# Hey Baby, Nice Rack!



## swylie (May 10, 2007)

I don't know, man. I've seen bigger racks than that. Not up close and personal of course, just... you know... in pictures.

I'd be happy to have a rack like that of my own to play with whenever I wanted. :icon_wink


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## Naja002 (Oct 12, 2005)

Good to see You got it setup. Tanks look Great! roud:


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## Dawn Haze (Feb 27, 2007)

great looking setup.. what size are your tanks and what kind of rack are you using? I would like to set up something similiar using 55 gallons tanks.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

That looks just like the racks I got at Target for my garage. Did you reinforce them, or attach them to the wall?


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

*Wasserpest* and *Dawn Haze*: The main rack is from Home Depot and is stainless steel. Wass, It probably is like the one in your garage, but these are the 36" instead of the more common 48". 
FYI, Dawn Haze, the 48" won't work for 55g I don't think. The corners protrude a bit more - I couldn't get 30L on mine, which are 36". If you could get one with more depth than 12", it would work. Also, the weight of a 55g is likely too much - you'd want it rated at >500lb. more like 750lb.

Each shelf on the 36" is rated up to 350lbs., evenly distributed. The tanks are 20L with the weight evenly distributed across all the support bars. I had a 20T on there for awhile, and there was significant bowing in the center. There is no bowing at all with the 20Longs. There are 2"x4"s under the posts to distribute the weight more evenly across the floor. The rack is attached to the wall with a set of 4 U braces and 8 screws. All electrics feed to a GFCI off to the right.

The tank on the left is 10g AGA on an old microwave stand made of the same stainless steel material. 

Total Tankage is 70g. Oh, and the CO2 manifold feeds a line that snakes through the wall to my 30g in the living room.


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## MrJG (Feb 21, 2007)

I have rack envy.


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## cleekdafish (Jun 13, 2007)

dam i want one


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## matt s (Jun 6, 2007)

*Borat voice* Very niiiiiiice! Love the tank in the middle.


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

Great pictures! Great racks!

I like how you didn't just make the same looking tanks for all of them. They all look different so that's really good.


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Hey Mac thats a great setup ! roud: 
20L tanks are the perfect size for what you are doing. Well done and I look forward to more pics. Good luck on the finals.


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

triple deck of different scapes! i love it. now can we get individual close up shots please.


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

How about some specs on the tanks? All low tech?

That setup looks awesome!


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## TigerLilly (Oct 11, 2004)

I especially like the middle tank on the right. The one with the black sand. It has a certain candance to it. I love the rock work and the plants growing out of it.


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## Riley (Jan 24, 2006)

What kind of dwarfs you keeping in there?


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Thanks for all the feedback guys (and gals?).



Riley said:


> What kind of dwarfs you keeping in there?


*Tank 1 (20L): Tanganyika*
7x 'Lamprologus' stappersii
1x Panaque maccus - Clown Pleco

*Tank 2 (20L): Central American*
Pair: Blue Eyed Cichlid - Archocentrus spirulum
2x: Oto Cat - Otocinclus affinus

*Tank 3 (20L): South American*
Pair: Flag Acara - Laetacara curviceps
5x Orange Flame Von Rio Tetra - Hyphessobrycon flammeus
2x: Oto Cat - Otocinclus affinus

*Tank 4 (10g): West African*
Pair: Butterfly Cichlid - Anomalochromis thomasi
1x: Oto Cat - Otocinclus affinus

*Tank 5 (30L, not pictured): South American*
Pair: Bolivian Ram - Mikrogeophagus altispinosa
1x Male Double Red - Apistogramma cacatuoides
13x Neon Tetra - Paracheirodon innesi
Near Infinite #: Endler's Livebearer - Poecilia wingei
3x: Oto Cat - Otocinclus affinus


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

Hey macclellan,

How about the equipment side? Filters? Heater? Lights? Etcetera?


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

macclellan said:


> I'll post detailed pics and specs starting Dec. 13.


Sorry for the delay, but my best intelligence estimates have indicated that 'Operation Santa,' a supply mission slated for 25 Dec. 2007CE contains an SB-600 as part of the munitions package. As such, all photographic reconnaissance efforts are henceforth postponed in the interim until this vital piece of equipment arrives. 'Operation Flashbang' will ensue with blinding fury after the equipment is secured, which is a near certainty; our intelligence estimates are more actionable than the smoke-and mirrors-that supposedly justified invading Iraq for the second time.



dekstr said:


> How about the equipment side? Filters? Heater? Lights? Etcetera?


Okay, here is all the technical stuff:

36"x12"72" Stainless steel rack from big box store.
'Sister' rack from selfsame for the 10g and supplies.
Normal polyboard stand for 30L
10#CO2 tank > Azoo Regulator > 6 port manifold > tanks #2, #4, and #5.

*Tank 1 20L:*
Filtration: Marineland 150 HOB
Heater: 100w Stealth
Lighting: 2x18w T5 coralife. 6700k & 100000k
CO2: n/a
Substrate: Aragonite Sand
Decor: Rusty sandstone and 36 escargot shells
Background: Blue plastic w/vaseline

Plants: Egeria najas, Anubias hastifolia


*Tank 2 20L:*
Filtration: Rena XP1
Heater: 100w Stealth
Lighting: 36w AHS (soon to be replaced with another 36" coralife).
CO2: Azoo valve > Hagen ladder
Substrate: Tahitian moon sand
Decor: Lace rock and 'spider' driftwood
Background: Black paint

Plants: Microsorum pteropus 'narrow leaf', Microsorum pteropus 'needle leaf', Microsorum pteropus 'windelov', Anubias nana 'petite', Hydrocotyle leucocephala


*Tank 3 20L:*
Filtration: Marineland 150 HOB
Heater: 100w Stealth
Lighting: 36w T-8 shoplight from Walmart. Orangeish (5500k?) bulbes enhance the blackwater look. Believe it or not, swords are growing well. oh, and like $8 (chica-chica, yeaaah!)
CO2: n/a
Substrate: Pool filter sand over peat
Decor: Mopani driftwood and oak leaves
Background: Black paint

Plants: Echinodurus sp. 'indian red', Echinodorus sp. 'oriental', Hydrocotyle leuocephala, Fissidens fontanus

*Tank 4 10g:*
Filtration: Whisper 20 (_great _little filter!)
Heater: n/a
Lighting: 15w strip light. will be replaced with 36w AHS if/when Tank 2 gets the lighting upgrade, as mentioned above. 
C02: Fabco valve > generic ceramic nano diffuser
Substrate: Pool filter sand over peat. Also contains root tabs
Decor: Locally collected driftwood and river rocks.
Background: Black paint.

Plants:Cryptocoryne ciliata, Cryptocoryne wendtii 'green', Microsorum pteropus 'windelov', Vallisneria americana (natans), Echinodorus tenellus, Vesicularia dubyana 'Christmas', Fissidens fontanus

*Tank 5 30L:*
Filtration: Rena XP1
Heater: Generic 150w
Lighting: 96w AHS 'The Beast.' Sometimes tamed with 1" risers.
C02: Fabco valve > generic ceramic diffuser
Substrate: Eco complete and pool filter sand.
Decor: Mopani driftwood
Background: Black paint.

Plants: Echinodorus 'Rose', Echinodorus 'Tropica', Echinodorus 'Red Rubin', Echinodorus tenellus, Hemianthus micranthemoides, Heteranthera zosterifolia, Myriophyllum mattogrossense, Bacopa australis, Vallisneria americana, Vallisneria spiralis, Fissidens fontanus

Oh, and here is a crappy pic of this one, anxiously awaiting some 'micro' tenellus:


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## shwerm601 (Dec 16, 2007)

macclellan said:


> Thanks for all the feedback guys (and gals?).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Do you ever notice any issue with cleaning any of the tanks stacked on the rack? I have a 29 gallon stand and tossed a 15 gallon on the bottom shelf since its open, and I use it as a hospital tank and I was curious if you ever run into clearance issues when doing water chages with a gravel siphon?


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

shwerm, no, no clearance issues. Actually, I could have put 4 20L tanks, as there are four shelves and enough vertical space, but the clearance would have sucked, so I opted for only 3 with one storage rack on bottom to improve clearance. There is about 7" of clearance over each tank.

I sorta dropped the ball on posting pics. Here is a rough and ready shot of the still growing tank #2. I had to move the spirulums. Johnny was beating on Sally and needed a divider for awhile (these are not their real names; they've been altered to protect their privacy and preserve anonymity on the internet). Just has 10 neons, 2 ottos, and some cherry shrimp. No ferts to speak of. Proof that a $9 light (2x18w T8 "Lights of America" fixture from walmart) w/out co2 can grow plants pretty well with near zero maintenance. If I may say so, this tank will be HOT when it grows in!


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

Lowes has the metal racks that are 18" deep. I have a 48" x 18" one in my laundry room for all of my emersed tanks.


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## markalot (Apr 8, 2007)

I have the same rack, I think, but I needed to place my tanks on wood in order to stabilize the shelves, otherwise I was getting some uneven sag. 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/photo-album/62336-marks-rack.html

Maybe I was being too paranoid?

I assume those tanks are 20 gallon, not 20L, right?


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

As stated above:


macclellan said:


> The tanks are 20L with the weight evenly distributed across all the support bars. I had a 20T on there for awhile, and there was significant bowing in the center. There is no bowing at all with the 20Longs. There are 2"x4"s under the posts to distribute the weight more evenly across the floor. The rack is attached to the wall with a set of 4 U braces and 8 screws.


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## markalot (Apr 8, 2007)

Sorry I missed that. Right 20L is 20 long


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## mgamer20o0 (Mar 8, 2007)

great job...... puts my tanks to shame.


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## lymabean (Mar 16, 2008)

cool idea, are you trying to breed some of the cichlids?


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## jinx© (Oct 17, 2007)

macclellan said:


> If I may say so, this tank will be HOT when it grows in!


I totally agree...That looks like a jungle cliff to me...Beautiful tank.roud:


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

mgamer and jinx, thanks! more pics as things develop.



lymabean said:


> cool idea, are you trying to breed some of the cichlids?


of course! at the moment: stappersi, curviceps, and spirulus, specifically.


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

That tank looks amazing. Its just so simple, but so confusing:icon_lol: 

I like it! What rock is that? And it looks like the ever popular manitizia wood (killed the spelling on that one)

Great job.
-Andrew


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Lace rock and "Spider wood"...supposedly some Amazonian vine. I'm not rich enough for manzanita...the piece above was [email protected] local herp. shop.

The "Golden Nana" isn't doing so well, despite all the other anubias flourishing. Does it need higher light or anything?


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Old thread alert!! :icon_redf

So, Mac, you still got this rack up and running? I just now found this thread during a search, and I can't believe I missed it all these years. This rack is almost exactly what I've been designing for my next project. Tell me everything is still working for you, and the shelves never ended up bowing?


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

It's not up and running, but I still have the rack and some of those tanks still (took apart when I moved). Bowing was never an issue, but one of the minor welds did 'pop.' Only thing I'd do different is use 1/2" plywood as reinforcement with corners cut out for the legs. The cross-braces on the shelves are welded from below, which is a weakness. Better to place all the weight on the outermost, largest diameter metal of the shelves.


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

The sarcastic posts remind of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMtDvTfET2I


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

So being that a weld popped, do you think that reinforcing with 1/2" plywood would have prevented this from happening? I'm probably going to be buying a rack like this or similar in the next couple of weeks, and I'm still kind of wondering if I should just build one out of 2x4's. I much prefer the look of these stainless steel ones, as opposed to a big honking wood rack.


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## .Mko. (Sep 23, 2010)

jinx© said:


> I totally agree...That looks like a jungle cliff to me...Beautiful tank.roud:


 
I agree this tank will look amazing once it grows in


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## foildontrust (Aug 17, 2007)

indeed! that is a nice rack


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