Stand update !

[Curtis1]

Hey Lowcel,I took your advice and built it 36" tall. I also used the GARF design, but I altered it to make it stonger and to provide good solid foundations for the side materials. The GARF design only allows you to fasten the sides at the top and bottom and has no outside corners !?!? I felt that to use the 1/4" plywood, it needs better support. Oh, I also went ahead and made it 72"x24"x36". I plan on getting a 180.This thing weighs a ton. It will open up to almost a 3' wide area in the middle w/2 doors and an extra door at each end. That should give me plenty of room. I have also decided that I am going to go with the Eco-System method and use thier Miracle Mud. I have been reading alot of reviews and like it alot. I'm gonna try to go without a skimmer, but am going to leave enough room in the sump for a big Euro-Reef, I'm gonna go with an external Iwaki pump on the sump. My tank isn't RR, what do you feel is the best overflow ????http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/67102mini-Reeftank_141.jpg This picture is before I made mods to it. I have already spent about $211 on it, all I have left to buy, is the trim for around the top and the base + a gallon of 2-part white epoxy. I'll end up with right around $275 to $300 in it when done, depending on the trim. I should get alot done on it this weekend and will try to get some more pics. Later, Curt.

[pappygonefishin2002]

Looking good curtis, have you devoted any time to sales or just working on your reef?
Youre Fired........ lol

[Curtis1]

Unfortunately, the sales are why it's sat like that for a week on my porch !!! Please fire me, that way I can cash in my 401K and retirement bennies, plus draw unemployment for a year, then maybe I'll have both the time and money for this blessed hobby !!! LOL !!!

[Curtis1]

This started out as a simple tank stand, it has escalated into a major project ! This thing is huge, it weighs a ton, I doubt that I'll even be able to drag it into the house by myself !!! My wife wants me to put doors on the other side and use it for an island in the kitchen !!!http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/67102mini-Reeftank_145.jpg All that's left is the trim, paint and door knobs. I'll post a pic when it's done.

[LowCel]

That is looking awesome, I can't wait to see it once it is completed.

BTW......are you accepting orders yet?????

[pappygonefishin2002]

Yep , looks great curtis even if you just leave it on the porch...NICE JOB

[Curtis1]

Thanks guys, I wish it were done. Lowcel, do you need something for that calc reactor and co2 cylinder ??? If so let me know, I'm not booked up with orders just yet !!!

[MattG]

looks really nice curtis

[Curtis1]

Here it is gang, almost ready for paint. I bought 2 heat register/vents, one for each end. They were only 2"x 12". I saw some really nice oak ones that were just louvered, plus they were larger, I think that I am going to exchange them. The work has been tedious, but well worth it ! Maybe it will be done tomorrow. Anyway, here's what it looks like now.http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/67102mini-Reeftank_146.jpg It required too many Budlights, time for a nappy-nap !!!!

[MattG]

i know who im talking to next time i have to build something out of wood. its lookin great!

[firefish2020]

Now paint it high gloss white with a gold trim.
It is a work of art in wood.

[Curtis1]

Ron, I already got white and gold in three different bathrooms, this thing is gonna look like it came from the Nautilus !!!! May have some finished pics tomorrow. I haven't decided what to paint on the inside. I bought some but it says that it's not good on wood. Plus have decided against louvers in the ends to keep the sound down till I get everything that I want in there and working to see how loud it is. I already have pretty large openings in the back anyway. We'll see .

[firefish2020]

Post finished pics ASAP this is one incredible DIY project.

[ziggaboo]

looks sweet - keep up the good work - any plans for a hood?

[Curtis1]

I made my wish list this morning, for what I want to stick in this thing,,, A custom built sump, my next project, 31.5" L x 23" W x 16" T. It will hold est. 50 gal. and a working volumn with roughly 38gal. I will be using the Eco-System Mud in the Fuge. I plan on making a section in it to hold either the ER CS8-3 or CS12-1 or 2. I'm gonna stick 2 Pro-Heat digital Titanium heaters in there a Pinpoint PH, ORP, and Salinity monitors. My top-off is going to be a Tunze 3155 Osmolator. The storage tank for it will be custom built and measure 23" L x 13.75" W x 18" T and hold roughly 25 gal. I am also considering an auto-shutoff set-up for the RO/DI unit that is coming, and if possible plumbing it into the top-off tank. But that is still in the thinking/research stages. I'm gonna run the sump with an external, Iwaki MD 70 or 100 RLT. I'm toying around with the idea of somehow,either splitting or completely running another return thru a 57W Aqua Ultraviolet Sterilizer if possible. As for a Calcium Reactor, I'm leaning towards a Korallin C1502, I already have the tubing and gauges/tank. If I don't get a RR 180, I'm gonna go with 2 x CPR overflows, one in each corner, not sure what size yet ???. The return may have a 1" Sea Swirl. As for wave action, the Tunze 6100's either 2 or 4 w/ controller. Of coarse, I'll have to redo the hood I just built, make it longer, w/ 3 x 250W MH's 10K AB's and 2 x 6' VHO super actinics. I think that that pretty well covers it. All comments and suggestions welcome. That's all I want.

[Curtis1]

Ziggaboo, I just finished the hood, pics in my gallery. I am currently using a 75Gal., but planning on the 180 upgrade. I'll just make the hood longer. Maybe even a couple alterations. I'm gonna start buying all my equipment first, most of which will be second hand from the selling forum, then get the tank sometime when a cheap one comes along. Thanks for the good words !

[LowCel]

The stand looks amazing! I can't wait to see it painted. All of the toys you are planning sound very nice as well. Looking forward to seeing the 180 up and running.

[Curtis1]

Well, here it is, almost done. The gold on the edge trim was overkill, so I took it off with mineral spirits. I still have to put the trim around the bottom tank frame and repaint the edges flat black again. That little, tiny tank, up there, is a 75 gal !!! I hefted it up there by myself !!! Plus I managed to drag the stand in as well !!! The tank had to be torn down 100% and put back together. I started at around 11:00 am and finished around midnight. Here's a tip,,, I used big plastic storage bins, w/ maxi-jets in each and neatly arrranged all of the rock and coral as I removed it. That way I could reinstall it all in reverse order, and nothing was stacked up on top of other pieces. Ron, I just peeled the big Leather from the other two rocks, looks like it's doing fine so far. Ok, here's what we started with,,,http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/582/67102mini-Reeftank_122.jpg ,,, now here's what we got, right at $700 and a ton of work later. The price includes 2 x 175W MH's, compliments of Matt, and a 4' reflector with 2 x 110W VHO's, with 2 x 80mm cooling fans. Plans for a thermo-switch for the fans are in order. The next phase is the sump and more flow. I'm gonna play with the 75 for awhile and experiment with two CPR CS-100 external overflows and a flow rate of 1500 to 2000 GPH. I've pretty much decided on a 180 AGA, w/ Mega-Flows. But I just want to see what I can do with the 75, till I get all of my other stuff for the 180 together.http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/67102mini-Reeftank_152.jpg Notice the matching bed in the foregound, it belonged to my great, great, great grandmother, and came over on the Mayflower,,,,, anyway, we painted it too.

[firefish2020]

This is beyond what I could have imagined. You created a true functional work of art and this is by far one of the top DIY projects I have seen. You could custome make these for a fortune, if I had a fortune I would comision one for my 120 LOL. Seriously this is great work and I want a better pic with more detail of it posted here.

Later,
Ron

[Curtis1]

Why,,, Ron, you flatter me !!! Thanks for the kind words. The wifey likes it too. At first she was a bit reserved. As I dragged it into the house, the first thing she said was that it was huge !!! I can tell that she really likes it, cause for the past two days, she's started hanging out in that room, reading and lounging around on the bed, when before, she hardly ever went in there. Like I said, it still isn't done, I am still undecided about painting the inside, I wanted to use 2-part epoxy, it only comes in gallons, and once you mix it, you have to use it all, and I'll only need half that or less. I was thinking on seeing if Lowe's would split it up into 2 batches for me. I'll get more pics as it developes. If you know of anyone needing my services, send 'em my way, I'll do'em right ! I can work wonders with laminates, for a more modern retro look. Thanks, Curt.

[coralreefer]

Curt,
Really nice job on the stand :thumbsup:

Oh yeah, I almost met you yesterday. Found out later you were standing at the counter when we walked into Jim's.

[pappygonefishin2002]

That is an amazing piece of work Curtis, excellent , Id half to give you an A+ on that one! Are you having any heat issues with the halides on the tank?

[Curtis1]

It gets up around 84 just before lights out. I'm not really concerned about it right now because I'm only running about 6 gal of water thru an AC 75 gal Wet/Dry. When I switch over to the new bigger sump around 38 gal operating and stick the external Iwaki that I just got on there, I should be in good shape. Mostly running at 80-82 thru the day. Tanks for the good report card !!!