300 Gallon stand and canopy

[julsy]

I would rate the chances of me moving this to my next residence at less than 2%. So when my girlfriend and I buy (probably next summer) it's yours. Seriously.

Where was I on this deal?

LoL, you cant win them all!
PS, you have enough tanks i need another one

 

[duke33]

Just read all this.....You must have the "Monster Passion" Dave. Glad it's coming together.

 

[julsy]

how are the repairs/stand coming along, dieing to know

 

[DaveB]

I haven't done anything yet. Haven't really even been over at my house. More issues with the neighbors, roommate's dog is too wild when mine are there, etc. It's just really stressful. I feel bad because I moved my eartheater tank over there and am now neglecting it. At this point I don't have any enthusiasm for the project at all. I almost called you on sunday to tell you you could come pick up the tank if you want it. In fact that still might be a good idea. It's kind of pointless to just have a giant empty tank sitting on the floor of a house I'm never at.

 

[Pharaoh]

What time should I be there to pick it up? LOL

Nah, just take a step back and a few deep breathes. You wouldn't have bought it if you didn't want it. Just take the time to get other things in order and you can work on the tank when you get everything else sorted out.

 

[DaveB]

Yeah. I'm just sick of the stress of moving. It has been three months of one headache after another.

The one roommate with the energetic dog is my favorite person of the group too. Plus he has a ton of useful electronics, two TVs, and drives an S5, so I totally want to use him for all that. Sucks that he has to go. But once his dog is gone and it's more peaceful, things will be better. Right now he has her out on his bike ride with him and it's just my dogs and they're being their usual lazy selves, and I got to set up all the components properly inside the shelf (instead of strewn all over the place) and neaten up a bit and it feels like a comfortable home again.

For the third consecutive time I also forgot to adjust my spray bar on the 110 while doing a water change and flooded the damn floor though. Just another bit of bad luck here. Good thing it's a basement level.

Still, I am going to take it slow on this project just because it's pointles to have a 300 set up when I spend 90% of the time at my girlfriend's. I think once the crazy neighbor moves out as well as the extra dog, I'll be here most of the time though. How can I not... the place is awesome. I'll have a full ten days in early July to myself too (she has a work trip to London) so actually that might be a great time to build a stand.

Even though I have a stand for the 125 I'm kind of thinking I might do a test run and make a stand for that first. That way I can get the hang of everything and make sure the 300 stand goes more smoothly. The thing I'm most nervous about is being able to get everything perfectly level. I can totally see myself doing everything and finishing up only to find it doesn't sit straight.

Still need to figure out whether I want to skin it in ply and stain it or use cheap ply and buy the veneers and use the crayon. I guess I need to get the price list from the landlord so I can know what it'll cost for one door, 4 mini doors, the veneers, and all the molding. I'm betting all that stuff prestained will end up costing a bunch. On the plus side, I might be able to get the trim cut to length too, which will save me the effort of trying to be 100% perfect on the miter cuts for the pieces that jut out to mask the middle of the canopy divider.

Anyone have any suggestion on sizing pumps to this thing based on those giant bulkhead holes? I don't want this thing to just gush - the aro won't appreciate a huge current, nor will the smaller of the cichlids. But I'm guessing that 2 Mag 12s (my ideal setup, just cause I already own one so it'd be cheaper to get started) won't be enough.

I also need to figure out how to heat this thing. Glass takes more work, and I haven't been satisfied with any heater I've ever purchased. I have a Jager 200w that came with a tank long ago that heats anything to proper temp, but everything else I own sucks. Even my nice titanium has been struggling to keep this 110 at 80 (before the move it held 83 no problem - I wonder if I broke it). I added a new Visitherm 300w and nothing changed. I put two stealth 250s in my 125 and set them at 83 and it holds steady at 76. Those things are junk. Everything else I have broke at some point in the past 6 months. It has not been a good run for heaters. What on earth can I use to heat 400+ gallons from inside a sump (or inside the overflows) reliably?

 

[julsy]

you need a vacation, i dont want to have to pick that tank up till next year, lol. hears, beats me, i use the unbreakable marineland, i think marineland ones, my 225, with 57 sump is using 2 of those, but then again im running halides on it, marine freak and all. as far as pumps go, you can always reduce down the tubing size, you may want to check, those holes may be set up for bulkheads, in which case it may be alot smaller tubing than you think, 1.5" pvc, takes like a 2.5" bulkhead hole.

PS. i do want the tank, but only when you decide that you dont want to move it lol. i could never take an enthusists tank, unless they had other plans

 

[DaveB]

Well I'm considering other plans... I am so sick of dealing with this place and disrespectful roommates that I'm considering just trying to sublet the entire lease out Sept 1 and getting a small place to myself (or just finally proposing so I can move in with the girlfriend - which means I'm limited to the 125/110/90 trio I've had for a while).

We'll see. I just kicked the worst roommate out. He has no control over his dog and she's just awful, and he doesn't listen, so she ends up peeing and pooping on the carpet despite clear orders to never let her be there unsupervised. It gets professionally cleaned tomorrow on his dime and he's out at the end of the month. Hopefully the dog can go live with his ex in the meantime or something. Once they're out of my hair I have to replace him, and then it'll be time to settle down, spend more time there, and begin the build.

I unpackaged all the cabinet pieces. I think I might be able to make use of 2 of the 3 pieces I took photos of before - I can make them the center panels, then use thinner ones for the two edges. So it'll maintain symmetry and hopefully not look too weird.

I really need to learn sketchup so I can plan it all out and actually see it.

Anyway, this is totally non fish related, but there are two slightly wider (24x29) door panels, and two 25x49 panels with a cross piece, plus the three originals and one little guy. I'm trying to decide what I could make with these. They're too tall for an entertainment center, too wide for an armoire, and I don't have any other ideas. I guess I could make a pair of matching cabinet/table pieces but I'm not sure what use that'd be.

Anyone want some cabinet doors?

I wish I was rich, cause I'd get rid of this tank and buy this:
http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/for/1249109820.html