Build Log v2.0 - 90g - Page 4

WinnipegDragon · #76 08/14/2007, 10:08 PM

Stand pictures!

The stand design changed slightly, the side cabinets are going to be shorter than the main stand, and there will be a nicer trim top and bottom:

This drawing was done before the final height was decided, so it's not entirely to scale. The central section of the stand is going to be 40" tall, and the side cabinets are 34" tall. Total length is just shy of 8'.

My buddy got the frame pieces cut and this we built the frame this weekend. We also have the lower shelf installed. It's cut from a single piece of 8' birch veneer ply to add extra strength.

My buddy is a machinist so everything is cut pretty precisely and way, way over-engineered. The top is all two 2x6s bolted together and the corner posts are made with three 2x4s. The whole deal will be sheeted in 3/4" oak veneer ply with quarter round biscuit-and-glued on the corners.

Got my RO/DI this week as well, a Purely H20 Optima Vision Advanced. The basement should be done in about two weeks, so the build should get more interesting soon

msn711 · #77 08/19/2007, 06:22 PM

Tagging along...waiting for my 120 to come in.

WinnipegDragon · #78 08/19/2007, 07:52 PM

Yeah, mine is here in two weeks. I have to get moving on this stand.

Filling holes, sanding and repainting the central frame and bottom shelf this week, cutting and assembling the shell next week, and then staining.

WinnipegDragon · #79 08/23/2007, 01:36 PM

More work on the stand and more money spent (UGH).

The frame has been been caulked along the bottom shelf, and all the screwholes have been filled. The whole thing has been sanded down after the first coat of marine paint, and I've done two coats of Behr Masonry/Concrete sealant. This is an oil and acrylic blend with silicone in it. I imagine it's about as waterproof as possible now. This weekend will be cutting the exterior ply and assembly. Then it's just staining and sealing.

Also hit up my new friends at J&L Aquatics for another order:

- 2 more K4s
- Mag 7 for water changes
- 8 x T5 bulbs
- 20lbs ARM reactor media
- Milwaukee pH Monitor/Controller
- 2nd DC8 for the AC Jr
- Kalk dispenser for the Osmolator to help keep pH up with the reactor

Should be getting plumbing started in less than two weeks (I hope)...

petes97 · #80 08/23/2007, 04:04 PM

You know you're not going to be able to use the last 4 plugs on the 2nd DC8 with an AC Jr, right?

WinnipegDragon · #81 08/23/2007, 05:20 PM

Uh, no... I thought you could do 18 plugs or something with it?

My plan was to do 2 DC8s, each one connected to a different 15a GFCI circuit to spread the load around a bit. Did I screw up here?

WinnipegDragon · #82 08/23/2007, 05:29 PM

Ah shoot. Just read the product page and I guess I missed that part.

Will swap for a DC4. Thanks for the heads up! I owe you one!

WinnipegDragon · #83 09/03/2007, 12:00 PM

Lots of work was done on the stand this weekend. Tons of cutting got done (this thing is using almost five full 4' x 8' sheets of cabinet-grade ply) and we've skinned more than half of it.

We still need to cut out the back for ventilation and electrical access, put on the front panel and the tops. We are using 3/4" ply and 3/4" quarter round to bullnose the corners. There will be a 3" routed trim along the bottom and a 2" trim along the top. Then, finishing the doors, filling, sanding, staining and sealing. I'm still a few weekends away from having this stand finished.

Here's how it looks at the moment from the back:

That's pretty much the full 8' length of a ply sheet on the back. Here's the front where you can see the door cutouts for the side cabinets:

The doors in the front will be 36" wide and 22" tall. Plenty of room to work inside. I'd guess this beast weighs about 250lbs or more right now. It's not going to be fun to lug downstairs.

The other good news is that the sump is finished! I have to pick it up, but I received this picture from the guy who built it:

It's 36" L x 20" D x 20" T, about 65 gallons. Nice big skimmer area with bubble tower for the RS-180 (and I might drop the CA reactor in there too) and a deep refugium which will house lots of LR rubble and Chaeto. The return area is smaller than I had calculated, but I don't think that's much of an issue. It might mean I make two 15g water changes weekly instead of a single 25g change. Probably better for stable water parameters in the long run anyhow.

The basement is practically done. Just some electrical finishing and trim to do now, so if I can get this stand finished, I'll be doing plumbing by the end of the month.

petes97 · #84 09/03/2007, 12:06 PM

Hey, looking good. I bet you never thought you'd be here doing this when you bought that RSM a few months back? I new I figured it would have been much longer for me to get a big tank. Oh well, glad the RSM sucked!

I got an AC Jr with 1 DC8 and a DC4HD on the way. Love it!

WinnipegDragon · #85 09/03/2007, 07:57 PM

My thoughts on the RSM are well known

Glad to hear you like your AC Jr, I'm anxious to get all my stuff up and running, but I'm being patient this time.

I forgot to mention that I ripped open part of my palm on a coring bit during the stand build, so I can officially say that my reef tank has now cost me my blood and sweat. Tears are probably not far behind!

Reefmack · #86 10/03/2007, 03:38 PM

Gee whiz - I thought you'd be up & running by now, with the new tank already cycled, and working on adding fish & corals. It's looking really good though - congrats on a great job!

petes97 · #87 10/03/2007, 03:57 PM

Yeah, where are the updates?

WinnipegDragon · #88 10/03/2007, 04:29 PM

Big delays in the basement finishing and big cost overruns (had to get the 50" 1080p Plamsa TV, didn't I?) have pushed me back quite a bit.

As it stands, the stand is getting sanded and stained right now, the tank just arrived at the LFS, and I should have everything together in the basement in the next week or two.

Since we have had the cost overruns elsewhere though, I will ikely hold off actually filling the tank until the spring

I hate the delays, but I have to be realistic about what the costs are for the next step.

I'll get some pics posted once the stand is done, downstairs and the tank is on it though.

petes97 · #89 10/03/2007, 04:40 PM

Glad to hear you're still alive.

Reefmack · #90 12/29/2007, 04:08 PM

WinnipegDragon - any new updates or still in a holding pattern due to other projects (and the plasma TV taking priority)?

WinnipegDragon · #91 12/29/2007, 07:45 PM

Yup, kind of a holding pattern. Everything's here, the stand just needs to be stained once it warms up, and I just need to round up the last big chunk of cash for rock and starter livestock.

It's very, very frustrating to look in my storage room and see four shelves of equipment all waiting to be assembled and fired up, and having the tank and sump sitting on the floor ready to go. Patience is a virtue, though. At least that's what I'm lead to believe

WinnipegDragon · #92 12/29/2007, 07:48 PM

Oh, and the plasma rocks

New Boston Acoustics VR3 speakers to go along with it, Pioneer amp, 1080p upconverting DVD player, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii... My entertainment centre is officially the happiest place on earth.

Reefmack · #93 12/29/2007, 07:52 PM

Wow - with that entertainment system who needs the tank?

Yep - patience is not easy, but at times there's no choice.

WinnipegDragon · #94 01/08/2008, 02:15 PM

The last big hurdle is getting the stand stained. It's far to cold to stain here, and we were going to move it out of my garage to my buddy's basement and stain it there, but he just hurt his back at work, and he's out of commission for a little while.

Unless I hear otherwise, it looks like this tank is on hold until spring