850litre tank!! 5x3x2

[Paul_MTS]

and now for the stand, freshly built...

 

[Paul_MTS]

and here's a birds eye with a 5l bucket for comparison!!

 

[Arashi]

Wow! I can't wait to see pics of this baby when it's finished. It's gonna look real nice.

 

[Paul_MTS]

me either!!!

just need to get the hole for the sump drille don the top then i can chuck the tank on there.

dads b'day tomorrow though so he's out for the day, i'll be at work getting the last of the supplies!

 

[~FairyAngelFish~]

Very big!

 

[fufanu360]

very cool man, how many gallon is that? 10000?

 

[Paul_MTS]

lol i wish, i could have a few red tailed cats then!!!

It's 185UK gallons and about 220 US gallons i think.

 

[CFC]

Nice stand but how are you going to get the sump underneath? It doesnt look like you have allowed enough room between the struts to slide in the sump and position it. It may just be a optical illusion but i thought id better point it out before you have 220 gallons of water on top and suddenly realise something doesnt quite work , remember that the sump needs to be positioned in such a way that maintainance is easy, prefferably side on so that the whole of the filtration process can be viewed, a poorly maintained sump can be a factory for horrendously high nitrates.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Very nice Paul!
Could you post the plans for the stand? I am planning on building a larger tank, and I want to make sure that the stand will hold the weight.
Sean

 

[Paul_MTS]

yeah I can get the sump in easy, i was planning on having it long ways, although thinking about having it sideways would make sense aswell, less esy to reomove the sump from under altogther but easier to access all areas of the sump......hmmmmmm

I'ved loaded up all my filter with the alfa grog now and i drained my 204 filter into a tub added extra water cleaned the sponges in there added alfa grog then a air pump and heater in an attempt to get the bacteria going.

Just a thought but would the sump do better biological wise if i put a light over it?

i also found out at work that my 4ft ehiem tank is in the country and is being delivered to the shop next week so i need to make some space for that now aswell, thats 360litre and my 6th tank!! I'm shutting 2 down though and keeping for 1 for quarantine.

Yep I'll draw up some plans on it, it's basically just a box with extra supports along all sides. main legs are 3x3 and supports and cross beams are 3x2 i think.

 

[CFC]

The sump should be kept as dark as possible, nitrosoma bacteria do not like light at all.

 

[Paul_MTS]

oh right...i may divide it off then as i'll probable end up putting a quarantine tank under there aswell. which would have a light above it.

 

[LadyMinion]

*is getting very jealous of Paul's tanks*

I'm gonna be looking for a new tank for Martha after Xmas, probably in the region of 6x2x2.

 

[Paul_MTS]

hehe...excellent!!!

awesome, try to get a 5x3 instead its about 40 gallons more than a 6x2x2.

I'd still love a big puffer but the time you take over martha is disturbing!!! i'm strugging to keep uip with all the water changes at the moment, which is why i'm going to shut 2 tanks down when my last 2 are up and running.

i'ved got to stop spending now.....my ad told me that the bill for the wood on the stand is going to be about 70 squid i still need to get some glass covers and lighting for it

What do you have over yours CFC? i was looking at arcadia overtank luminaires which is about 100 then i think i may go for 2 twin 60" units (the normal light on a ceiling type) then hang them.

 

[CFC]

My covers are made from a high impact plastic which is sold under its trade name of TEG but unless you have access to a trade account at a plastics wholesalers its doubtfull you will be able to buy sheets big enough, its about twice the price of glass but has the benefits of being easy to cut for a tight fit around filter fittings and wires and also being shatter proof when a 18" angry arowana hits it.

For lighting i have two 5 foot tubes normal household tubes and a 18" "moonlight" tube powered by arcadia ballasts, they are just layed across the top of the tank resting on the covers with reflectors fitted over the top to prevent light spillage, high volume lighting is not needed or wanted as my tanks are unplanted and house many nocturnal fish. I have no hoods on any of my tanks. My tanks look a mess but IMO its the quallity of the fish inside that counts not how pretty the actual tank looks.