MalteserReefer

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 14, 2023
Messages
18
Reaction score
18
Location
Malta
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I look to you for inspiration and advice :)
Planning a 2.6m x 1m x 1m reef for my great room. Still in early stages, only the floor support is done. Our carpenters are are asking us for clear instructions on what we want with respect to the sump cabinets and the canopy cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling. Im not entirely sure how best to proceed. The material will be limewashed solid oak. The canopy will extend from the top of the tank to the false ceiling made of gypsumboard (I think its the same as drywall?).

Do I…
1. Plan normal sump doors that open sideways
2. Plan for doors that just hang with hooks or attach with strong magnets and can be removed completely like art frames for an open space for easy maintenance
3. Plan for doors that hinge upward (very concerned with any sort of hinge in the presence of saltwater)
4. Any other idea that our carpenters or we have not yet thought of?

(I need the canopy to go all the way up to the ceiling, since I wish for 4 orphek amazonas 960 modules to be mounted directly to the ceiling, 1m or so high above the surface of the water. The screenshots from the 3D rendering app show a steel frame that I might do away with. Will probably prefer to have the tank sit on I-beams and cinder blocks and have the sump accessible without interruptions.

TIA x


IMG_2956.jpeg
IMG_2957.jpeg IMG_2958.jpeg IMG_3017.jpeg
 

blaxsun

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 15, 2020
Messages
26,709
Reaction score
31,208
Location
The Abyss
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Sounds like this will be quite the project! I personally wish my cabinet (arguably smaller) had magnetic panels (option #2) that were just held in-place and that I could remove for any kind of serious maintenance. Having panels that swing upward on the canopy would probably be ideal.

Check out Parker's Reef on YouTube. He's an Aussie that has a lot of details on his custom monster tank.
 

Troylee

all about the diy!!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
Messages
19,350
Reaction score
17,031
Location
Vegas baby!!!!
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not sure what the bricks are for but I’d go with what you got in the rest… canopy doors open upwards with shocks, bottom doors around the entire thing that open normal.
 

bakbay

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 1, 2022
Messages
1,937
Reaction score
2,374
Location
Orange County
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
if you are using what looks like a welded steel frame, what are the bricks for??
I have the same question.

Additionally, why is the stand’s top is made of marble? You will never see it again anyway. Besides — added weight and cost with really no purpose, imo.
 
OP
OP
MalteserReefer

MalteserReefer

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 14, 2023
Messages
18
Reaction score
18
Location
Malta
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have the same question.

Additionally, why is the stand’s top is made of marble? You will never see it again anyway. Besides — added weight and cost with really no purpose, imo.
I’ve never kept an aquarium without marble tbh. It’s always seen as a perfect nice flat surface to keep weight on. force of habit more than anything, but I consider having a 4” shelf going around the whole thing so the marble extends out
 

bakbay

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 1, 2022
Messages
1,937
Reaction score
2,374
Location
Orange County
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’ve never kept an aquarium without marble tbh. It’s always seen as a perfect nice flat surface to keep weight on. force of habit more than anything, but I consider having a 4” shelf going around the whole thing so the marble extends out
1/4" plywood does the same job for me actually. If you can extend out (hopefully beveled) that would be awesome to put beverages (or fragging) tools, that would be awesome. Hope that 4" extension won't be used as something to stand on w/o proper support though.

Other than that, it's an awesome build - love it! Good luck & have fun!
 
OP
OP
MalteserReefer

MalteserReefer

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 14, 2023
Messages
18
Reaction score
18
Location
Malta
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
1/4" plywood does the same job for me actually. If you can extend out (hopefully beveled) that would be awesome to put beverages (or fragging) tools, that would be awesome. Hope that 4" extension won't be used as something to stand on w/o proper support though.

Other than that, it's an awesome build - love it! Good luck & have fun!
Thank you :)

I’m going to try and fashion a removable walkway to stand on. Cabinet doors come off, walkway goes in, potentially using the strength of the beams/hollow sections as support of the walkway.
 
OP
OP
MalteserReefer

MalteserReefer

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 14, 2023
Messages
18
Reaction score
18
Location
Malta
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
sidenote, not related to cabinets.
This is where the project got to so far. Maltese houses arent always built on bedrock, sometimes, just like the house we just bought, they’re build on stone brick foundations with 6 feet of rubble under the floors. That wont hold a 700 gallon for obvious reasons. My architect convinced me it’s not overkill :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

I’m new to this forum thing. Should I make this into a thread with monthly updates even just for my own documentation/memory? :p
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9324.jpeg
    IMG_9324.jpeg
    205.3 KB · Views: 46
  • IMG_9473.jpeg
    IMG_9473.jpeg
    230.9 KB · Views: 52
  • IMG_9472.jpeg
    IMG_9472.jpeg
    258.1 KB · Views: 51
  • IMG_9474.jpeg
    IMG_9474.jpeg
    279.3 KB · Views: 50
  • IMG_9619.jpeg
    IMG_9619.jpeg
    236.3 KB · Views: 56
  • IMG_9643.jpeg
    IMG_9643.jpeg
    242.3 KB · Views: 54
  • IMG_9642.jpeg
    IMG_9642.jpeg
    158.4 KB · Views: 50

Gumbies R Us

Certified Noob
View Badges
Joined
Nov 10, 2022
Messages
14,188
Reaction score
24,058
Location
North Georgia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
sidenote, not related to cabinets.
This is where the project got to so far. Maltese houses arent always built on bedrock, sometimes, just like the house we just bought, they’re build on stone brick foundations with 6 feet of rubble under the floors. That wont hold a 700 gallon for obvious reasons. My architect convinced me it’s not overkill :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

I’m new to this forum thing. Should I make this into a thread with monthly updates even just for my own documentation/memory? :p
Make it a build thread! You can link this thread to your profile and get a cool badge under your name as well. Here is the link!
 
Back
Top