mojo Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I have a thread on RC, but I wanted it here too so I could get some local viewing action. After having a 30g tank for nearly 2 years, I feel like I'm ready to move up in size. I love the look of the European and Japanese open-topped tanks, and a little closer to home the tanks of Invincible and Naka in Houston. With that in mind, I decided to go with a rimless tank for my next system. Here's what's planned. Of course I need to give credit to John and Brian of Kingfish Aquarium for helping me design and acquire most of the equipment. First, here's a cartoon sketch of the overall system. I'm not sure if I'll mount the controller into the door or not, but it's drawn that way for now. The small box to the left of the system is just a decorative covering for the chiller if necessary. That is, if my wife doesn't like the appearance of the chiller itself. The tank's dimensions are 60 x 30 x 26. The tank is made of 3/4" Starphire glass on the front and 2 sides, and it was constructed by Aquarium and Glass Exhibits. The tank has a PVC bottom that has been predrilled (machined) for Hayward bulkheads to support the overflow drains and returns, as well as the closed loop. The overflow contains dual 1 and 1/2" drains, a 1" return from the sump, and a 3/4" return from the chiller. Adjacent to the overflow is a 1 and 1/2" drain for the closed loop, and this will return via an OceansMotions 4-way to the four 1" bulkheads toward the front. The back will be covered with a black material for the background, to go along with the black acrylic overflow. As you can see in the picture above, the overflow does not go to the top of the tank. This is to accomodate the wave that will be created by the Tunze Wavebox. The overflow is centered to minimize any sloshing sound. This image shows the machining process for the PVC bottom. And here's the bottom, completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 The stand is constructed from steel, and I'll eventually skin it with a nice wood cabinet. There will be no canopy. Here's the stand, powdercoated and with leveling feet. I chose steel so that I could optimize the amount of storage space inside the cabinet, since all of the equipment will need to be concealed within. Plumbing through walls or the floor is not an option in my current home. Here's a close-up of one of the leveling feet. The sump inside the stand will sit upon a starboard bottom that will lay inside the steel shell. This will cover about 2/3 of the length of the cabinet. The other 1/3 will be used for dry components, and to salvage a few extra inches of height I'm putting a pan in the bottom that recesses down to the floor instead of sitting on top of the bottom "shelf" of the stand. This will also serve a dual function in that small drips or spills will be directed into the pan instead of onto the floor. Here's the pan. I'll be using a rimless 3/4" acrylic sump to house most of the supporting equipment. The dimensions are 40 x 24 x 16. Here it is, without baffles and still at the shop. 3/4" plywood was cut to accomodate the plumbing from beneath the tank, and here's the system minus the most important part ... the actual tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 Here's the actual tank, still in the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Yowsa! That is one big tank! Can't wait to see this bad boy in action. I think we know where a future meeting will be at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 Did you get my response earlier? Sorry, but I'm new to this whole blog concept (yes, I'm a 39 yo fossil) and I'm not sure if you got it. Please let me know if you didn't get it and I'll re-send it. Mike Yowsa! That is one big tank! Can't wait to see this bad boy in action. I think we know where a future meeting will be at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Did you get my response earlier? Sorry, but I'm new to this whole blog concept (yes, I'm a 39 yo fossil) and I'm not sure if you got it. Please let me know if you didn't get it and I'll re-send it.Mike I see this reply.... haven't seen anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 Did you get my response earlier? Sorry, but I'm new to this whole blog concept (yes, I'm a 39 yo fossil) and I'm not sure if you got it. Please let me know if you didn't get it and I'll re-send it.Mike I see this reply.... haven't seen anything else. Sorry, and thanks for commenting. Yeah, I can't wait to see it too! As far as a future meeting goes, definitely, but I think it'll be more than a year until this tank will be presentable. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headless_donkey Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I saw your thread on RC and I am glad posted here on ARC. Super sweet tank. The PVC bottom seems to be all the rage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 I saw your thread on RC and I am glad posted here on ARC.Super sweet tank. The PVC bottom seems to be all the rage. Yeah, gotta support the home team, you know. This is my 2nd AGE tank - I have a 450g reef in my office. The PVC bottom really takes the pressure off of aquascaping, and landslides are no longer a threat to the bottom of the tank. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 I went to Kingfish today and saw the tank in person. It's larger than I saw in my mind, and the dimensions are very appealing to the eye. I owe props to John and Brian for uncrating everything for me and putting it in their shop until I'm able to get it home. Those guys are awesome to work with! We decided we're going to finish out the sump (Brian is the acrylic Sensei) and begin the initial stages of the plumbing with it at the shop, then I'll get it home once it's closer to being ready to be filled. Brian took some pics, but I don't have access to them so I can't post them. I don't think anyone else can post images on this blog - I'd change that setting if possible, but I'm not very blog savvy. If I get the files from him I'll show what the tank looks like. It looks much better in Austin than it did at AGE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headless_donkey Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Dude, I saw pics on RC. That is a BIIIIIG boy tank. I really like the tray to catch water on the right hand side of the stand. This tank should turn out amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 Dude, I saw pics on RC. That is a BIIIIIG boy tank. I really like the tray to catch water on the right hand side of the stand. This tank should turn out amazing! Thanks for checking it out on the other thread. I'm going to get the Photobucket link so I can post the pics here. Big boy for sure, equipment-wise and size-wise. I tried reaching the bottom to screw in a bulkhead today and my arm is about 1" too short. Guess I'll have to put on a snorkel when it's time to add the clams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headless_donkey Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 You've got a PM(YGPM) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 Headless Donkey, in all of his Moderator wisdom, was able to provide me with Photobucket links to the photos that Brian took of the system as it sits at Kingfish Aquarium. Hope you all enjoy, and thanks H.D. for getting the pics to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ACampbell Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Welcome to club Starfire. It looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 Welcome to club Starfire. It looks great! Thanks, Andrew! Missed you at the last meeting, hope to see you soon. Mike BTW, your avatar is SICK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 All I have to say: (*chants* I love my 24g ... I love my 24g ... I love my 24g *chants*) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headless_donkey Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Glad it worked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted June 29, 2007 Author Share Posted June 29, 2007 Thanks, seahorsejl. BTW, I think I met you at Gabriel's house during the last meeting. Did you win that round tank? If that was you, then congratulations. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomanero Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 That thing is gorgeous. Best of luck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Thanks, seahorsejl. BTW, I think I met you at Gabriel's house during the last meeting. Did you win that round tank? If that was you, then congratulations.Mike That was me! Shh.. but don't tell anyone, I set it up as a freshwater tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 Hey bloggers, hope some of you are still out there. On Sunday 7/8/07 the tank was transported from Kingfish to my house. Brian (Kingfish), Dallas, John (thedude) and Marcus (GMFett) were gracious enough to help me out. Fortunately Dallas has a truck and he volunteered to replace the U-Haul I was going to rent. The thought of driving this beautiful glass tank in an open-bed truck at highway speeds was a little nerve-wracking but all's well that ends well. It was adequately padded and very well secured. Here it is, with the stand and some boxes of plumbing equipment that I had ordered on-line, backed into my driveway. Here's another look at that starphire glass, with one leg of the stand just to the right. While the tank was outdoors and easily accessible, we applied a black adhesive material to the back glass, the only non-starphire panel. Brian has applied this to numerous tanks in the past, and as a result the actual application process wasn't all that onerous. It looks incredible, just as good if not better than painting, and without the mess or risk of getting paint on other surfaces. The stand was leveled at its desired location, then the tank was taken indoors, with just enough space to squeeze through the front door. We then put Hayward bulkheads in all of the cutouts in the PVC bottom. In case anyone's counting and the numbers don't add up properly for you, it may look as if one 1.5" bulkhead is missing, and there are two extra 1" bulkheads. That's because one of the 1.5"ers was already installed, and the extra 1"ers are for the sump. The OceansMotions Omniflex CL return nozzles were then plumbed into the bulkheads. Here's the tank on the stand, and note the black background (looks lighter on the right side due to glare, sorry). You can barely see a mirror on the wall behind the tank. After a bit of negotiation and tremendous understanding on my wife's part, it will be coming down. Sure, it would have been a lot easier to remove the mirror BEFORE the tank was in place, but at least it's still dry and empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ACampbell Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Wow great pics! Congrats on getting it home. I'd love to come see the setup sometime. What model of deltec is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headless_donkey Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Nice tank and stand! I really like the stand. I also really like moving things around tanks after they are in place. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Same Deltec as yours Andrew, just stretched. AP851 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.