Entropy

Ouch! It was definately an oversight on my part. I should have measured the height. Oh well, the tank fits, and now so does the stand.

I don't have any welding equipment (or skills) and I doubt I could get the work done for less than what it cost me to build the new stand. Once I reskin it you will not be able to tell the difference anyway so I am pretty happy. Total cost for the wood stand was $39 and an afternoon out at my father in laws house. I still have to build a shelf on the bottom, but I will be reusing the ply off the steel stand. I hope to be leak testing the tank by Monday, but that will be another thread.

Well it is not the sexy steel stand I started with, but it does fit through the front door without having to take it off.

Looking good! The ceiling hangers came out really nice. Should look great when it is done. You sure don't mess around.

So you are calling me fat now? WTF? Wait hang on, someone is at the door. "Housekeeping, you want me fluff pillow?"

Interesting idea. I am not sure if you would even need the bolts as long as the cuts were very precise.

If I could remove the top and bottom tube on either the left or right in picture 1 it would slide right in.

I am having a hard time picturing the stand bolting together. I guess in theory I only need to remove one side worth of tubes and then it would angle through (rotate it as it goes through the door). Anyone have a picture example?

Well after careful thought I am going to build a stand frame. The skin will work either way so no biggie there. I won't have the nice steel stand, but I really don't want to disassemble my front door and take it apart again down the road if I decide to go another direction and sell this tank. I don't think I will, but you never know. Thanks for the ideas.

The house was built in 2006. I might give that a try, but the door itself is not quite 36 inches (about 35 7/8) and the stand is a true 36. I would hate to tear off all the molding just to find out I am off by 1/8 of an inch. I guess the new question is can I build a stand frame to replace the steel with wood without breaking the bank (that already got broken by the purchase price)?

None of my windows are big enough without having to remove the center brace/frame which I am not willing to do (ok my wife is not willing to let me). My front door is the only door that is close and will not come apart easily. After about an hour of scratching my head I have come to the conclusion I am screwed. I am thinking my only option is to build a new stand frame, or take the tank back.

Any ideas on getting a 36 inch wide stand through a 35" wide door? The stand is welded steel and is 36x36x37

I will take the Nano if it is still available.

It was a pleasure to meet you Mike. Didn't know I would spend over an hour talking about bikes, although I should have guessed with your screen name. Sold!!!

Couldn't find the silly PM button. Message sent.

I live in Teravista. Probably will not be home until 5:30pm tomorrow.

LOL! Yeah I guess I was assuming that as a given. It is surprisingly hard to take a good picture of a metal halide, but this shows it running and it is too bright to look at. I just dumped it onto RC for $75 shipped. Bigger audience there.

03 model IceCap 250w MH Ballast $55 Comes with spider reflector (decent shape) with attached mogul, and a 2000 year old 20k bulb. Price is for the ballast only, the rest I am throwing in for free but no hard feelings if you don't like the reflector or bulb.

What kind of lighting are you keeping it under?

Sold....

There is one ahead of you Ted. If they back out I will send you an Email.

Instant Ocean Sea Salt Mix - 160gal Bucket unopened. Just got it today in the mail.

You can use egg crate to close up any big holes or even a completely open back. the fish can still get out, but they have to be really accurate to do it.

In the seven years I have been keeping salt water fish I have had two jump out of the tank (dozens jumping into the overflow). I lost a fire goby from my old tank (in wall, completely open back) when my wife slammed the door. I guess the shock wave or noise scare it enough to make it jump. Sad thing is I saw it happen and it probably wouldn't have been a big deal, but the poor little guy actually jumped from the tank right into a five gallon bucket of top of water and by the time I ran around to the back I guess the shock of fresh water plus probably 30 degrees of temp difference did it in. The other was my longnose hawkfish. He jumped out the back of my last tank (open back), but luckily for it I was doing maintenance and actually heard it flopping around being the tank. I don't know how long it was out, but I threw it back in and he is still swimming two years later. Now I have a full canopy that is completly closed. The only way out is through two small 1.5 inch holes in the back or through the 120mm fan in the top. I figure if they want out that bad, then more power to them.

Good point. I was thinking of the input at the membrane an honestly didn't factor in the prefilters. Mine is three stage (no DI) so I should have thought of that. Anyway my point was the waste water is going to be no worse than the tap water for a pond application. Anything the prefilters do not catch and is rejected by the membrane whould be in the tap water to begin with and the levels would be no more then 15-20% extra per gallon. I suppose over time that could add up, but it would not be much different than the effects of evaporation (losing water, leaving behind solids). For what it is worth my waste water goes into the lawn. I haven't had to top off my pond since I built it four months ago. Mother nature has been taking care of it.