Design for 150G Acrylic

[rededge2k1]

GiulianoM;668059 wrote: Right, I forgot about that...

Are there truely 2 x .75" vertical supports on the inside?

There are three layers of ply along the top of the stand (face panel + 2 layers of ply reinforcing), and two layers at the verticals (face panel + 1 layer of reinforcing).

I think you should account for 3 layers everywhere, to give yourself some wiggle room in the available footprint area. You'll need the extra space for pump removal, skimmer removal, etc when cleaning/tinkering.

Dustin

 

[giulianom]

RedEDGE2k1;668060 wrote: There are three layers of ply along the top of the stand (face panel + 2 layers of ply reinforcing), and two layers at the verticals (face panel + 1 layer of reinforcing).

I think you should account for 3 layers everywhere, to give yourself some wiggle room in the available footprint area. You'll need the extra space for pump removal, skimmer removal, etc when cleaning/tinkering.

Dustin

Got it.. that's what I thought I was seeing..

I'm going to see if I can pick up the sump and pump next week, since they've been ready.


I hope it doesn't take too long to build the replacement new tank...

And I was SO ready to take a picture of myself sitting in the aquarium..

 

[giulianom]

Added the horizontal supports and the vertical supports - I drew in the extra layer of the vertical support boards, even though the stand is not currently that way.


Looks like I *might* be able to squeeze in a Dart hybrid, a MRC MR2-R, and a BL-55.

The Dart is 7.3" wide, and the available space is just about 7.5" wide - although I can get .75" more without the extra vertical riser, or if I move the Dart down (forward) towards the sump a bit more.


I set the MR2-R to be 3" above the floor, so I still have a few inches of vertical clearance.

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Of course, I won't really know until I get the sump, the pump, and the stand.

 

[skriz]

GiulianoM;667994 wrote: Thanks Raj.

Do I need to elevate the 2R at all?

Or would a 3-4" elevation be sufficient?

It's always best to have zero restriction on the outlet, so raising it is the best option, but isn't a deal breaker. 3-4" would be great. If you can't elevate at all, you'll still be fine.

 

[giulianom]

Skriz;668100 wrote: It's always best to have zero restriction on the outlet, so raising it is the best option, but isn't a deal breaker. 3-4" would be great. If you can't elevate at all, you'll still be fine.

I was thinking that the outlet from the skimmer would be plumbed directly into the side of the drains section of the fuge, through a bulkhead in the side.

The water would go with the "flow", so to speak.

 

[skriz]

GiulianoM;668112 wrote: I was thinking that the outlet from the skimmer would be plumbed directly into the side of the drains section of the fuge, through a bulkhead in the side.

The water would go with the "flow", so to speak.

That'll work!

 

[giulianom]

Skriz;668129 wrote: That'll work!

Any issues with feeding the skimmer from the Dart's manifold, assuming I use the right plumbing line size and gate-valve it to restrict the flow to 300-900 GPH?

 

[giulianom]

Picked up my MRC hi-flow/reef sump at MRC this morning.

It's a beautiful, large beast of a sump.


It's 48" x 20" x 20". The normal hi-flow/reef sump is 48" x 24" x 24", so I got a narrower version so it would fit in my stand.


Also got my main pump, one of the new Reeflo Dart blue-fin hybrid pumps.

I think I'll use it to drive everything, including the spray bar in the fuge section of the sump.

The only extra pump would be a Blueline 55 equivalent to drive a MR2-R recirculating skimmer... Potentially.

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Big sucker, barely fit in the back of my Subaru WRX STi:

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[giulianom]

Tank is being delivered tomorrow.

 

[rededge2k1]

RedEDGE2k1;668060 wrote: There are three layers of ply along the top of the stand (face panel + 2 layers of ply reinforcing), and two layers at the verticals (face panel + 1 layer of reinforcing).

I think you should account for 3 layers everywhere, to give yourself some wiggle room in the available footprint area. You'll need the extra space for pump removal, skimmer removal, etc when cleaning/tinkering.

Dustin

Giuliano,

I'm going to go ahead and put the 3rd vertical support layer inside the stand, unless you absolutely cannot lose that 3/4" of space. I realized the front of the tank will sit directly above the 3rd horizontal support, and that needs vertical reinforcement to "sit" on underneath.

Dustin

 

[giulianom]

RedEDGE2k1;670676 wrote: Giuliano,

I'm going to go ahead and put the 3rd vertical support layer inside the stand, unless you absolutely cannot lose that 3/4" of space. I realized the front of the tank will sit directly above the 3rd horizontal support, and that needs vertical reinforcement to "sit" on underneath.

Dustin

Go right ahead, I was assuming that there would be 3 layers there...

How are we looking on a completion date?


Not that I am in a hurry, I still have weeks of home improvements to do before I can put it in place...

 

[rededge2k1]

GiulianoM;670705 wrote: Go right ahead, I was assuming that there would be 3 layers there...

How are we looking on a completion date?


Not that I am in a hurry, I still have weeks of home improvements to do before I can put it in place...

I'm still shooting for this weekend, and deliver the following weekend. I have planed all the trim down to 3/4" thickness, all that's left is to install the trim and hang the doors. My wife is out of town this week and weekend, so this coming week should make for some good sawdust.

Dustin

 

[giulianom]

That will be fine... Thanks!

 

[giulianom]

The work of art that is my new MRC Custom 150 Gallon Acrylic tank has arrived.

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The "Museum Quality" seams paid off - the front vertical edges literally do not have any seams that can be seen - they're completely transparent.

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The rear panel and the overflow is made of black acrylic.

A nice touch from MRC was the overflow cover - made of lexan, it has a routed edge and slots cut to fit snugly on top of the overflow.

There's clearance holes in the overflow cover for the tops of the drain pipes - they fit perfectly!


Really, really impressed with the job.

 

[gmpolan]

Looks great....

 

[giulianom]

I've already climbed inside it...

 

[rededge2k1]

Can you send me the exact dimensions of the finished tank? To the nearest 1/16" will work.

Dustin

 

[giulianom]

60" Long (exactly), 23 7/8" tall, 23 15/16" deep.

The overflow adds 5 3/8" to the depth, is 49" long, and 6 1/4" tall. Its flush with the top of the tank.

 

[giulianom]

Here's a comparison shot of the sump in front of the tank...

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Theoretical maxumum volume should be about 150 gallons for the tank, 80 gallons for the sump.

Practical volume would probably be closer to 140 and 70-80.

 

[rededge2k1]

Any chance MRC mentioned how much the tank weighs? Would be interesting to see how a 150g acrylic compares to a glass tank of the same volume.

Dustin