Syetem build up pics(almost done)

[jaze36]

Here is the progress on my new system. It is almost done. When it is done it will be built into its own room in my living room.

Here is the built stand.

Space for the fan. The bottom fans are angled to blow more directly on the water. The top are for the MH.

Pic of the heater holder so I don't have to use suction cups.

 

[jaze36]

Painting the tank

Maxi stream I made

Mock up in the cellar so I can start the plumbing on the tank.

Here is the back side this will be in side the small room that I will be building around the tank. The 10 gal on the floor will become the refuge and I have to build a small stand for that yet. I know the skimmer is really big in comparison to the rest of the tank but I hope this will give me the ability to feed the tank daily.

Sump I made for the tank. It is drilled in the back for a pan world 40PX.

Fans and lights installed.

 

[jaze36]

Things I still have to build are a power center for the set up . A auto water changer, Ca. reactor. Hopefully they will be done sometime soon.

 

[jallard]

nice .........I like the height of the tank :thumbsup:

 

[jaze36]

Thanks Joe, Its 40" up so no bending over.

 

[vmiller]

Nice Steve! I admire your total DIY approach, although that sump doesn't look DIY to me!

What are the dimensions of that tank?

 

[jaze36]

Thanks Vin. Its a small tank a 38 gal. 36x12x18. I already had all the tanks. I decided to use what I already had on hand.

 

[sbertomen]

That heater holder is a great idea! I think I need one of those.

 

[winstew]

Sorry I hate to be "that guy" but are you worried the stand won't support the tank when full? The stand gets its support from vertical runs of boards. It appears that the tank will be sitting on a horizontal platform nailed to the vertical frame. It might sag over time. just my $.02 but I would reinforce the platform with some vertical runs of 2X4. Hate to see a disaster after workign that hard on something.
-TIM

 

[jaze36]

Thanks for the concern Tim, here is a better pic. The 2x4 are rabbited in. Going width wise there are 2 2x4's on the ends and one in the middle and a 3/4" of plywood underlayment it is all glued and screwed with heavy duty liquid nail. Its only spaning 3' and with the way the boards are run and are attached to plywood there won't be any sag.

 

[winstew]

Ahh makes more sense now....

 

[Dave ESPI]

actualy, Winstew, your doubts are not unfounded as I too see a potental flaw.

Jaze, all your supporting 2 x 4's are running widthwise. you have no support in the other dirrection to eleminate "bow/ flex" to the boards. you left a very small margin of error around the framework for the tanks to go into it. If the boards tweek or warp, you could potentialy "lock up" your sump and never be able to remove it from the wooden prison that you built around it within a 1/4 inch from the frame. Notsaying it is going to happen for sure, but when building this sort of framework, you always need to take sag and natural flex of the woodgrain into consideration. I thik you will be "OK" because you have a shelf in the middle of your boards, and you did indeed knotch it out for a dirrect vertical support that compresses the grain of the wood rather than flexing outward on it and relying on the strenght of screws/ nails alone to hold it together.

Just food for thought

 

[jaze36]

Thanks Dave, I'll keep that in mind. I'm going to fill the tank before I bring it up stairs and test the stand. I'll watch for the bow and if it dosen't look sturdy I'll brace it.

 

[winstew]

I think the sunp will be allrigth as well. It will get its support from the base/floor. Just to be on the safe side for the DT, I would attach a taught string between the bottom of the DT shelf to the the top of the sump shelf. Fill the DT with water and watch for any slack in the string. Its not foolproof but it will tell you if there are any immediate issues.