Just ordered new tank

[Creamhorses]

Hi folks

Haven't posted in a while, but wanted to share our news. I just orderd a tank and cabinet for our home. It is 84x30x36, ~395 gallons. It will take the place of a current 55 gallon and a 20 long between our dining room and living room. There is a huge project ahead for us, as I must engineer and install a support from the cellar to hold this tank.

Aquariums For You was on our list when pricing out this tank, and when they sweetened the deal with a free upgrade to optically clear [starfire] glass, we went with them.

As of now, I plan to keep our fresh water inhabitants, though we are leaving the door open for SW with the placement of drains and returns.

Gonna take pictures as the project begins, and will be looking forward to sharing thoughts, comments, and critiques with AA folks.

Dave

 

[QTOFFER]

WOW! a 7 foot long tank!!!! You have to post pics - not only of the tank, but also of your subfloor support. Good luck with the project!

As for stocking - how about 400 neon tetras, or 200 tiger barbs!

 

[Ziggy953]

That is a monster tank! I can't wait to see how this turns out!

 

[greenfish]

I am very Jealous! I can't wait to see pics. Congratulations!

 

[ccCapt]

Now that is a project. Should be awesome!

 

[mom2reds]

can't wait to see it. Wish I could talk my husband into something like that.

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN WITH IT AND POST LOTS OF PICS

 

[Bearfan]

I vote for 2 goldfish....but I am a minimalist =)

Remember, saltwater you normally figure 10#/gallon full. 393 gallons (based on calculations) at 10# would be 3930# and with a 17.5sf footprint = 224.6 #/sf. That's a heck of a point load.

Typically houses are built with a 30-40#/sf live load, office buildings 65#/sf typically. You are talking about some serious bulking up. My 75g is on an exterior wall to due to the increase in capacity close to the bearing point.

Just something to think about.

 

[Creamhorses]

We've wanted to do this for a long time, and actually had plans for a larger tank. This one will be tank enough, and should look nice when viewed from two rooms. It will be lit with 640w VHO. I told John S. that we wanted medium strength lighting, under a hood and matching cabinet. I was going to make a frame from steel, but we decided to go this route instead. The cabinete is built with 4 doors to access space for a sump, but we're going to plumb the filtration system to another room [pc room] where I'll enjoy the plant life of a 70g tank [no fish] and on to a 55g sump, before returning to a bare bottom tank.OK U guyz.........The why's & the Whynots!Dave

 

[Creamhorses]

Hey guyz

I've been working 3rd shift/w overtime, so time for this project has been spent mostly on thought, not action. However, I've been prepping a 20g long to be moved to my wife's office @ work, This tank was brackish/w sailfin & Hondouran mollies, bumblebee's, and MT snails. I gifted the BB's and several of the paired mollies to a LF store [hope they remember me when I'm looking for something]. Now there are 6 of the wild mollies, a large anubias, and fresh water that came about through daily water changes over the last week or more. I've been siphoning the gravel, which is filter sand for swimming pool filters while doing the PWS's, saving the sand in a 5g bucket with holes poked in the bottom to drain the water. A Fluval canister is filtering, and will be replaced with our Eheim 2213 which is helping on the 55g next to the 20. Nancy's 10g @ work has a few guppies, mollies and 5 algae eaters[new additions to clean up tank]. When we make the move, we'll merge the populations, and add a couple small pleco's as well as driftwood coming from Arizona Aquatic's via FedEx today. We will keep the 10g for hospital use in the future.

Hope to make this changover this weekend. Next move is to prepare a place for the residence of the 55g which shares the space with the 20l from above. I'll send a pic.

Dave

 

[Creamhorses]

Here's a picture that shows the 20 & the 55g tanks, side by side. This is where the new cabinet and tank will be placed. The wrought iron rail is comming out...suppose it should've been removed long ago for the sake of viewing these two tanks.
Anyway, after I remove the 20, and before I can deal with the 55, I need to build a stand in another room [pc room] where I'll move the population to a dormant 70g tank. This stand will be built in a closet area that is 9' long, 23.5" deep, 7' high, and just to the left of where I'm posting this message, which is in full view. The stand will hold tanks, including a sump to filter the new tank, as well as an R/O unit, storage, and assorted aquarium supplies. The weight of these tanks which could total close to 200g, requires support, which comes prior to the task of support to the new tank [We need to name the new tank.....any ideas?] This task will relatively easy, because the 2x12 floor joists are exposed in this portion of the cellar. The supporting wall to the underside of this closet is 2x6"x10'. I'll double the 2x12's that are on 16" centers and build a support wall 2' from the existing wall. This should be more than enough to support this area. I'll send pics of this too, when I figure out how to send pics.

Dave

ps Can't figure out how to post pics....I'll do some homework and get back.

 

[patryuji]

I vote for 2 goldfish....but I am a minimalist =)

Remember, saltwater you normally figure 10#/gallon full. 393 gallons (based on calculations) at 10# would be 3930# and with a 17.5sf footprint = 224.6 #/sf. That's a heck of a point load.

Typically houses are built with a 30-40#/sf live load, office buildings 65#/sf typically. You are talking about some serious bulking up. My 75g is on an exterior wall to due to the increase in capacity close to the bearing point.

Just something to think about.

That is insane...so if I stand on one foot (0.3 sq ft) I would be putting 700lb per sf load on the floor of my house and exceed the capacity by roughly 20 times the maximum? that is very scary because I also lift weights in the home where I will be standing on 2 feet (0.6sq ft) with 405lbs on my back (615lbs total weight) for a load of 1025lbs per sq ft while squating (so I am moving the weight up and down repetively and it isn't a constant load) which exceeds the maximum capacity of a typical home by 25 times.

 

[Creamhorses]

Hey CCCAP

When it comes time to put the frame/stand in the pc room for the sump and other tanks, I'll try to do as nice a job as you did on your stand/cabinet for your new tank. That was really nice work!!

Dave

 

[ccCapt]

Thanks for the kind words.

Larry

 

[Creamhorses]

Yesterday, I constructed the support in the cellar for the pc room tanks, which needs to be done before I can begin the big job for the new tank. This portion of the house has 10' ceilings in cellar, hense the long partition lumber. I had to compromise the placement of the new partition so not to block a door opening, and to avoid moving plumbing and electrical lines in place since I built the house thirty years ago. I've got to go back to the store and get another 2x; I seem to have come up short, and I need to double the last upright on the new wall.
I'm not sure what we'll do with this little narrow area now, but I'm sure we'll find a use for it. We might stack firewood for a woodstove we occasionally use in the finished part of the cellar.

Next step is to move the 20l to Nancy's office. The Arizona plant order came in Friday afternoon, and this tank is holding those plants for the time being. Two planted driftwood pieces will be the base for her aquascape. The plants arrived in excellent condition...the Anubias planted in the driftwood are sending out flower stems. I'll send a pic when we get that work [fun] done.

Back to 3rd shift tonight

Dave

 

[Creamhorses]

Darn.......three pics were supposed to come/w post. Oh Well.

OK it's Monday pm, here's a link to a page I set up........Ordered new Tank Pics

 

[Creamhorses]

Well no time for carpentry this weekend....horse stuff. But I did want to get some advice on a part of the pre-set up for the big tank, which involves moving the contents of a 55g into a 70g which is not set up, nor does it have a hood or lights. I have substrate, filtration [Tetra PF500] and heater.

It's an all-glass 48 x 18. It has tempered glass, so it's out of the picture for drilling as a sump. So it will eventually be used as a planted tank with a few docile fish, not known for disturbing plants. [ Many of the fish are destined for the big tank. Here's my problem:

I can buy a 48" hood with a double flor. fixture, or go another route....
I could have my local glass store cut two panels [there is a support strip in center]. I would have them cut out a space in the rear for filter, or overflow,etc. Then I would be looking to light this tank with something more intense than the low light from standard hood lights. Any ideas?

Getting ready to purchase an R/O unit....maybe this week.

Dave

 

[Creamhorses]

OK
Another week has past and I've not had much time to proceed with any carpentry work, but there has been a lot of thought and talk about where we're going here.

The plants from Arizona are super, especially the Anubias planted in the drift wood! These two pieces will go in the 20g t Nancy's work place.

Also got the Hydor in-line heater 200w....to run with the Eheim 2130 in the 20 @ work. ........waiting on an impeller from Tetratec for a PF500....then I can move her tank to office and still have adequet filtration for the 55 until we move it.

On the 90g.... had to remove a DIY decoration made from slate and flat river rock [did y ever have to catch 5 clown loaches 2-4" from a ornament out of the tank? They have very sharp barbs!!!!

And the best news of all......we're going to go with a reef for the new tank. We visited Swampbottom in North Petersburg, NY. Oh man.....what great time.

Now I really need to order an R/O -DI.

more later

Dave

 

[Creamhorses]

Update

I finally put the last upright in the cellar [2x6x10] to finish the support wall for the closet tanks.

Brought 8 pair of fancy guppies to the LFS to lighten the load for the upcoming moves.

Found out from Tony @ Swampbottom.com that All-Glass tanks are tempered only on the bottom pane, so I'm in the hunt for a drill to cut two tanks for bulkheads.

Our RO/DI from Air, Water, & Ice came via UPS last night. Very nice!

Bought 2x's and 3/4 AC plywood for closet stand.

We're in confab with Aquariums For You, deciding on the cabinet color, and more importantly, the upgrade on the lighting system for SW/Reef. The hood is going to be 8" higher to accept the MH units. [Not sure what I'm doing as yet...there are several options]. I'm waiting on a quote from them on the change from our original specs.

This is going to be quite the ride, and I'm hopeing for a lot of input from fellow sufferer's!

Dave

 

[Creamhorses]

March 9, '08 update

Picked up a 150g rubbermaid stock tank @ Tractor Supply. This will be the sump for the new tank, frag/fuge system.

Began plumbing sump room for RO unit.....I ran the 1/4" tubing through floor to a bathroom sink cabinet that has the flexible chrome covered ~3/8" supply lines. I clamped the saddle to the line, connected the 1/4" RO feed line into the 'push' on fitting. Had to stop on the waste side, because my can of PVC cemment apparently doesn't like to be stored in feezing weather, and I need to glue an 1 1/2" pvc T into a drain line in the cellar. That pipe is already cut, and I've driled and assembled the waste/drain saddle provided by Air, Water & Ice. So I'll stop by HD on the way home from work in the morning and get glue to fishing the plumbing for this little detail.



I ordered our skimmer from Austin Oceans - Foamator Max 5200....wooohoo!!!

I did not order a pressure pump for the skimmer as yet. The shipping on the skimmer is $110, so I'm thinking I'll try to find a pump and a supplier a bit closer to the Green Mountain state. I'm open to suggestions as to an energy saving unit that is as quiet as possible.

I gave the go-ahead to John @ AFY to add the additional lighting -

3 400w horizontal pendants with special reflectors, 10k bulbs, electronic ballast
2 4" fan kits
1 4x72" VHO system



That would be in addition to your existing lighting. -640w VHO


Total lighting system - 2,520 watts.

to work

Dave



​

 

[Creamhorses]

Update 3/14/08

Read read read....I'm putting most of my efforts [non-physical] into the planning stages of the Frag/Fuge part of this system, as I await talking to AFY about the final design for the big tank plumbing [they are about to send the specs to the production department]. I think it will be ok; these guyz seem to know their stuff.

Just finished a great thread here @ AA on the Mangrove tree and it's use in a fuge. That along with Cheata sounds like where I'd like to be heading for the initial plant life. I have a choice between the 55 & the 70g for these natural filters....in any event the tanks will be side by side and plumbed so as to be part of the system. To get ready for this, I ordered 4 - 1 1/2" schedule 40 bulkheads from Coral Reef Supply, but I'm having trouble finding a 2 3/8" diamond drill needed for these bulkheads. I'm working on it, though a little help would be greatly appreciated.

My Extreme Typhoon lll is not working. Murphy's Law @ work......booster pump &/or the auto shut off valve is not working. Don, from Air Water & Ice is sending replacement parts. They won't be here until next week, so the sump room is on hold for making R/O water.

I'll be back into the carpentry suit this weekend, as soon as home chores are caught up [Yeah, there is more to life than aquaria :^(].

Dave