Above the Tavern with Parka!
- Thread starter Parka
- Start date
Not so Frass,
Sassafras
! What happened was, by the time Gary Larson was doing his comics, I was already a young adult and I had almost no interest in looking at newspapers, very little interest as a young adult in that sort of thing. At that time, early 80's, as a young adult, my interests were geared toward the weekend and I just never paid much attention when there were so many other things that had my interest. I just looked at a whole bunch of his single frame comics, he is amazing. I didn't know he did the Yahtzee joke, Bankkok. That's a Classic!I think it sounds pretty easy actually, and I'm positive I have hoses, an assortment of different sized utility pumps and lights, it's just any fittings I might need to purchase. It sounds very doable and I'm eager to make it happen, thank you for that easy explanation!
But I have an other tank issue. My plan was to build a very large tank and stand in the garage. Since I don't drive, I wanted to use my half for a tank but my great big stupid landlady stomped her hoof down and said no. This is after I thought I was good to get started. So a change in plans. I guess I'm gonna try to build it in the basement. That means I need to build it narrow enough to fit through a normal door on a house.
The garage plan was at 1,350+ gallons, the basement build, if it happens at all, will be 250 gallons smaller. It has to happen because the materials have already been purchased, the total cost of the stand, tank and hood will be well under three grand.
I really thought I was good to get started, I wasn't trying to hide that big stack of plywood, nor the large panels of glass, two of them 7 feet long, I wasn't trying to sneak a build, not at all! And then all of a sudden one day, I got Broadsided, did I ever! Wham with a Heavy Hoof! Garage A-NO-NO!
My Koi are going to LOVE Living Large in the NYC of Plywood Aquariums!
Here is the new plan. I have a great spot in the basement for NYC, however, Akron MUST be moved in the same room with Posh Cleveland & Boss Chicago, this will take place on my watch! So Watch out, Buster Frassington, cripes, I'm such a Braggart!
So the plan is to pre-cut the panels and machine all the pocket holes upstairs in the driveway garage area. And then I will have a Full Kit for a 1,200 - 1,250 gallon double front all plywood build.
It will take two or three days to cut all the panels and drill all the pocket holes. I can NOT stress just how simple it is to build these plywood tanks. You cut straight and you cut square. It is not as easy as it sounds. Do it Anyway! I will show every important cut and then I will have a stack of plywood that will need carried to the basement.
I will also pre-build the stand components in the garage. I'm building a different design for this stand and it will also get assembled in the basement and then the tank gets put together right on the stand. It's going to be So Effin Tastic!
So it might sit un-built but in kit form! That excites me because it will go together really fast at first, in ONE day that main shell will be up. By my Clumsy self! Bragging! I feel like singing a Love Song again!
My Koi are going to LOVE Living Large in the NYC of Plywood Aquariums!
Here is the new plan. I have a great spot in the basement for NYC, however, Akron MUST be moved in the same room with Posh Cleveland & Boss Chicago, this will take place on my watch! So Watch out, Buster Frassington, cripes, I'm such a Braggart!
So the plan is to pre-cut the panels and machine all the pocket holes upstairs in the driveway garage area. And then I will have a Full Kit for a 1,200 - 1,250 gallon double front all plywood build.
It will take two or three days to cut all the panels and drill all the pocket holes. I can NOT stress just how simple it is to build these plywood tanks. You cut straight and you cut square. It is not as easy as it sounds. Do it Anyway! I will show every important cut and then I will have a stack of plywood that will need carried to the basement.
I will also pre-build the stand components in the garage. I'm building a different design for this stand and it will also get assembled in the basement and then the tank gets put together right on the stand. It's going to be So Effin Tastic!
So it might sit un-built but in kit form! That excites me because it will go together really fast at first, in ONE day that main shell will be up. By my Clumsy self! Bragging! I feel like singing a Love Song again!
It's gonna be AWESOME! Hey, when you get up in that size category, what's a couple hundred gallons here or there. Just curious, what is the limiting factor at the basement location that requires the tank to be smaller than the intended garage size? Sounds like a good deal of work moving the Akron. Still looking forward to your step-by-step, blow-by-blow account of the build. I always learn new stuff when DIY'ers share their projects.
I'm curious to see your application of pocket screws in your build. My faith in the strength of pocket screws was shaken lately. I'm helping a friend build a small barndominium for his inlaws. We built the rough window openings with pocket screws, then straight screwed them in place. Well, we messed up on one of the locations and had to move the window opening. When we started to work on it with a pry bar, the pocket screwed part of the framing couldn't take it and came apart, whereas the straight screwed parts held together. I didn't expect the pocket screws to be as strong as straight penetration, but I was disappointed at how easily they pulled out.
I'm curious to see your application of pocket screws in your build. My faith in the strength of pocket screws was shaken lately. I'm helping a friend build a small barndominium for his inlaws. We built the rough window openings with pocket screws, then straight screwed them in place. Well, we messed up on one of the locations and had to move the window opening. When we started to work on it with a pry bar, the pocket screwed part of the framing couldn't take it and came apart, whereas the straight screwed parts held together. I didn't expect the pocket screws to be as strong as straight penetration, but I was disappointed at how easily they pulled out.
Sung to the tune, 'If I Had a Hammer... and a Ladder'!
Duly Noted, Agreed!
The limiting factor is the size of the door opening. The garage door is wide enough for two cars. The basement door is but a meager 32".... However, Frass, we have greater concerns than meager door clearances. Allow me to explain the current situation. With such a large build in the plans, how about we worry about the door opening in another light. The basement is unfinished and it would be very doable to remove the entire door and door frame and install a larger door, I know how to do that kind of work, with some helpers, it could be done with me in Command.
Guess what though? I already bought the end panels of glass and they are 34" round, which means either the tank is too large, or the doorway is too narrow.
I wish i was better prepared for more information but we are in a holding pattern at this time on the NYC of Plywood Aquariums, soon though, I hope!
I can say with confidence that the doorway is too narrow!
Sounds like you are already contemplating a very workable solution. I'll bet you will look back at widening the doorway as a wise move, not just for this tank, but other furniture and stuff that you might want to move from room to room in the future.
You've got a hammer-swing it in the morning and swing it in the evening!
Oh yeah, and with an unfinished basement, that kind of work is still a big job but it just makes it so much easier to get started. I would need a capable helper, or two, to tackle a big job like that.
I have some other things I'd like to talk about. I got both Gold Fish out of Akron today. It could be said that I'm learning the hard way, but I am learning fast what a fish load, or bio load, how that can get out of hand so I'm learning by experience even though I read about certain problems beforehand, to experience them is to really learn and it's very fun anyway.
And so I did water changes today and now Akron is ready to get spruced up again with plants! Akron is to me, a giant 20 gallon long, and it has to get moved to make way for NYC but in the meantime, get it planted up. I will be using that outdoor pool to grow and propagate some plants, it works really well.
About Chicago... I have this idea, to make Chicago into a 890 gallon refugium, and just filled with jungle val and pothos growing overhead, and maybe it could be used to treat the waters of Cleveland and NYC... does that sound like a good idea, in my mind it seems like a really good idea that could help reduce water changes, plus be really fun to look at it, all kinds of tiny creatures, okay, good night!
I have some other things I'd like to talk about. I got both Gold Fish out of Akron today. It could be said that I'm learning the hard way, but I am learning fast what a fish load, or bio load, how that can get out of hand so I'm learning by experience even though I read about certain problems beforehand, to experience them is to really learn and it's very fun anyway.
And so I did water changes today and now Akron is ready to get spruced up again with plants! Akron is to me, a giant 20 gallon long, and it has to get moved to make way for NYC but in the meantime, get it planted up. I will be using that outdoor pool to grow and propagate some plants, it works really well.
About Chicago... I have this idea, to make Chicago into a 890 gallon refugium, and just filled with jungle val and pothos growing overhead, and maybe it could be used to treat the waters of Cleveland and NYC... does that sound like a good idea, in my mind it seems like a really good idea that could help reduce water changes, plus be really fun to look at it, all kinds of tiny creatures, okay, good night!
"Over the River and through the Woods!" Me an Frass, Harmonizing Above the Tavern! I have a bunch of things that need discussed!
But not tonight! Now as far as Showing Off (absolutely!) and being a Full-On-Braggart ( with my cousins, Gusto & Vigor!) and boasting in general, (I'm a Helluva Boaster!) it is also understood, that ME, I am also an Accomplished & Seasoned Gloater! I GLOAT at my convenience and I even have my own Gloat Compartment for when I go to parties and other Social Gatherings. I will be attending a legit Pagan Worship this Saturday, I got me a buddy from the Community Garden and yep, I'm gonna meat me some Pagans! I betcha the Old Skool Pagans Gloated like the Dickens! I just know it, I do!
I really do have some fish issues and a bunch of other ideas to chat about. I love my Gold Fish! I finally got Burnt Toast in with his kind and out of Akron. He got to grow kind of bigger than the same aged Gold Fish in with the Koi. A lot of my one year old gold fish are growing very slow, the ones that live with the Koi. I believe it stresses the smaller Gold Fish to live with these brutish Koi! I got pics tomorrow and Good Night.
Wow! what an idea. You certainly have the aquarium volume to be able to afford using an 890 gallon tank as a refugium. Of course, it wouldn't necessarily need to be "fauna-free". You could raise shrimp, scuds, daphnia, maybe tubifex worms and the like. It could be an awesome biological filter.
