The Perfect Cube Set up... I Hope?!
- Thread starter brentv
- Start date
My Cabinet/stand design at the moment.
I am thinking of making it a 100mm wider around the sides with a small timber edging not granit like in the image, so I can remove the 'U' shape to clean the glass with a mag cleaner. This will give me loads of space for my sump.
The back side is gonna house my electronics, controllers etc on the one side and all return pipes and shelves for additives food etc on the other. will have a few little extractor fans on the back in crucial areas, chiller exhaust and around controllers!
Was really gonna try keep it 4 sided, but it will just look very neat to do 3 sides and the fourth is still cool to look at when I show mates the workings, controllers etc!
Top is gonna be open with my 2 LED 194w units which have just arrived awesome..awesome
and the cables for that and wavepumps will neatly go down the back...
After much thought I am going to go with the stand in timber!
Not a bad design, not sure on the rest of the room layout and other furniture. But in itself, it is a nice design. The back panel with the cabinet is in my opinion better for rock scaping. Else you end up with a pyramid heap of rock in the middle of the tank.
If you do the stand in wood, just do it with wood that can handle the extra moisture. SA pine will ot last as long as other more durable wood. Take into account that the same tree type in SA grow a lot faster compared to the same tree in Norway or Canada. So the colder climate wood end up being a lot stronger than our hotter climate. And that also reflect in the price. Generally even with steel prices climbing faster than our petrol prices, it is still cheaper to use steel than wood in South Africa.
The other way around in US of A for example
If you do the stand in wood, just do it with wood that can handle the extra moisture. SA pine will ot last as long as other more durable wood. Take into account that the same tree type in SA grow a lot faster compared to the same tree in Norway or Canada. So the colder climate wood end up being a lot stronger than our hotter climate. And that also reflect in the price. Generally even with steel prices climbing faster than our petrol prices, it is still cheaper to use steel than wood in South Africa.
The other way around in US of A for example
Thanks Riaan,
I agree with you about the scaping!
My friend Piet whom I bought all the same equipment for when I was in China, is doing the stand and cabinetry work for me for bugger all as he has a Kitchen/cupboard business.. he is all up to date on wood strengths and stuff..
The base below the glass is apparently a marine grade 20mm shutter board that will be doubled to 40mm.. He is building the exact tank as mine... LED's and all for his showroom.
P.S. Black sillicone coming today
Just finished building the box part of my sump, used the black aqua silicone for the first time. Slightly different to clear, but looks awesome! Just need to trim the excess off with a blade!
Not sure how to upload pics straight from my iPhone so will do it at the office tomorrow!!
Not sure how to upload pics straight from my iPhone so will do it at the office tomorrow!!
Still gotta get a blade to clean the excess and make neat straight lines!!
Got the box done now 700Lx600Wx500H
Now still really deciding if I should do a DSB in this tank??!!
My new thoughts:
Inflow area with a baffler, and space for additional reactors and skimmer
I'm going to build 5 reactors DIY in parallel similar to Express reefs cube, but inflow coming in from the bottom!
I want to run a few things in the reactors (seem to be going very chemical this time compared to my more natural way with my large tank)
Reactors: Carbon, ammonia stones, phos remover (best option?
)Purigen (If I aint doing a DSB!
)..and I have space to put one other ingredient or drip plankton/green water??
I have additional reactors for bio balls..
Would I use the area that was going to be for the DSB as a refugium for LR and Chaeto?? is this needed with all the chemicals and additives I'm using!!
Also running a Calc reactor!!
my opinion, sand is cheap.
Once done, it needs very little maintenance.
So go ahead, call me cheap and lazy. :yeahdude:
The verdict is out, I do not feel alone anymore wrt straight silicone lines...lol
Things have seriously changed for this build!
I am now gonna plumb this tank directly into my current sump, will run through my ideas shortly, but basically gonna exit this DT into a 500L Rototank (Food grade) directly outside on the wall behind the tank, which will then overflow into my remote DSB and then via my whole system.
I am now able to do water changes a hellova lot easier as I will put bypass valves to the 500L so the system will keep running, and be able with the help of a pump and piping to do water changes.
My idea is to actually dig up the garden a bit .. Wife's gonna love that!?
and install waste piping for this, so no hosepipe, just flick swith and bye bye water!!!
Will draw a pic soon to best describe this
I am now gonna plumb this tank directly into my current sump, will run through my ideas shortly, but basically gonna exit this DT into a 500L Rototank (Food grade) directly outside on the wall behind the tank, which will then overflow into my remote DSB and then via my whole system.
I am now able to do water changes a hellova lot easier as I will put bypass valves to the 500L so the system will keep running, and be able with the help of a pump and piping to do water changes.
My idea is to actually dig up the garden a bit
.. Wife's gonna love that!?and install waste piping for this, so no hosepipe, just flick swith and bye bye water!!!
Will draw a pic soon to best describe this
