Through Wall 200 Gallon Construction Project

[ReefTankENG]

I started this build about 2 years ago and wanted to share and document the journey starting from design through completion. Everything but the tank and equipment was custom built from scratch

 

[ReefTankENG]

~8/2023. I started talking with my wife that I might want a bigger tank in the future. She said: will it get your fish stuff out of my laundry room, then why don't you do it now. Then I was like ok, I'll start designing it, and that means I will need a sink by the new tank.

My current fish tank was 50 gallon and up against a wall. That was where the new tank would need to be.

 

[ReefTankENG]

~9/2023: I started modeling the new fish tank to solicit opinions:
First one: Looked too much like a bigger version of the old one. wanted something different

Next one wasn't good either.

 

[ReefTankENG]

THen I asked my wife for some input. She said make it so I can see it when I am sitting on the couch. Since the couch in in the other room, there was only one option. GO THROUGH THE WALL! And thus, the construction journey began

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i love it!! one that goes through the wall as always attracted me. i toyed with doing that with my upgrade. but figured i could only ask for so much

 

[ReefTankENG]

Then BRS black Friday sales came... and it was time to put my money where my mouth was ... and I was going to design the stand around triton sump and maximize the tank based on the sink. So, I bought some stuff to make it so could not turn back

 

[ReefTankENG]

Now the design was starting to get real, and it was time to build the stand

 

[ReefTankENG]

12/2023 - 01/2024: Time to build the stand. My plan was to build the stand (to make sure I could do it). Then order the tank. Tank lead time was about 6 weeks, which would give me enough time to figure out how to take down the wall and position the stand. So, I watched a bunch of You-tube videos and got my plan. I spent about 1 hour in Home Depot going through multiple piles of 2X4's to find straight-ish ones. Some of the 2X4's are so warped there would be no way to make an acceptable stand out of them. I started taking time to make sure everything was level and square (which my garage floor was definitely not)

Used #10 construction screws with pilot holes. I tried without pilot holes and it did not go well. The wood started to split

Wider space in the middle so I can easily slide in the sump.

Started to spackle and sand over the screw holes with wood filler

Added the bottom face for the sump and 1/2" plywood for the back

I got a little nervous there was nothing significant to take a shear load. So I added some diagonal supports (these were not in any video I watched)

Checked to make sure the sump fit - it was close. And I realized the overflow intake was on the opposite side than I thought. Good thing I didn't order the tank yet.

And now for the top sheet of 3/4" plywood. I used a combo of gorilla glue and wood glue. I some small shims in the corners to keep the top sheet very flat. The gorilla glue was used closer to the shims and the wood glue where the sheet was flat against the supports

And the finished stand before paint and cabinets - it came out pretty good and solid!

 

[ReefTankENG]

01/2024 Random Event. I had some electrical work done to get some recessed lighting in the room in preparation for the new tank. The electricians foot went through the ceiling directly over my old fish tank, sending insulation throughout the tank. Luckily, I was able to retrieve the insulation with a net without anything dying... so that was fun

 

[ReefTankENG]

02/2024: Cabinet doors. It was time to decide on the cabinet doors. After watching many videos about how to make cabinets we decided on basic shaker doors. I used a tongue and groove router bit with pine rails and stiles and 1/4" MDF for the face. I spaced the doors so later I can give them a molding to make them look flush... wich would be a challenge.

I also had to build a little workstation (made one of my daughters help). Basically, every day I worked on something I spent the first 30 minutes building up a workshop and the last 30 minutes tearing it down.

Built the first door... and it was the wrong size. Should have measures twice and cut once :). But it was good practice to get ready for the others.

Me freaking out trying to get everything flat and clamped before the glue dries. Daughter, not too concerned

First door of the correct size

First one on the stand

They fit decently

Next step is molding and painted

 

[ReefTankENG]

3/2024: So the doors were mounted. But because everything was on 2X4s and not 3/4" Plywood boxes like most cabinets, I had to create custom spacers for each location that the molding was going to be placed to match the cabinets. After that was every woodworker favorite task sanding. I spent hours wood filling and sanding. For every door, and every coat of paint it was at least 20 minutes of sanding. I put one prime coat and two tops coats on everything.

Custom spacers.

Doors back on

Made sure the doors can still open

Sanding... and more sanding

Prepped the back of the tank too. Even though no one should see it... just in case water got back there somehow

My paint work shop. I just used a cut brush and a fine roller.

Painting done!

Back together

 

[FUNGI]

Nice Build!

 

[ReefTankENG]

Nice Build!

Thank! I'll try post regularly and get up-to-date with all the crazy stuff I did. I can't believe my wife let me do it!

 

[FUNGI]

Thank! I'll try post regularly and get up-to-date with all the crazy stuff I did. I can't believe my wife let me do it!

Dont get me wrong, it s a better build than I could do in a 100 years so hat's off to you Sir....If I may a little input?

 

[ReefTankENG]

Dont get me wrong, it s a better build than I could do in a 100 years so hat's off to you Sir....If I may a little input?

Yes please

 

[FUNGI]

I would put window draft insulation (the sponge kind) around teh edges here....the light seepage would drive me nuts....

sorry, just my ADD.....

 

[ReefTankENG]

Good point. Thanks for the advice! That is one of the purposes for posting: to get better. Should be an easy fix. Something like the product below? 

 

[ReefTankENG]

Well, I happened to have some white foam window seal laying around from all the random stuff I bought for the this build. I installed it and it worked pretty dang good. Thanks FUNGI!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

well done! its looks fabulous!

 

[ReefTankENG]

3/2024: Time to order tank (glass cages). Now that I proved I could build a stand, it was time to order the tank. My dimensions are a little unique because of the archway leading into the fishroom. Wife told me I can't go past the small piece of wall before the archway starts, which was only 18"; taking down part of the wall I got a few mor inches. So, the biggest tank I could get was 90 X20 X 28 tall. I went with the Shadow V3 overflow on one of the sides... I can't have anything in the middle because of the "through wall" thing and this design had a very small footprint in the tank. I didn't have an overflow with my old tank, so this was all new to me. The lead time for this gave me 3 months to figure out how to take down the wall!