Rick Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Well, I was trying to cut down on wall space by getting a 4 foot tank to replace my 6 foot 125g tank. Boy did I go the wrong way but I couldn't pass up the deal on this one. The tank is a custom built acrylic that is 48" wide, 30" tall, and 22" deep. It has a center overflow in back with 3 drain/return bulkheads in the bottom. It's also set up for a closed loop through the bottom. The stand for this is also custom built by Stone Creek Furniture and is essentially an entertainment center (I literally could put my 50" plasma TV in it if I ever wanted to take the tank out). It's 9 feet wide and 8 feet tall with cabinets on both sides giving the tank a built in appearance. The only drawback to this is that my sump isn't going to fit in the base without tearing it apart so I'm going to replace the sump. (Still deciding how to best go about this) Here is a quick picture I grabbed tonight showing the tank with the base and one of the lower side cabinets. I'm going to try to keep a current FTS shot here. This one is from 11/07/2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Looks great Rick. I dont envy you having to reach in there though, thats deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 I'm going to do a deeeep sand bed so it shouldn't be too bad. Probably 5 or 6 inches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltfinsax Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Looking at the stand, is there any wood vertically going up to where the tank is sitting or wood turned and going across horizontally? I am worried that the solid wood will sag or brake away from the sides with the tank in the middle. Even 3/4" or 1" solid wood will sag from lots of weight over time. If you want them tubs I can bring them over and we can take a closer look and come up with something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 Looking at the stand, is there any wood vertically going up to where the tank is sitting or wood turned and going across horizontally? I am worried that the solid wood will sag or brake away from the sides with the tank in the middle. Even 3/4" or 1" solid wood will sag from lots of weight over time. If you want them tubs I can bring them over and we can take a closer look and come up with something. I'll call you. I don't think it will be a problem but it couldn't hurt to have a second opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I just got back from Ricks and what a nice tank and stand. I imagine it will be pretty amazing when its set up completly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefnjunkie Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Nice "start" Rick-good luck with the build, thats half the "fun" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gill Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 awesome!!!!!! I can't wait to see that bad boy set up. Do you know were the orginal owner got it? Just curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 24, 2010 Author Share Posted October 24, 2010 awesome!!!!!! I can't wait to see that bad boy set up. Do you know were the orginal owner got it? Just curious Someplace in Arizona. I think the tank warranty has the store name but I'm not certain. The stand was built by Stone Creek Furniture (They do have a website) They paid over 8 grand for the complete setup but that included a couple of pumps and a chiller that he sold already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 24, 2010 Author Share Posted October 24, 2010 My first step today was to take a good look at the tank to see what would be needed. My assessment is that the tank itself is in great shape but the plumbing was kind of a nightmare. (They were just using a filter or something before) When I started looking close at the overflow I actually saw a pump stuffed in it that I thought was just shoved in there by the furniture movers. (I literally had to finish unwrapping it when I got home as it was wrapped up for the move from AZ to OR) On closer inspection it turned out to be a Mag 2 hooked to one of the top returns. After I had an idea of what it would need I took all of the old plumbing and fittings out and tossed them in some vinegar to soak. My plans for this tank included 3 items that it wasn't set up to accomodate or that needed to be changed. One is that it would need 3 1" drains (or alternatively two 1 1/2 drains) to accomodate the flow of the Mag 18 and still set up a Herbie overflow. (2 to handle the flow with an extra as an emergency drain) I decided to use the 3 holes already in the bottom of the overflow for this and put 1" bulkheads in all 3 spots (Had to change 2 but the holes were already the right size). Next is that I plan to add a SCWD wave device so it needed 2 independant lines up through the bottom. I decided to put 2 new bulkheads up through the bottom almost directly below the return outlets so I could put 2 lines straight up to them. Just needed a bulkhead, a length of tube, and an elbow at the top on each side. The last thing I needed to do was plug the extra holes from both the closed loop and the low drain that was in back. (Apparently the system was not set up to drain to a sump since it would have flooded if it was) I then made my shopping list of plumbing supplies. Midway through this I contacted Josh (Gradth) about the sump he had for sale since my 40g wouldn't fit the stand due to some extra bracing that is under it. (Only had 15" to work with and the sump is 21" deep) My plan was to use that sump along with a 20g Long tank. He said he had a 29g tank though which will work even better so he brought those by. After he left I put the tanks in the stand to see how well it work. After trying it a few different ways I decided to change my original plan for these. Instead of 2 tanks under there for a sump I'm just going to use the 29g and then I'm going to put the small sump in one of the upper side cabinets and use it as a top off tank. (I'll need to pull the back off to get it in and then put it back on) Then Steve (Saltfinsax) volunteered to drop the tubs he had by and look it over to be sure it's structurally sound to have 3/4 of a ton or so of water on it. We looked the stand over closely and both of us concluded that it was overbuilt for the task. I thought so but a second opinion helped. I then made my first trip for plumbing parts and followed this by test fitting all of the plumbing parts together. Everything went pretty well although I need to make a couple of changes to the original plan so I made trip two for more parts. This time everything appears to be good. I'll do the final install tomorrow once the stand and tank is in place. (The old one needs to be drained, emptied, and moved first) If I'm lucky it will all be good. (Miracles sometimes happen) Today's thanks go to Josh (Gradth) and Steve (Saltfinsax) as they both went out of their way to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Np Rick, glad I could help. Looks great and look forward to seeing the finished product. Let me know if you need any help at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerv503 Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Nice tank Rick, are you going to use it for reef or fish only? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 24, 2010 Author Share Posted October 24, 2010 Nice tank Rick' date=' are you going to use it for reef or fish only?[/quote'] It will be a reef tank. I'm actually replacing my 125 reef with this one so everything from it will be in it with the exception possibly of a couple of small clowns. The two smallest clowns are probably going into the sump during the move until I decide for certain whether to get the one fish I've been looking at or not. If I do they wouldn't last for long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayR Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Nice dimensions. I always loved deep tanks but my short arms never reached the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Nice dimensions. I always loved deep tanks but my short arms never reached the bottom. This one is going to be fun. I can't even reach into the tank (let alone get to the bottom) without standing on a chair (poor mans step stool). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Today's Update (Well technically yesterday now). I started at about 7 am this morning tearing down the old tank. I started by getting all of the corals out and placing them into the 29g tank I'll be using as a sump. Then I took the rock out and put it in 3 totes. (Filling all of them with tank water) I followed this by taking out the fish and what inverts I could see and placing them in the containers that were already full. Finally I took out a bunch of the sand. Good news here. The sandbed didn't release the foul nasty stuff that they sometimes do. I then filled a few more containers with the remainder of the water in the tank and sump (That I could get out with the Mag 2 pump). This made the tank and stand light enough to move so I got it out of the way and cleaned the area behind where the new one needed to go (It's amazing how dirty it gets behind our tanks). Then I put all of the base pieces in place and measured everything to be sure it was the same distance from the wall all of the way across and that it fit together right. Meanwhile I busted the nut on the back of one of the bulkheads so that means I'm going to need to make another plumbing run. I new 2 trips was too good to be true. (I did rob a bulkhead off the old tank so I only made two trips but I'll need to replace it tomorrow for a third) To get the upper cabinet in place though I needed to take the tank back off the base so the pieces for the upper cabinet could be put in place. Mike (Gaw4fun) came to the rescue when he was over here picking up a light from me. He helped me lift the tank out and put the upper cabinet in and then put the tank back. I also had been rinsing new sand all morning so I first put 50 lbs. of new sand in the bottom of the tank. (about a 3/4" layer) Next all of the rocks went in so I could settle the base pieces on the bottom. Next I sifted about 50 lbs of live sand to get the suger sized sand and put it in. To do this I used a sheet of latchhook plastic so I could shake the smaller stuff through it and pull the larger stuff out. (It always bugged me when the larger stuff came to the top so I did this to get it out) After this I added another 50 lbs. of new sand that I had been rinsing. This brought the sand bed up to around 5 or 6 inches however it was placed around the sides until the tank clears enough to spread it out. Probably end up being about 4" deep. I may add another 50 lbs. or so of live sand on top of this but I'm not sure yet. The tank has about 120 gallons of water in it now. At that point I added the powerheads and got them running and put a heater in it and another in the tank with the corals. The fish went in next except for 4 Clowns. (The 2 Cinnamon clowns a small black and white, and the single Orange one) I left these 4 out because I think I'm going to get a Lionfish in a couple of weeks and the smaller ones would end up being food for it. For now they will go in the sump until I decide whether to sell them or not. I decided not to put the corals in the tank yet other than the mushrooms and stuff on the live rock since I want the tank to clear enough to do the aquascaping first and I want to see where I'm putting them. At this point all of the livestock was safe so I then began working on the overflow plumbing which I was able to finish today. (I can't hook up the return pump yet though since the sump is full of corals and there isn;t enough water yet anyway) The last thing I did was to put the upper side cabinets in place so all I will need to do now is put the crown molding on the top of the stand and get some touch up stain for it. I still have a good bit left to do (Set up a remote deep sand bed, install the top off tank, install the lighting, etc.) but I think it went pretty good today. Today's thanks go to Mike (Gaw4fun). Having him help put the upper cabinet up and put the tank back in it was a tremendous help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Rick remember what we talked about, getting so caught up you forget to take pictures of the progression? Well!! (worthless) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Rick remember what we talked about, getting so caught up you forget to take pictures of the progression? Well!! (worthless) Soon. I have a 125g tank right smack in the middle of where I need to take pics. As soon as it's emptied I'll get it out of the way. (Still enough sand and water to be a real pain) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayR Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 sounds like a lot of progress for 1 day. good job. LMK if you decide to part with the clowns as I have a small frag tank for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 26, 2010 Author Share Posted October 26, 2010 .... LMK if you decide to part with the clowns as I have a small frag tank for them. We can discuss when I get the lighting stuff. We might end up keeping the larger cinnamon because it's the only fish we have left from my first reef tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeFit Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 How much leftover sand do u have left and what are you going to do with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 26, 2010 Author Share Posted October 26, 2010 New or used? I should still be able to get another 400 lbs. or so of new sand. I need to run over before long and get another 200 from whatever is left to replace the ones I used for this and that I gave to Roger for TFT (They were for another member that hasn't picked it up yet from the group buy) and for another that wants one bag. I'm planning to do another batch of DIY Rock with the used sand I'm not using. If anyones wants a bit of live sand (Enough to seed a tank) let me know within the next day or so. After that I'm going to clean it so I can store it for the DIY Rock. (If I don't the stench will get unbearable when it dies off) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Rick, I'd take about 40lbs of that used sand after you clean it if you wouldnt mind...I wanna make my sandbed a bit deeper an with me doing the new stand an whatnot, it's the perfect time to do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Hmm.....my next tank is most likely going to be 30 deep and after looking at this I am reconsidering. Not sure I like it. Not intending any insult here Rick....I am sure you already know that.....Guess I gotta wait and see finished product. I am sure it will look great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Eric mine is 30 deep if you want to stop by and see the new tank.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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