After missing my tank for so long,

[bad coffee]

Russ, the measurement from the top of the tank to the bottom of the fixture is 6" in this drawing.

The top yellow ring is the light spread at 12" below the fixture

The bottom one is 24" below. since it's twice as far away, there will be 1/4 as much light hitting the bottom of my tank. The ring is also 49" diameter. which means lots of light escaping from the tank. Which technically you could cover a 90 gallon tank with 1 150w DE!

I still have to decide on a design for the hood. then I'll know how far above the tank I'll end up putting the lights.

B

 

[masterswimmer]

The ring is also 49" diameter. which means lots of light escaping from the tank. Which technically you could cover a 90 gallon tank with 1 150w DE!

B

Technically you could cover a 90 with 1 x 150w, but not practically. As you know, the spread at 24" is 49". What about at the waters' surface? The spread would only hit about 9 - 10", leaving about 38-39" uncovered at the top.

Your design looks great though. I don't see many 'dead' spots at all. They'll see that light from the space shuttle! :lol:


swimmer

 

[bad coffee]

Russ, At 4" above, I drew a line from the outside of the fixture to the outside of the first ring. It covered the whole tank at the water surface.

I know I'd burn the ^(&( out of my arm every other time I reached into the tank if there was only 4" clearance.

Also, I have to find room for a couple of fans and a couple of t5's or VHO in the hood. I've got 20 more shows that I can do the drafting. (it's nice having 3 hours I can sit and work on the design every day at work!)

B

 

[masterswimmer]

I've got 20 more shows that I can do the drafting. (it's nice having 3 hours I can sit and work on the design every day at work!)

B

Well isn't that conveeeeenient! (church chat) :Up_to_som

swimmer

 

[Quang]

Brett, just a stupid question but do you use a program or software of some sorts to do these lighting/water flow schematics?

 

[bad coffee]

I use Vectorworks. It's a CAD program (Computer Aided Drafting) AutoCad is another program.

I've used it mainly in the past for sound system drawings. Now I'm teaching myself how to draft the things in 3D. I'm getting better and better.

B

 

[bad coffee]

Okay, thinking about my stand (and making more room inside.)

Why not just make it all out of plywood? No dimensioned lumber

3/4" ply inside, and then skin it with 1/2" veneer ply to make it look good.

Anyone think this wouldn't work? the only drawback I can see is it's gonna be hella heavy.

DO i need the full sheets, or would an 8" strip glued to the top edge do it? I'd have even more room then. . .

B

 

[masterswimmer]

The potential problem I see with that design is the possibility for it to wrack. You'll have no bracing to prevent the plywood from twisting (wracking).

When you screw/nail the plywood together, you'll be securing it through the ends of the board. This is the least amt of holding strength on the plywood. I know you'll probably glue it first (recommended, if you do decide to go this route) which will help a lot. But having screws/nails in the end of the plywood is almost as good as having nothing.

I like the idea of thinking outside the box, but I think your design engineering is subject to failure.

swimmer

 

[bad coffee]

Good point on the twisting. I was just thinking of the lateral strength of the ply.

if I dado/rabit my joints they'd be stronger, but I still see the point of the front and back sheets twisting.

why does water have to weigh so damn much!

Back to the 2x frame. . .

 

[masterswimmer]

Brett, done properly, you can probably frame it with 2 x 2's and then sheath the framing in plywood and veneer the way you described above.

The 2 x 2's will provide exceptional lateral strength and also be structural enough to withstand twisting forces. I would use simpson ties to reinforce it as well.

If I had a CAD program I'd work it up, and between us we could easily design a minimally intrusive dimensional lumber framing plan that would be way beyond satisfactory.

swimmer

 

[bad coffee]

. . . and between us we could easily design a minimally intrusive dimensional lumber framing plan that would be way beyond satisfactory.

swimmer

dude, what you smoking to suddenly produce a sentence like that?

I'm pretty sure I'm just going to use 2x3's for the uprights. I'm going to look at some 58 stands before I build it though. Most factory stands I've seen are only made of 1x. So I'm thinking what I can do to lighten the stand.

B

 

[masterswimmer]

dude, what you smoking to suddenly produce a sentence like that?

B

:lol2: :biglaugh:
Yeah, that was a bit over the top
:Thinking:

Let me rephrase it. Lets work it together, we can do it! :flower:

R

 

[prattreef]

Actually I like the sentence Nothing wrong with being an articulate and literate reefgeek. Randy

 

[masterswimmer]

Actually I like the sentence Nothing wrong with being an articulate and literate reefgeek. Randy

:hug:

Lord knows I'm a geek. Now it's just determining which kind, or kinds. :wink1:

R

 

[bad coffee]

Ok, SO!

Glass cages drilled my tank incorrectly. I wouldn't take it yesterday. They said they'd refund my money. I'm going to call them to see if they will indeed rebuild it for the next pickup. September 10th.

SO I have 2 months to get EVERYTHING else ready.

and I figured out how I'm going to finish my stand. Maple panels with 1/2" square walnut edging on all sides. Sleek and easy, and I don't have to make walunt trim.

Time to place a tool order!

B

 

[House of Laughter]

Ok, SO!

Glass cages drilled my tank incorrectly.

Dude, that bites - are they going to reimburse you the cost of the truck and the guys it took to come and get everything?

Too bad, cause I really liked thier work. Did you send them a diagram?

House

 

[bad coffee]

I sent them a DRAFTING with all the measurements on it.

There was a copy with the sales slip.

I haven't talked to them. I've heard if you piss them off they won't deal with you. SO I'm going to have to be the 'nice' brett for that phone call.

But in acuality, I've screwed up before. as long as they just build a new one I'll be fine. Like I said, I'm in no hurry.

I also found out that my one month job might go till november. schweeet!

B

 

[bad coffee]

So here's a couple of pics of what it's going to look like when it's done.
B

 

[masterswimmer]

I like the look of that front. Very clean lines.

The back looks good too, from the display up. Below that I'm having trouble distinguishing pink box, blue box, purple box. I think the pink is the skimmer, not sure though.

swimmer

 

[bad coffee]

Pink is skimmer,
blue is the fuge. I might build one for that spot, but I'd ideally like it to be gravity feed back to the tank.

Purple is an eheim 1262. one's going to be there for return, and somewhere else I'm going to put another for a CL.

B