Poor Man's 100 gallon reef build 36x37.5x18 (WITH PICTURES) - Page 2

PurdueMAN_08 · 05/16/2010, 11:01 AM

Fizz, I've used something like that before but had a LOT of trouble with it. Could have just been the manufacturer I used however as mine cost under $10 complete. I might look into it agian though so we shall see.

Here are some updates on the stand It isn't a great location for the stand as far as the room layout but it will be nice to sit and stare at it while doing work on the computer. Also, the top trim piece will have to be installed after the aquarium is placed on the stand. It should really make the stand look a lot nicer.

PurdueMAN_08 · 05/19/2010, 10:34 AM

Okay, well it ended up being too late to add the internal overflow box since it was already to be shipped so I will be drilling it myself. I had them add enough glass to make an internal 12"x4"x4" overflow box and will be drilling for Bean Animals silent overflow setup. I am ordering the bits from ebay so should I get two since I need 4 holes? I found a 45mm diamond hole saw for cheap and that should be good for a 1" bulkhead.

Also, I will be using the 20 gallon tank for the top off reservoir and adding a larger tank for the sump. My reasoning is because the 20 gallon is to long to fit between the 2x4s in the base and don't want to set the tank up on top of them because that will make me lose 2" in head space which is already tight. I have 27.5" to work with so will be looking for a good wide tank to fit. maybe a 30gallon wide? will have to look for one now.

Blitzburggirl · 05/19/2010, 11:09 AM

Oh my.... The location is bad bad bad. As if forums such as RC aren't already a distraction, now you'll never get any work done!!!

I'm only half joking man

In my old house my 220 was on the left of the desk, and I found it very difficult to concentrate on anything I should have been concentrating on.

PurdueMAN_08 · 05/23/2010, 07:23 AM

Well got the tank Saturday around 6:30PM. It is exactly what I was wanting! The silicon was nice and the tank was build like a beast. Now I have to wait for my 2" diamond coated hole saws to get here to drill for Bean Animals silent overflow and the return line. I hope drilling 1/2" glass isn't too hard!

However, there is one seam that I'm concerned with. I noticed it when the tank movers put it in my truck but wasn't sure if it was a big deal or not. Does this seam look okay? It has a small air bubble with a streak of air running to it. It is very small but I just don't know if it is normal or not.

Other than that I love this tank and it really looks good. Here are some more pics with one on the stand but still not top trim.

Nice dimension.

Very clean edge

Rskillz · 05/23/2010, 07:28 AM

Looks awesome dude, but is that a crack in the glass?

1DeR9_3Hy · 05/23/2010, 08:35 AM

As long as the ari bubble/pocket is on the outside of the tank (no the inside seam) which it looks like, you should be fine. How thick is the glass?

PurdueMAN_08 · 05/23/2010, 11:51 AM

The glass is 1/2" and the microbubble is between the two panes of glass on the front corner near the bottom of the tank. It is close to the extra bracing running inside the tank on the bottom sheet however so maybe it will be okay? It is an extreme closeup.

mixer911 · 05/23/2010, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PurdueMAN_08

Very clean edge

Wow is that a glass cages tank... Never seen polished and beveled glass come from them. That looks nice.

nlandgraf · 05/23/2010, 09:25 PM

This is not a poor man's tank, but a resourceful man's tank. Great job on the setup!

PurdueMAN_08 · 05/30/2010, 08:21 AM

Well, glasscages told me the bubble looked fine and wouldn't be a problem so I'll keep fingers crossed. I have no update on the tank because I haven't received teh hole saws yet so hopefully by this coming weekend it will be completely up and running. I hate waiting on supplies when I'm ready to go!

PurdueMAN_08 · 06/04/2010, 06:48 PM

Well, I have one hole drilled as I just go the bits last night. Here is my progress so far. Would love to have this thing rolling by Sunday. We shall see...

InsaneClownFish · 06/04/2010, 08:53 PM

Great job on the stand, that looks really slick.

PurdueMAN_08 · 06/05/2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InsaneClownFish

Great job on the stand, that looks really slick.

Thanks! I have a small update. I got all four holes drilled and built the overflow box. I will be putting it up on the stand in a few hours and begin plumbing it and then I will start adding water to the system tonight hopefully.

Here is a picture of the overflow box and a video of me drilling the holes.

FYI: For those of you thinking about drilling your tank I will say this... It is VERY EASY as long as your patient. The inexpensive bits on ebay are fantastic and one 50mm bit drilled through four holes at 1/2" thick and another 50mm hole that was in a 20L tank. I believe it still has plenty of life left. I bought two so if anybody is interested it the other unused bit let me know. $8 shipped anywhere in the lower 48 states.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

[IMG]

[/IMG]

coraltastic · 06/05/2010, 03:19 PM

nice build great work on the stand cant wait to see it set up

brianf21 · 06/05/2010, 10:31 PM

It looks as if there are two panes of glass on the picture of the tank on the stand or is there glass panes stored in the tank?

PurdueMAN_08 · 06/06/2010, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianf21

It looks as if there are two panes of glass on the picture of the tank on the stand or is there glass panes stored in the tank?

No, it is just the refraction of light playing tricks on the the camera. It did puzzle me for a second though when I downloaded the pics.

Update: The plumbing is coming along. I've decided to use my 20L tank and two 10 gallon tanks for the sump. The water will dump into the 20 gallon tank and then have two bulkheads with each bulkhead emptying into a 10 gallon tank.

BTW: This design will give plenty of room for emergency water volume should the power go out. I estimate there will be aprox 17 gallons of extra volume if the power goes out.

PurdueMAN_08 · 06/09/2010, 09:24 PM

Well, tank is in operation mode right now. Will begin transfering all livestock ASAP. I have been running into plenty of snags but I've got through them all. They have really slowed my progress but I'm almost there now. Here are some pics of the Overflow in operation. It is SUPER QUITE!!! Don't mind the hose form the middle pipe. I haven't attached in properly yet.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

[IMG]

[/IMG]

Bmwtechray · 06/09/2010, 10:46 PM

Ur water line is very close to the edge most rimless tanks Ive seen have at least a inch
from the top

zackc13 · 06/09/2010, 11:26 PM

very addicting expensive hobby. I tried to start up a used 120g and ended up w/ 120g of saltwater on my new wood floor...30k worth of damage all because I tried to do it cheap and bought a used tank. Never again all is good now.

Demonic · 06/09/2010, 11:40 PM

Great build thread. I like to see a build done cheaper, but still done right. The tank looks great. I am such a sucker for cubes, but a bigger sucker for tangs so I can't have one.

koll12 · 06/10/2010, 02:15 AM

How much did the tank cost from glasscages ?

Demonic · 06/10/2010, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PurdueMAN_08

So far my costs are:

Tank: $286
Stand: $162 ($90 on the trim pieces, whoa!)
Protein Skimmer: $91 (includes mods)
Lighting: $169
Sump: From current system
Powerheads: From current system
Liverock: From current system
Livestock: From current system
TOTAL $708

Here is your answer.

strout · 06/10/2010, 04:15 AM

Nice looking tank, look forward to watching it come together. I didn't know you couldn't put Tangs in a cube, why is that, learn something new everyday.

Demonic · 06/10/2010, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strout

Nice looking tank, look forward to watching it come together. I didn't know you couldn't put Tangs in a cube, why is that, learn something new everyday.

You could put a tang or two in a cube. But I love all tangs, mostly the big ones. LOL

67Duster · 06/10/2010, 07:52 AM

Nice build on a budget.

06/04/2010, 08:53 PM	#37
InsaneClownFish Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 5,069	Great job on the stand, that looks really slick. __________________ 7 Years Reefing and Many Fresh 8 Foot Envisions

06/09/2010, 09:24 PM	#42
PurdueMAN_08 Critter Kreeper Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indianapolis,IN Posts: 201	Well, tank is in operation mode right now. Will begin transfering all livestock ASAP. I have been running into plenty of snags but I've got through them all. They have really slowed my progress but I'm almost there now. Here are some pics of the Overflow in operation. It is SUPER QUITE!!! Don't mind the hose form the middle pipe. I haven't attached in properly yet. [IMG][/IMG] [IMG][/IMG]

06/09/2010, 11:40 PM	#45
Demonic Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Minot, ND Posts: 815	Great build thread. I like to see a build done cheaper, but still done right. The tank looks great. I am such a sucker for cubes, but a bigger sucker for tangs so I can't have one. __________________ 23,996 thawed iced cubes in a big cube and filled with flowers that grow under water.

06/10/2010, 07:52 AM	#50
67Duster Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Cowtown Posts: 62	Nice build on a budget. __________________ "Bad things happen to stupid people." "No man needs help digging his own grave."

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05/16/2010, 11:01 AM	#26
PurdueMAN_08 Critter Kreeper Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indianapolis,IN Posts: 201	Fizz, I've used something like that before but had a LOT of trouble with it. Could have just been the manufacturer I used however as mine cost under $10 complete. I might look into it agian though so we shall see. Here are some updates on the stand It isn't a great location for the stand as far as the room layout but it will be nice to sit and stare at it while doing work on the computer. Also, the top trim piece will have to be installed after the aquarium is placed on the stand. It should really make the stand look a lot nicer.

05/19/2010, 10:34 AM	#27
PurdueMAN_08 Critter Kreeper Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indianapolis,IN Posts: 201	Okay, well it ended up being too late to add the internal overflow box since it was already to be shipped so I will be drilling it myself. I had them add enough glass to make an internal 12"x4"x4" overflow box and will be drilling for Bean Animals silent overflow setup. I am ordering the bits from ebay so should I get two since I need 4 holes? I found a 45mm diamond hole saw for cheap and that should be good for a 1" bulkhead. Also, I will be using the 20 gallon tank for the top off reservoir and adding a larger tank for the sump. My reasoning is because the 20 gallon is to long to fit between the 2x4s in the base and don't want to set the tank up on top of them because that will make me lose 2" in head space which is already tight. I have 27.5" to work with so will be looking for a good wide tank to fit. maybe a 30gallon wide? will have to look for one now.

05/19/2010, 11:09 AM	#28
Blitzburggirl Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Fayetteville, NC Posts: 397	Oh my.... The location is bad bad bad. As if forums such as RC aren't already a distraction, now you'll never get any work done!!! I'm only half joking man In my old house my 220 was on the left of the desk, and I found it very difficult to concentrate on anything I should have been concentrating on.

05/23/2010, 07:23 AM	#29
PurdueMAN_08 Critter Kreeper Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indianapolis,IN Posts: 201	Well got the tank Saturday around 6:30PM. It is exactly what I was wanting! The silicon was nice and the tank was build like a beast. Now I have to wait for my 2" diamond coated hole saws to get here to drill for Bean Animals silent overflow and the return line. I hope drilling 1/2" glass isn't too hard! However, there is one seam that I'm concerned with. I noticed it when the tank movers put it in my truck but wasn't sure if it was a big deal or not. Does this seam look okay? It has a small air bubble with a streak of air running to it. It is very small but I just don't know if it is normal or not. Other than that I love this tank and it really looks good. Here are some more pics with one on the stand but still not top trim. Nice dimension. Very clean edge

05/23/2010, 07:28 AM	#30
Rskillz Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 355	Looks awesome dude, but is that a crack in the glass?

05/23/2010, 08:35 AM	#31
1DeR9_3Hy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,575	As long as the ari bubble/pocket is on the outside of the tank (no the inside seam) which it looks like, you should be fine. How thick is the glass?

05/23/2010, 11:51 AM	#32
PurdueMAN_08 Critter Kreeper Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indianapolis,IN Posts: 201	The glass is 1/2" and the microbubble is between the two panes of glass on the front corner near the bottom of the tank. It is close to the extra bracing running inside the tank on the bottom sheet however so maybe it will be okay? It is an extreme closeup.

05/23/2010, 09:25 PM	#34
nlandgraf Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 65	This is not a poor man's tank, but a resourceful man's tank. Great job on the setup!

05/30/2010, 08:21 AM	#35
PurdueMAN_08 Critter Kreeper Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indianapolis,IN Posts: 201	Well, glasscages told me the bubble looked fine and wouldn't be a problem so I'll keep fingers crossed. I have no update on the tank because I haven't received teh hole saws yet so hopefully by this coming weekend it will be completely up and running. I hate waiting on supplies when I'm ready to go!

06/04/2010, 06:48 PM	#36
PurdueMAN_08 Critter Kreeper Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indianapolis,IN Posts: 201	Well, I have one hole drilled as I just go the bits last night. Here is my progress so far. Would love to have this thing rolling by Sunday. We shall see...

06/05/2010, 03:19 PM	#39
coraltastic Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: richmond ky Posts: 290	nice build great work on the stand cant wait to see it set up

06/05/2010, 10:31 PM	#40
brianf21 Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 18	It looks as if there are two panes of glass on the picture of the tank on the stand or is there glass panes stored in the tank?

06/09/2010, 10:46 PM	#43
Bmwtechray Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorba Linda Posts: 123	Ur water line is very close to the edge most rimless tanks Ive seen have at least a inch from the top

06/09/2010, 11:26 PM	#44
zackc13 Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 9	very addicting expensive hobby. I tried to start up a used 120g and ended up w/ 120g of saltwater on my new wood floor...30k worth of damage all because I tried to do it cheap and bought a used tank. Never again all is good now.

06/10/2010, 02:15 AM	#46
koll12 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Lincoln,NE Posts: 108	How much did the tank cost from glasscages ?

06/10/2010, 04:15 AM	#48
strout Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Biloxi Mississippi Posts: 767	Nice looking tank, look forward to watching it come together. I didn't know you couldn't put Tangs in a cube, why is that, learn something new everyday.