Teresa Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 So this is what I want in an identical space I have in the wall between my dining and living room: The big question is - How do I make this happen without spending a ton of money? I think it could be a fun DIY project for my boyfriend and I, but I don't know anything about carpentry. I know many of you are very handy so I figured I'd ask the group. I'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, and suggestions any of you may have. Explicit, detailed step by step directions are also welcome . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Define what a ton of money means to you. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 1st measure how thick your wall is, the wall in the pic looks to have been built a little wider than a normal wall so as to be able to have a decent sized tank installed. It would be a very easy DIY if you have a little knowledge of framing, building, wiring etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 1st measure how thick your wall is, the wall in the pic looks to have been built a little wider than a normal wall so as to be able to have a decent sized tank installed. It would be a very easy DIY if you have a little knowledge of framing, building, wiring etc. Those are the two main problems. The space is 64" long and 13" wide. Too long for the 55 gallon we currently have (at 48"), but not long enough for the next most common size tanks at 72". And I know nothing about framing, building or wiring . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 It depends on what you want, really. If you simply want an aquarium on your existing wall, then it shouldn't be too hard. But if you want it to look all built in like that with cabinets underneath, it gets more constructiony fast. 13" wide seems to be a problem. Are there any standard tanks that are 60" x 13"? Otherwise, I'd say you'd need to install a cap that is the width of the aquarium and goal ruin the built in look. Or you would need to think about a custom aquarium which may ruin the not too expensive part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 There are some 60" long tanks available. RCA has, or did, a 100g one. IT was wider than 13" but it might look kinda cool sticking out the sides a little. Of course, if you want it all flush and stuff; that wont work. As you are seeing, in order to look like that above, you'll have to spend money one way or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 There are some 60" long tanks available. RCA has, or did, a 100g one. IT was wider than 13" but it might look kinda cool sticking out the sides a little. Of course, if you want it all flush and stuff; that wont work. As you are seeing, in order to look like that above, you'll have to spend money one way or the other. Yeah, that's what I'm nervous about. The only pre-made 60" aquariums are 18" wide. I'm not sure I would like the look of the aquarium standing out that much from the wall. Herein lies my problem. So - ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ct67stang Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 You can definitly see in the pic that the wall is way thicker than your standard wall. But you dont have to build out the whole wall that thick. Just the area where the glass will be. And ut can still get the built-in effect. Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ct67stang Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Also you can make that side. (We'll call it the dining table side) look flush as in the pic. But the other side will have the remainder of the tank width standing out. Which will allow you to have the space necessary for all you sump stuff Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bige Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Since you would need a new stand (because the existing frame probably would fall over time) you could accommodate the wider tank and just put sheet rock over the new wood frame. Then adding the top of the tank to match the surroundings. Not too hard todo. I have a 65" wide tank so I bet you could find a tank to fit. Or make one. That's fun diy too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ct67stang Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 This is somewhat similar, minus the arch http://www.austinreefclub.com/index.php?/topic/26236-Niko's-185 Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 it's hard to tell from the photo, but the trim look like it sticks out pretty far. it may cover the extra width of the tank. i'm guessing that the existing wall has enough studs to support a tank without building a stand. however, if you wanted to add a sump under it you would have to do some rework like in the link to niko's. cheapest way to do it (and how i think another ARCer was planning) would be to have HOB filters on the enclosed ends and not using a sump. you could use your 48" tank and then add doors on each side to hide, and allow access, to your filters. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 +1 to use a 55G tank with HOB on one narrow side. Use very little or no live rock to promote open look. This would also promote circulation within the tank. Add one power head at the top on same side as HOB to promote aggressive circulation across the top. A simple lagoon with fish and macro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 for me it would be a fun project. It would be easy to get to the 18" mark with little work, but one side of the wall will have to be new. Im gonna stay outta this one for now. I wish I had a construction business and you had plenty of money. I would run a sump, all the returns on one side and drains on the other (cross flow) 2 power heads (left/right), use the returns with lockline to promote flow to dead zones. Very easy. If you didn't do this yourself and you contracted it out I bet it would be over $5k close to $7k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo662 Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 You could use two 55g tanks...using the sump tank for most of the rock. You can use the space on either end to run the plumbing / electrical and have some type of cabinetry built around to hide everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 www.glasscages.com will custom make you a 60x13" tank. The wall that you want to put the tank on is an interior wall, which means that you have to reinforce it. You have to take the sheet rock off, double the verticle beams with 2x4 studs and add headers to distribute the weight evenly along the studs. The Home Depot sells 2x4x8 for around $2 each. You should use pressure treated studs if you want to add a sump, but if you close up the wall then you don't need them because the studs won't come in direct contact with moisture. You also don't need a vapor barrior or insullation because it's not an exterior wall. You'll probably want to use 2-2.5" 16 gauge nails and wood glue for combining studs and installing the header. IMO I think you should add a cabinet door or two under the tank before putting the sheet rock back up. You can safely fit a tank under the DT and it will give you an opportunity to have a sump and not a HOB, which can have a myriad of problems. You can add soffet or wall vents for passive ventillation or small fans for active ventillation. I would also suggest thinking ahead about electrical outlets so that you can install or move them while you have the wall open. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Sascha has the right idea, I am a general contractor (one of my hats anyway) and I am in the planning stages of a very similar build with a friend. Our wall is similar to the one in the pic, in that it is 18 or so inches thick to begin with (ours is 22) . If it was a standard wall the cost of our project would be well above the $7K we currently are projecting. We are building a custom acrylic aquarium with return and overflow on either side of the tank drilled on the bottom so all the hardware will be directly below the tank. The lumber and construction materials aren't that bad at around $1200, with a full length cabinet open to either side, currently we are debating the top and lighting portion of the build...the owner would like rimless, but with an acrylic tank we may have to change the thickness/bracing if that's really the direction he wants to go. A top would be better, but the owner wants a lot of access. Our biggest challenge so far has been designing lower support and mounting for cabinet faces, without bracing in the center for maximum sump capability. Now, this is a 120+ gallon display, and a budget of $7500 with labor being $0...so, back that down to a smaller tank and it gets a lot cheaper....bring in used hardware and it goes down even more. the tank will be started as a FOWLR and skimmer, ATO, controller will be added as time goes on to differ initial costs somewhat. The framing itself is not difficult, but the cabinets and layout can be a bear. Also, as Sascha wisely points out...ELECTRICAL! Luckily I had an electrician who owed me a (big) favor and isolated the outlet already in the wall and changed it out for a GFCI dedicated circuit. This was only possible because the adjacent wall is the garage allowing minimal repair from the re-wire to the panel. This would have cost us $1K or more under "normal" circumstances. Also, since it is a dedicated circuit we can have the electrician come back at a later date and put back up power to that circuit alone in case of power failure. Building in a wall opens up a lot of new opportunities, (such as dedicated circuits) and my next tank (when I decide what it will be) will without a doubt be placed in wall. Even if only so I can use the room behind as a fish room. Pass through viewing is really cool, but I like the function of a fish room; I am getting very tired of being on the floor every time I need to clean the skimmer! If you have a wall your really thinking about I would be happy to come give you a consultation for free. I am thinking there may be a market for this line of work in Austin...My friend searched for months and couldn't find a GC either willing, or knowledgeable enough to take on the project. If I can do a few for the cost of learning the ins and outs I might start marketing for it. Specifically, I have been toying with the idea of a tank without support underneath it and how to cleanly mount such a thing without making it look out of place. In other words- cut a hole in the wall, place a "shelf" mount tank on shelf; run support systems from anterior location like a "fish room". With this method lighting and access become the two major hurdles to discuss, rather than the whole host of issues that come with cabinets and an under tank sump. Either way, it is an amazing tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 If you used a wider tank and had it overhang on each side you could build shallow cabinets out on each side of the wall. These could support a wider shelf from each side so that you didn't have to worry about digging into the wall to reinforce the existing framing. You could also conceivably flush mount something like kessils into the arch overhead for a very clean look. Looks like a fun project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbnj Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 You could also put a tank on a stand in either room, at a height that makes it viewable from the other room. Wires/hoses/etc would have to be on the side. If you paint the stand/canopy the same color as the wall, it will blend right in. You can go as wide as you want then and if you ever move, the house structure remains intact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Sascha has the right idea, I am a general contractor (one of my hats anyway) and I am in the planning stages of a very similar build with a friend. i'm curious, i would expect a 13" wide wall to have at least 3 2X4s in the span on each side for a total of 6. and then one in each corner that goes up to the ceiling. perhaps that would be a 2X12 per end instead of 2X4s in the corner. but still, if it is constructed like that wouldn't that be more than plenty to support 1000 lbs, of reef? load wise it would be about the same as a man standing on it. it seems like major mods to the wall would only be required if there was to be a sump underneath. if it is not supported like that though, it would be equivalent to a couple of very large men standing in the middle and likely to be problematic and end up with many gallons of water soaking into sheet rock rubble in a mass of broken glass and gasping fish. also, with an 18" tank you would have an overhang of 2.5" per side. a nice hardwood plank 60"x18"x1" could be stained to look really pretty and easily be able to support the load on a 2.5" overhang with no help. a slab of countertop material could probably do the same thing and be waterproof. i've latched onto the less than a ton of money portion. but, it seems to me that if you avoid the sump you should be able to do this for less than a new setup since the stand is already paid for (or at least mortgaged). suddenly, i find myself wishing i had a pony wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Wow. You guys have given me a lot to consider. Thank you so much for all of your feedback. I'll try to take a picture tonight of the current 55 gallon set up in that space. I really don't like how cluttered it looks with all the cords, etc. This is also why I think a built in flush look is more along the lines of what I'm looking for. I'm wondering if I can start with HOB filters and add in a sump later on down the road. I am very interested in getting a 125+ tank just so I have more options in terms of fish. We're pretty limited right now with the 55 and I'm dying to get a tang . If I go with 60", I'm not sure I could find an HOB that would be thin enough to fit between the tank and side wall. Also, how much should I worry or be concerned about the resale value of my home with a built in tank? I don't plan on selling for a long time (more than 5 years down the road, if ever). But you never know. Does anyone have experience with whether a built in tank drops or increases the value of a home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbnj Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 I think if you ask most real estate agents, they'll tell you it will de-value the house.....but it only takes one interested buyer who's a hobbyist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Looking at the example photo: pull of the trim, patch some drywall holes, and take the tank to your new home. All anyone would know is you have a nice little ledge with extra storage space. If it was hollowed out for a sump kids would love it for hide and seek. If you leave the tank set up while showing the house tell people it won't stay unless they pay a little extra for all the remodeling . Oh, and ask jeeperty if I'm nuts. If a HOB filter won't work, I'd consider a canister filter. Knock out a small cubby somewhere to stash it and try to get a plug wired into it so your cords would have a place to go, too. My eheim 2217 is about 6" in diameter. At 180 gph it may be undersized for a 125g tank, though. I know, canister is a dirty word, but it would solve the footprint problem. But I think any HOB filter with less than four inches of HOBness would be too smal and wouldn't let your tank sit centered in the space. Now, if I cut a hole in the wall under the stairs here I can have a drop off tan....oh never mind. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 The whole point of this tank is to have a clean looking, "in wall" installation. IMO you should try to remove as many eyesores as is practical. Save yourself the headache down the road and do a sump now and ditch the idea of an HOB. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ct67stang Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 +1 on making room for the sump. Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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