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The Goose Tank
I am very excited as I just picked up my tank today from Concept.
This build is about a month in the making so far. The idea came about as we wanted to make a built-in for our living room around the fireplace. Since we moved about a year ago into our house there hasn't been a spot for my tank and it's been getting neglected sitting in our basement. So with a new built in, the light bulb went off and I convinced the boss that we should have the fish tank in our living room. This is a pic of the original living room. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pslhhkaulg.jpg Well off to concept we went to discuss tanks with Denny. We roughly priced out a tank that would 40" wide 18" deep and 20" tall. The plan was for cabinets to be on both sides of the fireplace, one for electronics on the left, and fish tank on the right. Bookcasing to be on top of the cabinets. Well after I figured that I had 47" inches to the edge of mantel, a quick email to Denny made the tank 46" wide :) Tons of work has gone into prep for this tank and built in. I'll update my second post for editing purposes. |
The picture above is a little old as it doesn't show that we mounted the tv above the fireplace. The problem with this was that all the cords were very visible and were constantly in the way. To solve this I had to do a bunch of wiring. As an aside, who builds a house without putting an outlet above the fireplace these days???
Here is a pic of the wall being partially opened up to run wiring. I ran HDMI cables behind the wall and speaker wire. Also some low voltage wiring for LED strip lighting for shelving. I also created a dedicated circuit for the fish tank, GFCI in the sump area connecting to a plug higher up for lighting, the other plug will removed and just capped off. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psucsxonhj.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pspxvlbkar.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pss1lf5cpn.jpg |
Building the stand.
Here are a bunch of pics of the stand being built. It's built wider than the actual tank just for symmetry with the other cabinet. I bought a bunch of 2x4s from home depot and ripped both sides on the table saw so I could have a nice edge on both sides. I don't own a planer so not much I could do about twisting or cupping so did the best I could. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps2smyzgpx.jpg Cutting to rough sizes first as you can see below then set up my miter saw for equal cuts. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pseiccypc3.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps5zjauycc.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskifwebkp.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psc3b2etnz.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psevmlcmca.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pssalhbxhj.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqilvq9in.jpg |
Pretty fancy stand framing!
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The electronics side cabinet was built more like a euro cabinet as seen below.
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psipln49yl.jpg I'll have to get a pic of it with the face frame on, it's all ready for paint right now. Here is the tank stand with the face frame. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psyqvzbpwj.jpg (and yes Budweiser helps when doing construction) :mrgreen: |
My wife also decided that since the cabinets will be white so should the fireplace.
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqhosdowr.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psozchhicq.jpg Oh and while you're at it, lets retile it and repaint the room http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psls62tqvm.jpg New tiles http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psmnxjjldc.jpg |
Don't laugh at my hair, it took me all night to do :redface:
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Off to Black Forest Wood Company for some wood for the countertops.
We found some really nice looking Mansonia wood. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswkcfkthu.jpg Laminating it up! http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7av6arr5.jpg After the glue up I brought it back to the wood shop for a sanding at 80 grit to make it nice and level. I will do the final sanding and staining once it comes back in a couple days. |
Nice work - looks pro!
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Here are the designs for the tank that Denny sent to me for the tank and the sump.
I wanted a central internal overflow with herbie style drains (1 main and 1 emergency) and an internal return. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps5sd5smnq.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pslykc3bkf.jpg The sump is designed with a 15 gallon ATO tank integrated. I'm also terrible at changing filter socks so we didn't got down that route, instead we added a little shelf of glass where I can put egg crate and filter floss if I so desire. And if I forget to change it or clean it (highly likely) it will just overflow in to the skimmer section anyway. I bought a Curve 5 skimmer from Concept as well. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psho0rhtk8.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pss82wn1bj.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psucqyut7p.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psyhhjbedk.jpg |
And of course here is the actual tank. I can honestly say I'm in love :biggrin:
The tank and sump look absolutely stunning, I can't wait to get them full of water. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psxvjf9quy.jpg Ignore the excess silicone, that was scraped off. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psuen0yyvp.jpg After driving like Miss Daisy down Deerfoot they are sitting in my garage right now under lock down. No one is allowed near it lol. I will have to cover them up nice and tight as I have to convert a section of my garage on sunday into a spray booth room for the cabinets. |
wow that's coming along nicely ! Definitely some very pro level workmanship there.
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I set up a corner of the garage as a paint shop today.
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskjyc1d1g.jpg Both cabinets sanded ready for primer. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0umc1kyt.jpg First coat on, the side closest to us faces a wall so that's why I'm not worried about the big seam you see. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psdzkuko3f.jpg Stand cabinet all primed up. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psok5xdxro.jpg I started sanding the final coat of primer but it was still a little wet in one spot where I had a run and didn't notice. So that spot is totally messed up, so I'm leaving it overnight so it dries completely. I'll resand that section tomorrow and give it a quick spray of primer. It's in a noticeable spot so it would be all I look at if I don't fix it now. Was hoping to have at least the first coat of paint done tonight but want it done right. My morning will be spent furniture shopping of course instead of working on this, argh. Who needs furniture anyway? Trying to stay in my wife's good books anyway since there's some LED lights I really want for this tank. Fingers crossed, all painting done tomorrow and possibly cabinets put in the living room. And maybe while I'm out I'll stop in at concept for some plumbing supplies. |
I got the boards back from the wood shop and they are nice and smooth. Not quite as flat as I had hoped (little bit of a cup to them) but it'll get screwed down from underneath so should be fine.
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pslwolnivt.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psbwntzl8r.jpg Here it is after final sanding, stained and clear coated, looks amazing. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psb5donyxv.jpg I also got the cabinets installed yesterday and some tiling done in front of the fireplace. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pshe8kbt7e.jpg Damn I'm good :) http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psxhpdpbq3.jpg I also have to make a ton of water so I had to recharge some di resin. Can you tell I like to do everything myself? http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pscadhlpz2.jpg So what's left? Adding shelving above the cabinets, grout, silicone inside tank stand, screw down countertops, put back the carpet, and oh yeah, get the tank full of water. New furniture is supposed to arrive on Sunday. Lights sound like it will be next week when Concept gets them in. |
Looking very nice so far. Great work. Cant wait to see the finished product.
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Everything is turning out nice. Following this build.
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Thanks for following :biggrin: |
Grout is all done
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps9vnuhkmf.jpg I put the tack strips down for the carpet and cut it but it's a little loose so need to do a little adjusting to it. And now for the huge news.......... Tank going into position http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0bqmshs8.jpg And the first jug of water going in http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psu3unemvn.jpg http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psal9dlfnv.jpg I've got two heaters going right now in it. I bought the wrong bulkheads so need to return those, so water is filled up to the hole in the overflow chamber. Will get new bulkheads tomorrow and start on plumbing. What a relief to be nearly done, just a few small things to finish off. Need to trim around the tank to hide the plywood bottom of the tank. Need to make doors still but those should be quick. My dad also might make me some nice stained glass windows for the doors which would like amazing. Thanks for following me on my reno/tank build. |
Need some plumbing advice.
My return is drilled through the overflow box about two inches below the water surface. To prevent siphoning my tank back into the sump I'll drill a hole in the return line in the overflow box just below the surface. I get that, but the one thing that confuses me as I'm filling the tank is should I make sure the return inside the display tank go below the level of the return hole? Otherwise as I'm filling it all the water is just going to go into the sump regardless of siphon break. Everywhere is out of loc line so I have to do it temporarily with pvc and elbows. |
Why not put a check valve in
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http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps2u6h6dub.jpg
Here's what I mean, if you left it like this with no check valve all the water up to that level will be drained. I'm thinking the line should be curved down to below that level (kinda like a durso) that way the siphon break will prevent water from draining below that level? |
It will still drain down to the lower part the pipe regardless if you put a elbow on or not it just won't siphon
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mine return is similar, just have room in the sump for backflow
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Really want to avoid the back flow to the sump if possible.
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What if I angle up on the return and create a siphon break on the pipe on the display tank side?
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Put 2 x 45 fittings
on the return bulkhead , first one aimed up the second aimed out , this wouldn't be permanent but something to use until the loc line is available , don't glue the 45 just dry fit. This will give you the raise you need ;) |
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Yeah it will extend out far especially with the adapter you have in the bulkhead that's why I say it's only temp same with asthetics too looks like crap lol
Looking good buddy ;) |
Haha thanks!
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Whipped that up quickly eh lol looks good buddy and will work just fine plus no syphon break maybe needed now:)
Cheers Denny |
Let ther be light!!
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps6mvjcjzp.jpg The hydra 52 is awesome. I had to make my own mounting system because the one I bought doesn't fit or I'm totally not using it right. My little helper making sure Nemo is okay. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskils8gqg.jpg Mostly finished http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psgfby67y4.jpg The gate isn't quite long enough so the bucket is holding it in place. I really need to make doors but I've run out of time. All the plumbing is done, had two bulkheads leak on me so that took awhile to get them nice and tight. Slight gurgle in the herbie so I will have to make a gurgle buster for that. I also set up the tunze osmolator for the ATO and so far so good. Need to do some major aquascaping but just wanted everything in. Looks I might need some more rock too. I'm off to work so I won't be home for the next four days, I will be doing lots of FaceTime with my wife so I can make sure everything is running well. |
I was home for one day and we went fish shopping. Here's my two new additions.
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psv6b9fqwd.jpg They are a little fast, sorry for the bluriness. I really like the sailfin tang. The blue tang hid under a rock for about an hour, then I added some food and she came right out. I also added two peppermint shrimp, but I'm sure I won't see them until night time. Thanks for stopping by my thread and for the votes so far in the contest. I really appreciate it. More updates to come as there's still a lot of work to do. |
I figure I'd post a quick update.
I'm kind of stalled at the 90% complete stage, you know how that goes. Still have doors to do but we've been busy with yard work etc. at the moment. The tank is really coming along. I'm using h2ocean salt now and the corals are really starting to thrive and colour up since their year of neglect in my basement. Here are some pics. Bubble coral (can't remember the name) with a finger leather frag. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps4cvwsofu.jpg Maxi mini anemone showing awesome colours with the led lights (colours I didn't know it even had) http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pstodpllsp.jpg As you can see I have some Kenya trees to chop down as its blocking some of the light getting to the nem. Also the acan is colouring up and has some new heads already. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pse2mdyuys.jpg Favia http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pslry43x5g.jpg Hammer coral starting to really come out, gsp in the background. http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pshdehx63y.jpg Torch http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswqozwvvt.jpg |
Looks like the transition went well!
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A few new additions thanks to riceboy.
Blue Stag http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps2lopipi8.jpg Sitosa http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps8kxryjgt.jpg Idaho Purple Grape Montipora http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswft2cxx5.jpg Bird of Paradise http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqvnc2kgx.jpg |
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