BIG Tank Build in Tiny Apartment

Discussion in 'I made this!' started by hnnhflns, Jul 31, 2013.

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  1. hnnhflns

    hnnhflns Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2012
    Messages:
    78
    Location:
    California
    Hi 3Reefers!

    We have been building tanks and stands for a couple years now. From simple sum builds to completely remodeling an entire stand and tank system, but we have never shared any of the excitement o the builds with anyone else. So here we go!

    We recently moved from a large 2 bedroom apartment to a tiny apartment (it's barely 256 sq ft). However, our love of aquariums seems to have only gotten larger in the smaller apartment. We have a “living room” that we thought was kind of boring and needed to be arranged in such a way that it was divided of from the rest of the living/dining/kitchen/study room (See the pictures below). The space set aside for living room is approximately 88 sq ft.

    Currently we have a 135 gallon with 100 gallon sump running. The stand base measures 6ft by 2 ft, covering 12 sq ft of the 88 sq ft available. We just aren't happy with this tank so it's leaving.

    The idea is to have 2 tanks set up so that when you sit on the couch you have a tank in front of you against the far wall, and another smaller tank set up as a peninsula to divide you from the rest of the apartment.

    So something like this:
    [​IMG]
    (each square is approx. 1ft x 1ft to scale)

    We bought a 300 gallon a couple weeks back, no stand just the tank and it was a killer deal! It has barely any scratches in it so it makes the buffing super easy. We have been working on designs for a metal frame(still working on a stand and sump design) for it and it will eventually be covered with a wooden facade (but that is long ways off).

    Today we bought our 120 peninsula tank and it is in incredible shape! Honestly we are just waiting to be able to tear down the 135 to be able to put it into place and begin cycling the sand and rock we have for it.

    More pictures will be coming as we get it all set up. Input is always appreciated!
     
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  3. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    4,732
    Location:
    A Texan in S.E. Wisconsin
    Sounds Brilliant! I'm sure you checked the floor supports for the tanks, etc.?

    Keep us posted, pics too!
     
  4. hnnhflns

    hnnhflns Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2012
    Messages:
    78
    Location:
    California
    We're on the first floor with concrete sub-flooring with linoleum over the top. Perfect for aquariums!
    We did the aquarium on the 2nd floor thing already and quickly decided that was a bad idea
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2013
  5. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2000
    Messages:
    13,466
    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    So... how many gallons of aquariums is this in a 265 square foot apartment?
    Pics please. :)


    matt
     
  6. hnnhflns

    hnnhflns Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2012
    Messages:
    78
    Location:
    California
    Fresh:
    Turtle Tank (75 gallon)
    [​IMG]

    Shrimp Tank (30 gallon)
    [​IMG]

    Marine:
    Peninsula (120 gallon) + 75 gallon sump + 15 gallon top off
    still working on setting it up
    [​IMG]

    BIG tank (300 gallon) + unknown sump and top off size
    the tanks in the front are temporary for cycling rock
    [​IMG]


    Total: 615+ gallons...

    We are practically swimming here.
    Sorry for the mess in the pictures. Only so much space to work in...
     
  7. ReefPlayground

    ReefPlayground 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2007
    Messages:
    750
    Location:
    Los Angeles, California
    i think you may have a bit too many.....;p just saying
     
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  9. Blue Falcon

    Blue Falcon Fire Goby

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2009
    Messages:
    1,301
    Location:
    NC
    man.... and i thought i was addicted... :)
     
  10. hnnhflns

    hnnhflns Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2012
    Messages:
    78
    Location:
    California
    Day 1

    We got the old 135 moved out of the apartment. Cleaned the sand from it so it can be put into the 300. Collecting all the fish was a lot easier than we thought it was going to be and they were put into the top off tank (20T) for the 120 set up for now. Corals were rounded up and put into a 20L. They were so spread out in the 135 that the 20 seems crowded.

    The hard part was draining all the water from the 135 and its 100 gallon sump. Then we had to undo all the plumbing that we had slaved over. Thankfully we had the foresight to use unions in every section so it came apart very easily.

    Worst part was moving the tanks and stand out. The stand was redone with 3/4 inch sub-flooring and oak paneling, so it weighed a lot. But we got it and the tanks loaded into the back of the truck.

    Had to clean the floor because we had spilled water all over where we wanted to put the new tank in, but got it all clean.

    Thank God for acrylic! Moving the stand and tank in was easy as pie. Got it squared against the wall so it cuts off the room just after the bedroom door. Had to figure out the puzzle that was the piping that came with it, but nothing too difficult. Putting the sugar fine sand in was a nightmare, it was terrible to get out of the bin it came in, and it was a nightmare getting it out of the scoops we were using.

    Filled it with as much water as we had made (again, limited space to make water in without taking up the entire apartment, it is already taking up the entire kitchen), and added nite-out 2. Will fill more tomorrow and will start taking the paint off the one side (previous owner had it against the wall and painted one of the long sides with some kind of paint). Any recommendations? We've heard Goo Gone Original works without messing up the acrylic.

    Been a long day, worked from 9 A.M. to midnight. Hoping to have the fish in the tank by Friday Afternoon. The tank came with all the live rock and sand that was in it, and it was drained maybe an hour or so before we picked it up. Don't think that the cycling will take that long.


    Front of the Tank
    [​IMG]

    End of the Tank
    [​IMG]

    Back of the Tank
    [​IMG]
    Project for tomorrow

    Peninsula Tank all in place and part filled
    [​IMG]
     
  11. hnnhflns

    hnnhflns Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2012
    Messages:
    78
    Location:
    California
    yeah... we got the bug a while back. Started just because we wanted to try it. First we out grew the 20 we had, then the biocube (and 2 sumps we added), then the 50, then the 135, and now we have a 120 and 300 getting set up.

    The turtles have been in the same tank for years. And the shrimp are so easy, we just feed them twice a week.
     
  12. Zero_Dude

    Zero_Dude Fire Shrimp

    Joined:
    May 18, 2013
    Messages:
    346
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    What equipment does the shrimp tank consist of? And is it just chaeto and pods in that tank?