Back Into the Deep

[bmr]

I have been hiding in the dark corners of the house, browsing forbidden websites until my wife busted me, and I had to admit that I was about to relapse into reefing. This tank build will be my second. I was delighted with my original tank build, but demands on my time from work and life, in general, drove me to sell the tank after only two years. I missed it as soon as the happy recipient removed it from my premises.

This build will be slow, twelve to eighteen months minimum. We are in the early stages of designing a new home, the tank and required equipment needed will be a significant consideration in the design of my office.

The high-level plan is a custom tank around 200 gallons. The stand will be furniture grade to match my current office furniture. I am in the process of bartering with the wife to add a fish room to hide all of the equipment required to automate and ease maintenance.

During my original build, the most significant expense was not buying the equipment I wanted right out of the gate. I would purchase something lesser or not complete my research and make a wrong purchase.

My first step is to start talking with custom tank and stand builders.
So questions to the community:

• Who have you used to build your tank, stands?
• Are you pleased with the result?
• How well did you work with the builders of your custom tank or stand?
• What would you do differently specifying the tank or selecting builders?

 

[bmr]

Here are the original and updated plans for my study.

I imported the designer's PDFs into AutoCAD for the fish room modification. I also placed a 48x30d tank in the plan drawing for size reference. Currently the Fish room is approx 8’ X 4’, thinking it needs a couple extra foot in width.

 

[bmr]

Selected Reef Savvy to make the tank. Deposit placed on a 48x30x28H, phantom bottom, hybrid overflow with armored seams. Now getting estimates on custom stands.

 

[Scubafrog]

Here are the original and updated plans for my study.

I imported the designer's PDFs into AutoCAD for the fish room modification. I also placed a 48x30d tank in the plan drawing for size reference. Currently the Fish room is approx 8’ X 4’, thinking it needs a couple extra foot in width.

What program did you use to import the PDF into AutoCAD? Or is this a feature on the newer versions of AutoCAD? Thanks!

 

[bmr]

What program did you use to import the PDF into AutoCAD? Or is this a feature on the newer versions of AutoCAD? Thanks!

I am using AutoCAD LT 2021. On the inset tab there is a PDF import. I did have to rescale the plan once imported.

 

[Scubafrog]

I am using AutoCAD LT 2021. On the inset tab there is a PDF import. I did have to rescale the plan once imported.

Thanks!

 

[bmr]

Stand builder has been selected. Chris Benner will be building the stand.He has been great to work with so far, great to talk to since he is also in the hobby. Since Chris and Felix work closely together I am expecting great things.

Chris is going to match my current home furnishings. The stand will be a functional furniture that can hold a large aquarium. Example below:
The stand will look very close to the example with the China hutch middle removed. The hood will look like the top on the example.

 

[bmr]

I updated the house plan. The deal I made with the wife is the fish room, and the aquarium stand has to be designed in a fashion that allows them to be retasked if the reef tank hobby comes to an end for any unforeseen reason. The room will be constructed with all the required plumbing to be a full bath. The stand will be functional furniture that can hold a reef tank.

 

[Scubafrog]

I updated the house plan. The deal I made with the wife is the fish room, and the aquarium stand has to be designed in a fashion that allows them to be retasked if the reef tank hobby comes to an end for any unforeseen reason. The room will be constructed with all the required plumbing to be a full bath. The stand will be functional furniture that can hold a reef tank.

Good planning! Also, if you ever need to sell the house the rough in plumbing will be there for the bathroom.
Smart.

 

[Rusticman]

I like the tank's dimensions. Similar to mine except you have 3" on me as far as the height of the tank.

 

[bmr]

I like the tank's dimensions. Similar to mine except you have 3" on me as far as the height of the tank.

The height and width are close to my original tank, this one has a little less depth.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Gonna be nice! Following!

 

[bmr]

...

 

[bmr]

Parts list R1

 

[bmr]

BRS gambling induced part purchases.

 

[bmr]

Purchased a controller. Going to swim against the stream, went with GHL.

 

[bmr]

...

 

[bmr]

House redesigned and built still no tank.

 

[bmr]

Not Dead Yet

Yeah, the build is still alive. It has been a long couple of years, but progress has turned around in the last week or two. I have contacted all of my major vendors, and everyone is working on progressing my project as of this posting.

-Reef Savvy is cutting my glass
-Chris Benner has started the cabinet construction
-Lifereef has been working on my sump and refugium design
-I have started unpacking and inventorying the aquarium parts already purchased and modifying my original parts list.


attached are a couple of updates on the stand and sump designs.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

The stand design looks good, can't wait to see what it looks like when its put together!!