800 ltr

[ian_m]

Ugly mess here with the 2 external all going through a 3" triangle cut out

If you are going to use CO2 you will need to get much better flow than having both the intake and outflow in the same corner.

Could you not make use of the hole already drilled in you tank for say intake and put the outflow on the other side of the tank ?

If it is an FX6 you have, Fluval sell a "rim connector" (see page 8 of manual) for getting pipes around the tanks rim.

 

[Rabbit229]

why don't you clad the tank stand in mdf or ply and then paint? better to do now....Might make it more acceptable to your wife. What's the point of a beautiful tank if there is an eyesore underneath it! I did this and used magnetic catches for the front panel so it just pulls off.

Lol it's not staying like that, bloody hell we are not that ruff, I have a company calling out this Friday to fit a front to it. Pics will follow, the company ' home stile bedrooms are doing it for £340 6 doors in dark mahogany

 

[alto]

That's a massive tank & you've now altered the physical structure of that upper support frame, you may want to confirm integrity/warranty with the tank manufacturer

 

[Rabbit229]

That's a massive tank & you've now altered the physical structure of that upper support frame, you may want to confirm integrity/warranty with the tank manufacturer

Sorry I don't understand your message. What do you mean that I've altered the structure

 

[alto]

I may not be seeing the tank properly but I'm assuming those glass support strips/bracing are siliconed continuously around the frame of the tank (plus the middle support brace is also using this frame as it's contact), they are there to prevent warping (especially over time) & shearing of the siliconed joins ... I know that frameless tanks have become all the rage but silicone application & glass cuts need to be very precise, also I doubt that anyone would make a tank this size without braces - it may be that the modification you've made is not an issue, but I'd want to confirm that with the tank manufacturer.

 

[Rabbit229]

I may not be seeing the tank properly but I'm assuming those glass support strips/bracing are siliconed continuously around the frame of the tank (plus the middle support brace is also using this frame as it's contact), they are there to prevent warping (especially over time) & shearing of the siliconed joins ... I know that frameless tanks have become all the rage but silicone application & glass cuts need to be very precise, also I doubt that anyone would make a tank this size without braces - it may be that the modification you've made is not an issue, but I'd want to confirm that with the tank manufacturer.

I have not made any modifications with this tank. The only modification I was going to make was painting the back of the glass black. But I've decided to leave it as the tank is to heavy.

 

[alto]

My confusion - I thought you'd made the triangle cut rather than the manufacturer
Apologies!

 

[Rabbit229]

For the substrait I'm thinking of 10 bags of this stuff Ebi Gold Shrimp Soil Black 5 Litre Bag. So that will be 50ltr, will this be to much or not enough.
Will it be ok to use on its own with out mixing with another substrait

And what's it like to plant in?
I'm ordering tomorrow so as much input as possible guys

 

[Vinkenoog1977]

For the substrait I'm thinking of 10 bags of this stuff Ebi Gold Shrimp Soil Black 5 Litre Bag. So that will be 50ltr, will this be to much or not enough.
Will it be ok to use on its own with out mixing with another substrait

And what's it like to plant in?
I'm ordering tomorrow so as much input as possible guys

This is a pretty decent calculator.

If you're going to be dosing EI, there is no need for any other substrate, and even inert fine gravel would do just as well, even with crypts and swords.

Not familiar with that particular substrate, so can't comment on it's planting properties.

 

[REDSTEVEO]

I'm not to sure what the wife really thinks?

Just keep the floods down to a few hundred litres and you'll be fine mate!

Good luck with it.

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Rabbit229]

I'm having second thoughts about this build. Im concerned it's going to go through the floor! It's so heavy.

The internal door at the side of the fish tank is getting stiff to shut, I'm wondering if I'm going to wake up and find my tank in the basement

 

[ian_m]

Few further observations:
- If your floor is stone, with big slabs and that thick then will probably be completely safe, after all I assume your internal walls are brick/stone and they rest on the same floor.
- Not too sure about the strength and load spreading ability of your frame. Whilst probably OK I would

- Place whole frame on a piece of 18mm ply board to spread the weight over all the area.
- More vertical supports at the rear.
- Make the verticals terminate like the ones in the corner in your photo. This is so the load is transferred into the horizontal members, again spreading the load. The problem with your current arrangement is all the load is transferred to the floor via the tiny end of the 7 verticals and the horizontal bits of wood on the floor do nothing for load spreading.
- Picture worth 1000 words.

- You must put some diagonal bracing in as it stands at the moment if I push hard at the end, there is nothing to stop it twisting and collapsing. Diagonal bracing on the back supports is fine, so that you don't block access as the front.​

 

[ajm83]

The internal door at the side of the fish tank is getting stiff to shut, I'm wondering if I'm going to wake up and find my tank in the basement

Hmmm, that is making me nervous on your behalf

You've spent a lot of money so far. Maybe it'd be worth your while getting out a building surveyor to advise?

 

[Wisey]

With that sort of weight, if you have any doubts at all, then you need to get a structural engineer to take a look.

 

[Rabbit229]

Few further observations:
- If your floor is stone, with big slabs and that thick then will probably be completely safe, after all I assume your internal walls are brick/stone and they rest on the same floor.
- Not too sure about the strength and load spreading ability of your frame. Whilst probably OK I would

- Place whole frame on a piece of 18mm ply board to spread the weight over all the area.
- More vertical supports at the rear.
- Make the verticals terminate like the ones in the corner in your photo. This is so the load is transferred into the horizontal members, again spreading the load. The problem with your current arrangement is all the load is transferred to the floor via the tiny end of the 7 verticals and the horizontal bits of wood on the floor do nothing for load spreading.
- Picture worth 1000 words.

- You must put some diagonal bracing in as it stands at the moment if I push hard at the end, there is nothing to stop it twisting and collapsing. Diagonal bracing on the back supports is fine, so that you don't block access as the front.​

Ian this is how I wanted to build it with the 18mm ply' but the house is 120 years old and the floor runs out by an inch in the middle. This left me a big problem as the ply was floating. If I was to build of that un level ply the weight of the tank would of knocked it out of plum. The left side and right side sit flush but the middle is 1 inch above the floor. Making this a tricky stand. This is why I have give it 7 legs and fixed a brace along the front to try help spread the weight.


My floor is made up buy a brick arch celling in the basement that is tied in to two steal girders that run from the front to the back of the house. Over the brick arch they is a foot of hardcore and over the hardcore they is 3inch stone Yorkshire gray flags
My thoughts are to instal 2 acros under the arch way but this is still not giving me a good pice of mind

If they is a small void under one of the flags it is liable to give and drop a few inches that will sent the tank falling over,
Even if a structural engineer says the load is safe. They is still no guarantee they is no void under the flag. This could end up with a death if this falles. Stress is sinking in right now. I've spent a pretty penny

 

[Wendal_spanswick]

Is there not somewhere else in the house with a bit more certain structural integrity that the tank could go?

 

[ian_m]

The left side and right side sit flush but the middle is 1 inch above the floor

You pack out the height issues with things like this.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/broadfix-precision-wedgepacker-medium-77-x-8-x-45mm-pack-of-200/76521

Or even better used wooden laths under the 18mm ply. To get ideas of the packing height, if tiles silicone polish floor or if flags lay polythene over the top. Then put daubs of plaster onto the floor in the low bits, place on 18mm board and tap and bash till level. Wait till plaster sets, lift up and you have your heights of the daubs you cut your laths to (or packers). Or place concrete daubs on low places and place 18mm board on top and use as set, or even better, as seen here numerous times, lift up the flags (for reuse later) and lay concrete base to place frame on. Done.

If you say steel beams running front to back, probably with intervening walls supporting the steels as well and having walls on top, I suspect will be strong enough.

A large bath full to top can easily come in at 250Kg and you don't read too many stories of baths falling through floors.

In my experience (and having seen on this forum) failure occurs in couple of ways.

- Catastrophic tank failure. Side panel cracking and falling out, due to tank no longer being on a flat base. Stand (usually from Ikea) is completely unsuited for the weight and just collapses.
- Side panel cracking due to tank not being on a flat base.
- Silicone tearing in opposite corners due to tank not being on a flat base.​

The tank not being on a flat base has occurred due to either floor giving way (usually floor boards) or the stand deforming in one corner.

 

[Wisey]

This was one of the big considerations for me when choosing my aquarium. While I am living in rented accommodation and uncertain of what structure I am going to have under my tank, I went with 120 litres!

 

[Rabbit229]

You pack out the height issues with things like this.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/broadfix-precision-wedgepacker-medium-77-x-8-x-45mm-pack-of-200/76521

Or even better used wooden laths under the 18mm ply. To get ideas of the packing height, if tiles silicone polish floor or if flags lay polythene over the top. Then put daubs of plaster onto the floor in the low bits, place on 18mm board and tap and bash till level. Wait till plaster sets, lift up and you have your heights of the daubs you cut your laths to (or packers). Or place concrete daubs on low places and place 18mm board on top and use as set, or even better, as seen here numerous times, lift up the flags (for reuse later) and lay concrete base to place frame on. Done.

If you say steel beams running front to back, probably with intervening walls supporting the steels as well and having walls on top, I suspect will be strong enough.

A large bath full to top can easily come in at 250Kg and you don't read too many stories of baths falling through floors.

In my experience (and having seen on this forum) failure occurs in couple of ways.

- Catastrophic tank failure. Side panel cracking and falling out, due to tank no longer being on a flat base. Stand (usually from Ikea) is completely unsuited for the weight and just collapses.
- Side panel cracking due to tank not being on a flat base.
- Silicone tearing in opposite corners due to tank not being on a flat base.​

The tank not being on a flat base has occurred due to either floor giving way (usually floor boards) or the stand deforming in one corner.

Am I thinking to much into this?
I can't pull up the flags and check. We just spent a few grand on a karndean floor!

 

[ian_m]

We just spent a few grand on a karndean floor!

Well should be flat & level then, these type of tiles should be laid on self levelling compound.

If not (why not), then 18mm ply base with packing laths across each flag is the way forward.

I am not convinced that the bare ends of the 2x3 (?) timber you have used should be placed directly on tiles as if for what ever reason there is no grout under a tile, it will most likely crack the tile as well as providing a handy sponge for any spilt water to be absorbed by.