PART DEUX!!! - Epic Overhaul (3D Backgrounds/300g, 250g, 120g tanks)

[rrcoolj]

This tank is going to look epic when done and those backgrounds are to die for. Can't wait to see the final product those fastae are going to love their new home.

 

[gangster]

Looks like your havn a blast! I cant wait til i get a garage one of these days.

 

[Redearsunfish]

JK47 - 1. Those are the nicest backgrounds i've ever seen.

2. I would pretty much trade all my aquariums for the picture you posted on the midas/reddevil tank.

3. I wish I had never seen this thread, because it makes me realize just how ugly my aquariums are

 

[Redearsunfish]

Can i make another observation?

How cool would it be to skin the front of the stand in the background material, just like you positioned them in your pictures? Cut them in half and make some kind of interlocking doors.

Oh and skin the canopy too!!! and the background of course. It would be like having a living tree half 2/3 submerged in a pristine sparkling pool in your living room!

just a thought!

 

[West1]

I wish I had never seen this thread, because it makes me realize just how ugly my aquariums are

Yup!

 

[JK47]

I hate you and clockwork =(! The amount of jealousy these backgrounds cause!!! I wish I was your feaste pair in short lol Cant wait to see it all done.

Thank you

great start Justin !!! the buffing came out amazing.... can't wait to see a finished product, I got high expectations for this build. As far as which way to position it I'm with Dan, I like pic 2 but I see your image as well and also agree with you that you wont get the same affect as you vision if you do it that way. GL and I am staying tuned.

Thank you LOPAKA! I have high expectations for this too, I believe this will be my best work yet. The Tumbes background is going to be the hardest BG install I have ever done, by far. I have to break it into 7 pieces to fit it through the openings in the acrylic top and stitch it back together, cut down the hieght and width as well..

in my tanks on my sump i just use an upturned 90 as my overflow and it works like a dream. takes no space up and painted black i cant see it. very simple and effective for my setups and super easy to setup. mine are very quiet. the main noise is the water going into the sump.

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I am thinking this will be my only option but the elbows will be turned down with one additional 90 turned up as the emergency drain. Thanks for the feedback.

I love holes on the top of the tank, and had eleven holes for 1 1/2" PVC put in the top of my big tank. But then I do have quirky ideas for mechanical filtration. I will have eight uptakes and three returns. All the pipe coming down into the tank pose a problem for a 3D background. A major player in the big tank world suggested that I drill holes in the back of the tank so all the plumbing could be hidden behind a background. I will not do that. I would rather go with the laminated black back we already have with black PVC pipes than drill the back of my tank. If we do go with a background, it will be low profile, and the eleven pipes will be turned into trees in front of the background....and it will have to be DIY


In your case, though, I bet you could use a couple of the holes for returns that would still be hidden behind your background.

^ I am really interested in this. Can you post some pics here (don't worry about derail ) or link me to pics? I am very curious to see how your overflows are going over the top of the tank.

Nice! Can't wait to see the first background set up!!!
I bet that was a pretty penny

Thanks West! We spend so much on our fish, why not do right by them and buy top of the line equipment. Why put a trophy girlfreind in ghetto apartment right?

This tank is going to look epic when done and those backgrounds are to die for. Can't wait to see the final product those fastae are going to love their new home.

Thanks Reggie! I hope so!

Looks like your havn a blast! I cant wait til i get a garage one of these days.

Thanks brutha! My new garage is a kid free zone. I finally have a man cave lol..

JK47 - 1. Those are the nicest backgrounds i've ever seen.

2. I would pretty much trade all my aquariums for the picture you posted on the midas/reddevil tank.

3. I wish I had never seen this thread, because it makes me realize just how ugly my aquariums are

These are really kind words, thank you!

Can i make another observation?

How cool would it be to skin the front of the stand in the background material, just like you positioned them in your pictures? Cut them in half and make some kind of interlocking doors.

Oh and skin the canopy too!!! and the background of course. It would be like having a living tree half 2/3 submerged in a pristine sparkling pool in your living room!

just a thought!

You mean like this..??? I have some slimline rock sheets that I cover my stand on the 300 gallon with. Don't get excited though it's only temporary. I am installing these in a friends 270 gallon ray tank after we move.







(STAND IS DONE, PICS IN A BIT)

 

[pacu mom]

I am really interested in this. Can you post some pics here (don't worry about derail ) or link me to pics? I am very curious to see how your overflows are going over the top of the tank.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I have external overflow boxes on my tank. In addition, I had them drill eleven holes in the top of the tank for additional mechanical filtration. I was merely suggesting that perhaps you could use some of the holes in the top of your tank for return pipes, especially since the bulkier part of your 3D background will be near the top. I was thinking it might be bulky enough to hide returns coming from the top of the tank. I'm going to PM you for advice on the 3D background we will be trying to make.

 

[JK47]

I spent all morning cutting down 2x6's for the stand build today. In total it took me about 4 hours to put together and cut but I had to make a few trips to the old house or I would have been done faster.



You get an idea how much taller the new stand will be than the old stand.



I frame all of the outsides first then work my way inside. I to this to keep things true. If I work my way from one side to the other I always seem to end up with a crooked frame.







Finished top and bottom frames here. I like building these first and attaching the top while the stand is on it's side. I did this without any help so not bad IMO for one dude with no DIY skills.



I mount the uprights (the tall ones) so I can put the stand on it's side to finish the other uprights.



Once it's on it's side I can mount the inner (middle stand) uprights. After all of these are mounted and trued I can attached the top.





Top attached in this pic. With the uprights already mounted connecting the two is easy peezy.



Here you can see where I double up on the uprights (short ones). Doing this makes the uprights on the stand 4x6's essentially and in turn the stand is bullet proof. There will be no sagging on this tank anywhere. A few metal straps to the wall and this should be as close to earthquake proof as I can make it.



Some detailed pics throught out the building process.















This is the skelton all wrapped up. This thing is BEAST...... I can still move it myself though so I get the best of both worlds.



I have to redo the plywood. I realized that I used a different brand of plywood than on my 300 gallon and even though no one esle will know, I will and it will bother me. I have to have the bottom cut anyway so I will pick up new plywood tomorrow.





I am using 1/2" plywood and 1/2" styro on top to distribute the weight. I am also using a additional piece of styro under the stand to go under the sump/pump.



You can see how much taller the finished stand is than the old stand. I am pretty happy with it.



I always cut slices of different thicknesses out of the 2x6's to use as shims. Free and super strong, they go directly under the tall uprights and your stand is level in minutes



So I am 95% done with the stand. Once I pick up the new plywood and screw it down it's done. I will skin it but that will be a while after we move since I have time down the road to do that. The stand is (indluding the ply/styro) 36" tall and matches my 300 gallon stand. They will be on opposite sides of the garage so my OCD will be at peace...

 

[fishman09]

very nice and sturdy

 

[JK47]

very nice and sturdy

Thanks bro. I'll have the ply tomorrow. I'll try and cut down the background and start on that install as well.