Eric's 90 gallon reef build.

[Ericwm]

Looking good how have you been testing the stands tolerances?

I thought about breaking out my old strength of materials text book and running some numbers but never did. I also considered a solid model and running a finite element analysis on the model, I can hardly find time to build it so I don't know where I would find the time for that. Finally I did what any good engineer would do, I looked at a stand at my LFS for a 90 gallon tank and beefed it up. I added 6 verticals 2x4s and swapped out the 2x4s below the tank for som 2x6s. This way I am sure it is stronger than the one I could buy and still cheaper. I will find out if my theory is correct when I fill the tank.

 

[Cichlidjon]

Haha your a practical engineer! Over support is never a bad thing in my opinion. Do u plan on staining the stand or leaving it natural?

 

[Ericwm]

I try to be, if I were to be mass producing these then over support in the way of excess materials would be a waste of money. For my own personal single build I say the more support the better, I don't want 90 gallons of salty liquid fail all over my basement carpet.

I am planning of putting a thin 1/4" thick or so sheet of wood all around the stand and painting it black. For the inside I am gonna deal it with polyurethane. And use 3/4" plywood for the back and the bottom. At some point I want to add some fancy looking doors but I may just use black plywood for now so I can get the important part done and keep the dogs and cat out of the sump.

 

[Ericwm]

I haven't had a lot of free time between work and school but I finally got some work in on the tank build. I put the rest of my stand together tonight, just needs paint and the top screwed down then its ready for a tank. I'm gonna put the final touches on the tank while/after the cycle.

I was planning on transferring all my rock from my 29 and hopefully skipping the cycle but now with school I will be taking it slow. At least now I know I won't have to worry about loosing livestock.

Here is the stand as of tonight.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Looks good! Lots of room down below.

 

[Ericwm]

Thanks, there is quite a bit of room but it is still a little questionable as to if I can get the sump in there easily. I know I can get it in but I'm not sure if I will be able too after attaching the top. It would be nice to be able to remove the sump in the future if needed. I may go check that right now, I am a bit worried.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Build is looking good. Drilling and rousing the rocks is the only way to go.

 

[Ericwm]

Build is looking good. Drilling and rousing the rocks is the only way to go.

I think I am going to try the plumbers epoxy, I don't have the time to drill all of my rocks and I have read the epoxy works well.

It looks like I am building my tank around my sump, I think I may remove a bit of support to make this not the case. I would like the ability to remove the sump if needed. I have 3 2X4s at each corner. If I notch 1 on the front and one on the back corner so I have 2 and a half at each of those corners I can slide it in from the side. This should still give me tons of support. Any thoughts?

 

[Cichlid-dude]

I think I am going to try the plumbers epoxy, I don't have the time to drill all of my rocks and I have read the epoxy works well.

It looks like I am building my tank around my sump, I think I may remove a bit of support to make this not the case. I would like the ability to remove the sump if needed. I have 3 2X4s at each corner. If I notch 1 on the front and one on the back corner so I have 2 and a half at each of those corners I can slide it in from the side. This should still give me tons of support. Any thoughts?

I think that would be fine, should be plenty of support still. The stand looks nice, good work!

 

[Ericwm]

I think that would be fine, should be plenty of support still. The stand looks nice, good work!

I just found an online calculator for wood column strength and I think I am going to notch the stand out as needed. Each leg of my stand should be able to support my tank on its own so I'm not that worried.

 

[Ericwm]

I got the stand cut as needed and put the final screws in for the load baring part of my stand. I coated my internal wood surfaces with polyurethane since im sure it will be nice and humid down there. I am hoping to get my top on the stand and get it painted so I can get the tank up there. I want to see how it will look so badly. Then I can start to rock scape.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

I got the stand cut as needed and put the final screws in for the load baring part of my stand. I coated my internal wood surfaces with polyurethane since im sure it will be nice and humid down there. I am hoping to get my top on the stand and get it painted so I can get the tank up there. I want to see how it will look so badly. Then I can start to rock scape.

Awesome! Pics

 

[Ericwm]

, I got more done this weekend than planned.
-I finished the polyurethane on the stand.
-Painted one side of the top.
-moved the tank to the basement.
-put the furniture movers on the stand feet.
-put the sump in the stand.

I hope the furniture movers help, I don't know if anyone has tried this before but I thought it was a good idea. I can move the stand effortlessly so at least it will be easy to get the tank into place. My hope is that with some water out of the tank I will be able to slide it away from the wall with help from one or two people, that way I can get to the wall behind the tank if needed for whatever reason. I am very pleased with the stand so far, and here is the picture.

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The next step is to attach the top and drill it for my plumbing. After That I can paint it and put the tank on and plumb it.

 

[Ericwm]

For some reason the whole post above won't show up on my app unless I click on the post. So for those who are on the app... Here is the picture.

 

[Ericwm]

I moved my stand over where it will go just to see how it looks. It makes my 29 look tiny.

I am getting excited, I'm hoping to have it filled in less than a month so I can start my cycle.

 

[Cichlid-dude]

Looking good eric!

 

[Ericwm]

I have been making slow progress on the tank but I am moving. I finished the top of my stand, it is now ready for the tank. I wish I could get some assistance to lift it on tonight but I guess I'm gonna have to wait. I shimmed my feet to compensate for my slanted floor... You can never trust a basement floor to be level but at least my tank will be. The furniture movers are amazing, I can move the stand effortlessly by myself, I doubt that will be the case with a full tank... Here is a pic of my stand tonight.

I also got one of my two screen lids finished up tonight. I am pleased, BRS gave me so much mesh I am gonna need more tanks, I think I am gonna use 1/4th of it for my 90 and 29. Someone a long while back wanted a picture of the screen so I hope they haven't been waiting around for it, I don't even know if it was on this thread.

 

[carey]

Screen cover looks good, nice job!

 

[Ericwm]

Thanks, I got my tank on the stand today. Now it's time for some rock work and some plumbing then its water time. It is just a bit bigger than my 29.

 

[Ericwm]

I am starting on my plumbing tonight. Quick question, do I glue my PVC straight into my bulk head? That is what I thought I was supposed to do but when I dry fit it the connection seems a bit wobbly.