khan's 90 gallon reef buils

[bangbangkhan]

This is going to be my first build of a reef tank...i had initially started a 30 gallon tank but quickly realized the limitations of it...wish me luck!

bought the tank last night...still has some hard water stains that vinegar and water cant take out :( ...still scrubbing...:frustrat:

thanks to Ted and salt for brains...i figured out the internal overflow and return....i just ordered the item below for the tank...cant wait do drill some holes :D

glass-holes.com
1500 gph Overlfow Box Complete Kit
3/4" Inch Loc-Line Return Kit

the middle section of the stand is only 22" wide...i will have to cut out squares to fit my 30" sump in there...thinking of reinforcing it with 4 2x4 after cutting the hole...that oughta hold it.

 

[buddy08]

I would honestly build a new stand, can be done fairly cheap and will outlast that one. plus you can guarantee its strength by overbuilding if need be. Main reason, I see that stand giving you troubles with housing equipment and a sump. Plus, if thats mircoboard, if it gets wet, it will bubble and swell ultimately weakening it. Keep in mind, its going to hold roughly 800lbs of water as well. other than that, looks like you're off to a good start.

 

[bangbangkhan]

I am not expert in woodworking... don't wanna risk it...

 

[buddy08]

Its not to bad ;)

I just don't know if that stand will hold it. Just be cautious and use your best judgement

 

[bangbangkhan]

you got me second guessing now...my friend is an expert on this kinda stuff so we are gonna start building tomorrow :)

 

[bangbangkhan]

Started putting the overflow box together....finally drilled some holes!

 

[salt_for_brains]

You are going to be an expert with all this when you get done and I will be asking you for advice!

 

[bangbangkhan]

I think you are the one who gave me advice to begin with! :p

 

[salt_for_brains]

And look at you now! So what did you decide on the stand--- using that one or fabricating a new one?

 

[bangbangkhan]

Building a sump and the new stand as we speak...

 

[salt_for_brains]

Good choice! Look forward to pics of the results:D

 

[bangbangkhan]

Painted it black....installed the kit.

How do I convert this to a herbie? The holes on the box were the same height and there not much space inside to install an elbow?

 

[Ted]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBsW9HooweQ]Herbie overflow set up. - YouTube[/ame]

 

[bangbangkhan]

Re: khan's 90 gallon reef build

Herbie overflow set up. - YouTube

the problem is that the glass-hole over flow box is only 2 inch deep...so i cant get an elbow in there...

secondly their direction said the the flanged head goes on the outside of the tank while Bulk reef supply videos said that the correct way is for the flanged side to be inside the tank...which one is it?

 

[Zissou]

With that particular overflow I would follow the glass-holes instructions.

To convert it to a herbie would require the complete removal of that box. You'll have basically wasted 100 dollars if you do that; I did the same thing, installed a glass-holes overflow only to change my mind later.

That being said, the glass-holes overflow is designed to take the least amount of space as possible while being capable of large amounts of flow. Replacing it with a herbie could be a slight pain in the ass, given the size of the holes drilled. It could work, but the elbows will be quite large, or you'll need reducers. Either way means you'll need a large overflow box as well. bulkreefsupply has overflow boxes that you simply silicone into place, but you'll need to know your measurements. (And make sure you don't set the water height too low).

For me, I decided it wasn't worth swapping out the overflow, since the tank itself was smaller than I wanted anyway. Figured I'd save the hassle for a larger tank.

 

[bangbangkhan]

Yeah that's what i figured..just stick with what I have for now...how noisy is yours?

 

[bangbangkhan]

The stand is almost complete...any suggestions for mods?

 

[buddy08]

much better on the stand :)

Does the top piece under the plywood have braces like the bottom? if so, you should be good to go. just skin it in a finished plywood, paint with a sealer/primer. Not sure if you have kilz paint at your local hardware but if you do, that would be the best option to seal it.

As for mods, google king stud and see if you can put 4 in there. put 1 on the inside of each corner. you will want the lumber to go from the floor (flush) all the way to the top (flush with plywood) and secure it. this will take some of the load off of the 4 outer pieces and transfer it directly to the floor. You can find my 180 build on here and see how I did mine for example.

 

[bangbangkhan]

much better on the stand :)

Does the top piece under the plywood have braces like the bottom? if so, you should be good to go. just skin it in a finished plywood, paint with a sealer/primer. Not sure if you have kilz paint at your local hardware but if you do, that would be the best option to seal it.

As for mods, google king stud and see if you can put 4 in there. put 1 on the inside of each corner. you will want the lumber to go from the floor (flush) all the way to the top (flush with plywood) and secure it. this will take some of the load off of the 4 outer pieces and transfer it directly to the floor. You can find my 180 build on here and see how I did mine for example.

yeah the top piece also had braces like the ones on the bottom. Kilz paint is pretty expensive...which one did you use?

Adding those king studs is a good idea...I was wondering how to reinforce it.

 

[buddy08]

just the regular kilz white latex primer is what I have always used in my stands and canopys (about $17 USD for a gallon). Its mildew resistant, seals the wood for protection, and when used in a canopy, it reflects light back towards the tank which is always a plus.

But if you add those studs, your stand will be overbuilt.... which is a good thing :)