Bignellm's 50 Gallon Acrylic Project

[bignellm]

As discussed in my blog, now brought into the public with this blog creation in general blogs.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aqua...wjournal&j=592

Been working on upgrading from a 10 and 16 to a 50 gallon+, with little success until this fall. Went out after getting frustrated and ordered a full custom 50 gallon acrylic from a local fish store/tank builder.

Got the tank on Jan 25th, and rounded up last of the equipment in Feb. Went about and created some hand drawn designs and then today, decided for laughs to do a test fire of the system.

A 20 Gallon Storage Tote w/ Driftwood Piece for tank
Front Tote ____Back Tote ____Rena Xp3
0226121928a.jpg0226121929a.jpg0226121929b.jpg

Upon installation of the 200W heater, 2x39W T5 HO, Rena, and LED bubble wall; I was pleasantly surprised by the shimmer of the lighting off the surface, which was rippling from the upwards pointed Spray Bar attachment. It was a mini fountain effect and I will certainly install the system like this again, for that shimmer effect on the 50 gallon.

The only hitch on today's "Test Fire" was a little water build up in the motor compartment of the Xp3. I'm about 40% certain, it's not a huge deal, as the water line was only 40" above the top of the canister. Can anyone with Rena Filstar experience tell me if a little water build up is normal? I figure I'll just need a water tray under the canister to catch any drizzles and to catch spilloffs from the disconnect on maintenance day. It wasn't a huge gusher buildup, just about 5 or so tablespoons of water which was trapped in the assembly after test was over. It came out from the power cord area, with prodding. Overall, today was a gleaming success and bumped up my excitement to install this for real.

Till then, took the bio-media rings that I bought and stuck some in the Fluval C3 I have on my 16, in the empty carbon basket--to build up a little colony for the Rena.

[bignellm]

Location of equipment in the pictures to be reconsidered on location. Am likely to swap the intake to the opposite side and install the out flow to the middle and direct turn it to face the original side of the intake. Then again, I don't want the Rena to suck up bubbles. It was quiet on the test.

Layout of Equipment/Substate, Plant Identification, and Plant Locations
55 Gallon Equipment Plan.jpg55 Gallon Plant Placement Identification.jpg55 Gallon Plant Placement Planning.jpg

Equipment:

Rena Xp3
Aqueon Pro 200 W Heater
Fusion 500 Air pump
Cora Life Timer system (Day/Night electronic timers)
Hagen Glo Lite 2x39w T5 HO
Plant Spectrum T5 bulb (spectrum escapes me atm)
Marine Spectrum 10000k T5 bulb
18" LED Bubble wand (Not Marineland, brand escapes me atm)

Substrate:

Black Flourite 3-20LB bags
Colorado Color Carib Sea Gravel
White crushed Carib Sea Gravel

Possible Livestock changes:

Rehome single Danio (most likely to occur tomorrow)
Consider adding a Mated Pair of Blue Rams (LFS has one, saw them today)
Add Flame Moss to Driftwood, upon arrival.

[bignellm]

Next Item of business, to design the stand for this tank. Got by my figures, 5 20LB bags of substrate, which will probably displace an area of water 36"x17"x1.5" or 4-5 gallons water. Making this 45 gallons water approximately for water weight. This should be approximately 375 Lbs of water and 100 Lbs of substrate. So, on the low side, the stand will need to be able to hold 475 Lbs. This shouldn't be a problem. I even have an idea for installing parts to make this a tank with level-able feet, via adjusters.

[bignellm]

Well, here we go. Everything's finally in motion and am now reciting the past 24 hours of work.

Below is the planning stage and first Dado Cuts:

Pre Stage 1.jpgStage 1 2.jpg

Below here is the last of the Dado cuts and Stage 1 assembly:

Stage 1.jpgStage 2.jpg

And this is the result of what I looked like after Dado Cutting with two of my tanks in the background. The "Holding Pens".

Tired Mark.jpg

I learned pretty quick that the Dado Jig disabled the dust collection capacity of my table saw.

All this work took about 4 hours.

[bignellm]

And here we go with the next few hours.

Below is the addition of a floor and the resulting jungle gym my oldest thought I was building:

Stage 3.jpgStage 3 Goof Off.jpg

And below in these stages, the addition of a side and a back panel:

Stage 4.jpgStage 5.jpg

And in stage 6 here, the fitting of a top and the beginning of piecing together of trim pieces:

Stage 6.jpg

All in all, these steps took me another 4 hours.

[bignellm]

The above was finished by the end of the first day. Below is the completion of the work up to this point in time.

Stages 7 and 8, completion of trim and doors:

Stage 7.jpgStage 8.jpg

Stage 9 and my children still treating it like a play thing:

Stage 9.jpgStage 9 Goof Off.jpg

Close up of Jungle Gym antics:

Stage 9 Goof Off 2.jpg

[Cliff]

That's some nice wood working there

Any thoughts as to how you want to finish it ?

[bignellm]

Below is the final step I've taken today.

Stage 10, Affixed the top with screws and construction glue:
Stage 10.jpg

This leaves me with an unfinished aquarium stand, that needs some veneers for the paneling I used, on hand, and staining. I'm opting for the 2 in 1 Minwax Polyshades. The color I'll be using with be American Chestnut Satin.

Time to date on this project? About 12-16 hours of real work. Cost? Lost count. Weight of stand? Heavy! Two man job or one man with dolly. Stable? No fear of collapse from aquarium.

Anyway. Was fun to build to date and hopefully looks awesome with aquarium on top too. Let me know if there's any issues I don't seemed to have addressed.

[bignellm]

That's some nice wood working there

Any thoughts as to how you want to finish it ?

Turned out well. Looks better in person. Going with iron on veneers to hide the plywood edges and using Minwax Polyshade American Chestnut in Satin finish.

[Cliff]

Nice choice of stain

I'm looking forward seeing pics of the finished stand