Build thread for my 300 gallon mixed reef tank + filtration room

Jeto2004 · Oct 21, 2019

On a second thought you could put down a plywood sheet or two to put the stand on - that would distribute the weight over the whole area and minimize impact on carpet

DurbelMcDillett · Oct 22, 2019

Jeto2004 said:
Looking good! How you planning to level the stand? I’m sure that shims or other ways that lead to single pressure will leave marks in the long run. Maybe you could tile the area. As suggested you would not have to worry about spills either....

I would love to tile that space. I think my wife would panic if I was to cut up the carpet that we JUST laid down, haha. I'm guessing I'll just use shims to level the tank and risk crushing the carpet. The only time we'll move the aquarium is if we move houses, so I guess it will have to be the next home owners problem, haha!

DurbelMcDillett · Nov 18, 2019

I had to buy a new skil saw (never buy any tool with a battery, only corded tools for this guy). I used my new saw to plunge cut some doors out of the face of the aquarium stand. I attached the face, and then used some scrap wood to make floors. I didn't attach them permanently because I'm concerned with how heavy this thing is becoming. I'll just take out the floor every time I move the stand. Also, since I'm not putting my sump in the aquarium stand this will just be for storage and doesn't need to look good.

Bills beginning · Nov 24, 2019

Looking good. Looking forward to when you start plumbing.

DurbelMcDillett · Jan 7, 2020

I made a bit of progress over the holidays. I made the cabinet doors (much much easier than I expected). If you have a table saw you can make cabinet doors. I just followed this video and made quick work out of it. As expected, the cabinet looks 100% home made and I'm going to hate it every time I look at it (all I see are my mistakes). Next steps... correcting the spacing on the doors and then paint.

DurbelMcDillett · Jul 8, 2020

Exciting day! I prepped the area that will become the new home of the reef tank. First step was to move the stand down the stairs. Sadly I had to remove the door frame because the tank is 30" wide and so is the opening of door. It was just too snug. My friend came over to help with this project, what would we do without our friends? I had to take the doors off the stand to move it into place, but attached them back shortly after. I've hired a gun safe moving company to bring the aquarium down the stairs, I don't trust myself or anyone I know to move it! They are coming in the next day or two.

DurbelMcDillett · Jul 9, 2020

Disappointing.... I've had two different moving companies come to my place and neither one of them was willing to move the aquarium down my stairs. One of the companies was even a gun safe moving company so I thought for sure they would be ok to move something this heavy. I have another company that is going to use a piano board to move it down the stairs in a few days. Fingers crossed!

vetteguy53081 · Jul 9, 2020

DurbelMcDillett said:
Disappointing.... I've had two different moving companies come to my place and neither one of them was willing to move the aquarium down my stairs. One of the companies was even a gun safe moving company so I thought for sure they would be ok to move something this heavy. I have another company that is going to use a piano board to move it down the stairs in a few days. Fingers crossed!

Give you a tip -
Several years ago, I had same issue. I bought a 4 X 8" board, had Home depot cut it in half and then bought a piece of indoor outdoor carpet and stapled it to the wood board. I placed tank on the board and had two people at bottom and two on top and slowly glided the tank down the stairs . Two on bottom held the tank steady while the 2 on top supported tank and prevented it from slipping down too fast. Worked like a charm