JCTReefer
Valuable Member
I’m curious if most of you with larger tanks plumb outside, like in a garage, or do you plumb where the tank will be placed? Here’s the run down in a nutshell.
I’m about to start fabrication on my stand. Stand will be 74 3/4 x 25 1/2 x 36 tall. Tanks dimensions are 72x24x28. The bottom trim work of the tank measures 72 3/4 x 24 1/2.
I wanted the stand to be an inch wider than the foot print of the tank on 3 sides. The stand will be built out of 3x3 steel square tubing. 1/4 inch wall thickness. Yes, way over engineered, but makes me feel better. It will have 13 leveling feet installed on it to disperse the weight. I’ve yet to figure how to get the exact same pressure on all feet. Tank will be on new tile flooring and I want it perfectly level. Each foot rated for 5,550 lbs. I had to go this big to get the right size foot diameter to get my Psi where I wanted it. Leveling feet diameter are 3 inches. So roughly 7 square inches for each foot. I’m guessing total weight with tank, stand, water, rock, substrate, lights, etc, will be around 3,000lbs. The frame work for the stand will be mitered also. More weld that way. There will be no center supports, but it will have gussets. Likely 3 or 4 inch isosceles triangles. 8 total on the top side corners ran vertically. I want open access to the front so the bottom will be framed out on 3 sides with the front open. If you put a point load of 500 lbs directly in the middle of that size tubing, the deflection would be .0066”of an inch. A point load of 1000lbs would put you at .0133” of an inch. So I think I’m definitely good structural wise. I’ll have an engineer look at it also. 3/4 HDPE will be used for the tank to sit on along with the required foam pad between the HDPE and tank bottom. The tank manufacturer requires this foam so I’m using it. The tank came in last week and is currently in the garage. My garage isn’t perfectly level so the wooden shipping container is shimmed so the tank is level while it’s stored. Still waiting on a custom sump to be built. The stand should weigh in between 300-400 lbs. The tanks a little over 400lbs. I’m just trying to decide on whether to plumb this thing in the garage or in the house close to where it will reside. This will be number 4 tank I’ve plumbed, and every one besides my last was plumbed in its final location. And it was a little 54 gallon. So it was really easy to move around. The garage floor and living room floor are not the same level wise. So if I hard plumb it in the garage, it will be slightly off once in the living room. Things won’t line up the same.
Now I’ll definitely drill it in the garage. So what do most do with their larger tanks? Plumb inside or outside. Yes, leak testing is always best outside. I get that. And I did do that with the 54 after I plumbed it, but this is a slightly different scenario. Completely different type of stand. The stand on the 54 had a built in bottom, so the plumbing didn’t change from garage to living room. The sump and equipment for the new tank will sit on 1/4 white acrylic sheet. So where to plumb is the question. I’ve been fortunate not to have any issues with previous tanks plumbed in place. So what do most people do? Inside or outside?
I’m about to start fabrication on my stand. Stand will be 74 3/4 x 25 1/2 x 36 tall. Tanks dimensions are 72x24x28. The bottom trim work of the tank measures 72 3/4 x 24 1/2.
I wanted the stand to be an inch wider than the foot print of the tank on 3 sides. The stand will be built out of 3x3 steel square tubing. 1/4 inch wall thickness. Yes, way over engineered, but makes me feel better. It will have 13 leveling feet installed on it to disperse the weight. I’ve yet to figure how to get the exact same pressure on all feet. Tank will be on new tile flooring and I want it perfectly level. Each foot rated for 5,550 lbs. I had to go this big to get the right size foot diameter to get my Psi where I wanted it. Leveling feet diameter are 3 inches. So roughly 7 square inches for each foot. I’m guessing total weight with tank, stand, water, rock, substrate, lights, etc, will be around 3,000lbs. The frame work for the stand will be mitered also. More weld that way. There will be no center supports, but it will have gussets. Likely 3 or 4 inch isosceles triangles. 8 total on the top side corners ran vertically. I want open access to the front so the bottom will be framed out on 3 sides with the front open. If you put a point load of 500 lbs directly in the middle of that size tubing, the deflection would be .0066”of an inch. A point load of 1000lbs would put you at .0133” of an inch. So I think I’m definitely good structural wise. I’ll have an engineer look at it also. 3/4 HDPE will be used for the tank to sit on along with the required foam pad between the HDPE and tank bottom. The tank manufacturer requires this foam so I’m using it. The tank came in last week and is currently in the garage. My garage isn’t perfectly level so the wooden shipping container is shimmed so the tank is level while it’s stored. Still waiting on a custom sump to be built. The stand should weigh in between 300-400 lbs. The tanks a little over 400lbs. I’m just trying to decide on whether to plumb this thing in the garage or in the house close to where it will reside. This will be number 4 tank I’ve plumbed, and every one besides my last was plumbed in its final location. And it was a little 54 gallon. So it was really easy to move around. The garage floor and living room floor are not the same level wise. So if I hard plumb it in the garage, it will be slightly off once in the living room. Things won’t line up the same.
Now I’ll definitely drill it in the garage. So what do most do with their larger tanks? Plumb inside or outside. Yes, leak testing is always best outside. I get that. And I did do that with the 54 after I plumbed it, but this is a slightly different scenario. Completely different type of stand. The stand on the 54 had a built in bottom, so the plumbing didn’t change from garage to living room. The sump and equipment for the new tank will sit on 1/4 white acrylic sheet. So where to plumb is the question. I’ve been fortunate not to have any issues with previous tanks plumbed in place. So what do most people do? Inside or outside?
. All sound advice. That’s the direction I’m leaning! Happy Reefing as well!
