How about a nightmare build thread?

[Gregg @ ADP]

When I look at the builds you guys are doing on R2R, and see the end products, I’m often filled with a minor (OK...major) sense of envy. The idea that one can have absolute total control of the design and implementation of their system is something I can’t even wrap my mind around.

I often come at these things from the other direction. Even when I get some sort of carte blanche from a client, it’s still their budget and their vision. It’s my job to make it work. When I have a new build, generally speaking, I at least get some of the stuff the way I want it, and can sidestep a lot of pitfalls even w/in certain contstraints.

The real fun happens when I take over a tank designed and installed by another company. These are ‘professionally’ designed systems. Work on enough of them and you realize that ‘professional’ simply means they have a resale license.

ITT, I’ll show you some of the systems I have the pleasure of working on. To say I have a few hurdles to overcome is a massive understatement. Even as long as I have been doing this, I still find myself staring at a tank with my mouth hanging open...and not in a good way.

I’ll start with a doozy in my next post. Not sure why I’m starting this thread...I think I just need to vent. Should be good entertainment for you guys, though. Feel free to add yours or any that you’ve seen.

Buckle up your junk.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

When I look at the builds you guys are doing on R2R, and see the end products, I’m often filled with a minor (OK...major) sense of envy. The idea that one can have absolute total control of the design and implementation of their system is something I can’t even wrap my mind around.

I often come at these things from the other direction. Even when I get some sort of carte blanche from a client, it’s still their budget and their vision. It’s my job to make it work. When I have a new build, generally speaking, I at least get some of the stuff the way I want it, and can sidestep a lot of pitfalls even w/in certain contstraints.

The real fun happens when I take over a tank designed and installed by another company. These are ‘professionally’ designed systems. Work on enough of them and you realize that ‘professional’ simply means they have a resale license.

ITT, I’ll show you some of the systems I have the pleasure of working on. To say I have a few hurdles to overcome is a massive understatement. Even as long as I have been doing this, I still find myself staring at a tank with my mouth hanging open...and not in a good way.

I’ll start with a doozy in my next post. Not sure why I’m starting this thread...I think I just need to vent. Should be good entertainment for you guys, though. Feel free to add yours or any that you’ve seen.

Buckle up your junk.

I'm waiting! This sounds interesting.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Hot mess tank #1

Take a look at this disaster:
- ~380 gal reef
- 72x38x36 (in some places)
- completely built into custom cabinetry NOT designed for an aquarium

The skinny on it: it’s roughly 370-390 gallons. I’ve never figured it out exactly, because there are 12 corners in this tank, and I ain’t tryin to do a bunch of math.

Yes, I said ‘12 corners’.

See that wood dividing the tank? Yeah...thats actually one of the main supports of the home. And here’s the interesting part about that (well, one of the interesting parts). This client had not even built the house yet, and when designing the home, wanted the design to sort of be centered around the aquarium. The client did not place any limits on the design, other than to want it to be visible from living room and kitchen.

So, this is what these guys came up with. The support beam didn’t have to be anywhere near the aquarium. But hey, when you can just build a tank that wraps halfway, just go for it, right?

Now, instead of there being what could have been a large and beautiful peninsula reef, we have a black acrylic box filling up half of the end of the tank that should just be open. That accounts for 4 of the corners. Don’t worry...there are 8 more.

Naturally, the client does not want to see any of the black acrylic. Oh, goodie....

 

[Geebs19]

Any more pics of the tank with 12 corners, sounds interesting and not sure in a good way.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

So, I guess if you are going to go through all of the trouble of building a tank to wrap around a support beam, you might as well just go ahead and build the rest of it into inaccessible cabinetry.

But there’s no reason to stop there.

You have all the room in the world above the tank for canopy space. Naturally, what you’re going to want to do then is drywall the inside of the canopy space and make sure you take a 36” high space and make 16”. And again, it’s important to frame it all in and drywall it.

You’re thinking you misread. No reason to clean your glasses, contacts, or computer screen...you read it right. Frame it in and drywall it INSIDE the canopy.

Here’s the ‘good’ side of the tank, where I actually have almost 3’ vertical above the tank. Too bad it’s only 10” from the vertical wall you see on the right. That’s OK...I was at least able to build a shelf (that I can’t see the top of or get to)

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Any more pics of the tank with 12 corners, sounds interesting and not sure in a good way.

Yeah, this one goes on for awhile. It will be like other build threads. But instead of progressing to a beautiful completed product, it will be about untangling and deconstructing a trauma.

It will be a little bit more like seeing a therapist.

 

[mch1984]

This thread is a must follow. Keep it coming

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Let’s revisit this picture:

a) yes, that is a live, and not GFI’d, electrical outlet

b) yes, that it is actually crumbling, rotting drywall and...if you can believe it...rusting metal drywall framing

Let that sink in for a little while.

Notice the piece of plywood attached above the tank? I had to put that there because the original top inside is drywall. And not even drywall mounted to a wood surface. Just hollow drywall.

Well...it’s not completely hollow. There is a couple feet of fiberglass insulation inside of it.

Yep. Every single joule of heat created above that tank stays there until you open the canopy doors.

 

[mch1984]

GFCI? Who needs all that?

 

[dantimdad]

OMG! I thought the 150 I am redoing for someone was a nightmare!

I feel sorry for you dude!

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Let’s get back to drywalling the inside...the INSIDE...of an aquarium canopy space.

What could go wrong? Nothing I can think of.

Except for maybe the moisture above a big box of water eventually causing the drywall to decompose and then expose the metal drywall mesh framing, which will then start to rust away and fall into the tank:

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

OMG! I thought the 150 I am redoing for someone was a nightmare!

I feel sorry for you dude!

I have but scratched the surface of this mess

 

[dantimdad]

I have but scratched the surface of this mess

Should I do a thread about the "Professionally maintained" 150 I am redoing?

I won't name names to avoid a lawsuit.

 

[dantimdad]

The iron seems to be helping the softies.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Should I do a thread about the "Professionally maintained" 150 I am redoing?

I won't name names to avoid a lawsuit.

Definitely. Add it to this thread if you want. Let’s all vent together.

I’m not going to name names either...yet

 

[mrpizzaface]

This is my favorite thread.

 

[dantimdad]

Just a teaser:

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Just a teaser:

Well, at least you can reach that stuff...with your hands.

Just wait until the chapter about the 6-corner end of the tank.

Spoiler alert: I can’t get to it

 

[dantimdad]

I can't believe you are continuing this.

I would flat out refuse if they didn't let me tear it out and start over.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Just a teaser:

Oh wow, I hope my tank never joins the walk of SHAME!!! ;Wacky