Possible 125 stand design...please critique!

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking about busting out the woodworking tools again and having a go at building a new stand/canopy for my 125 this winter. Below is a picture of my proposed design...tell me what you think!

The things on either side are going to be pillars with those flat-sided cultured stones (for fireplace mantles) if I can find any small enough to look good.


-John

 

[Chucker]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of stands with multiple small doors. If you ever need to slide large goodies in and out under the tank, or need to do major plumbing work, it'd be a PITA.

 

[Anonymous]

Good point Chucker. One big door would be much better. The sump size would be limited to what would fit through the door.

Louey

 

[Chucker]

Why limit yourself to a door? Can simply leave the space open, and hang a curtain in front of it. Still allows ventilation and evap, but still hides the boring stuff.

 

[danmhippo]

Or design the best refugium you could by featuring it in the cabinet. Make sure you do a great job of plumbing and wiring so they won't show through the front.

 

[danmhippo]

On the side note, I've always dreamed about getting an elevated stand. But instead of having the sps or lps tank on top, I am putting an equal size "sump/refugium/mangrove on the top, and placing the LPS/SPS/clams down below.

The trick is to make the refug attractive enough to be featured on top.

 

[Anonymous]

Why limit yourself to a door? Can simply leave the space open, and hang a curtain in front of it. Still allows ventilation and evap, but still hides the boring stuff.

Curtain?! Ewwwwwww, tacky. :wink:

I do see your point, though. I could easily make one big door in the front.

 

[jedwards]

I'm thinking about putting a door within a door for mine. I would have a front basically as you have drawn but with the enitre front panel (with small doors) either bolted or hinged for easy removal. That way I can get inside to put in the sump but don't have to open that big ol door everytime I want to make an adjustment.

- Jim

 

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking about putting a door within a door for mine. I would have a front basically as you have drawn but with the enitre front panel (with small doors) either bolted or hinged for easy removal. That way I can get inside to put in the sump but don't have to open that big ol door everytime I want to make an adjustment.

- Jim

Now there's an idea. Beats the snot out of Chucker's curtain anyway! :wink: Just kiddin' Chucker!

 

[baby blue]

i built my own stand for a 125 but built a frame then added a 1x4 pine around the front with two doors. the side are removable for major changes like bigger sumps. p.s how do you use all these faces and stuff im new to this forum stuff.

 

[clk2609]

hey baby blue...any pics of that stand?
Sharky, how is your stand coming along?
please keep us posted

 

[Drowing_Fish]

I am in the process of renovating my apartment and I am going to build a floor to ceiling maple (stained to cherry) wall unit. I really like the idea of making the sump visible, however it does need to be attractive. The trick is actually fitting the both of them in such a way as to be displayed attractivly.

So i was thinking that the best way to accomplish this is to elevate the tank to 24" above the finished floor(AFF). You need about 36" to accomidate the tank and lighting above. The sump/ref would start at about 5' AFF, which is pretty decent. I will use a 33L gal tank as the sump/ref. Give it a DSP with about 35#'s of LR, put in a clean up crew, and since the tank is reletiavly high of the floor, any seperate compartments made for propogating live food (if built in back of the tank) will be relatively hidden.

Hey, I like this idea....I think I'll build it.....except the other way around, sump on bottom, tank on top.

 

[craw]

I suggest making the side removable (if you have the room). This way you would be able to slide you sump in and out from the side. I could not find a good picture of mine but in this one you can see where the sides are open and then there are panels that fit into it.

My tank was 6 feet across and I need a center brace this limited the size sump I could put under neath it. After building the stand with the removable sides I could go as long as 5 feet if needed.

MY $.02

 

[kycoralhead]

For a 125 you do not really need much of a stand. Have you looked at what the vendors are building! I make all mine out of plywood with multiple braces and doors that open apart to open up the space needed to place the sump in. But if you were going to use a really big sump, you could put in in the stand before you put the tank on and just use regular doors to get to it to service. For a 125 I usually build 3 sets of doors that open apart and that places 2 upright braces at 2 ft spacing. This is much stronger than the vendors build and you know they have engineered and calculated the least amount of material needed to do the job.