Belac's almost cube. DIY or bust, planning and insanty sure to follow.

[Belac]

So I have finally made the mental commitment to upgrading my tanks and consolidating things. I have been working to this end for a few weeks now and today I got the last planted tank stand out of the room that was keeping me from starting on the reef tank build.

Odds are very high this thing will not see salt water tell I get moved later this year. But I want it ready to go as soon as I do get moved so I can pretty much plug it in and get it online with in the day of moving. (I have permission to leave my current tanks up as long as a month if I need to in my current residence after I move.)

First off I am going to warn anyone out there. I am totally not a normal human being. I would much rather build something then buy it. Even more so when I can do it for a fraction of the cost of retail.

*Equipment is as follows* (updated as it gets built)

+ DIY Tank 30"x18"x"18" (approximately 42 gallons) +
This tank is built entirely out of busted or old tanks. there are a total of 3 different tanks in this one tank. But I think it will work out nicely and its a unique shape. I originally toyed with both a center brace or rimless. Decided rimless was more risk then I wanted to take. Also decided the center brace would not allow for the style of aquascaping I am planning on doing. Finally have settled on eurobracing the whole tank. This will make cleaning the overflow a bit of a pain but there isn't much to be done about this, I just have to deal with it.

Pictures forth coming of the tank itself when I get it carried back into the house. (When ever I get around to it I will put the picture here.) Currently leak testing and preparing to permanently euro brace the tank.
http://s126.photobucket.com/user/Z-man12/media/42%20gallon%20upgrade/0225141649_zps932f8033.jpg.html'>http://s126.photobucket.com/user/Z-man12/media/42%20gallon%20upgrade/0226142302_zps2dd5d431.jpg.html'>


+ The Stand +
I am planning on using is the stand I originally had my freshwater oddball tank set up on. Though I am strongly considering putting it in the scrap lumber bin and rebuilding the whole stand. It needs a skin and almost all the doors are warping, and a few need to be rehung. So will probably debate myself for a while on this.

+ Overflow +
Was originally going to do the standard Herbie in a regular overflow box. But after discovering "

" which are only 1 1/2inches from front to back. I am in love and totally have switched where I am putting all the holes in my tank for the overflow. I have a plan to do something similar to the commercially available ghost, but also completely unique so far as that goes. I will have no external over flow box like the commercial units do. I something very similar a

to this unit that I have no information on. I understand how something like this would work I just have not had time to build one yet. 3d model will be built first, I just need to fix my computer mouse before I spend that much time drafting something out. I will post it when I get it drafted.

I have all the plumbing ready to go I just need to drill the tank, after leak testing. Then fabricate the overflow parts from acrylic.

+ Lighting +
I am currently running gu10s over both of my salt water tanks. I may end up just tearing those lights apart for this new tank. Or I may build another different kind of unit.

+ Skimmer +
Not sure if I will go this route or go with a turf scrubber.

+ Reactors +
I have a few that I have already built that I may end up using. I don't normally find a need to run a reactor so we will see how this tank behaves.

+Sump & Refugum +
Most likely will end up custom sump as big as I can and still fit it inside the stand.

+ Other stuff , aka will probably not get done.+
I would like to finally get a dosing system installed on a tank for both food and supplements. I am not sure if it will get done or not but I would like to. I have chiller plates for building a tiny food fridge if I decided to go this route. I also was gifted some Adriano relays that I may end up hooking up to a raspberry Pi to run as a controller for the whole system. That will be quite a ways down the road though.

[Belac]

Here is what I have worked out for the overflow. Its a combination Herbie and Bean. With out any external box or plumbing in the tank.
If there is enough interest in the plans I can post more pictures and exploded views. I can also post the plans after I build one and work out if it has quirks.

[Belac]

Yesterday I built a hole saw jig for drilling this tank as I will have very little room for error due to the over flow pattern. This should eliminate all of that issue.
Jig Cost 30$ all total for the parts and additional hardware to fasten things together. I have one more part to fabricate that will allow me to make sure the saw will fully cut through glass up to an inch thick. Going to work on that later. I am going to have to braze a bolt and a collar nut together.
http://s126.photobucket.com/user/Z-man12/media/42%20gallon%20upgrade/0227142325_zps7756068d.jpg.html'>

Today I cut out all the parts for the overflow box now to just glue everything together. Hopefully this is doesn't end up being the prototype and it works like it should so I don't need to make another one.
http://s126.photobucket.com/user/Z-man12/media/42%20gallon%20upgrade/0228141654_zps9d78aee3.jpg.html'>

[R33 GTR]

hi there did the overflow box work out? i like to see a vid of it i am thinking about doing a ghost overflow but the back box is kind of ugly

[Belac]

I have it built. I just need to stress test it and see how much it can handle. Need to get ahold of a large If it doesn't work I have a plan b idea kicking around. I will let you know if it works.

I feel that the back box is a bit redundant. Though it being ugly is of no concern in most cases as you cannot even see the back of most tanks. The gap in the back of the tank this is probably going to end up getting installed on I actually enclosed in some cabinetry to hide that part of the tank any way.

Things have changed and I am probably going to be running it on a different tank and stand combo. I realized I had more tanks in the building pile then I thought I did. I still plan on using the overflow, just not sure what tank its going it at this point.

[zodiii]

What did you cut your acrylic with?

[Belac]

Table saw and a sharp blade.