Mom’s 75 gallon Tank Build

[Midknight]

Well!!! It only took 3 years but… Here we go.

Way back sometime around mid May 2006 my mom had a beautiful custom fresh/water/saltwater stand.
(33 FW on top & 20 SW on the bottom)


First class setup with the skimmer on the front


It was soon discovered that the little 20G was “evaporating” water out the back of the tank, right through the seams.
So an emergence temporary 25 G tall & stand were setup.

New tank now had room for skimmer on the back,
(Still didn’t work but at least you couldn’t see it.)

This was much better quality with auto top-up and everything.


At least the new couple like their new digs.

[Leah]

How is the power bar secured?

[Midknight]

Was just a couple of screws into the side and then power bar hung on that.

[Midknight]

Now the concept was to re-build the stand (old TV cabinet) they had been using into a cooler bigger stand.
So I came up with the idea for a 55G on top with a half hidden sump/refugium on the bottom


I even spent $20 on an extra on a second stand for spare parts.

Now during the design stage I had picked myself a 75 to setup for myself.
Many months past as my skill in woodworking is … lacking.
So came the day I moved from the third floor and was able to free up my old planted 50 for my mom.
But also got a smoking deal on a 95 (Journal on that later) so I gave the 75 to my mom.
Well all my stand plans and work out the window.

So after a cry for help with stand building 04scoobysti came to my rescue. (Once again LOTS of thanks)
With my months of planning it took him all of an hour to glue, screw & slap everything I had laying around into a stand.
Dragged it upstairs and tossed the tank on top and all was good.

[Midknight]

After many hours trying to figure out how to run the plumbing from the bulkheads I found another 75 pre-drilled on the bottom… so upgrade again …
And still no water. But now looks much better. (other 75 still for sale)


So now with the final (and yes I mean final) tank on top I fitted the temp sump & skimmer into the bottom


Now once again lets skip a few (many many) months into the future and end up a couple of months ago.
Got to OA and started picking up the “final” touches.
Then came the big push when my dad came to town for a short visit and I dragged him (and his many different talents) into finally getting water into the large glass box in his living room.
We painted and caulked the stand to make it completely water proof. Up to the point of filling the bottom to check for leaks. (Which came in really handy later)
We mounted the American DJ power bar onto the side


Then drilled a hole near the top and bottom so we can easily feed plugs through the side.

[Midknight]

Next came the drain. Wants to run it to the front of the tank so my mom could easily swap out the filter socks.
Funky drain layout to get where I want it.


And it dropped right where I wanted it to. (Just)
Remember to measure twice. Cut once. BUT remember to make sure you are gluing back into the right order