How would you do it / 40” x 40” x 40” Cube Build

[TheDallasCollector]

Great to be here and posting for the first time about my custom 40” x 40” x 40” tank build. Like any hobby everybody does things differently and I’m really interested to here how YOU would build and equip the tank from scratch.

The only 4 parameters that can’t change;

• Saltwater.
• 40” x 40” x 40” cube that’s being built into a corner at my house. This means two sides of the tank can be viewed.
• Steel stand (hidden behind wall).
• Coral and Fish habitants.

General idea of what I’m doing can be seen in the picture below.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and thoughtful responses.

 

[ndrwater]

I'd go SPS and definitely have a fish room behind..

And a very big #WelcometoR2R !!

 

[sfin52]

Welcome this going to be a great build.

 

[Malifry97]

Welcome to r2r my dude. #WelcometoR2R

 

[TheDallasCollector]

Welcome this going to be a great build.

Thanks for the welcome, very excited for this one.

 

[robdareefer]

Welcome to the family, I don't post much but I really like this tank it's like the altament 40 gallon breeder in every direction.

 

[Peace River]

Welcome to R2R!!! A plan for lighting, flow, and maintenance are especially key for that configuration.

 

[TheDallasCollector]

I'd go SPS and definitely have a fish room behind..

And a very big #WelcometoR2R !!

Thank you so much! That’s a great point, and honestly what I love so much about the location of my set up. The corner I have chosen is under a set of stairs, so I’ll have all that room for the sump, refugium, RO machine, controllers, etc.

Onward!

 

[TheDallasCollector]

Welcome this going to be a great build.

Thanks sfin52, as you know It’ll take plenty of time but even the planning phase has been fun.

 

[TheDallasCollector]

Welcome to r2r my dude. #WelcometoR2R

Thanks bud, this forum is awesome, can’t wait to drink a cold beer and stare at my tank —- in about 9 months lol

 

[TheDallasCollector]

I’ve established an approximate plumbing plan, my father was a plumber so he and I will DIY this part once the tank is built and in place;

 

[Onewolf]

It seems like 40x40x40 is going to be a challenging shape/size from a maintenance perspective unless you are like 8 ft 10" tall?

 

[Malifry97]

Thanks bud, this forum is awesome, can’t wait to drink a cold beer and stare at my tank —- in about 9 months lol

Yep. Lol

 

[TheDallasCollector]

It seems like 40x40x40 is going to be a challenging shape/size from a maintenance perspective unless you are like 8 ft 10" tall?

You make a good point and I have already asked myself that one. Here is my solution, a set of small rolling stairs, something like this. From your experience would that be an issue? (If you had a place to store it)

 

[Breadman03]

People with fish rooms have often made a bench behind their tank to act as a scaffold for working in the tank. If I was building a fish room, I'd place the sump at working height and perpendicular to the reef to one side so that I could have easy access to the tank and equipment.

 

[Mikedawg]

You make a good point and I have already asked myself that one. Here is my solution, a set of small rolling stairs, something like this. From your experience would that be an issue? (If you had a place to store it)

I guess the concern is how far down into the tank can you reach without having to submerg your shoulder. 40 " takes a long arm!

 

[Onewolf]

I guess the concern is how far down into the tank can you reach without having to submerg your shoulder. 40 " takes a long arm!

And that's the 'near' side. 40" down and 40" across is 56" reach to the 'far' bottom corner. Ergo, mask and snorkel.

 

[TheDallasCollector]

And that's the 'near' side. 40" down and 40" across is 56" reach to the 'far' bottom corner. Ergo, mask and snorkel.

Hahah you crack me up while making a very good point! Looks like I need to measure my arm tonight LOL kidding not kidding

 

[TheDallasCollector]

People with fish rooms have often made a bench behind their tank to act as a scaffold for working in the tank. If I was building a fish room, I'd place the sump at working height and perpendicular to the reef to one side so that I could have easy access to the tank and equipment.

Great idea none of us want to bend over all the time, I’m 6’ 4” and chest high sump sounds great to me. Thx Breadman.

 

[lapin]

This is the best picture from my thread. I have a platform my tank sits on. There is room on 2 sides to walk around the tank. The white square on the right that opens to the room on 2 sides like yours, is where the tank sits. My tank is 5x5x3. I cannot reach anywhere near the bottom with my hands in most of my tank. It makes for some interesting maintenance tools. Placing corals on rocks with snake tongs is fun.