Ross B Reef'n 170 Gallon & Fishroom Megabuild

OP
OP
Ross B Reef'n

Ross B Reef'n

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
585
Reaction score
991
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
PG1672.jpg


My friend had something like this to help... - it helped us get the first few feet, then we all had to man handle it. I think he rented it, it was a life saver.

I looked into renting one of these, and a pallet stacker like that would run $134 a day. My current plan is to build a ramp and winch the tank up into place. Saves me about $30 for fish food!
 
OP
OP
Ross B Reef'n

Ross B Reef'n

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
585
Reaction score
991
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
One last thought for the night... I'm thinking about switching out the 300w heater for (3) 100w heaters, for redundancy. I've had heaters fail in the past before anything else.
 

asting

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Messages
168
Reaction score
124
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
One last thought for the night... I'm thinking about switching out the 300w heater for (3) 100w heaters, for redundancy. I've had heaters fail in the past before anything else.
Probably not a bad idea. Maybe my Chinese heaters overstate power, but I think you'll need a lot more than 300w
 
OP
OP
Ross B Reef'n

Ross B Reef'n

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
585
Reaction score
991
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah I'm using 700w, still took quite some time to get up to temp. 175 display, 40 sump.

Thank you for the reference! I'm most worried about thermal runaway. But perhaps the 300w isnt overkill, and potential wont nuke my system... I'm sure there's some formulas for marine thermal radiance I can find out there!
 
OP
OP
Ross B Reef'n

Ross B Reef'n

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
585
Reaction score
991
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Day 6 - afternoon update

Installed drywall and first layer of mud where the stand will be. Leaving the sides open, for now, in case anything additional need to be pulled up from the crawl space. Moved the electrical outlet to each side of the tank, and one at the top for the lights.

20190525_160100.jpg


Each outlet will be GFCI, so an outlet can trip instead of the breaker, preventing the entire system from shutting down.
 
OP
OP
Ross B Reef'n

Ross B Reef'n

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
585
Reaction score
991
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Had to make some modifications to the front stand section for leveling purposes which has delayed moving the tank until tomorrow.

Back of the stand mounted to the wall and tapcom'd to the floor:
20190525_202922.jpg


Calling it a night to spend some time with the amazing wife whose allowing all this to happen!
 

asting

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Messages
168
Reaction score
124
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I grossly underestimated the time it takes to properly put on an aquarium background. Especially when it's three sides. Tomorrow is the day though! Will be building the ramp and moving the tank into place.

20190526_215417.jpg
Nice! After futzing with those backgrounds on a number of smaller tanks, painting is my go to now. tape it off and a few coats of krylon usually does the trick.

Are you going to winch it up?
 
OP
OP
Ross B Reef'n

Ross B Reef'n

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
585
Reaction score
991
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nice! After futzing with those backgrounds on a number of smaller tanks, painting is my go to now. tape it off and a few coats of krylon usually does the trick.

Are you going to winch it up?

My wife was against painting it, so a day of backgrounds it was!

Yeah, I'm going to winch it. Off to lowes early in the AM for the winch and lag bolts. Not taking any chances with deck screws.
 

asting

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Messages
168
Reaction score
124
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My wife was against painting it, so a day of backgrounds it was!

Yeah, I'm going to winch it. Off to lowes early in the AM for the winch and lag bolts. Not taking any chances with deck screws.
Good call - I assume it will be no issue, but two bys really don't hold their strength that way, they are strongest on the 2" width (well probably strongest under compression, but wider side going vertical). Might not hurt to brace? I assume 3-400lbs could make those flex.

edit: those look like 2x10s or 12s, so i'm sure you're fine anyway.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Ross B Reef'n

Ross B Reef'n

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
585
Reaction score
991
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Good call - I assume it will be no issue, but two bys really don't hold their strength that way, they are strongest on the 2" width (well probably strongest under compression, but wider side going vertical). Might not hurt to brace? I assume 3-400lbs could make those flex.

edit: those look like 2x10s or 12s, so i'm sure you're fine anyway.

Absolutely, the moment of inertia for any rectangular member is I = (base * heigh^3) / 12. So the height makes a structural member exponentially stronger.

The only part I dont like about my plan is that the rails will be eccentrically loaded, meaning the fasteners will be holding all the load. Doing this saves me a lot of time by not having to cut the correct angle of each support memeber. I can just position the front and back, add the sides, then cut the excess height of the supports off.
 
Last edited:

Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

  • I currently keep an eel in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.6%
  • I have kept an eel in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 32 16.7%
  • I have not kept an eel in my tank, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 33 17.2%
  • I have no plans to keep an eel.

    Votes: 96 50.0%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 1.6%
Back
Top