# Northey87's 120!!! Update 2-1-2011 (56k)



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

I am currently 22 and just purchased a 120 gallon tank and stand from Petsmart back in January. I got a great deal on the tank and was a fool in buying the stand. Basically I too excited about getting my tank up and running and purchased a lot of equipment, most of which I still plan on using. Since coming back to earth I realized that I did not like the stand I had purchased and had purchased some equipment that was sub-par. I have been a woodworker since before high school and have built many custom made cabinets.








(I built this entertainment center just before I left for college back in early 2006)

Thus, I have come to the conclusion that I am going to build my ULTIMATE stand for my 120. Now, I have a ton of ideas to implement into my stand, some I have seen before, some I have not. So, this is going to FUN!:biggrin:

Some "outta the box" ideas

1. Integrated wiring for all electronic in the stand, including GFCI's, a bank of switches, and all the outlets needed.

2. Two pull out drawers/trays built into the base that can/will support a full 10 gallon tank a piece.

3. Two standard drawers to store stuff, but, with a 1/2" thick clear acrylic glass top to be used a work space/place to set wet stuff down. Obviously acrylic because of its non-absorbency and easy clean-up.

4. Since the stand/tank will be in a place where childern a present, I am looking at the possiblity of electric cabinet locks to keep the equipment and childern safe, but keep a clean look.

Those are just a few ideas, plus I have a bunch of other DIY ideas. I have already started to purchase some of the specialty supplies but unfortunately I will be unable start building till this summer after I graduate and move back to PA. I want to use this thread as a step by step on my progress and maybe show/inspire others when they build their own stands. Now I know that this stand probably not fit into the normal persons budget, this stand will probably cost a couple grand. Anyway, I hope you find this interesting and maybe a little inspiring.


PS. Once the stand is built I will move on to the tank itself.


----------



## VincentK (Dec 16, 2009)

Wow, that stand is epic


----------



## StillLearning (Dec 29, 2009)

VincentK said:


> Wow, that stand is epic


Which stand? I only see a entertainment center but a nice one indeed.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Sorry, I just added the tag to the pic to explain it. 

Thanks for the compliment!roud:


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, figured I would list the things I have and the things I will need to get/look into.

Things I have;

2 Eheim 2229's for filtration
2 Coralife 18w Turbo Twists
2 300w Hydor inline heaters
10# tank of Co2
1 Azoo regulator
2 DIY reactors
2 bubble counters
1 PinPoint PH controller
All misc Co2 stuff
Float switches for emergency shut offs
Electric flow control valves for ^^^^
2 sunlight supply T5HO retro fit kits (4x80watts)
LED moon lighting
1/2" acyrlic panes for drawer lids
Heavy duty 150# drawer slides for under cabinet tank drawers

Stuff to buy/look into;

Electric lock equipment (found just need the money)
All building materials for the stand itself
All wiring materials
Most of the plumbing materials
Not sure what I am going to use to control my lights, but I am looking into a RKL for that job
And some other stuff I have yet to think of

Anyway, here is the basic list, I am sure there will be more to follow.


----------



## dacrax07 (Jan 10, 2009)

Well, I guess if you're gunna get a 120g tank, you might as well go all out on the stand too.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Yeah, my wife won't let me get anything bigger, she worries about the 120 being to big! The major fraise here is "trust me, I know what I'm doing"


----------



## non_compliance (Dec 1, 2009)

Too big as in too heavy? A 120 only weighs 1200 lbs... that's no problem for standard modern construction.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

No, not too heavy, too much water.


----------



## dacrax07 (Jan 10, 2009)

Yeah, my fear with huge tanks is that they'll break.


----------



## VincentK (Dec 16, 2009)

dacrax07 said:


> Yeah, my fear with huge tanks is that they'll break.


Yeah, that's why my dad won't let me get anything larger than a 20 gallon.


----------



## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

20?! ow that sucks! well i think a couple grand is a bit more of a dent in my pocket. i thought staying under 50 for mine was a bit to much!! lol i only spent 50 that included stain and i think it came out great. it looks like old barn wood!


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, it the cabinet itself won't take more than $400ish, its all the extras and equipment that will take most of the budget.


----------



## non_compliance (Dec 1, 2009)

Actually, I think you'd be more apt to break a small tank than a large one. The larger tanks with 1/2"+ thick glass are not very easy to bust. But at any rate, 120 gallons on the floor is no smaller problem than 250 gallons on the floor.... either way you're getting some serious water damage... lol


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

One more thing to add to my aquired list, gas springs for easy canopy opening. I found the ones I need, I just need to order them.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Okay, I have decided to go with a ReefKeepers to control my entire system. Since cabinetry is what I do, and would like to open my own business one day, I am going to do the best job I can with this tank and stand and hopefully show case it in my shop one day. I know that Digital Aquatics is coming out with a fresh water line of controllers, but they are based on the RKL and I need the features in the RKE for my 120.

So here is the breakdown of the control system:

1 ReefKeeper Elite (net) to control the 120 (temp, filteration, Co2, lights....)
2 ReefKeeper Lites (basic), one per 10 gallon tank in the under cabinet to control lights, temp, and filters.

Somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000 worth of equipment. My bank is going to LOVE me!


----------



## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

With the Elite you should be able to control everything from the one unit.

Craig


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, its actually cheaper to buy 2 extra RKL's ($200) than to buy the extra PC4's (would need 2), temp probes, and hub (totaling $250).


----------



## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

northey87 said:


> Well, its actually cheaper to buy 2 extra RKL's ($200) than to buy the extra PC4's (would need 2), temp probes, and hub (totaling $250).


 
I see.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Plus I get the RKL head units, so I can treat each tank independently.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Ok, I just ordered the gas shocks for my canopy. Man, I can wait to get going on this!


----------



## FDNY911 (Dec 6, 2009)

Subscribing to this one lol ... I am getting a 120 also. Good Luck.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Yeah, right now I am kind of in limbo, I have 4 more weeks of college till I graduate and then I will have all summer to make this happen. I am going to be doing a lot of my major purchases (Reefkeepers, RODI unit ,...) in a few weeks when my tax return comes in. I will keep this thread updated as I go.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, I have one more thing to add to this stand, auto dosers for ferts. Pertty much have it figured out: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/f...ers/106442-max-concentration.html#post1046315


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Awesome update, I just got done talking to digital aquatics and their new Temp probe has the same dimensions as a common Ph probe. meaning I can run it inline with my Ph probe! One more thing to get out of the tank!!!


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, my tax return has finally come through and now its time order! Mmwwwhahahahah!!! Just ordered a 5L jug of Tropica for my micros from Big Als, and long list of little stuff from F&S. More purchases to come.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, here I am again. A lot has happened since I posted last, here is an update on the whole situation. My wife and I graduated college back in May, and moved back home to get on with our lives. I started working at Waldun Woodcraft building custom cabinetry and woodworking back in June (I LOVE my job). Now it is week 13 working there and the boss said it was ok to work on my own project after hours and use whatever I want and he gonna sell me the materials at cost! I built the 2x4 frame last night and got the bottom and the back put on today. I would post some pics but I can't find my card reader right now, But I will get pics up soon. I have decided that I am going put a solid maple face with cherry accents, it's gonna look awesome. So that is where I stand, sorry for the long wait on the update.


----------



## FastTimes (Oct 16, 2008)

can't wait till you post pics, where did you order your hinges for your canopy?


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

I haven't got the hinges yet, I am thinking I am just going to use one 4'-5' long paino hinge. I got the gas struts to hold the lid open from a guy off ebay, he sells them all the time but its been so long I don't remember his screen name.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Another day another update. I didn't get anything done on the stand, but I just ordered my Reefkeeper Elite +net!!!!

Also here is a picture of yesterdays progress


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Here's another update, I have made a bit of progress on the stand. 
Day 2









Day 3

























I have also recieved my Reefkeeper Elite!!! This keeps getting more and more exciting!!!


----------



## jwm5 (May 9, 2010)

nice project. lot of money going into it, should be awesome results


----------



## WeedCali (Jun 21, 2010)

stand is lookin great so far!


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Thanks for the compliments. It may look great, but it sure is heavy. I might have over built the stand just a little, but at least I know that it won't fall a apart with 120 gallons sitting on top of it.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Here's a little update, I have built the face and the I am working on the sides of the base. I plan on having the base pretty well finished friday, I also hope to have more pictures then.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, here is the update as promissed. I have made good progress this week, but I didn't get as far as planned but here is what I got.









Having funn with the clamps! NOT!


----------



## DANIELSON (Jul 15, 2010)

Very nice work.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

I have made some progress this week so far, we'll see how the rest of the week goes.


----------



## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

that stand is really nice.


----------



## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

oooo... purtyyy! Possibly the best aquarium stand that i've ever seen. Great craftsmanship!


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Thanks yall, here's what I got done today. Now to work out the hood.


----------



## chuukus (Jun 17, 2008)

Nice work! I like the wood shop also.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Thanks, the shop is really nice for working on projects like this, but then again, this is what we do for a living. I put together the panels for the hood. It took me over 2 hours of hand sanding to get the hole just right for the RKE head unit.
The face.








One of the sides


----------



## chonhzilla (Apr 22, 2008)

amazing wood work and very detailed. You are very skilled.


----------



## yikesjason (Jul 2, 2008)

Looks great. I look forward to the tank hardware. I wish I had access to a wood shop. Most of the cuts for my stand build were done by employees of Home Depot.


----------



## chuukus (Jun 17, 2008)

Did you use a shaper or routertable to make the raised panels? Do you buld custom cabinets for a living?


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

I used to use a routertable and my own personal bits to make them before I started working here, but I used a shaper to make these. We do alot of different stuff at our shop, but custom cabinets is where we make most of our profit. Right now we are remaking all the exterior deck railings (100's of linear feet) for a 25,000sqft mansion in town.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Here is what I got done this week,









































Here is a little video I took with my phone showing the canopy opening and closing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GS0v9OyNwE


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Hi all, its been a awhile since my last update. Things got a bit hectic after I hit a deer three weeks ago. Since then I have got my truck fixed and back on the road and my tank build moves on. I have almost completed my canopy!

















Today I put some smaller things together to get the over all moving.

My DIY bubble counters

















My DIY Filter holders just in case of leaks.

















All-n-all good progress.


----------



## JCoxRocks (Mar 22, 2005)

This. Is. Epic. 

Subscribed.

J


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, sorry to all those who have subscribed to this thread for the lack of updates, things have been really slow lately. Here is the progress so far: the stand base is sanded (fingers bleeding) and ready to be finished, canopy is puttied and ready to be sanded (my fingers love me!), I just ordered the other half of my ReefKeepers equipment, and I put my Co2 Regulator together (two solenoids, two needle valves). I will try and get pictures up in the next couple days. I am hoping to have the stand done and the tank up Christmas and maybe start a dry start to get the carpet I am looking for.


----------



## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

This is the nicest stand and canopy I have ever seen. Very well built and detailed. You are not only going to have a nice tank but a beautiful piece of furniture in your house. Maybe you should think about doing it for a living. J/K. What color of stain are you planning on using? I'm assuming you are going to stain it rather then covering up that beautiful craftsmanship with paint.


----------



## Pri (Oct 20, 2010)

Very nice project and great wood work.

Subscribed!


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

ua hua said:


> This is the nicest stand and canopy I have ever seen. Very well built and detailed. You are not only going to have a nice tank but a beautiful piece of furniture in your house. Maybe you should think about doing it for a living. J/K. What color of stain are you planning on using? I'm assuming you are going to stain it rather then covering up that beautiful craftsmanship with paint.


Thanks!roud: 

Actually neither, going all natural on this one letting the mapel and cherry speak for themselves. I finished sanding the unit today and put the first layer of clear and the cherry just pops! I would have a picture but I forgot the memory card for my camera:angryfire


----------



## Xalyx (Sep 26, 2010)

Wow, that's a lot of woodworking equipment. I don't know how you even considered buying a stand. You have some skills, that's an impressive canopy design.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Yeah, it's a bit out of the ordinary. After building it, I realized that I should have built it different. But, it does make a good conversation starter.


----------



## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

Very nice build. Lots of foresight!


----------



## spunjin (Apr 7, 2009)

Subscribed.


----------



## Xalyx (Sep 26, 2010)

northey87 said:


> Yeah, it's a bit out of the ordinary. After building it, I realized that I should have built it different. But, it does make a good conversation starter.


I'm just still surprised that you bought a stand. With skills like that I would've expected you had the stand done a month before you got your tank lol.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well I like the built-in look, so building the stand around the tank was the best option. My only problem will be if something happens to the tank, its a marineland tank sold by petsmart but the because the dementions of the tanks not all petsmarts carry it and they will not order one for me. This tank was a lucky find and I plan on keeping a very very long time.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Here is a pic of my Co2 manifold.


----------



## slicebo123 (Jan 4, 2010)

sweet manifold. why 2 solenoids?


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Two seperate filter systems, I can have one system off for maintenance and still have another running. Or if one system fails, I have a backup


----------



## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

northey87 said:


> Two seperate filter systems, I can have one system off for maintenance and still have another running. Or if one system fails, I have a backup


Interesting. A little overboard IMO, but awesome!

That is indeed an ultimate stand. Very nice. I especially like the canopy. The way that it opens is really cool.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Thanks! Yeah, I went a little crazy with this one, but its tons of fun. I have designed the system with fail safes for almost everything.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Exciting times!!! I just brought the tank stand home!! Now for the fun part, puting the whole thing together.


----------



## slicebo123 (Jan 4, 2010)

post some pics when you can take a breather. this tank will be a beast.


----------



## cblwry (Sep 15, 2010)

Very, very cool!! This has to be one of the best stands I have seen. I can't wait to see it all set up. Have you thought about what kind of fish you are going in??


----------



## theblondskeleton (Aug 28, 2009)

Great build! Subscribed!


----------



## rickztahone (Jul 20, 2009)

Subscribed! If only I had access to good tools my stand would be much better overall. No where near as nice as yours however, that thing is sweet!


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Thanks all!

I would love to have Discus! And that's why the tank and stand were built the they are. But they cost so much.
Other ideas are angels and rainbows 
Cardinal tetras
Otto's 
Bristlenose plecto's
Or some kind of combination of the fish list above.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Ok, here are the long awaited pictures. Sorry it took so long, we have been swamped at the shop and all my free time in the evenings have been spend working on the tank. 

Brought the stand and tank home Saturday









Then proceded to drill the tank for the overflows and return lines.

















Tools;
Little hand 









Plumbers putty 
Extra pane of glass and two washclothes









All put together to form

















After I drilled the tank I then applied the black plastic backing on the tank using SeaVeiw gel (pain in the butt, but looks good). Then cut the overflow and return holes out of it and installed the bulkhead fittings.

















I then enlisted my bro-in-law to help slide the tank onto the stand and install the back of the stand.

















And here is what it looked like at the end of Saturday.









I have done alot more to it since then and will get those pics up when I can spare and minute.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Here is where I stand at the moment, canopy inside painted, light end caps installed. I have started some of the wiring and installing the ReefKeeper, but the rest of my system won't be here til Monday.


----------



## SkyGrl (Jan 7, 2010)

looking good!!! i love your log house! so cool... no wonder your into wood! your surrounded by it!  

btw its stunning!!!!!!!!!! 


Amy


----------



## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

best DIY stand i have seen on here
love it!


----------



## Chafire (Jan 6, 2010)

Amazing build! why did you use an extra pane of glass?


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

I used the extra pane of glass so that when I drilled through the tank glass wouldn't blow out on the inside. It still blew out a little but probably not as bad as if the glass wasn't there.


----------



## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

thats an awesome build. great work!


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Thanks! I have been working getting the plumbing done and did a water presure test last night. I am real happy to report that none of the 4 bulkhead fittings leak! Unfortunately I have leaks in both pumps and one filter. The pumps I kind of expected, they are cheap QuiteOne pumps and the both leak where the barb fittings screw onto the pump. As for the filter I have had this leak before on the first one I bought, there must have been a bad batch of filters or Eheim's quality control was having and off week, both my Eheim 2229's came for the same place and were both missing the same oring! Orings replaced, I may have just not got the one seated correctly.

I ordered two new Eheim hobby pumps today to replace the leaking QuiteOnes, and should be here Tuesday. And the rest of my ReefKeeper system shoulf be here tomorrow!


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

I did mention this was thread was pic intense right?! I got my T5HO's wired today along with my LED moonlighting!





































And Now for some Pics of the plumbing


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

Very neat and tidy. Well laid out. That should really help with troubleshooting if you have a problem and when you have to do maintenance.


----------



## JCoxRocks (Mar 22, 2005)

Wow. Still very impressed.

Still waiting for the photos of the part of the tank that makes you a sandwich while you watch the fish.

J


----------



## rockwood (Jun 19, 2010)

JCoxRocks said:


> Wow. Still very impressed.
> 
> Still waiting for the photos of the part of the tank that makes you a sandwich while you watch the fish.
> 
> J


Ha, I "lol'ed


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

JCoxRocks said:


> Wow. Still very impressed.
> 
> Still waiting for the photos of the part of the tank that makes you a sandwich while you watch the fish.
> 
> J


That would be awesome! But I have no room! You saw what was already in there, and there is still more that has too fit.

I got my ReefKeeper installed today, but I am still working on the electrical. I will get pics up soon.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Heres kind of a Christmas update! I have the tank up and running and ready to stock with plants (WTB thread in the swap n shop). 



















The Reefkeeper guts, theres more in there since this pic was taken










I still need to get my fert dosing pumps hooked up and get my 10gal quarantine tank setup in the base, but things are moving along smoothly.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, Christmas money well spent. Plants planted, and fish introduced. Co2 hooked up. All is going well.

























A shot of how crowded my equipment is getting


----------



## robxc80 (Aug 4, 2009)

wow. your woodworking and plumbing skills are incredible. subscribed...


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Thanks, I plan getting some videos up sometime in the near future showing all the systems and the tank.


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

Man, the inside of that stand is packed, but incredibly neat! Everything looks very well done and must be a real show piece in your house.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Not exactly. I think it is, but wife and her family think its a monstrocity cause its so big.


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

Hahaha.....I have the same dilemma with my 100 gallon square tank in my living room. My wife thinks it's a monstrosity and I think it's a thing of beauty so I hear ya.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

When I first put the whole thing together she hated it, now that its planted and has life to it she really kind of like it, thou she still thinks its a monster.


----------



## Jim Miller (Dec 24, 2002)

Great tank and nice job packing the equipment. 

You've got 4 longish 2" vertical tubes packed in there. What are those?

Thanks

Jim


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Two are Co2 reactors, the two on the left will hold liquid fert mixes to be dosed automatically.


----------



## Jim Miller (Dec 24, 2002)

Thanks!

jim


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

Well, it has been a month since my last update. Things have grown, things have died, basically things have changed. First, I got my stand 98% complete:
Autodosers for ferts









Slide out 10gal quaratine tank

















Also, I am pretty much done installing equipment

















Now for the tank. Some of the plants have really taken off and other just witherd and died. I have new plants on the way to try. The tank also just went through the typical brown thread algea attack and is now recovering

































And for some of the inhabitants


----------



## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

looking good


----------



## NJAquaBarren (Sep 16, 2009)

Looks great. Love that stand. The tiger in the drawer fronts is something special.


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

NJAquaBarren said:


> The tiger in the drawer fronts is something special.


 
Thanks, Its hard to see but the tiger grain runs all the way around at drawer level and in all the panels in the canopy. Tried to use it in an interesting way to tie it all together.


----------



## the planter (Jul 8, 2010)

wow man i love your tank! it looks nice and very professional


----------



## northey87 (May 24, 2009)

My rams are SPAWNING!!!!! http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fish/127356-gbrs-spawning.html#post1280939


----------



## SkyGrl (Jan 7, 2010)

AWESOME! i hope they are going to not eat the babies. good luck and update!!  mowr pictures are better!

Amy


----------

