New To Me 125 Build

Ok so I recently acquired a used 125 gallon tank. The stand it came with is kind of iffy so I decided to build a new stand King of DIY style. I also got a 40 gallon breeder tank in the deal and de used to do a sump on this tank. This is where my first issue comes up. The 40 is 18.25 inches wide (front to back) and the 125 is 18.5. This means that I won't be able to add a true center brace on the stand. If I center the sump under the tank I can have braces that are about 1.5 feet from each end. This would leave 36 inches in the center with no direct support. I don't think this an issue as most 36 inch stand don't have a center support but I wanted to see if anyone else had other opinions.

I have 100% decided on what I am going to stock in this tank but I am leaning toward Discus. Has anyone ordered fish from Discus Hans USA? Or is there another site that anyone can recommend?

I will be using a CPR overflow box. I couldn't convince myself or my wife that I could drill the tank and it came down between the CPR with the aqualifter or an Eshopps with the u tubes and the CPR seems to win out. I have not made up my mind on the return pump but leaning towards a Jebao DCP 6500.

As far as lighting goes I am going to get a 72" Beamworks LED fixture. I think that should be good enough for plants like Java ferns, Anubias, and maybe an Amazon Sword or two.

Any thoughts or comments on the plan so far?

 

Can you post pic of the stand you built?

 

Haven't built it yet. Will be starting it this weekend.

 

If you go with the Beamswork LED, skip the EA series go with their DA series. Get their timer also. I have the EA model and wishes I would have gotten the DA. The timer worked great.

I have heard those Jebao DC Pumps are good. I think coralbandit uses them. I have looked into them if I ever put a sump on my 75 gallon and I like their features, especially for the price point.

Skin the exterior of the stand with 3/4" plywood and have it go to the ground right up next to the bottom frame. The weight will be distributed through the plywood and will be your "center brace", even with doors openings cut out.

Otherwise, the 3 foot span in the middle will only be supporting about 300 pounds max on each side.

A 120 gallon aquarium will be 1500 pounds max. If it's 72" long by 18" deep, that is a 15ft perimeter around the bottom of the tank's frame. So the 1500 pound tank will putting a dead load of 100lbs per foot across the top frame.

So each 3ft span in the middle of your top beam will be holding up to a 300 pound load.

If you add up the columns, you will have 8 (4 corners + the 4 that are 1.5 feet way from the corners). So each column will be supporting about 187 pounds.

If you use 2x6's like in Joey's video's, I don't think you will have a problem at all.

Post pics of your progress.

 

I am thinking about only wrapping the sump area and leaving the ends open with some shelf space for my wife to put stuff on. She wasn't particularly thrilled with me taking up the space in the living room but I am running out of space .She still hates the 29 gallon grow out/ hospital tank in the bedroom and told me I have to take it down once the Oscar can go into the 125g that's already running. I was actually surprised she let me get this new set up because when she got me my 75 gallon she said that was it. Now I just need to find a place to put another 75 gallon for a Flowerhorn...but I have to finish this project first.

 

All weight goes to corners .
My 180 stand has no mid supports at all.
Only been like 7-8 years so the jury is still out !

 

Looking at the EA vs DA on the Beamswork lights, I wish I could push the extra $50 past the wife but I don't think that will happen

 

I use the DAFSPEC on several tanks with a cheap $5 ebay dimmer.
Pretty pleased but not a major plant grower.

 

Well I finally got started on the stand. It's just the framing right now but it's a start.

 

That's nice and solid !
Well done .

 

Thanks. I was very nervous about doing it as I have never done anything like this. But I figured I would give it a shot especially since a stand from the store around here is almost $400 and so far I am into this for about $60.