Drop Off Reef Tank

Gripenfelter · #1 07-15-2011, 02:19 PM

I know most of you guys don't know me but I like to go overboard. Over engineer, buy the biggest, baddest, most insane, fastest, most horsepower, etc. and then hide the VISA bills from the wife.

So anyways, I'm looking to build a drop off reef tank. People have had a 50-50 sucess rate with them. Some of them turn out great and other leak or burst. This is still at the BS stage. Meaning more talk than anything else. Looking to build in winter.

Like the above tank WITHOUT the seam.

The last one was made of acrylic and burst at the seam after 12 hrs.

Has anyone here made one of these?

Also thinking about possibly just building a regular rectangular aquarium and then making a shelf inside to duplicate the above. Then just cover the side of the aquarium with part of the stand so it still produces the L-shape.

Otherwise if I go L-shaped like the above tanks and not rectangular then I would incorporate bracing into the stand and have metal bracing at the top as well.

Thinking about 180 gallons. 6 ft long, 2 feet wide, shelf area will be 18" high and 4 ft long, drop off will be 3 ft deep.

Discuss/critique/tell me I'm crazy/go nuts.

don.ald · #2 07-15-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gripenfelter

Also thinking about possibly just building a regular rectangular aquarium and then making a shelf inside to duplicate the above. Then just cover the side of the aquarium with part of the stand so it still produces the L-shape.

this was my first thought when i saw the pics; but, i think you can do it with a real drop-off. go for it. i'm watching.

monocus · #3 07-15-2011, 02:41 PM

i would go with a rectangular,and build a viewable cave area

Skimmerking · #4 07-15-2011, 02:42 PM

what about doing it in Plywood. and have a see through hole on the left side or right side. or the viewing will still be the front. and the drop off can have ahuge oval shape view

lastlight · #5 07-15-2011, 02:47 PM

I was thinking the same with the shelf but with that empty void who knows how that affects the overall structure with water pushing down on it? I'd have inner eurobracing everywhere and build the stand edges a bit higher to hide it. So build the rectangle, inner brace it all then construct the shelf by building a hollow box inside and inner brace that. I'm no engineer (I'm a drop-out engineer tho lol) but that sounds do-able.

steve fedyk · #6 07-15-2011, 03:07 PM

I saw a build on rc last summer. He cut the glass on a flow jet(water) and looked pretty cool. I would like to see one built here.

lastlight · #7 07-15-2011, 03:14 PM

If you don't do the rectangle first technique I'd personally have it built on-site so the tank conforms to your stand better and doesn't get moved around. Then of course inner brace where possible.

Myka · #8 08-01-2011, 11:18 PM

Woah! That's freakin awesome! As much as I hunt around all over the place looking for info, I actually haven't come across one of these designs before. VERY cool.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gripenfelter

Also thinking about possibly just building a regular rectangular aquarium and then making a shelf inside to duplicate the above. Then just cover the side of the aquarium with part of the stand so it still produces the L-shape.

Good idea. You might have inspired me! Damn you!

fishytime · #9 08-01-2011, 11:27 PM

check this thread out...... he revised the design of the tank to include a drop on page two......its gonna be 5' deep!

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=76927

Gripenfelter · #10 08-02-2011, 02:52 AM

I've been trying to figure out a way of just doing a rectangular tank and building a shelf in the middle. Unfortunately there is no viable way to support the shelf without dumping in 200 lbs of sand and sealing it.

Looks like I will be trying the L-shaped glass.