[Nightfall_fish]

How could I pass this deal up? 220 gallon tank for only $250? Seriously....the fact that I just bought a 90g RR and a 58g RR last week....not to mention the 46g and 25g reefs I'm already in the process of building....

I think I have a serious problem...

So here we go, need to start getting ideas together on making this work. I've got a 75g that I can convert to a sump/ 'fuge for this monster. I'll definately be doing as much as a I can to automate as well. First things first though, what do you guys think about a stand? I want it about waist high so I don't have to bend to look in. Wood? Metal? I do have a wood shop available to me were I to go that route. Think it'd be safe?

[pogodzib]

A wood stand can be built strong enough to handle virtually any size tank. My 220 is built into a wall and sits on my homemade wood stand made out of 2x6's.

[Jeremy0322]

I am sure that it would be safe but if you can go with metal it may be your best bet. You are looking at around 1870 pounds just in water, plus the rocks, sand, equipment, and all the other odds and ends. I would feel safer holding up something that weighed as much as a car with metal instead of wood. If you can build it for cheap though then go for it, just make sure you overkill it.lol

[pogodzib]

Want to guess how much weight your load bearing walls inside of your house is holding up? It's not uncommon to exceed 1,000 lbs per lineal foot.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by pogodzib

Want to guess how much weight your load bearing walls inside of your house is holding up? It's not uncommon to exceed 1,000 lbs per lineal foot.

Are you just calculating the load on a piece of wood or are you also figuring diaphram action as well?

I smell an engineer!

[jimw369]

I WAS RIGHT!!!!!!!

Engineer!!!!!

[pogodzib]

Yes, I'm an engineer. I did some calcs for the fun of it (yeah, I know) before I filled my tank on my DIY stand. Take a look at how cheaply constructed most aquarium stands are made and you will see that a 2x6 stand is overkill. My stand has a 4' wide open space on the back of my stand so that I can remove my 4' long sump easily if need be without having to take the stand down. Because of this, my major concern was the deflection that would exist in the support across the back of the stand and not the weight.

[jimw369]

Ahhhh yes. The discussions Ive had over the years with engineers and Architects about deflection...oh the memories.

Hey! Hows it going? House coming along well? Tank OK?

[Nightfall_fish]

Awesome guys. I knew I was asking the right people here. Wood it is. It's easier for me to work with, not to mention cheaper. I do have a camera so as things progress i'll post up pictures. next question is for those who have tanks this big (Or bigger) what should I be looking at for lighting. I'd love to do all T5's for both heat and running cost savings. Would that be enough light to do LPS and softies. Not really looking to do SPS in this tank.

[aquasalt]

Can't wait to see your project evolve! 220s are sweeet!

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by Nightfall_fish

Awesome guys. I knew I was asking the right people here. Wood it is. It's easier for me to work with, not to mention cheaper. I do have a camera so as things progress i'll post up pictures. next question is for those who have tanks this big (Or bigger) what should I be looking at for lighting. I'd love to do all T5's for both heat and running cost savings. Would that be enough light to do LPS and softies. Not really looking to do SPS in this tank.

All I can say is my tank is doing fine w/T5 HO. It is only 24" deep though and my bulbs are 4" from the water. 5 sps, a crocea seem to be growing and doing well. Going to be adding another clam and some more sps soon thats how confident I am with the T5HOs.
Add to these facts the multitude of bulb choices that can be mixed with each other for the desired effects on the corals I just cant see how to beat them.

Deeper than 24" I have no experience.

[pogodzib]

The general concensius for a 30" tall tank has always been to use a minimum of 250w MH bulbs, with 400w bulbs prefered. I haven't had my tank setup long enough to tell how mine will do with my 250w MHs. I've never seen anyone try T5HO bulbs over a 30" tall tank so I wouldn't know what to tell you.

Jim - My house if coming along slowly, but surely. We are hoping to be painting in just over a week from now. The tank is going great and the dust is staying out of the fish room as I hoped it would. How do you like your new bulb combination? I tried PMing you about it, but it looks like you aren't accepting any PMs.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by pogodzib

The general concensius for a 30" tall tank has always been to use a minimum of 250w MH bulbs, with 400w bulbs prefered. I haven't had my tank setup long enough to tell how mine will do with my 250w MHs. I've never seen anyone try T5HO bulbs over a 30" tall tank so I wouldn't know what to tell you.

Jim - My house if coming along slowly, but surely. We are hoping to be painting in just over a week from now. The tank is going great and the dust is staying out of the fish room as I hoped it would. How do you like your new bulb combination? I tried PMing you about it, but it looks like you aren't accepting any PMs.

I left on assignment for Becky but Im back.

Great news with the house and tank! I wish I could come and help in some way. (with the tank not the house). I went with the advice I got and since have changed one of the other bulbs out for another 6700K grow bulb. I like seeing stuff really spread out under those 6700K bulbs but I will have to change them before long as stuff is going to grow too fast. Love the look though. By the way, I added 1 3000K bulb second from the front. Great pinks and reds and actually brought out some green on the rim of a sqamosa but NOTHING liked it. So thats the bulb I replaced with the other 6700K. Thanks for that valuable info.

[Nightfall_fish]

Ok, got the measurements...it's 32" deep...so I guess I'll be looking into those MH's I never wanted....and I suppose a chiller too. <sigh>

[Jeremy0322]

I stand corrected. There is not much to show you how very wrong you are like someone throwing that kind of number at you. LOL. I think this is the part where i go stand in the corner for a few minutes

[stephaniesquires]

Glad to have another 220 around. Mine is 96x24x24 so I dont have the depth, it's been fun so far, but I'm still in the setup stage - cycleing, no livestock yet...

[Nightfall_fish]

To be honest with you if I were to choose the tank I wanted I'd have gotten one with your diminsions. I'm not going to gripe though. I'll probably pick your brain while getting this ready.

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by Nightfall_fish

To be honest with you if I were to choose the tank I wanted I'd have gotten one with your diminsions. I'm not going to gripe though. I'll probably pick your brain while getting this ready.

I didn't actually pick it - came with the house!! I'm learning a lot from this site and glad to share my experience

[Nightfall_fish]

Well lucky you! My house came withstained carpet and sagging cabinets.

[pogodzib]

96x24x24 was also my prefered choice, but shipping would have been too expensive so I opted for the standard 72x24x30, 220 gal tank. Besides, I already had a 72" MH light fixture for it off of my old tank.

[Nightfall_fish]

Well, I picked it up today. Took eight guys to load it, only two to unload. Nice having a table that is exactly the same height to slide one out on.

Anyway, will be doing some serious clean up on it. I'll see what I can do about grabbing a camera from work tomorrow and show you my "Prize".

[stephaniesquires]

Can't wait to see the pictures!!

[Nightfall_fish]

Ok, so I haven't done anything but inspect the seams since I got it home. Been preocupied with getting my roomies 90g setup first. Probably going to be ordering a few hundred dollars worth of equipment today....yay!

[Nightfall_fish]

Ok, so I promised pics. I'm a bit late but I do in fact have them...so without further ado....I give you the large glass box sucking up space in my garage....

[coryjones]

I am getting ready to build a t5 setup for my 220g 31" deep tank. I have seen a couple 30" tanks with t5 win tank of the month on rc.