OP
OP
Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
Score one for me! I found a piece of granite that will work for $70. That is a lot better then I was expecting to spend!!!
Ziggy953's 150 Build errrr....120 Build
- Thread starter Ziggy953
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
- Status
FishEggs
Aquarium Advice Addict
you could always look at salvage yards for used counter tops/granite. there's one i know of near dc called community forklift
i dont know how far you are from there so it might not be cost effective. also if you are using just purchased lumber it is probably still very high in moisture content and will shrink as it dries so don't expect it to be level in a few weeks. pressure treated shrinks greatly in my experience sometimes upwards of 1/4 inch or more depending on the width of the board.
i dont know how far you are from there so it might not be cost effective. also if you are using just purchased lumber it is probably still very high in moisture content and will shrink as it dries so don't expect it to be level in a few weeks. pressure treated shrinks greatly in my experience sometimes upwards of 1/4 inch or more depending on the width of the board.
neilanh
Sliced Bread
You've got me scared to death, do you know that?
SparKy697
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ziggy,
I'd like to suggest a point of caution. Pressure treated wood is often 'wet' from the treating process. As the wood dries out there is often a certain amount of shrinkage, especially in the dimension that measures across the grain. For decking and most other projects this is not a huge issue, but given your recent run of luck you may not want to risk it.
I don't know where your livestock is or how long it can stay there, but letting your new stand dry out for a couple weeks may be time well spent. It would be better to find out that things have changed before you put the tank on the stand.
Good luck!
I'd like to suggest a point of caution. Pressure treated wood is often 'wet' from the treating process. As the wood dries out there is often a certain amount of shrinkage, especially in the dimension that measures across the grain. For decking and most other projects this is not a huge issue, but given your recent run of luck you may not want to risk it.
I don't know where your livestock is or how long it can stay there, but letting your new stand dry out for a couple weeks may be time well spent. It would be better to find out that things have changed before you put the tank on the stand.
Good luck!
pat8you
Aquarium Advice Addict
wow ziggy very sorry to hear that. You are having some really bad luck with this lately. Hope everything works out for you
OP
OP
Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well the new stand is complete (ok so it isn't painted and I don't have all the plywood on the sides but it's close enough to get things set back up)...The 1" thick granite slab is on top of the stand and everything is perfectly level and flat. I spoke with perfecto and sent them pictures of the new stand and the granite top as well as the 1/16" gap between the top and the plastic trim. They assure me that that is well within the limits of their tanks and I have nothing to worry about. HAHA..I got it in writting this time.
I have the tank completely filled with FW for an overnight water test. I'm feeling much better about the way things look this time around.
Here are a few pics. If all goes well tonight I will start putting the reef back together tomorrow and Thursday.
The new new 120 filled with FW
Granite top showin under tank and beverage holder on either side..lol
Under the stand-Refugium side
Under the stand - Sump side. I am using only one of the 2 acrylic sumps from before
More info to follow. I have a lot of work to do to get things back together and I have to get ready for work now so....ttyl
I have the tank completely filled with FW for an overnight water test. I'm feeling much better about the way things look this time around.
Here are a few pics. If all goes well tonight I will start putting the reef back together tomorrow and Thursday.
The new new 120 filled with FW
Granite top showin under tank and beverage holder on either side..lol
Under the stand-Refugium side
Under the stand - Sump side. I am using only one of the 2 acrylic sumps from before
More info to follow. I have a lot of work to do to get things back together and I have to get ready for work now so....ttyl
OP
OP
Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
BTW..yes there is more of the granite sticking past the tank on the right side. This was done on purpose.
neilanh
Sliced Bread
Glad you haven't given up. It'll all work out in the end game.
How is your livestock holding up?
How is your livestock holding up?
pat8you
Aquarium Advice Addict
Looks good so far. Don't think there is any way you can get another crack with it sitting on granite.
OP
OP
Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
So far the live stock is doing fine. They are just cramped in the 55. I've lost the large orange monticap colony...other then that all is still doing well...I'm going to work at getting everything back in the tank over the next two days. I want to get things cleaned up. My wife is tired of looking at fish stuff all over the place. I have to admit so am I.
SpeedEuphoria
Aquarium Advice Addict
I just wanted to ask do you put egg crate or similar in the bottom then sand on top to distribute the wieght of all the rock? I assume so and I see a small piece on the refugium
FishEggs
Aquarium Advice Addict
i hope you shimmed any gaps between the stand and the granite. keep an eye on it too as the wood shrinks gaps could open up more which could crack the granite and then the tank.
rafecci
Aquarium Advice Activist
WOW - Kudo's to you and your wife! Good luck with the new stand and tank. Like others have implied "Great diary". The pictures really bring it to life. I just started a SW aquarium less than a week ago (l have a long way to go) and your story put lots of great ideas in mind and some to avoid....LOL I would like to learn more about the "tank under the tank" filter system. (can you tell im a newbie...LOL). At least were to gain knowledge of it from?
Again - Pat on the back and best wishes for your new system. Even though the road has been difficult it sure will make the resting spot more pleasurable.
Again - Pat on the back and best wishes for your new system. Even though the road has been difficult it sure will make the resting spot more pleasurable.
OP
OP
Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
The granite is sitting flat on the stand the gaps are between the plastic trim of the tank and the granite. I got a response back from Perfecto stating that the -1/16" gap is well withing the stress limits of their tanks. I highly doubt the 1" thick granite slab is going to crack or even move for that matter. The engineers from Perfecto were impressed with the construction of my stand and the idea of using a granite slab for a cabinet top.
I've had the tank filled with FW since last night to test it and see how things look. So far nothing has moved or changed position.
As for the wood shrinking I've taken that into consideration and have trippled the bracing in the original design. I don't think my stand is going to fail.
OP
OP
Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have not used egg crate on the bottom of the tank though I am thinking about it. The egg crate you see in my refugium is there to hold my Mangrove plants up. I'm going to be building a mangrove container that will sit beside the stand, just because I like the way they look.
I'm going to look into using the egg crate to help distribute weight...I'll let you guys know what I decide on that.
OP
OP
Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you have benefited from my triumphs as well as failures. Live and learn.
The "tank under the tank" filtration... I have 3 basic filtration systems on my tank. 1st is the live rock, the bacteria housed in my rock work to neutralize ammonia and nitrites, (the sand bed is also part of that system). 2nd is my skimmer removing DOC (dissolved organic compounds) from the water column. 3rd is my 20g refugium (tank under the tank). The refugium houses macro algae that remove excess nutrients from the water and help keep the system clean and happy. I try and keep things as natural as possible there by eliminating dosing and other mechanical or chemical methods. IMO having a refugium is a must with a reef tank, they are nice to have on a FOWLR as well.
For some great information on refugiums go to www.melevesreef.com Marc has a page or two dedicated to refugiums, what they are how they work and how to set them up.
OP
OP
Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have a clean up crew of snails and hermits. I have a brittle star and then there are brittle starts in my tank that were hitch-hikers on my live rock.
OP
OP
Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
I did some research on the egg crate. It really doesn't make much difference in distributing the weight. I guess it could help if you were going to put the rock directly onto the eggcrate and then put the sand in. I decided not to put it in my tank.
The sand is in and I have about 70g of SW in the tank. I'm going to keep working on it today and hopefully have everything back in there by tomorrow.
The sand is in and I have about 70g of SW in the tank. I'm going to keep working on it today and hopefully have everything back in there by tomorrow.
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
I also thoguht that eggcrate on the bottom would prevent the natural flow through the sand bed. I'm not sure what problems that might cause but I can envision stagnant areas where hydrogen sulfide would be more prone to build up due the anerobic conditions created. Somebody knowledgeable please correct me if I am wrong.
- Status
Similar threads
