tibbsy07 5.5 pico reef

[hey]

Nice!

 

Ok, so now I need to figure out stand and fish preferences.

 

I think I am going to make my own stand. Simple, easy, and guaranteed to hold the weight (the stand I build will probably hold 5 times the weight). Sketchup is a good program for free, yes?

 

Here is my livestock plan (I'm going to start a new thread, soon. This is only for discussion here until then and this thread will close).

Firefish

Clownfish (maybe something else?)

pom pom crab

all of what I currently have

more coralz, duh.

 

Do you want the tank flush to the edge of the stand or do you want a decent amount of perimeter of stand around the tank. Unless I was doing something real big and I probably wouldn't bother using sketchup tho just bust out the tools and measure everything an excessive amount of times.

 

Also were you wanting a framed stand (stupid high strength) or were you wanted to use ply alone (still stupid high but not quite as much strength)?

[tibbsy07]

Do you want the tank flush to the edge of the stand or do you want a decent amount of perimeter of stand around the tank. Unless I was doing something real big and I probably wouldn't bother using sketchup tho just bust out the tools and measure everything an excessive amount of times.

 

Also were you wanting a framed stand (stupid high strength) or were you wanted to use ply alone (still stupid high but not quite as much strength)?

I'm using sketch up because I don't have a lot of room (small townhouse). I'm going with an 18"x18"x30" stand, I think. Going to use 2x2 "legs" with a framed top/bottom, and supports inside the frame (if any of that makes sense). I could also go to 2x4s instead of 2x2s

[hey]

I'm using sketch up because I don't have a lot of room (small townhouse). I'm going with an 18"x18"x30" stand, I think. Going to use 2x2 "legs" with a framed top/bottom, and supports inside the frame (if any of that makes sense). I could also go to 2x4s instead of 2x2s

 

2x2's would be fine aswell as skinning it with a thinner ply would keep weight down using a thicker piece for the top where the tank sits, My 22 used only 3/4" ply all around no framing but my 50 uses 2x4's and is so overbuilt its ridiculous. If I would redo it I would have used 1x4's and invested in a kreg jig.

 

Too bad I can't mail you my old stand its 18x18x34 lol although it has cable holes drilled in it so its kinda personalized now haha.

[tibbsy07]

lol, yeah So sketch up sucks for me. I dislike it. It's not very user friendly and really, for what I'm doing not very practical. I'm going 18"x18"x30" overall. Using 2x4s for the legs and supports, plywood for the top and shelf inside. I'll probably use plywood for the sides and door, but nicer paneling may work. They rent nail guns cheap at our Home Depot, so getting nicer siding would be easy to buy/nail on.

[hey]

lol, yeah So sketch up sucks for me. I dislike it. It's not very user friendly and really, for what I'm doing not very practical. I'm going 18"x18"x30" overall. Using 2x4s for the legs and supports, plywood for the top and shelf inside. I'll probably use plywood for the sides and door, but nicer paneling may work. They rent nail guns cheap at our Home Depot, so getting nicer siding would be easy to buy/nail on.

 

I'd still probably use 2x2s for frame 2x4 stands weigh a ton and take up a ton of room inside, but that probably doesnt matter much since its aio

[tibbsy07]

I'd still probably use 2x2s for frame 2x4 stands weigh a ton and take up a ton of room inside, but that probably doesnt matter much since its aio

It'll depend on the prices for the wood. Last time I checked here, 2x2s were more than 2x4s.

[hey]

It'll depend on the prices for the wood. Last time I checked here, 2x2s were more than 2x4s.

 

forgot about that, little sense is made when it comes to wood pricing. I just know it takes 2 people to carry my 48x24x36 stand and regret not going with 1x4's or something lighter.

[tibbsy07]

Yeah, it'll probably be a bit of a brute. I think the 2x2s will work, actually for what I want. They aren't THAT much more and I only need 2 of them (assuming 72" length or greater). I think this stand could come together in about an hour, if the home depot people do the cutting If I have to cut, it'll take a while as I only have a small hand saw.

[joy13]

Make sure you triple check all cuts made by the big box stores, being a little bit off can make more work.

[tibbsy07]

Make sure you triple check all cuts made by the big box stores, being a little bit off can make more work.

I'm probably only going to have them cut 2 things - the plywood as I don't have much room - and the 2x2. Apparently the 2x2 is a pain in the butt because they are actually not sized correctly, so people are suggesting that I get a 2x4 and have it ripped in half to get a 2x2 and I can't do that myself, so I'll have them do that.

 

Or I'll just say screw it and go with all 2x4s.

[tibbsy07]

Going to the hardware store today to look at stuff to start building my stand!

 

Also, for those of you who enjoy reading about reef-keeping and science-y stuff, this blog is a great one: http://packedhead.net/category/skeptical-reefkeeping/

[Spiderguardnano]

Post some pics of the build process

[jedimasterben]

Richard ross is awesome.

[tibbsy07]

Post some pics of the build process

Will do, for sure!

 

Richard ross is awesome.

I love his skeptical reefing articles, especially. A man of my own heart, right there. I should actually try and be more like that in this hobby. I'm like that normally in life, but I need to remember that here.

[Fishstiks]

Bum bum buuuuuummmmmmm

 

 

It is ordered. It's backordered 2-3 days, so it'll probably get here next week some time.

 

Don't hold too much hope that it will arrive within the week. I ordered mine last week before the big holiday weekend, and they told me 2-3 days delay as well. I called them today ( a week later ) and they still have not gotten thier shipment in. My guess is it will be a good week or 2 before we see these tanks. :-)

[tibbsy07]

Don't hold too much hope that it will arrive within the week. I ordered mine last week before the big holiday weekend, and they told me 2-3 days delay as well. I called them today ( a week later ) and they still have not gotten thier shipment in. My guess is it will be a good week or 2 before we see these tanks. :-)

Yeah, I got the same response when I contacted them today. I'm still hoping that IM will get them their shipment and soon

[tibbsy07]

Ok, I've designed a few rock scapes. I basically used graph paper, with each square equal to square inch. I then drew the display dimensions (11.8"x11.8"x13") from the front, the left, the right, and from the top down. I also added in an estimate of the size/location of the return nozzle and the koralia nano 240 (~2.5"x3.5") I'm putting in the display, including water direction. I also assumed ~1/2 inch for a sandbed.

 

Here are the 3 I came up with:

 

Idea 1 - rock arch

I have some lower flow corals, which will probably end up lower left of the tank regardless

 

2nd design - Dual islands

 

3rd design - one big island:

 

I would like a crevice or two for the fish I'm planning. I want my livestock to feel totally safe.

 

Thoughts?

[xiaoxiy]

I love design two the best, but is there any way you can move the rocks back slightly so you have a bit more sand in the foreground?

 

Also, by staggering how far the two rocks come "forward", and using a sloped sandbed (high back, low front), I think that you'll be able to create a really great illusion of depth too.

[tibbsy07]

I love design two the best, but is there any way you can move the rocks back slightly so you have a bit more sand in the foreground?

 

Also, by staggering how far the two rocks come "forward", and using a sloped sandbed (high back, low front), I think that you'll be able to create a really great illusion of depth too.

I was thinking of this.

 

I don't really want the rocks touching the back wall, because I want to ensure proper flow back there, though it may not actually matter. There wouldn't be any light back there if the rocks touch the plastic wall, so that would give me a good bit more front sand room.

 

As for the sloping, it's possible? I'm not sure how I would keep the sand in 1 place, though. Eventually I think it would even out and I'd have more sand across the bottom than I want.

[hey]

Just a consideration, with the rockwork being so high the top of the rock will really be a pain when it comes to exposing it for water changes and an ultra high light situation for corals there, its really going to be a factor when choose what to place up there. I am assuming you aren't a fan of low minimal rock in tanks as the 3 designs tend to lend to a very veritcal aquascape though.

 

My 22 aio was a pita to get stuff acclimated to the top part of my rocks is the only reason I have to mention this lol.

[ninjamyst]

+ 1 to rocks being too high

[xiaoxiy]

Without a doubt, you can do sloped sand beds (my sand bed goes from about 1.5-2 inches in the back to less than a quarter in the front).

 

+2 to rocks being too high.

[tibbsy07]

Yeah I was a bit concerned about the height of the rocks. They'd be around 10-11 inches in the current drawings.

 

I actually do really like low, minimal rock work, but I also want lots of room for corals and to have happy fish.

 

I'll look into some smaller islands, maybe 3 lower ones.

[tibbsy07]

Something wicked this way comes...

[tibbsy07]

OK so redesign of the rock layout with a focus on more minimal rock work and open space for fish to swim.

 

Again - display is 11.8" wide, 11.8" long, 13"tall. Koralia Nano 240 is ~2.5" wide, 3.5" long. Arrows are water flow direction

 

Everything is measured properly. Here, 1/4" is 1" in real life (not that you can actually see it accurately on here).

 

Design 1 - single flatter piece of rock for corals to sit on. My least favorite, but could be altered easily

 

Design 2 - small arch. May be my favorite. I love arches in rock work. I think I've kept it pretty simple but big enough to give me plenty of coral room. The arch would be ~6-7 inches tall.

 

Design 3: This one I have the sand slanted. It's 2" in the back, 1/2" in the front. The idea is 3 small, overlapping islands for a spire-like look that allows for corals to be with like-corals and away from any that would be harmful to one another, while still keeping them close enough. I also have the rocks with multiple layers so that corals aren't just vertical. This is slowly becoming my favorite choice. I'm not sure of the longevity of the structure of the sand, though.

 

 

Thoughts?