Custom Frag Tank & Display Tank Builds

[Rick]

Recently while browsing the forum here I came across a Frag Tank Experiment build that Smann was doing. Frag/T5 experiment build The design was a bit unique making it look like it was running without an overflow which inspired me to build something similar for myself. It is actually replacing a 40g display tank I had running until a couple of weeks ago. While I could have used that tank as a frag tank it really wasn't practical as such. It also was too big to put next to my display to run off the same system. The idea with this one is to have a frag tank that fits the area I have available that will actually be combined with my display tank allowing one system to be maintained and to add to the total system volume. (My total volume will be around 200g once this is added) While I wanted something similar I also decided on a few changes to fit my needs a bit better. First is that I wanted a short tank to keep the light demand low. I actually am planning to try 4 7100k compact flourescent spiral bulbs over this to see if I can get nice growth. Or rather to see what corals will grow well under that lighting. Color will be less of a concern as I plan to acclimate corals under 400w MH to color them up after they have shown good growth. I decided on a 12" tall tank and the footprint of the area it will go in allows for a 24" wide tank that is 21" front to back. The width was actually chosen from standard widths to allow the use of more lighting options. (24" x 21" x 12") Next is that I am fond of glass instead of acrylic as it is easier to keep clean and doesn't get scratched as easily. Another thing I wanted to do was eliminate the backpack look with a full depth overflow which will allow for me to utilize the deeper area for more macro algae, rubble, and/or sand. This also made the design a bit simpler since I was using glass. I did decide to use acrylic for the overflow section as it is available in more colors and is easier to work with. While I was considering the changes I would like I was contacted by Benny (Benny503) who wanted something similar as well. His needs were slightly different as he wants one for a display rather than a frag tank. Because of this I pondered what changes would be necessary to keep snails, etc. from dropping through the drain. Screens on the overflow drains will keep them from going down the drains but a couple of snails against the drains could block enough to cause the water level to rise. To help with this I decided to add a removable cover over the drain section. In the event this makes too much noise it can be removed. (I'm hoping the result will be either no added noise or that it will further disperse the noise but we'll see) Another change I decided on was to lower the overflow section a little to keep the water level slightly lower to make cleaning easier without as much water splashing over the rim.

 

To sum it up here is a list of what I wanted:

 

1: Glass viewing panels to ease cleaning. (While this is a frag tank it will be next to the display where it will be seen just as much)

2: Similar overflow to the Smann design that gives the impression that there isn't an overflow. (Flat back wall without the typical slots seen on most overflows)

3: Short tank to utilize the area available and to keep light demands low.

4: Solid color on the back wall to hide the overflow and plumbing.

5: Herbie Overflow for a silent drain.

6: Dual returns designed to eliminate the need for a check valve and that will also allow the use of a wavemaker.

7: Rimless or at least the impression of a rimless top with little or no splashing when cleaning.

8: Capped drain section to help keep snails, etc. away from the drain screens.

9: Deep overflow area to add macroalgae, sand, etc. for extra filtration.

10: Utilize locally sourced products. (Glass from the local glass shop, acrylic from the local plastics shop, etc.) Note: This was as a matter of convenience rather than some false sense of loyalty. I.E. I don't feel obligated to shop locally, instead I try to shop locally because it is convenient. That's another discussion though so I'll leave it at that.

 

If I recall any other things that effected the choices I'll add them to the list.

[Rick]

Before I get too far I'll start with the failures. First is that I considered and attempted to cut the glass for these myself. I found out quickly though that I am currently lacking the skill for this. Also in my initial design I decided to utilize mirror glass for the bottom panel since this tank will be bare bottom and it would reflect the light upwards. I also followed the design recommendations from the Garf website for the outside walls and bottom on the tank. I'm not sure which caused the initial failure though. I assembled the first tank using the mirror glass for the bottom using those recommendations. After the silicone dried I filled it up to test for leaks and it held water fine for about 3 hours. Then the bottom cracked dumping a couple of gallons of water to clean up before I was able to get it drained. Because of this I went back to the drawing board and threw out both. First I tossed out the mirror as it may be possible the glass isn't as strong. I was unable to find any technical data to determine whether it is or not but I believe adding the backing to glass for the mirror may slightly change the properties of it. Instead I'll just use foil under the glass to reflect light back up into the tank. The second was the recommendation from the Garf website to mount the glass 1/4 above the bottom so the 4 sides support all of the bottom glass. The reason for this is to eliminate potential point loading that could cause the bottom to fracture. This however means all of the load on the bottom is supported by the edges with no support in the middle. I don't know if this caused the fracture or not. After some more research including a site that discussed the engineering somewhat in depth it appears that many are successful at putting the bottom even with the sides but that it requires adding a thin filler material to distribute the weight in the event there is anything under it that will cause point loading. I decided on this method since it will distribute the weight across the bottom instead of just at the edges. In the future I may revisit both of these but for now I decided to cover both possible causes of failure. An additional issue I ran into although minor was that I miscalculated a couple of lengths on the second tank so they were too long (I had the glass for both cut at the same time). The glass shop was great though and cut them again free of charge while they were cutting a piece of glass to replace the broken mirror I tried initially.

[Rick]

Now to the actual build. First I dug up a flat board with a smooth finish. This was to ensure the bottom and sides would be even. Then I assembled the pieces for the bottom and sides holding them together with tape. Once I was happy with their positions I applied silicone around the bottom edges and along the seams for the sides. I used my fingertip to smooth the silicone and squeeze it between the pieces of glass. This I allowed to set up for 48 hours. In the meantime I cut and assembled the overflow section. The back panel was cut to the inside height minus 1". This will allow the water to be 1/8" to 1/4" higher than the panel and still keep the level 3/4" or more lower than the top edges to allow cleaning without splashing over the sides. I also cut several support pieces to add more surface area to bond the acrylic to the glass and cut the overflow dividers and added slots to them. For the first tank I cut each side a little different. On one side I cut 1/8" slots 2" deep and on the other I cut 1/4" slots 2" deep. Once the first one is running I'll observe both to see which side flows better. The extra deep slots are to allow for the short dividers (3" each) which will potentially be flowing the entire volume since the center section will have a cap over it. (If this causes addiitonal noise or prevents enough flow I'll simply take it off as it is removeable) I then used Weld On number 16 to bond all of the acrylic pieces together. I gave this some time to set up and then glued it into place inside the tank. While I was at it I added a couple of pieces inside each outer section of the overflow area to hold eggcrate shelves. Not sure if I will utilize them or not but they are there in case I decide to. I then filled the tank to test for leaks. This involved 3 steps. First I filled the main tank area close to the top of the oferflow. Then I let this sit for awhile so I could check for leaks between the main tank and the overflow area. (If it leaks then there is the potential for all of the water to drain from the tank in the event of a power outage or pump failure) Next I added enough water to overflow into the outer sections of the overflow area. Then I checked for leaks into the center drain section. This is less critical but still would allow more water than necessary to drain from the tank in the event of a failure. I then went ahead and added water to fill the center section and bring the level just above the overflow. The next step was to get a few pictures and make a post here describing the build up to this point. It has now been about 8 hours without any leaks. After 24 to 48 hours if it is still holding water then I'll drain it and begin plumbing the drains and return lines.

[Michael7979]

VERY NICE!!!

 

Keep up the updates.

[grassi]

Nice work! Tagging along

[Smann]

I Iike it!! the glass looks really good. Take a pic of the back when you get the drains and returns in

[vanz]

lookin good! I like the teal color.

[Rick]

Thanks for the compliments. Originally I was going to make mine blue but when I was at the plastic shop I saw the teal and decided to go with it instead. I like the look of it a lot better than the blue.

 

I'm starting on the one for Benny tonight so it can be drying and I'll try to get some pics and details of it posted either tonight or tomorrow morning. I need to pick up some bulkhead fittings before I drill and plumb the first one.

[Benny503]

Wow your tank is really nice Rick.....(icon)(icon)

I cant wait to see mine (dancing) Thank You!!!

[Rick]

Wow your tank is really nice Rick.....(icon)(icon)

I cant wait to see mine (dancing) Thank You!!!

 

I'll be getting pics of it posted some time in the morning. I want the silicone to set up for a bit before I touch it again. (I assembled it a couple of hours ago. This time I got a few pics during the assembly.

[Benny503]

You are good, I didn't expect the tank built this quick :-)

[Rick]

You are good' date=' I didn't expect the tank built this quick :-)[/quote']I still need to put the top braces on which I'll do tomorrow and then I'll build the overflow section over the next couple of days.

[Rick]

Well, I'm a day late getting these posted but here they are. These give more details through the build than the first tank along with a change or two as well.

 

The first pic here shows one change I made. On the first tank I applied the silicone and then trimmed it which took a little more work than I felt was necessary. On this one I decided to do a little extra prep work. Folllowing the initial assembly where the pieces were placed into position and taped in place I started by masking 3/8" or so away from each seam.

 

Following this I took a 1/16" thick wood strip and broke it into several pieces to be used as spacers. (I used the same method on the first tank which worked well)

 

Then I placed enough pieces of tape around the top edge to use for each spacer. I found the tape necessary to be sure none of the pieces slipped down into the gap making them difficult to remove.

 

Two spacers were then placed into each seam to create a 1/16" gap. This gap will allow the silicone to fill the space between each glass piece to help create a strong bond.

 

Here is a pic with the prep work complete and ready for the silicone to be applied.

[Rick]

Here is a closer look at the inside with the spacers in place. One additional note: The paper underneath is important since silicone will be sqeezed through the gaps.

 

Next I ran a bead of silicone along all of the inside seams and then used my fingertip to smooth it and sqeeze it into the gaps. Each spacer was removed as I reached it during this process.

 

Once this was done I double checked the position of each piece of glass making minute adjustments to make sure the edges all matched. Then I allowed the silicone to cure for an hour or so before removing the tape next to each seam. Again I checked to be sure everything was still in the right position. Then I left it alone overnight. The next day I turned the tank on it's side and added the top braces. While these may not be necessary they will add extra support to the sides to keep them from bowing once water is in the tank plus they will help keep water from splashing over the edges while cleaning. I did not take any pictures through this process however it was the same process used for the sides and bottom. Note: The braces are placed at approx. the same height as the water level to hopefully give the impression of a rimless tank.

 

Here is a picture of the exterior portion of the tank fully assembled. I'm not happy with the way the top of the silicone turned out. (Couple of air bubbles and it looks messy where it overlapped when I added the side pieces) Because of this I'll be cutting out the silicone around the top edge with a sharp razor blade once the silicone fully cures and then I'll lay a new bead down to get a smoother finish.

 

Other than putting a new bead of silicone down along the top edge of the braces the exterior portion of the tank just needs some time to cure before I add water to leak test it. In the meantime I'll be building the overflow portion of the tank.

 

Notable differences between the tanks are the dimensions and water volume, this one is just a little shorter from front to back and is 18" tall instead of 12" and approx. 37 gallons of volume including the overflow area instead of about 26 gallons for the first tank. Additinally this one will have a black background rather than teal and will employ a check valve which will make the plumbing a little different. Plumbing will be through the back side as well whereas space limitations will probably require coming up through the bottom on the first one. (Still undecided for sure on it though)

[cklskypilot]

NICE TANK RICK WISH I SEEN IT WHEN I WAS OVER AT YOUR PLACE KEPT UP THE NICE WORK

[Barelycuda]

Very nice Rick. Can't wait to see more as it progresses.

 

Dave

[Benny503]

Me too Rick, I am glad that we talked. You are building my current dream tank :-) Can't wait to see it in person. Keep us posted Rick. Thanks.

[Rick]

Here are the plumbing pics from the frag tank I promised.

 

The first pic here shows how I positioned the drain and return bulkhead fittings. Note: If you look closely you will see that the top fittings are 3/4" while the lower center ones are 1" yet they both have the same outside diameter. Using the larger diameter 3/4" bulkhead fittings allowed me to use the same glass drill for all 4 holes. (The inside 3/4" fittings are the standard size)

 

This overhead shot shows the double bulkhead setup for the return lines. In addition to the return these also add some support to the acrylic wall.

 

A top front view of the return fittings. This is where the loc-line fittings will attach.

[Benny503]

I saw this tank in person, and my tank :-) They both are really nice looking. I really like the overflow, it's the best thing out there right now. Thank tank are a lot nicer in person then picture, keep up the good work Rick. Will see you and your family members soon ;-)

[Rick]

I saw this tank in person' date=' and my tank :-) They both are really nice looking. I really like the overflow, it's the best thing out there right now. Thank tank are a lot nicer in person then picture, keep up the good work Rick. Will see you and your family members soon ;-)[/quote']

 

Thanks Benny, It was nice meeting you as well. I'm still on track to have yours ready by this weekend.

[Rick]

Here are some pics of the completed frag tank set up and operating. This is plumbed into my main display primary drain which has about 780 GPH of flow. I have 2 valves plumbed in which allows me to divert the flow either through the frag tank or directly to the sump if I ever want to cut the frag tank completely out of the system. It uses the herbie overflow method which is very quiet and I was able to leave the cap over the drain section of the overflow. There is less noise with it in place than without although it isn't enough either way to be notable. (My pumps are still the loudest part of my system) I also whipped out a light stand to use over the frag tank and added 4 23w 6500k compact flourescent spiral bulbs. the equivalent rating on these is 400w with all 4 together. The cost on the lights was $6.50 for each clamp on reflector ($26) and $12 for a package of 4 bulbs. ($38 total) They will use 92w total. I did put some of the less demanding and easier to care for corals under these along with one of my RBTA's to begin the spiral bulb experiment. (I'm seeing if I can get good growth first under these and then color the corals up under 14k MH later) All of them extended right away under these lights. It might also be worth noting that I had to cut the shutter speed in half (compared to my display under 400w mh) to get pics that were not overexposed. (For purposes of photography the lighting under the spiral bulbs is actually brighter)

 

Here is a pic showing the tank with the loc-line installed and flowing water through it.

 

Here is a front shot of just the tank with some corals and the fish in it. (1 purple firefish, a pair of maroon clowns, and a small quarter sized hippo tang)

 

A top down shot of the lights and light hanger.

 

FTS that includes both the tank and lights.

[Benny503]

Rick take your time, I am not sure I am able to coming to Portland this weekend yet. Take your time :-)

 

I guess we both posted at the same time. Really nice frag tank Rick.

[Rick]

Rick take your time' date=' I am not sure I am able to coming to Portland this weekend yet. Take your time :-)[/quote']

 

No problem. No need to get it this weekend. I was able to get to the glass shop and back today though so no delay there.

[Rick]

Yesterday I added a frag rack and placed a couple of more corals into the frag tank. I'm beginning a separate thread to follow the progress of the coral growth using the spiral bulbs which can be seen here: http://www.pnwmas.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14727

 

Here is a pic showing the tank now with the frag rack:

[Rick]

Here are a couple of picks of the finished tank for Benny. It's currently plumbed in temporarily to leak test it (About 12 hours so far) but otherwise is done. (In these pics it has about 900 GPH circulating through it)