45 and 90 degree angles are common, as is the concepts of level and plumb. Interesting... I bet that would make things oh so much easier. I call what I have to do most of the time organic carpentry.

 

[dave.m]

If the house is that old and unstable have you checked to make sure it can handle the weight of a fully loaded tank at that location?

Dave.M

 

[thomb]

The house was old and unstable when we bought it, not now

We went through the shoring up process for the previous system 2 years ago, so confident its stable and well supported. :hammer:

But that is very good advice to make sure of for folks doing this. If we'd put a tank like this in some of the rooms before...disaster...!

Heck the bedroom, when I cut up the floor of the 10 joists, 8 were nothing but hollow shells holding dust! We've seen the dirt under every room, and most of them now have more than a few new joists and foundation piers.

 

[thomb]

Been waylay'ed with a mean cold the past week. But on the mend, should begin building where the tank will live this weekend. Its not really a stand per se given this will be a permanent structure built into the walls/floor. But for simplicity, I'll call it a stand.

The stand will be 32" tall. 3/4" plywood structure over wood frame. The end result will be white and modern / unobtrusive as possible. I will skin over plywood with Azek panel stock to achieve a smooth surface. The doors I'm still thinking through... I've built a lot of things, and doors are always stymie point for me.

Inside the stand, I'm going to line it with, not sure what to call it, but its a fiberglass board, hoping to achieve an easy to clean surface. Will incorporate a drain in the stand as well - while all pains will be taken to make a flood proof system, I'm going under the assumption that there's no such thing as a flood proof system.

 

[thomb]

I've seen the threads asking about putting a tank on hardwood floors or carpet. Here's my answer to that question. Tank was only up for 3 years, and we had maybe 3 floods - all RODI.

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[thomb]

The vapor barrier did its job though, subfloor is pristine.

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[thomb]

I was thinking about putting some self leveling cement down. After seeing that mold, I am pretty sure that's exactly what I'm going to do. Hi ho, hi ho, to Home Depot I go.