5ft of questionable decisions....

Knology · Sep 18, 2019

So, I nearly killed myself last night trying out a few crazy last minute ideas to move the tank anywhere else.

I tried the right side of the living room which has a long wall I have never really known what to do with. Nope. That would always be a distraction if you were enjoying a movie. Plus, as these things are never actually dead silent, I would probably hear it too often to enjoy during something like a movie for instance.

Then, I tried this 6 foot wall in the breakfast nook, which is tiled and part of the kitchen. That would have it's benefits. It also is right over the top of the utility room in the basement. This looked terrible. If you aren't right in front of it, it just takes up an unbearable amount of room. Most of the view, while in the kitchen, would be the side of the tank and it screamed that it was put in a place with little thought.

Most of these space I would have cared less when I was younger and cared less about practical use of spaces.

SO....I realized that on the main floor there is only two places for it. The spot against that dining room wall and the in-wall area I originally had it in the kitchen.

My wife was right. Again. She gave me $#*^ about it, again, and I cleaned up the mess I made. I think the truth is, someday down the line, I will find a way to put a 4' x 4' cube in the basement. Then I'll get the last laugh.

Knology · Sep 18, 2019

OK, anyway, as I still have a good amount of work to do on finishing the wainscoting on the dining room wall, and paint, I have started to play around n the basement with some aquscaping ideas.

I started with what would be on the left side.

Knology · Sep 27, 2019

Don't judge me.....I put the tank back in the wall.

Isn't this ride FUN?! My wife thinks so.

So she walks over to me last night with this kind of "I want you" look on her face. Then she turns to see me pushing the tank and stand into the kitchen so I can line it up and transfer it back into he wall. Then she says "....but this is such a turn off". She has seen this EXACT scene about 3 times now.

Some people may be able to relate here, but no matter how I setup the tank on a stand, I just didn't love it. I didn't like the gap behind it. I didn't like how much room it took up wherever I put it, and I didn't love the look. It just looks so right in the wall, in the style it was made, and makes the most sense for something that is meant to be there for a while.

Luckily, I took the pieces from the in wall surround off just enough to pull the tank out AND I saved that wood. So it' should be back to before without much work. I also think I am going to put some better thought into how to access the canopy.

I also swapped out the 1" bulkheads from slip to threaded. This was I can put the 1" random flow generators from VCA in for the returns. I also have a 2100gph DC pump and around 10' of head. It may actually get water up to the tank without an issue. Or I could just grab a second one and run one pump per return and get some redundancy.

Maybe I should spoil my wife this weekend.

Blutspitze · Sep 27, 2019

Oh geez.... Hopefully this'll be the last move

. Definitely do something fun for/with the wife this weekend

RJ Murphy · Sep 27, 2019

I agree, definitely do something for the wife this weekend. I've had the same struggle with positioning my upgrade, and have finally been approved to just replace my current tank, in it's location. Build thread is coming soon.

Knology · Oct 1, 2019

Almost done.

Knology · Oct 1, 2019

I am actually pretty proud how this turned out. THis is the access to the overflow box from the basement stairs right behind the tank.

Blutspitze · Oct 2, 2019

Looking great! Love the little access port for the box, and the carpentry looks great.

tripdad · Oct 2, 2019

Looks great! Now stop fussing and finish it, lol. Seriously, it looks good, nice job!

Knology · Oct 3, 2019

I've still got some touch up to do and clean up some clearances. Both panels for the hood mare magnetic. The one in the front sits in a lip and magnetizes on the top.

One of the puzzling To-Do's is to figure out how to pull air out of the hood and away from the tank. I did not want a visible vent.

Victoria M · Oct 3, 2019

This looks beautiful and needs to stay right there. The only issue is the counter will be uncomfortable to sit on for long. And you will be sitting there staring at the tank.

Daniel@R2R · Oct 3, 2019

Knology said:
I've still got some touch up to dear and clean up some clearances.

That is awesome!! I may steal that idea!

Rich Klein · Oct 4, 2019

Knology said:
I've still got some touch up to do and clean up some clearances. Both panels for the hood mare magnetic. The one in the front sits in a lip and magnetizes on the top.

One of the puzzling To-Do's is to figure out how to pull air out of the hood and away from the tank. I did not want a visible vent.

Beautiful - now to get a reef through the "Unglies" in such a beautiful constuct ;-)

Knology · Jan 8, 2020

Unfortunately I had the flu for most of December, so I didn't get much done.

We are back into the swing of things and I have got the fish room started.

The counter frame is just a mock up for right now. I wanted to check spacing and how the worktop would feel in the space. The first half of the walls are in. I'll move onto the ceiling and lighting next. Then we will get the rest of the side walls in. Epoxy the floor.

My wife is going out to grab two clear water barrels today, 55gal. Then I can mock up where those will go in the fish room before I move on. I'm slo pretty set now on getting a 75gal tank and making that into a sump.

More to come over the week.

melfish · Jan 8, 2020

This build is unreal, I am so jealous!!!

I can’t wait until I have the funds for a dream build like this. I love how it turned out, it looks fantastic. Well done. Can’t wait to see it wet & watch it evolve! ;Wideyed

Knology · Jan 8, 2020

I was out eating some pizza for lunch and remembered I was next door to a Petco. Who happens to be having their $1 a gallon sale.

So, we walked in and I grabbed the 75g that I needed for the sump build. $100. The guy even mentioned he would be cool if anyone wanted a 90g at 25% off.

I may grab a couple 20L as QT tanks. I think 2 or 3 of those would be more than enough for fish and coral over the years. I'm a bit away from needing them but all of these tanks and water storage are good for me to make sure the design of the fish room accommodates each object. The room is only about 9.5ft x 5.5ft.