My New Juwel 450 Conversion

[mark_dimeck]

Hi

Just moved my 6 year-old reef to a new home - it's got a sump you know! what do you thinK?
:thumbsup:
mark

[marineboy]

:thumbsup: i love it !!! whats the spec of yr setup?

any more pics ? :dance:

[mark_dimeck]

A few more detail piccys of my new pride & joy. The move seems to be a success - suffered a few inadvertant fragmentations, but hey, they can be traded with you guys I guess :thumbsup:

All that's left is to source a CO2 bottle to get my Reactor up & running and get some algea in my sump (Thanks Danny-S).

Mark

[mark_dimeck]

The sump...

[mark_dimeck]

Detail shot of LH side...

[mark_dimeck]

And finally the RH Side.

[Esk]

Nice tank Mark :wub: some stunning corals :thumbsup:

[popsock]

Is that tank safe? I can't believe how little wood you have holding the cabinet together. Juwel conversions are interesting aren't they. Lots of people have them.

Very nice looking tank! :thumbsup:

[mark_dimeck]

Is it safe? Hey don't get me worried ;)
No, I'm pretty sure it's safe. The original Juwel assembley looked less stable to me!

All I've done is remove the two front-back running centre panels and replace them with three pieces of 2x1.

As I see it, these panels only served to support the tank in compression, and the 2x1 will do that just as well.

The front 2 pick-up on the existing drillings for the removed panels.

I did a trial fill with fresh water first, and confirmed that there was no movement / bowing of top panel. The assembley itself was very steady.

I didn't bother with the 8 hard plastic feet on the base, but instead used a high density felt to help better spread the load over the floor.

I have used a duplicate of the rear panel as the new front centre panel. This is an interefence fit and I suppose could provide early warning of bowing if it starts sticking.

Time will tell!

If anyone else has any views on my mods, I would be interested to hear.

cheers

Mark

[narthur]

do you drip kalk 24/7 or on a timer basis?

[popsock]

I think 2x1 is fine, but it looks like simple posts to me. I personaly would have built some kind of frame, or structure. Anyway, sorry to make you nervous.

[JasandJules]

Stunning tank.

I would personally be concerned about those 2*1s, but then, wood is incredibly strong in compression....

[danny]

Strong in compression, but I would atleast have a couple of diagonal braces, these could be added now without interfering too much. I have seen scaffold collapse like a domino due incorrectly placed braces.
You have lovely tank though with some gorgeous corals.

[JasandJules]

Originally posted by danny@Apr 27 2005, 10:47
Strong in compression, but I would atleast have a couple of diagonal braces, these could be added now without interfering too much.
Yes, a good point.. A triangle is the strongest structure I think.......... A little bit of re-inforcing could go a long way...

[mark_dimeck]

Thanks for the interest, concerns and kind comments all :D !

Kalk is dripped during lights-out via timer controlled peri-pump / level sensor.

As far as cabinet stability - I'm still pretty comfortable with the structure / stressing.

Understand the suggestion/concerns regarding diagonal bracing - but if you look, there is a flat panel at the rear of the cabinet which, in conjunction with the struts, provides Left-Right lateral stability IMO.

I think that the drilling and securing of a diagonal brace would weaken the two vertical struts too much.

Please bear in mind that the cabinet is still essentially the Juwel off-the-shelf structure - all I have done is removed the two central front-back panels and replaced them with the 2x1's.

Think I have provided a better load distribution across the bottom panel by removing the 8 hard plastic feet and replacing them with a greater surface area, high density, set of felt pads.

My main concern was with Left-Right stability - but I dont see I have altered this as the original centre panels didn't offer much in this plane.

The aquarium is evenly supported along the base by the top panel - which itself is supported by the side & rear panels, and the three infamous 2x1's. Additional redundancy support comes through the centre front panel when in place.

Hope I don't sound defensive or dismissive of your comments, but as a professional engineer I have put a bit of thinking and theory behind the mods. Saying that, I still may have overlooked something and welcome your views.

:thanx:

Mark

[Danny-s]

JMO but i wouldnt worry about the stand! looks OK to me!
you have more than i have to hold a 6x2x2 up!

Tanks looking great! good luck

Danny

[trevor.simpkins]

:thumbsup: Hi Mark, looks like you made a great job of the move. Corals look great, hope mine looks as good when ive done it :dance: Thanks for the visit. Trev. :cheers:

[mark_dimeck]

Thanks for comments Danny & Trev :thumbsup: Will make sure I always have some frags with yer names on them guys:cheers:

Mark

[jenwilson]

Hi Mark,

Great looking tank.

We're just up t'road in Lytham and we have a Juwel 260 Vision also and are thinking of moving to a bigger tank (5x2x2 or 6x2x2).

Any reason you went with the 450 rather than made to measure type one (eg Fit, Watford etc.)?

Regards,

Jennifer.

[mark_dimeck]

Why we bought the Juwel 450....

1) My Wife liked it
2) I wanted a bigger tank
3) My Wife Liked it
4) Steve at Uk Aquatics did me a great deal

Overall I think it worked out far cheaper than a made-to-measure, and it is a really well made set-up. Oh, and my wife thought it looked good ;)

Mark

[Danny-s]

Sounds like it isnt only me under the thumb then ;)
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Danny

[jenwilson]

Mark,

what skimmer and pumps/circulation have you got on there?

Whats the noise level like?

I'm semi tempted to go and build/get built a big cabinet for my 260 so that we can go for a sump setup, as little noise as possible is paramount though!

Cheers,

Jen.

[mark_dimeck]

Originally posted by jenwilson@May 6 2005, 13:21
Mark,

what skimmer and pumps/circulation have you got on there?

Whats the noise level like?

I'm semi tempted to go and build/get built a big cabinet for my 260 so that we can go for a sump setup, as little noise as possible is paramount though!

Cheers,

Jen.
Hi Jen

Circulation is via two 6060 Tunze Streams. Return from my sump is from an Eheim 1260 and is run behind the rock to help flow through the nooks & crannies.

Skimmer is a Deltec APF600 which is very quiet.

Noise from the sump is minimal now I've buried the overflow outlet pipe deep in a section of bioballs (this originally made a bit of a splashing noise).

The main noise problem I've had was from the Schuran overflow itself. It had a tendency to gurgle & sound like a bath draining :angry: Think I've finally cracked-it today via some mods to the outlet pipe to restrict the air being drawn in :thumbsup:

If you want to pop round to have a listen just get in touch!

Mark

[stevek]

Looking good Mark ;)
give me a shout when you outgrow this one :whistling:

[dirk053]

I looked at a 450 as my 1st marine tank but didnt want to flash the cash to much but seeing your makes me regrett that decission now

What a tank
Real nice colours


:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[mark_dimeck]

Originally posted by stevek@May 13 2005, 13:42
Looking good Mark ;)
give me a shout when you outgrow this one :whistling:
Thanks for the comments guys :thumbsup:

Steve...think if I outgrow this one, I'll finally outgrow my wife's tolerance :D
Algea looks great - thanks! Let me know when you have those mangroves in.

Mark

[mark_dimeck]

Just to show that the stands still standing and the reefs still growing :D

Mark

[mark_dimeck]

:thumbsup:

[Gubs]

Nice!