Looking for help on a built in 180

[mrpdeq]

I've recently purchased a 180 gal. tank to fullfill a dream of mine. I plan on building the tank into a wall, enclosed on all sides and to be able to see through the tank from two rooms.
I was wondering if anyone else has done this before, and if so what advice anyone could give me.
I also plan to post the progress as I go along.
Thanks in advance.

 

[RadleyMiller]

If I were you, I wouldn't build it into the wall, but build the wall onto the tank. Build a crude stand with you wetdry. Then build a wall frame with a window cut so you see the tank. Build the frame around the tank and build a door on the side of the new wall so you can access the tank to do maintainence. If you do it correctly, it will look pretty nicely.

 

[mrpdeq]

First Thanks for the reply.

Next, that is exactly what I plan on doing. Once I get the time I will post pics of the progress.

 

[RadleyMiller]

First Thanks for the reply.

Next, that is exactly what I plan on doing. Once I get the time I will post pics of the progress.

Cool, I can read your mind with the help of Oddballs magic crystal ball, haha. It's going to look pretty cool when you are done. Basically like a closet that has fish in it.

 

[mrpdeq]

Well I now have some time to post pics of my project.

First, pic is of the rec room demo side of the wall, the doors have been already taken off the cabinets.

Second, if of the other side of the demo wall, the doors have been already taken off the cabinets.

Third, is the cabinets in back of wall taken out.

Forth, is the rec room side all taken out.

That's it for now. More pics to come.

 

[CHOMPERS]

I'm starting to have visions about this thing. Keep the picks coming. Is your tank drilled? For a built in installation, it is convenient to drill the bottom. Since you are building in side access, you can also drill the sides and flow from one side of the tank to the other.

 

[mrpdeq]

The bottom of the tank is drilled in two spots, and a overflow was inplace. I removed the overflow and plugged the holes and plan on using two xp-3's for filters.

 

[mrpdeq]

I now have more time to post more pics.
I now have all the demo finished. That's the first two pics. The old wall is completly gone.
I have also finished the stand, complete with foam that will be under the tank. Once the stand was finished I started the frame process. The framing had to be started in the bedroom side, because I wanted to match up to the existing paneling in that room. Once that was underway the remaining framing went up and the electrical work began. I put new light switches in the wall to operate the existing ceiling lights, two new electrical outlets were put in the rec room side, along with telephone & cable hook-up. After the framing and electrical work were done, a new door was put in, because the old door was 36" wide and the new opening is going to be 32". And the tank was put in placed, leveled, and that is the current state of this build.

 

[mrpdeq]

More updated pics of my project.
First one is the rec room wall with the dry wall up, and the tank in place.
Second is of the bedroom side of the fish wall.
Third pic is of the rec room side with all of my live rock and water in the tank.
Forth pic is the bedroom side with all of my live rock and water in the tank.
Last pic is a full shot of the red room side. Don't mind the mess, the job is not done yet, but we had a house full oe people coming over so that's why the couch is there is front of the wall.
The little guy in the pic is my little helper, who has been helping with all the work from day one and continues to be right in the middle of everything everyday.

 

[mrpdeq]

It's been awhile since my last update, but things have come along very nicely. (Very slowly). Since the last post I have installed my lights. After trying and trying to find parts that were approved for use in Canada. I have also invested in the Custom Flo intake and outlet system. The system seems to be working OK for right now. The canisters I have don not seem to be strong enough for the custom configuration I want. I have also painted the entire rec room, (thanks to the wife) and I have started to stock my tank with fish. 2 clowns, 3 yellow belly damels and 1 cleaner shrimp to start. The back side of the tank still needs work, but that is still a project on the go. That's it for now, and if anyone can still give me some advice I would like to hear from you.