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Innovative Marine Aquariums

40 Gallon Custom


calvin415

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Green-Day, yes the three corner returns will Y into two loc-lines and the two in the back corner and the two on the overflow wall will be single loc-lines.

 

Thanks InuYasha!

 

ProFlatlander15, I'm planning on a canopy to hide everything, but I'm still trying to plan a way that it won't get in the way of the plumbing. (I'll get it figured out eventually) As for the piece in the corner is a OM Squirt. Here's a link. http://www.oceansmotions.com/ It rotates the water through the ports 1 1/2 at a time. The effect will give the tank a side to side then front to back wave action.

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ProFlatlander15

you can put 2x4s in the spaces between the plumbing and the top of the tank on 2 sides. it would be difficult get off though...or...you have about 3/4" from the plumbing to the edge of the tank...put in a 'ledge' on the inside of the canopy no wider than 3/4" HTH

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Proflander- That's what I was thinking... :)

 

Green-Day- I will, my battery just died so I'll try to get one for you tomorrow.

 

Here's another update...

I've got 3 of 4 sides surfaced and will get the 4th side done as soon as I can. They are glued and screwed to the frame which has also been strengthed. The two back corner walls have had two 2x2's added which are braced with the shell on the outside and the shelf support on the inside.

 

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Here's an idea of how everything will be layed out... The chiller will go in the back corner where the back is cut out for circulation, the 10 gallon sump with EuroReef and Quiet One 3000 return pump next to it. The DIY kalk reactor will sit in-front of the chiller which will be fed from the RODI reservoir 2.5 gallon bucket on the 2nd shelf. Next to the bucket is the 18W UV sterilizer and EVC Ballast for the 250W HQI. In the corner is the Quiet One 5000 closed loop pump. Built into the shelf is the power management.

 

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Here's the holes drilled in the top for the bulkheads...

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Well I guess it's time for another update... Today was crazy, as I had 3 BBQ's to go to, so I only had the morning to work, but it was very productive! I was able to frame up the canopy with 1x2's glued and screwed together with #6 screws and skined with glue and #4 screws. I added bracing to run diagonally to hold the pendant and left the back corner open for easy of moving and to allow for additional circulation. The top will be mostly open other than the 3 triangles for addition support. This thing is very solid, even with just the frame together, I could toss it around without any movement! Okay, Okay, here's the pics!

 

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I still have the doors to build and the inside to seal, same goes for the stand. I already have the veneer, I decided on Maple to match the rest of the furniture in my office. :) Once this is all done, I can stain and trim then get started on plumbing it!

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nice... but is it taller than the tank?

 

I've been watching this project progress... wow. kudos on a hell of a job and some seriously good design and inovation. I'm really looking forward to seeing it all setup!

 

I cant wait to have the $$$ and time to do something like this. but mine will be starfire glass, since I despise acrylic (though I'm putting together an acrylic 2.5 for the pico contest... what a hipocrit, huh? LOL!)

 

Keep us posted,

Jared

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Thanks Jared! Actually the tank is still taller, it's 20" the canopy is only 13". I too was planning on starfire from the beginning, but the bids were way more than I was willing to shell out for just a 40 gallon tank. :( As it was, I spent more than I was budgeting on the acrylic, but it was still a great deal based on everyone else's bid. :) Maybe I'll be able to do starfire when I get my main tank built for my in-wall in the basement.

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Originally posted by imafishboy

why do you have to make us waaait so long? i can't wait to see this monster move.

 

LOL!!! Sorry everyone, only so many hours in the day, and so many other commitments! I'm having a "Monday Night Football" party tonight so I again won't get much done. My goal is to have everything primed with 1 coat before the party starts, then I'll try to get it finished (priming) tomorrow. Maybe Wednesday I can tackle the doors and veneer. And Thursday I can trim, leaving Friday to staining and sealing.

Maybe this weekend, I can get water in it... ??? That is, if we get the room painted in time. Forgot we are also painting and reorganizing my office at home so that will take another day and needs to be done before the tank goes in. Maybe my wife can get it done during the week, while I'm at work. :)

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BOO! everyone start chanting! "set it up, set it up, set it up!" lol jk. by all means take ur time. i don't want to be disappointed when its all done though :D hehe. good job on the stand though. really nice....

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Thanks Fishboy! LOL!!! I got 1 coat of primer on the canopy and cabinet yesterday, and with a little luck I'll get the 2nd coat on today. We plan to paint half the room tonight so if I can find just a few minutes more to cut the doors, maybe I can get a day ahead. :)

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looks like a good layout but fix a few things now while you can

 

i would add a TON of unions to you closed loop plumbing...if you don't you'll have to cut your plumbing instead of unscrewing a union to fix a piece

 

add unions to all yoru plumbinb

 

move you chiller. even if the back is cut out for circ. you will get a TON of heat to your sump...also you'll suck up moist air. at least mount it outside the cabinet.

 

you DIY kalk reactor looks ok but you will prolly have to stirr up the kalk to get it not to clump. w/ just the water flowing through it it probably won't become saturated and won't be as effective

 

sweet tank shape

 

Lunchbucket

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Originally posted by Maeda

Seriously set it up already.  :P

 

I'm lagging on macking my hood.  Your's is looking good, and makes me want to get started on it already!

 

Yeah Yeah Yeah... Thanks Maeda, maybe you should get to work on yours too! :)

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Originally posted by Lunchbucket

looks like a good layout but fix a few things now while you can

 

i would add a TON of unions to you closed loop plumbing...if you don't you'll have to cut your plumbing instead of unscrewing a union to fix a piece

 

add unions to all yoru plumbinb

 

move you chiller.  even if the back is cut out for circ. you will get a TON of heat to your sump...also you'll suck up moist air.  at least mount it outside the cabinet.

 

you DIY kalk reactor looks ok but you will prolly have to stirr up the kalk to get it not to clump.  w/ just the water flowing through it it probably won't become saturated and won't be as effective

 

sweet tank shape

 

Lunchbucket

 

Unions are already planned for, the plumbing you saw was so I could get an idea of how to build the hood, none of it was glued. Now that the hood is framed, I can finalize the plumbing (it will be a lot different from what you saw). I don't have room to put a union on each of the squirt's outputs, but I plan on putting one on the squirt itself. Plus a bunch throughout the rest of the design along with a few valves. :)

 

As for the Chiller, it doesn't have a choice. It has to go into the cabinet, if it is not beneficial then out it will go but I need to try it out. It should be good for a 10 degree drop if kept outside the stand, I would hope I can get the few degree drop that I might need in the middle of summer.

 

The kalk reactor design is fine. B) I've got it installed on my 23 and my dad's 75 and it's working great. But just to make sure I can keep up with the Ca demands I'm already in the planning for a dosing pump for 2-part calcium and alk, plus if I can find the money, a nano calcium reactor. Maybe I'll sell the chiller if it doesn't turn out to be needed. ;)

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