DIY 40g Stand and Sump Build

tnuhnivad · Aug 25, 2017

Hello, I'm going to be taking a 40g and making it my main display tank effectively doubling the size of my current display tank. To save money and ensure quality I'm going to be building a custom stand, equipment box, PVC overflow/return, and turning my current 20g tall display into a custom sump/refugium. This will be my build thread. As I go along I'll post and describe what it is I'm doing and ask any question I run into. Looking for any input from experienced DIY'ers.

The 40g (36 x 12.5 x 21) is a Marineland pre-built tank I got a good deal on. You can see it here with some of the supplies and equipment ill be using.

Below is my first and current 20g display with all HOB equipment and no sump. Pics are a few weeks old.

My Spoiled Gramma lol

Daddy-o · Aug 26, 2017

Sounds good! you gonna build your own overflow box?

tnuhnivad · Aug 26, 2017

Daddy-o said:
Sounds good! you gonna build your own overflow box?

The overflow is going to be just a simple PVC overflow. Which performs the same function as a $100 overflow HOB box. I don't want to drill my tank and was looking for a cheap alternative I could make look good. Here's a link to a video describing it

Daddy-o · Aug 26, 2017

tnuhnivad said:
The overflow is going to be just a simple PVC overflow. Which performs the same function as a $100 overflow HOB box. I don't want to drill my tank and was looking for a cheap alternative I could make look good. Here's a link to a video describing it

Cool! I am lazy and opted for the pre-made

SashimiTurtle · Aug 26, 2017

Cool, I have a 40b QT and have thought it was a very nice sized tank for a small reef. Here's my QT set up with DIY stand. Its made with scrap wood that was laying around in the shop. You may want to add extra support on the legs...

Daddy-o · Aug 26, 2017

Robin Haselden said:
Cool, I have a 40b QT and have thought it was a very nice sized tank for a small reef. Here's my QT set up with DIY stand. Its made with scrap wood that was laying around in the shop. You may want to add extra support on the legs...

Off to a good start, perhaps a cross brace and clean up the electrical?
Cheers! Mark

tnuhnivad · Aug 26, 2017

Robin Haselden said:
Cool, I have a 40b QT and have thought it was a very nice sized tank for a small reef. Here's my QT set up with DIY stand. Its made with scrap wood that was laying around in the shop. You may want to add extra support on the legs...

Yes as for the stand I've been contemplating some designs. Fortunately, I work at Lowe's so acquiring everything I need in both supplies and knowledge is quite easy and relatively cheap. Here is a picture of a bathroom cabinet at my store which has an aesthetic feel I'm going for.

The stand is going to have to fit into this area pictured below. My "roommates" lol have confined my reef operations to this area on the 2nd floor. I just simply don't like how much unused space there is with my current tank not to mention the lack of functionality with my current stand which is blame for the electrical hazard on my floor there. SO for this build I'm trying to utilize as much space as possible here. Please try not to judge the cleanliness of my tank to harshly I have been neglecting it slightly due to the fact that I'm going to be dismantling the tank soon. lol

Here is a photo of a frame I put together a week or two ago. Failing to adhere to the "measure twice cut once rule" I ended up changing my design after putting this frame together for added functionality. Resulting in a need for a larger frame and me scrapping this frame before I added any supports, paneling, or trim.

Because I have the two large IKEA lockers on either side of where the tank will be I will only have access to the front of the tank without moving things. I want to isolate my electronics inside the cabinet and have them accessible through the front of the stand. While browsing this thread (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/show-me-your-equipment-cabinets.194534/page-8) I found this design with a drawer style equipment cabinet which I'm going to attempt to pull off. I also want to do a peg board on the back of the inside of the cabinet to hang equipment on and I am going to try and cram a shelf in somewhere as well.

Shmoopy said:

Here I've drawn up roughly how I'd like it to look. I apologize for my drawing skills in advance and I'll save you my unreadable measurements and schematics. The 40g on top plumbed to the 20g sump/refuge down below via PVC and PVC braided hose next to the roll out electrical cabinet.

I was able to grab this scrap hand-made wooden table top before it was burned by a relative. A few cuts, stain, and some sanding will make quite a nice top to the stand.