im thinking to do a stand to hold 4 10 gallons

[krap101]

yeah i do. so i think i might get a 35 watt light? or maybe a 30? 40 seems a bit much

oh and i bought the wood today. it costed 45$ and i didnt even get all of it. each 2x4x4 costed about 1.89 and the 11 1/4x 4' costed around 3.80. i bought the 11 1/4 because it was already like hmm. sealed and stuff so i wouldnt really have to paint that much.

Im thinking of making a cabinet on the bottom? with maybe a 1/2 or 1 inch thick boards? just a thin thing to cover it.

i got bolts thinking that i could bolt the whole thing together, but i was thinking of the boards running parallel to eachother. how long of screws will i need?

 

[DeFeKt]

thats totally personal preferance..
it's like hydroponics, the more light u have the more it'll grow, but so will the algae.
screws need to be long enough to go through both bits of wood, but not protrude through the other side..
also use liquid nails, or wood glue for added strength.
have u got a pic or diagram?
I might be purchasing another 125 gallon cheap, so i need to build a stand long enough for both of my 125's.
Heres a 6 foot tank stand I did at work. It's a bit of an overkill, but it would have to hold over a tonne.

 

[DeFeKt]

oops posted twice

 

[krap101]

hmm... i had the main idea but i didnt really have much to build the base. thanks!

 

[DeFeKt]

keep me posted if u can.

 

[krap101]

this might take awhile because my funds have been cut off for awhile

 

[greenmaji]

Your plants can outcompete the algae givin enough CO2 and ferts. so it all depends on what you want to do..

 

[krap101]

ill probally hook a diy co2 up to my 5 gallon if i use it as a sump, or i can get another 10 gallon and use it as a sump maybe? id rather use the sump because i think it will be cheaper than buying 4 filters. but the pump will problally need be pretty strong because it might be going up around 4 feet and spread out into 4 tanks

 

[DeFeKt]

I'm not sure if diy co2 would be enough for 40+ gallons?
it'd pay to check threads on effeciency and output of diy co2.

 

[krap101]

maybe 3-4 going at the same time? i dont have the money to buy all that co2 stuff. the canister might be around 50$. thats not the problem.. but you need all those like 100$ valves dont you?

im going to try to make the stand first and then decide what im going to do . this might take a few months because i dont have my own saw so i have to go to menards or something to cut it. but i promised myself i would get it done. because i have a bad habit of getting the idea and starting but i usually dont finish it.

okay so... is im going to use the 5 or 10 for a sump can i use like 1 big heater in there or should i use 1 in each tank?

how big of a pump should i use to try to get it back up and split? ill have a pond pump (300 gph) lying around and i might try and use that.

or maybe ill have 1 planted tank and 2 non planted tanks? so ill onyl have to do 1 diy co2?

i think i may try to do the 20 long on the bottom and 2 10's on the top. maybe i can fit my 5 gallon on the bottom with the 20. ive only cut 4 pieces of wood so far, but ill be doing more in a couple days once i figure out the measurements etc.

 

[DeFeKt]

50$. thats not the problem.. but you need all those like 100$ valves dont you?

I have no idea, I pulled all my plants out.

make the stand first and then decide what im going to do

be careful with that, some people build tanks by the inside of the glass dimensions, sum by the outside, so if its 5mm glass, theres another 20mm u'll need to add if its inside dimensions.

can i use like 1 big heater in there

sounds ok, maybe 1 200-300w? it WILL be serving 40+ gallons.
let me know if u need anything drawn up.
I do 3D Pipe and structural design, so it looks pretty much like the job i'm on anyway

 

[greenmaji]

The normal 2 two liter bottle DIY CO2 systems are used for up to 55 gallon systems, so a normal DIY system should do..

 

[krap101]

okay so now that i know i can use 1 heater, 1 diy co2 (on my planted 10) and use the 5 or another 10 as a sump, how can i build the overflow? i know i need 2 plastic boxes. and i need to do all this pvc crap. i tried reading stuff from my searches, but i dont know where to get the "specimen box"

so you use 2 "specimen boxes" and cut some stuff out of the top of the one in the tank. you have a u tube, going into the 2nd box and have a hole at the bottom. you get some pvc connectors and connect them to the hole and get the pvc down to the sump. then you need to silicone come acrylic walls to make the place for the gravel, floss and stuff, then you get a pump and pump water back to the tanks.

am i missing something? can i get a premade box from like home depot or something? can i cut the acrylic with a hacksaw? etc etc.

 

[greenmaji]

working with acrylic is on the cichlidfoum library.. there is also a good link in the sticky on this DIY page about making a acrylic tank that would be helpful with how to cut and work with acrylic.. I dont think they sell premade boxes at HD..

there is also a link for homemade bulkheads on cichlidfoums library that would work..
check the working with acrylic instructions.. silicone doesnt hold acrylic very well..

 

[krap101]

ic... but i dont think its worth it to drill my 10 gallon tank :/ plus i dont have the right tools thanks again greenie

 

[greenmaji]

ic... but i dont think its worth it to drill my 10 gallon tank :/ plus i dont have the right tools thanks again greenie

I was talking about your overflow box..