Calling in wall tank owners

[dylan1464]

So my new light set up came today and I was able to get everything up and programmed before work.

 

Iphone 5 pic

 

 

Dropcam Pro pic

 

 

Sorry about the quality I gotta stop uploading to Photobucker from my phone.

[seabass]

Tank is looking good.

[NanoFever]

Not sure how far along you on the maintanance doors you are working on but I loved this guys idea with adding hinges and something to hold the panels up while you are working on the tank. Might be able to work that into your framing. Looks great! Wish I had a wall i could slice up! HAHA!

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2144250&page=35

[dylan1464]

Not sure how far along you on the maintanance doors you are working on but I loved this guys idea with adding hinges and something to hold the panels up while you are working on the tank. Might be able to work that into your framing. Looks great! Wish I had a wall i could slice up! HAHA!

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2144250&page=35

I havnt even started on the doors yet been slacking since I got the franing done earlier this week. Then spent most of my morning hanging/programming the lights. I've never made Cabinet doors before so I think I'm gonna do some research before I screw something up.

 

But I really like how he has the rods to hold the door open while servicing thr tabk. I want to do something similar maybe a hydrolic arm or some sort

[seabass]

I really like how he has the rods to hold the door open while servicing thr tabk. I want to do something similar maybe a hydrolic arm or some sort

Yeah, I posted a link to similar struts/shocks in post #15. The biggest complaint about this sort of hardware is that they eventually stop holding the weight (whether or not you use them very often).

• You might want to look into some other options as well. Maybe like these folding shelf brackets: http://www.rockler.com/woodworking/Folding-Table-Hardware (which could attach on the center 2x4, and hold a door that covers both openings).
• Or something like this: http://www.hardwaresource.com/hinges/FURNITURE+HINGES/Table+Hinges+-+Shelf+Hinges/Extra+Heavy+Duty+Hinged+Shelf+Support
• Or just make a swinging support. It's probably the cheapest, easiest, and most reliable way to hold a cabinet door. One would hold a large door, or you could make two for each opening (one for each side). I'd make a single door with a single swinging brace in the center like this (you might have to remove or modify the trim covering the vertical center brace):

[seabass]

I've never made Cabinet doors before so I think I'm gonna do some research before I screw something up.

This is how you make a frame and panel door:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MNXlfr6tWDk

 

Or you could cheat and just use a Kreg Jig to make pocket holes to secure a 1/2" panel to a frame made out of 1x3s (or even 1x4s). A MDF panel might be less likely to warp (but will be heavy). It's better to have the panel float in a grove in the frame (for contraction and expansion), but you could probably just attach the panel to the frame.

 

At the very least, just use an edge-glued board from Home Depot (with some trim attached to the front, to dress it up a bit).

 

However, (without special tools) I would probably glue and screw 1x3 boards around one of those edge-glued panels. Since there will be boards around the panel, you'll be able to purchase a smaller panel. The wider the boards, the longer and straighter your screws will have to be.

• glue and screw the two sides onto the panel (space screws 6" apart)
• cut and sand the sides flush to the top and bottom panel edges
• glue and screw the top and bottom boards (screwing the outer boards together, then use screws every 6" to secure it to the panel)

Countersink the screws and fill the recesses with wood putty.

[dylan1464]

This is how you make a frame and panel door:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MNXlfr6tWDk

 

Or you could cheat and just use a Kreg Jig to make pocket holes to secure a 1/2" panel to a frame made out of 1x3s (or even 1x4s). A MDF panel might be less likely to warp (but will be heavy). It's better to have the panel float in a grove in the frame (for contraction and expansion), but you could probably just attach the panel to the frame.

 

At the very least, just use an edge-glued board from Home Depot (with some trim attached to the front, to dress it up a bit).

 

However, (without special tools) I would probably glue and screw 1x3 boards around one of those edge-glued panels. Since there will be boards around the panel, you'll be able to purchase a smaller panel. The wider the boards, the longer and straighter your screws will have to be.

• glue and screw the two sides onto the panel (space screws 6" apart)
• cut and sand the sides flush to the top and bottom panel edges
• glue and screw the top and bottom boards (screwing the outer boards together, then use screws every 6" to secure it to the panel)

Countersink the screws and fill the recesses with wood putty.

 

thank you for the tip!

[vlangel]

I used to maintenance tanks and you are going to be so happy you put that access from the front. You are exactly right about placing corals and aquascaping, its way easier when you can see it. Scraping the front glass is easier too. I love the looks of in wall tanks but hated maintenancing them but I would not have minded if they had a front access.

[dylan1464]

I used to maintenance tanks and you are going to be so happy you put that access from the front. You are exactly right about placing corals and aquascaping, its way easier when you can see it. Scraping the front glass is easier too. I love the looks of in wall tanks but hated maintenancing them but I would not have minded if they had a front access.

When I first had the 180 up and running I was planing on closing it off completely with no access panels. Until one day I was seeing how it would go. I tried aqua scaping from the back and when i went to go check out what I did my first reaction was WOW that looks like shit. Plus being 24x24 (WxH) I couldn't even reach the bottom of the tank when I was standing on a stool behind the tank. Im very very happy I decided to not close off the wall and left 2 access panels.