jcasisa Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Hello all, So this week I started the stand for my 75 gallon display tank with a 20L gallon sump. I built the top box of the stand from pine 2x8 on edge (the tank will sit on the 1.5" side). This will easily be able to support the weight of tank without needing center supports. I want to keep access to underneath completely unhindered. The bottom box will be built this weekend out of 2x6 on side (the 5.5" side will sit in the floor) I will be using support legs between the 2 boxes of 24" so the total height of the stand will be (24"+7.5"+1.5") 33" tall. There will be 8 support legs (2 in each corner) staggered across the joint of the upper box. I am then going to cover the stand frame with panels made from 1/4"plywood and pallet wood. All four side will be removable because they will be attached to the stand frame with magnets. The stand will be stained with mixture of steel wool dissolved in vinegar and tea to give it an rustic and aged look. I don't know how many people have a Kreg pocket hole jig, but this new toy is awesome and makes the project look so much better. I am using the 2.5" blue coated screws for corrosion resistance. Once the stand is built ... Next steps 1. Drill display tank for H2Overflow 1" bulk head and 3/4" return Siphon stopper 2. Build sump: still need to decide on protein skimmer and return pump Will be using flexible PVC for the plumbing.... Pictures to follow tonight .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Looking forward to the pics! I use a Kreg pocket hole jig all the time, its pretty useful for building stands and canopies. I wouldn't use it on a load bearing joint, but I think you have it figured out correctly from your description. For a skimmer I have a Skimz SM161 on my 75g that works great. There are lots of good skimmer options out there for this tank size though (Reef Octopus, Aquamaxx, Vertex and I'm sure many others). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Flex PVC is very hard to work with. FYI. It's super hard to bend in any way other than what it already is. Just a heads up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 Here is the top box pictures. The tank sits on top with about 1/8" on all 4 sides. The bottom box is built and the legs are next. Should have the frame completed by tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 So I finished the stand frame and will now work on skinning it with pallet wood. You can see from the pictures that the screws in the design hold no weight, that is all on the wood. I made sure to put the 2"x6" leg under the joint of the top box and the bottom box will distribute the weight across the floor. 2 thoughts I had to add to the design. I saw online where a gentleman had used 1/2"plywood and a yoga mat under the tank itself to reduce noise and vibration, but his tank did not have a center support. would that be beneficial? It would help reduce any vibration. Secondly, why not do that some thing but on the bottom of the stand with the yoga mat on the floor? Then you would also be reducing any noise that the sump may generate? Next step is to work on drilling and plumbing the display tank and get a return pump. I will then run that for a few days to ensure no leaks. Slow progress is still progress .... -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Interesting that the pics posted upside down ... they are fine in my archive folder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Interesting that the pics posted upside down ... they are fine in my archive folder. I have that same problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Looking good! Putting a yoga mat under the stand won't do any good because the pumps are vibrating against the sump, which reverberates the noise inside the stand. You can reduce vibration by putting a mat or foam under the sump, in between the stand. You can also reduce noise by putting a mat under your return pump, skimmer, etc. Some people on the forums have had success using various 100% silicone mats. There are a few threads about it if you're interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 2 thoughts I had to add to the design. I saw online where a gentleman had used 1/2"plywood and a yoga mat under the tank itself to reduce noise and vibration, but his tank did not have a center support. would that be beneficial? It would help reduce any vibration. Tanks with a flat bottom need a support layer in between the tank and the stand. The best stuff to use is a sheet of foam insulation. Plywood and a yoga mat won't work for support. The only thing making noise in a SW tank itself are the circulation pumps because everything else is in the sump. The suction cup does an okay job reducing the vibration. The noise you hear is the hum of the motor magnified by the enclosure. I don't believe that you can quiet that down without replacing the pump. Some people say that the PVC pipes vibrate and you can put some insulation around them if you find they do in your application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted October 27, 2015 Author Share Posted October 27, 2015 Another question ... I will be building up the bottom sides about 3" to 4" and then sealing waterproofing the bottom of the stand so incase of any leaks the stand will be able to hold some water (see yellow lines in the pic). I have been looking at some options and I was wondering if anyone had tried RedGard for water proofing. I was also looking at a few waterproof membranes. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Another question ... I will be building up the bottom sides about 3" to 4" and then sealing waterproofing the bottom of the stand so incase of any leaks the stand will be able to hold some water (see yellow lines in the pic). I have been looking at some options and I was wondering if anyone had tried RedGard for water proofing. I was also looking at a few waterproof membranes. Thoughts? Pond liner? Rhinoline? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 In my last tank I had used shower pan liner from HD. It cost me around $10 and they cut it to order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Rustoleum also makes a removable rubber coating that comes in a rattle can that could also work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 So tonight I will be staining the stand with tea and making the next stain from 3 parts apple cider vinegar and 1 part balsamic vinegar an extra fine steel wool. That stain will need to cure for about 7 days. By the time that finished I will have the panels made for the front and the 2 sides. I have decided I am just going to plywood the back . I will also be sealing the bottom of the stand with the Rustoleum Rubber Spray. That will essential turn the bottom of the tank into a waterproof tub 46" long 16" deep and 4" high to handle any overflow (hopefully it is never tested). I will get pictures up this weekend. Once the stand is done I will be moving to the sump and I wanted to share my latest design. Please share any comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 Another question I have. Would you want an ATO to feed into the skimmer section, return section or refugium? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Personal preference, return section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I would put the ATO feed in whatever section has the highest water flow, probably the return section like Ty said. Be sure the ATO pump is not higher than the sump, otherwise it will create a siphon and fill your tank with all your ATO water. I figured that one out the hard way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 Tonight I added the 1/2" plywood and added 1/2" mat for insulation. Tomorrow night I will be adding the bottom tub and the rubber coating. I would have done it tonight but I screwed up and cut the plywood wrong .... oh well another trip to Home Depot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I am interested in hearing how the rubber coating in a can works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 The dual inlet sump is something that Melev's Reef has been doing a long time if you want to check out their pictures. It's going to be pretty tight in a 20L. I don't see a point in having foam on the refugium outlet. It's going to catch pods and such that you want getting into the return. For this design you'll also need a ball or gate valve on the drain lines to control how much water goes into the refugium. It should be enough to agitate the surface, but not enough to sweep the macroalgae out of the refugium. The water will be so slow that it will just cascade down the sides of the baffle and most of it won't hit the sponge anyway. If you were thinking about mechanical filtration, then I would put it on the chamber 1 drain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 So if I am understanding you correctly, the mechanical filtration would be better suited between the skimmer and the return pump? Pic below shows the updated plan. Thanks for the help, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 A similar sump design that I am familiar with and closely resembles your design splits the drain line roughly 75% skimmer and 25% refugium. This means that the refugium will only slightly trickle into the return chamber so you don't need a bubble trap in between chamber 2 and 3. The amount of water going into the refugium should be controlled by a gate valve so that you can change the flow of water to the desired amount. The bubble trap should go in between chamber 1 and 2 so that the air bubbles from the drain line and skimmer output do not make it into the return chamber and get shot back up into your display. If you were going to use mechanical filtration, then it should go on the drain line to catch the large particles before they enter the skimmer. The below picture is the Model F from Melev's Reef. It's basically the design that you're going for except that it has a bubble tower on the skimmer drain line and you're looking for mechanical filtration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted October 31, 2015 Author Share Posted October 31, 2015 Latest update ... with the weather being so bad I just stayed in the garage and made serious progress on the stand. 1. Last night I used silicone on all the wood seams in the bottom of the stand as extra insurance against leaking. I also sprayed the rubber coating on a sample piece of wood and let it dry over night. It bonded to the wood just fine and when I tested it with a few drops of water I saw no penetration and that was with one coat. 2. This afternoon I put on the back board and applied the rubber coating to the entire bottom. It goes on even and covers very well. There is a bit of an odor at first so I would make sure to have ventilation. I left the first coat dry for about 45 minutes and then did the second coat. The odor from the first coat was gone before I started the second. You can see from the pictures I wasn't too worried about over spray because I still had sanding to do. 3. I put the top trim on the tank to hide the bottom of the tank. One picture shows the tank pushed away a bit from the trim and the next shows the tank flush to the trim. There is no trim on the back so that I can slide the tank backwards for easier removal. I like the size of the stand because I will have room for the sump, an ATO container (eventually) and I will have a small shelf / wall underneath for controllers and power supplies. Next I will be building a suspended canopy and the panels to cover the sides. The stain concoction on steel wool and apple cider vinegar is fermenting nicely and should be ready mid-next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 Hello all, I would like to get some opinions on overflow boxes, specifically 1. Glass Hole 1500 gph http://www.glass-holes.com/1500-gph-Overflow-Box-Complete-KitBlemished-1500blemkit.htm for $89 2. Ghost Overflow 2000 gph http://reefsavvy.com/the-reef-savvy-difference/ $250 3. H2Overflow 1200 gph http://www.customaquariums.com/c-2-h2overflow.aspx $69 but add more for the drilling kit I am leaning towards the glass hole because I think it will give me the required flow and is reasonably priced. And let the debates begin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I have a glass-hole and it works well, but is loud. Mine is only the 700 gph model and I would definitely recommend the 1500 gph model you linked over the model I have. If you are willing to pay for it, I don't think there is much debate that the Ghost Overflow is the best out of those you listed. It has a large surface skimming area and you can put a beananimal or herbie drain in them so they will be silent and safe. Last I checked there was a several month wait list for it, but they may have fixed their production issues since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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