Mas0n's "Longoon" IM40 Long Office Tank

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Took delivery of the Fiji Cube 108 EXT today. Bad news!

The stand is different than what was advertised, and I got their new "v2" stand, which is extruded aluminum. At first I was excited about the surprise "upgraded" stand, thinking it was more premium than the plywood stand I was expecting.

Turns out I was wrong. The extrusion is very thin and rough 3030, with only 1mm of thickness. Yikes. Additionally, the preassembled bottom frame was not square and off by about 1/4inch due to rough cuts and some of the hardware was rusty. After modifying and correcting the base frame (suggested by Fijicube, not just me being a dingus.), I leveled the base and placed the empty tank on top. WOBBLE CITY! There is only side bracing from the panels, and nothing in the back. So this whole funky "ladder box" style stand is a wobbly ill fitting mess. Not to mention the panels were not predrilled, which the doors mount to. The instructions also do not specify the distance/spacing to mount them.

I'm sure the aluminum is study enough compression wise, but I do not trust the stand on shear strength. Especially factoring in the cantilever and the front brace not having compression supports on the corners.

Couple of pics! Thanks for letting me vent my frustrations.

Have you reached out to the vendor?

 

[Mas0n]

Have you reached out to the vendor?

Yep! They’re responsive at least. Try to work something out with them.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Yep! They’re responsive at least. Try to work something out with them.

Seems a little bit shady to me...no doubt the 3030 would hold the tank, but there should be something that provides lateral stability.

 

[skey44]

Took delivery of the Fiji Cube 108 EXT today. Bad news!

The stand is different than what was advertised, and I got their new "v2" stand, which is extruded aluminum. At first I was excited about the surprise "upgraded" stand, thinking it was more premium than the plywood stand I was expecting.

Turns out I was wrong. The extrusion is very thin and rough 3030, with only 1mm of thickness. Yikes. Additionally, the preassembled bottom frame was not square and off by about 1/4inch due to rough cuts and some of the hardware was rusty. After modifying and correcting the base frame (suggested by Fijicube, not just me being a dingus.), I leveled the base and placed the empty tank on top. WOBBLE CITY! There is only side bracing from the panels, and nothing in the back. So this whole funky "ladder box" style stand is a wobbly ill fitting mess. Not to mention the panels were not predrilled, which the doors mount to. The instructions also do not specify the distance/spacing to mount them.

I'm sure the aluminum is study enough compression wise, but I do not trust the stand on shear strength. Especially factoring in the cantilever and the front brace not having compression supports on the corners.

Couple of pics! Thanks for letting me vent my frustrations.

Love your current tank, and understand your concerns with rough cuts and such.
Edit: wrote this before your current post. Will look back at the video!

 

[skey44]

Are there any other boards that attach along the back? This would likely take a lot of the wiggle out of the stand?

 

[Mas0n]

Love your current tank, and understand your concerns with rough cuts and such.
Edit: wrote this before your current post. Will look back at the video!

Thank you!

Are there any other boards that attach along the back? This would likely take a lot of the wiggle out of the stand?

Surprisingly, no. Just the two side panels, and front doors that attach to them. 0 sheathing or support to reduce side to side wobble .

I bet a sheet of plywood and some self tappers across the top and bottom frame rails, and rear vertical supports would do a lot.

 

[skey44]

Yeah just a 8” tall piece of 1/2” plywood across the back would likely do it. Could even use t slot brackets to attach it and likely gain a lot of rigidity. Yeah no lateral support is where they missed IMO. Otherwise vertically and front to back you’re probably good. It’s that side to side though
You could also just add your own t-slot extrusion to brace between the back verticals and be good.
How do the side panels attach?

 

[Mas0n]

Yeah just a 8” tall piece of 1/2” plywood across the back would likely do it. Could even use t slot brackets to attach it and likely gain a lot of rigidity. Yeah no lateral support is where they missed IMO. Otherwise vertically and front to back you’re probably good. It’s that side to side though
You could also just add your own t-slot extrusion to brace between the back verticals and be good.
How do the side panels attach?

The panels attach with screws through pre drilled holes through the center of the outer vertical supports.

Yeah, stand feels pretty good front to back! The panels + small span work well.

 

[Mas0n]

Seems a little bit shady to me...no doubt the 3030 would hold the tank, but there should be something that provides lateral stability.

Yep! My thoughts exactly. 7 vertical supports will easily support that load with no compression issues.

The manufacturer has mentioned sending a reinforcement kit, but they can’t provide details yet. I’m assuming it will be horizontal bracing for the rear vertical supports.

 

[skey44]

Yep! My thoughts exactly. 7 vertical supports will easily support that load with no compression issues.

The manufacturer has mentioned sending a reinforcement kit, but they can’t provide details yet. I’m assuming it will be horizontal bracing for the rear vertical supports.

Ok following to see what they send out! Hopefully make it a working change.

 

[Mas0n]

Ok following to see what they send out! Hopefully make it a working change.

Hopefully so! I think that’s part of what’s bugging me though — I was sent something I didn’t order, and now I’m kind of their guinea pig for a fix. I wouldn’t mind that in most situations, but the stakes are pretty high here if something goes wrong. I really don’t want to risk 100 gallons of saltwater flooding my home office just to “test out” their new stand design.

 

[Mas0n]

Here's a little DIY project I have been working on for the tank upgrade!

I want to have a nice clean floating light look, so I have been building a bracket to suspend my XR30s over the tank.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-3x-xr30-ceiling-suspension.1134410/

 

[skey44]

Here's a little DIY project I have been working on for the tank upgrade!

I want to have a nice clean floating light look, so I have been building a bracket to suspend my XR30s over the tank.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-3x-xr30-ceiling-suspension.1134410/

Really slick! I want to mount my lights to the wall someday with t slot. Give me more modularity and flexibility, also allow me to combine led bars with my Kessils.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Here's a little DIY project I have been working on for the tank upgrade!

I want to have a nice clean floating light look, so I have been building a bracket to suspend my XR30s over the tank.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-3x-xr30-ceiling-suspension.1134410/

I might duplicate something similar for hanging the lights over my frag system!

 

[Mas0n]

Really slick! I want to mount my lights to the wall someday with t slot. Give me more modularity and flexibility, also allow me to combine led bars with my Kessils.

Thanks! That’s what I’m thinking as well! The modularity and weight overhead will allow for adding leds or blades later if there is shadowing from growth.

 

[Mas0n]

I might duplicate something similar for hanging the lights over my frag system!

Awe yeah

 

[Mas0n]

Alright, after a lot more back and forth with FijiCube. We came to an arrangement. They initially wanted to send me a reinforcement kit and $500 store credit.

The kit didn't look too bad, it added 3 rear horizontal support braces, 4 45 degree rear supports, and 2 45 degree supports in the front off the center support. See below.

I declined the kit and asked for a partial refund and to return just the stand portion, and they accepted.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Alright, after a lot more back and forth with FijiCube. We came to an arrangement. They initially wanted to send me a reinforcement kit and $500 store credit.

The kit didn't look too bad, it added 3 rear horizontal support braces, 4 45 degree rear supports, and 2 45 degree supports in the front off the center support. See below.

I declined the kit and asked for a partial refund and to return just the stand portion, and they accepted.

What is your plan for a stand going forward now?

 

[Mas0n]

What is your plan for a stand going forward now?

Thankfully the dimensions are very close to a normal 48x24 120gal, this one is a 47.26x23.62.

As stupid as this sounds considering my tantrum over this stand, I am likely going to get a different aluminum stand, but with proper corner bracing and beefier materials. Alufab and UNS make some nice ones with nearly the same footprint.

 

[skey44]

Glad you worked something out!