Trying to get started on 40b with a 40b as a sump.

[lion-clown]

I am trying to get started with a new tank it's going to be a 40b with a 40b as a sump. I currently have a 28 gal. JBJ nano cube and have run out of room. I need a simple plan for a stand. I built one stand for a 55 but it was pretty ugly and over built. The problem is I don't want it to get to big and look weird with the same size tank for the sump. Does any one have plans for one and pics of one would be awesome.

 

[Krish]

When I get to a pc I'll see if I can locate a thread I started a while back with members pictures of their stands and I will post up the link for you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Krish]

Here's the link. There are a few others if you do a search on "Post pictures of your stands''

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f14/post-pictures-your-stand-canopies-57829/

 

[DonW]

What your looking for is a euro cabinet design. With a euro cabinet you would have the fourty recessed on the top to cover the black plastic trim. The inside would house an identical fourty for a sump. Do you have a tablesaw? Router?

Don

 

[lion-clown]

Krish thank you for the link there are a lot of nice stand designs on there, hopefully mine turns out looking half as nice as some of those.

DonW I will be looking up euro cabinet designs. I don't have a table saw, I'm hoping to get a sliding miter saw and I have a router at our shop that I could use. I was hoping to measure everything out and when I buy the pieces have home depot cut them to size while I'm there.

 

[lion-clown]

Is this what you mean by recessed post #27
My New Tank

 

[DonW]

Yup that is recessed. A euro cabinet is just a frame less cabinet. No face frame. HD isnt going to give you an accurate enough cut for a frameless cabinet. If you dont come up with something let me know. Do you have skill saw?
You can also do a standard cabinet with a removable face frame. Any other way your cabinet will have to be way oversized and it doesnt sound like thats what you looking for.
Don

 

[lion-clown]

I could get a skill saw. How much oversized are we talking?

On this would post #39 work? Could I build the sump into the stand or this that a bad idea?
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/f14/post-pictures-your-stand-canopies-57829/index3.html

Tony

 

[Peppie]

lion-clown
IMO it is not a good idea to build the sump into the stand. There are ways to build your stand to allow you to install and remove your sump. You need to design the stand so that one of the side panels, or front panel can be removed or hinged.
If it were me I would down size the sump so that you have extra space in the cabinet

 

[DonW]

Agreed i would not make it permanent. A euro cabinet would require no oversizing or downsizing the sump. Take a look at elos stands these are a good example of euro cabinets.

Don

 

[lion-clown]

Yea I think your right. I'm not going to build it into the stand I will make it so I can get it out really want to keep it a 40b sump though. I'm looking up as many euro cabinets as I can to get ideas. I seem to always have problems with metal halides and heat issues but I like the way they look. How much does it help to go with T5? Can you drill the bottom of a 40b? Also I might have more room to put the stand than I thought. The wife said as long as it looks nice I can take up the corner of the living room wich gives me a very max of 42" long.

 

[lion-clown]

Wow ok the search for elos stands is awesome thank you! I can't wait to try it. It might take me a little to get this done, this is more of a slow build with army stuff going on and training. I'm just going to slowly piece it together. But thank you for the help.

 

[jrgilles]

Here is my stand design. Ends up, as with most DIY stands, this thing is way overbuilt.

I would draw attention to how I did the corners to keep it strong without having a center support by installing wood gusset plates. Very very solid.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...mMtNGIzNy00ODk0LTg0YzEtNGRjOWQ0NzI1ZGE0&hl=en

 

[mojoreef]

Rob that is a great write up for your stand build. I think we might have to turn that one into an article to be published??

Mike

 

[jrgilles]

Thanks Mike! Put it up in a thread a long time ago, but that was it. Then it faded into forum history.

Originally wrote it for RF to help 'pay back' some of the knowledge I had gained from here. All yours if you want to put it somewhere. Have it in the PDF online and probably as a word doc somewhere too. My dad does some construction so helped me work out how to do the open front. A bit overbuilt, but aren't all the DIY stands....

rob

 

[lion-clown]

I really like how that stand turned out! That seems really easy to follow format. I would rather over build it than under build it!

Tony

 

[jrgilles]

Yea, stand turned out great and was easy to build. Staining and sealing was kind of a pain in the but, but I guess that is with any stand. You could put a pickup truck on it and it wouldn't flex. Gusset plates make it very very solid.

 

[lion-clown]

I have another idea to bounce off you guys. Has any one ever put wheels on there stand so you could pull it out and be able to work it? Pictures would be awesome.

 

[lion-clown]

I'm still building the stand it's coming along slow because I'm in the army and deployed right now but I should be back soon.

My new questions are: What would be good lighting on a 40B? Would you go with a single 175w, dual 175w, or a single 250w metal halide set up? I'm a little worried about too much heat but also want to be able to grow about any kind of coral and not have to worry about it.

Also I want to run an auto top off from my garage under the house and through the wall to the sump. Does any one know what I should be worried about? Like will it freeze or will there be a lot of condinsation or any other problems?

Thanks Tony

 

[jrgilles]

For lighting, I would think maybe a single 250 raised a bit above the tank? Maybe could get by with a single 175? I think 2 is more than you need.

Haven't seen any stands on wheels. Kind of sounds like a bad idea to me. Lots of weight on the castors, so may not even function well, and with vibrations from various things in the tank, it might want to walk across your floor if not totally level. Never seen it though, so who knows.

As for top off in the garage. Flow is sporadic, so if the temps are freezing, I would think you might run into some trouble. You could put some of that dark gray foam pipe insulator around the line, and it might help. Guess it depends on the temperature in your garage. Freezing in the line is one thing, but do you think your reservoir of water will also freeze? Or are you planning on heating it?