How did you get your big refugium in your stand?

waterlogged

waterlogged

Member
I have a HOB refugium with macroalgae but I would like to have my nitrates be lower so I have been investigating a refugium for inside my aquarium stand. My DT is 125g so I would need a decent size refug to make it worth while and it doesn't seem like I could fit it through the door opening in stand. Did everyone put theres down through top of stand before DT was set in place?
 
waterlogged

waterlogged

Member
I would like to get a 29 or 30 in it but it has to fit through the door. I have the stand with 3 doors. Has anybody got a 125g DT and what could you get in the stand?
 
nel621

nel621

Member
How about you make a brace for the stand,cut or somehow remove one or two door openinings,place your sump tank under the tank then reattach any wood you removed.It can be done.
 
gmann1139

gmann1139

Active Member
No idea of your support, but is coming in from the side an option?
Ditto on coming in from the top. That's what was told to me on how to get the biggest tank underneath.
 
waterlogged

waterlogged

Member
I can't come in from the side. The center supports are just stapled or brad nailed on. But the aquarium is full and has livestock in it.
Has anybody tried this: cut a 2x4 the correct length and use it as a center support but down a little farther than the existing one and then remove the existing one, slide the refugium in, restaple on the original center support, and remove the 2x4.
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Most of us build our own stands so putting a door on one side makes a world of difference.
You say your limited from accessing the side, just use a plunge and cut in a door, put on some trim and use the removed piece as your door's face.
doors on front for tinkering.
Door on side for large removal and install of sumps ect.
JMO
 
wattsupdoc

wattsupdoc

Active Member
Originally Posted by Waterlogged
http:///forum/post/2533624
I can't come in from the side. The center supports are just stapled or brad nailed on. But the aquarium is full and has livestock in it.
Has anybody tried this: cut a 2x4 the correct length and use it as a center support but down a little farther than the existing one and then remove the existing one, slide the refugium in, restaple on the original center support, and remove the 2x4.

Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
http:///forum/post/2533665
Most of us build our own stands so putting a door on one side makes a world of difference.
You say your limited from accessing the side, just use a plunge and cut in a door, put on some trim and use the removed piece as your door's face.
doors on front for tinkering.
Door on side for large removal and install of sumps ect.
JMO
Either of these 2 options are doable. ReefFoprBrains would be the best, as it allows removal later if need be. Also, I have removed the center brace before on smaller tanks. Braced the front up with a piece married to the front top bracing. Then took out the vertical support. You can put it back if you want, but I have just connected it to one of the doors and let it act as a dummy, or filler.
 
gmann1139

gmann1139

Active Member
Yeah that's what I'd figured.
The stress is going to on the front and back, which is why you have center supports there.
And this goes without saying, but if you do end up removing supports, be sure to have your replacement support up first. Glass doesn't have any humor when it comes to sagging.
 
nel621

nel621

Member
Originally Posted by Waterlogged
http:///forum/post/2533229
I would like to get a 29 or 30 in it but it has to fit through the door. I have the stand with 3 doors. Has anybody got a 125g DT and what could you get in the stand?
Remove 2 doors.Make a brace using 2x4's.You will need a "header" piece and 2 leg supports picture an inverted U.Or make 2 T's with the 2x4's.This is what you will use to support the tank while you remove the bracing for the doors.Remove doors and bracing,slide in your sump tank and then put the bracing and doors back on.Make your brace an 1/8 of an inch taller than you need it to wedgeit under the front edge of the stand.This way it will be nice and snug and prevent any sagging.Keep in mind if you saw any original bracing you will need to cut new ones or make shims for the old ones.You will lose the thickness of the saw on the top and bottom.If the stand is stapled together you may be able to remove with just a hammer,then no need to shim.Good luck.
 
waterlogged

waterlogged

Member
Originally Posted by gmann1139
http:///forum/post/2535116
Yeah that's what I'd figured.
The stress is going to on the front and back, which is why you have center supports there.
And this goes without saying, but if you do end up removing supports, be sure to have your replacement support up first. Glass doesn't have any humor when it comes to sagging.
I like the idea of taking off the side and if I understand correctly since there are still the front and back support still on the end I won't need to support it. Is that correct?
Looking at a tank size chart I think a 29g refugium will fit pretty good. Is that a big enough refugium for a 125g DT?
I read melvs reef and understand about the baffles. I think I will have 3 sections and tell me what you think:
1. Intake area and I eventually want a skimmer in here. How wide would I want this area?
2. Area with live sand, live rock, and cheato. Should I have all 3 in this area?
3. Return pump. How wide do I need this area?
What area do I put the heater in?
 
waterlogged

waterlogged

Member
Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
http:///forum/post/2535468
28 would be fine, but a 55 would be better....

I actually have an extra 55g tank sitting empty but the height is 21 inches and that would only leave me 6 inches clearance to bottom of DT. Would that be ok?
 
nel621

nel621

Member
Don't take anything for granted with a stand that has been stapled together.Find a way to support the tank and stand before you remove anything.Is this tank empty?If not don't take any chances if you are taking parts off of the stand.125 x 8 = 1000lbs plus everything else that is in it and on it!
 
srgvigil

srgvigil

Member
Melev (builds custom sumps if you havent heard oh him) did a lecture at the Marine Aquarium Expo earlier this month and he talked about the same thingt you are talking about these are the 3 options he gave
1)cut a hole in the side and fit it in through there
2(build another cabinet for it and put it right next to the tank (especially good idea for hexagonal tanks)
3) the support thing already being talkjed about
 
mike murphy

mike murphy

New Member
I just did this but my 125 was empty. I thought about the side panel and yes it is stapled in not only from the sides but from the top & bottom. I removed the 2 rear center vertical 2x4 braces and re-installed them after the tank was in place. Before I did that however I cut a piece of plywood and screwed it down to the 2x4 bottom pieces to make a solid floor.
If your tank is setup you won't want to do it like I did and maybe do it from the side.
The floor made it more solid overall.
 
horsemen

horsemen

Member
maybe have a couple small tanks that fit throw the door say two 10 gal tanks you can make 2 long U tubes to have the flow from one to the other then back up to the dt
 
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