Rack Em Up! Garage tank rack project

[DMD123]

It has come to the point I just need to admit I have a problem and just set up racks in the garage, lol. Funny that even the wife just gave up and said to go for it. So I do need to do some clean up and organizing but at least I have my game plan together.

I need to get a 75g, two 65B's and a 20L into racks. I havent told the wife but the 20L will eventually get upgraded to a bigger tank. Hopefully another 75g or 40B. Not just yet but future planning.

Since I didnt really have the time to build and finish racks I wanted, I decided to go with some steel racks from the store. I am going to use the Dewalt steel racking. Found them in stock at the local Tractor Supply store on River Rd. in Puyallup. $119 for a single rack (Will need two). I had seen a picture on Home Depot of someone setting up a tank and sump on it so I thought I would too.


I will need to add plywood since the racks are 18" wide and my 75g is 18 1/2" and the 65B's are 18 3/4". My 75 will go on top and the 65B in the middle and the bottom will be up off the ground to be able to have some storage containers to put extra fish junk in. The 75g is also 48 1/2" long so I will just put the top beam at the very top of the rack and have the plywood go the full 50" across.

Here it lays, taunting me to build it... hopefully I can do it tonight

 

[DMD123]

So this is my hot mess of tanks all over the house that need organization

The office tank with a 65B and my hairy puffer

The 65B in the garage with my Arrowhead puffer, and the 20L on the bottom that currently houses the 3 Petsmart red devils.

The brand new empty 75g from Petco

 

[DMD123]

Filters on the 65B's and 75g are Aquaclear 110's. I learned a long time ago to stick to one brand when you run multiple tanks because you can then just have one set of spare parts to fit all.

Rethinking heaters but currently looking at using my Fluval 300watt E series that I have.

Lighting is a mix of Current USA Satellite plus and a TopFin Module LED. Need to come up with something for the 75g still.

Anyway more to come as it progresses.

 

[FishBeast]

Exciting stuff! You have incurable MTS for sure hahaha! The biggest win here is that your wife is cool with it. Consolidating the tanks in a specific area definitely helps with maintenance and observing the fish. The thermal mass from each of them being in close proximity may also provide some energy efficiency. Good point on the 1 brand for filters and spare parts... I personally like the 110's myself due to media capacity/customization. Have you thought about the 4 foot LED shop lights from Costco or WalMart? They seem quite good for the price ($15-$18) and will fit the 75's width perfectly.

 

[DMD123]

Was just realizing I will have stuff I need to sell off once Im done. Just putting it in a list here so I remember to post it.
Some items will include:

1 Brooklyn (Petco) 40B metal stand
(with custom cut plywood to fit 20L on bottom and plywood top that holds Aqueon/Tetra 40B perfectly.)

1 Aquatic Fundamental wood stand for 40B

1 Eheim 2217 Canister filter (with extra pads and parts) - I can pull this off the tank right now since its an extra overkill filter for just one little puffer.

If anyone sees something they like or need just PM me and we can talk price and I can get with you when it becomes available.

 

[DMD123]

Exciting stuff! You have incurable MTS for sure hahaha! The biggest win here is that your wife is cool with it. Consolidating the tanks in a specific area definitely helps with maintenance and observing the fish. The thermal mass from each of them being in close proximity may also provide some energy efficiency. Good point on the 1 brand for filters and spare parts... I personally like the 110's myself due to media capacity/customization. Have you thought about the 4 foot LED shop lights from Costco or WalMart? They seem quite good for the price ($15-$18) and will fit the 75's width perfectly.

I think the wife is happy to gain the space back in her home office when the 65B is moved.

I will likely do another current USA Satellite plus. I cant remember what my setting is but I had read that turning off one color in the spectrum deceases algae growth. Ever since Ive done it, the Algae in my tanks is almost non existent. I will have to look it up again. I tell myself to bookmark these hacks but I forget.

I have realized too that you dont need to spend the money on light fixtures that fit the tank. Like getting a 48" fixture for a 48" tank. While it does look good, really not required. Usually its way too much light if you are doing just fish. On my 65B's I did the 18" fixtures and it worked perfectly. on my 8 foot 300g I run two 36" fixtures.

I will likely do the 36" fixture for the 48" 75 gallon tank. Or just put all the pods back in the Topfin 30" and use it on the 75g. Then just buy a real cheap-o light for the 20L

 

[FishBeast]

I think the wife is happy to gain the space back in her home office when the 65B is moved.

I will likely do another current USA Satellite plus. I cant remember what my setting is but I had read that turning off one color in the spectrum deceases algae growth. Ever since Ive done it, the Algae in my tanks is almost non existent. I will have to look it up again. I tell myself to bookmark these hacks but I forget.

I have realized too that you dont need to spend the money on light fixtures that fit the tank. Like getting a 48" fixture for a 48" tank. While it does look good, really not required. Usually its way too much light if you are doing just fish. On my 65B's I did the 18" fixtures and it worked perfectly. on my 8 foot 300g I run two 36" fixtures.

I will likely do the 36" fixture for the 48" 75 gallon tank. Or just put all the pods back in the Topfin 30" and use it on the 75g. Then just buy a real cheap-o light for the 20L

Good point! Mo light mo algae.

 

[DMD123]

Got the Dewalt rack built and its very well designed and sturdy. The instructions are not really good but if your mechanically inclined you figure it out pretty quickly.

The only thing that bothers me is the 75 on top. The uprights on the rack are a bit high on the corners so it could put pressure in those spots... I have some ideas to fix it, but cant do it for a few days. This idea would have been easier with a 40B tank but I really want the 75 for the large fish I tend to keep. Will update pics when I can

 

[FishBeast]

How about a thick layer of styrofoam or insulation board between top of stand and your plywood layer... should take care of it.

 

[DMD123]

How about a thick layer of styrofoam or insulation board between top of stand and your plywood layer... should take care of it.

I noticed the plastic caps added to the problem so I could pull those...

I like the screw in braces on the bottom of the beam


With the grid in place, and you can see the caps that I need to remove (They pop out easy)


I was thinking about how the Brooklyn stand by Petco has a similar issue. Thats why I did plywood across the top. I guess because this is a 4 ft tank and more weight it concerned me a little bit more.

 

[DMD123]

Have a weekend of garage work planned to get the rack set up.

Have to go to Lowe's and get my plywood purchased and cut so I can get it home. Also buy a shelf and brackets and a couple storage bins. Then I will need to mount a shelf, cut and paint the plywood for the rack and hopefully be able to get the 75g set up and even possibly move the 65B out of the office... Time will tell if I can get it all accomplished, lol.

I like this feature on the rack, side pegboards. They are about $70 but I think I might do some regular wood ones and paint them. I can add those at any point in the future. Would be handy to hang nets and hoses.

More updates as I get stuff done

 

[DMD123]

Got my glass tops in for the 75. These are very well built Aqueon tops fitting their tank perfectly.

Im shopping for an LED for the 75 and as much as I like the Current USA fixture, the price is pretty high. I think I might do the Beamswork EA fixture instead. Waiting on a couple Amazon gift cards to come through and then I will purchase my lighting.

 

[DMD123]

My $25 Amazon gift card arrived so I decided on the Beamswork EA light. $49 for a 48" fixture was good and then used my gift card so I feel good about the purchase.

@sir_keith, just a shout out, 'Thank you' for your feedback and info on the lighting.

 

[DMD123]

Beamswork EA fixture came in.

Got my plywood from Lowe’s for the rack shelves they are cut to width, now I have to cut to length and paint the sheles

 

[DMD123]

I spent the day working in the garage getting ready for tank racks. I installed a shelf, moved storage containers around, did some drywall mud, primer, caulked. I need to sand my drywall joints and then primer before I can install my racking. I could just do a quick job and set up everything up right now but I want to do things right, so a little extra stuff to do first.

I cut my plywood to length and am trying to figure out how to support the plywood for the 75 gallon on top. I bought edge banding for the plywood to have a nice finish on the front and side edges.

 

[FishBeast]

I spent the day working in the garage getting ready for tank racks. I installed a shelf, moved storage containers around, did some drywall mud, primer, caulked. I need to sand my drywall joints and then primer before I can install my racking. I could just do a quick job and set up everything up right now but I want to do things right, so a little extra stuff to do first.

I cut my plywood to length and am trying to figure out how to support the plywood for the 75 gallon on top. I bought edge banding for the plywood to have a nice finish on the front and side edges.

Very cool! Excited for pics. I wish I had the skill/patience to do drywall repair. My garage wall is full of half-assed hole patches.

 

[DMD123]

Very cool! Excited for pics. I wish I had the skill/patience to do drywall repair. My garage wall is full of half-assed hole patches.

Truthfully the patches are behind the racking and dont need to be done but I wanted to do a nice coat of paint behind everything so that it had some water repellent properties about it just in case of some splashing. It was basically just the center seam between the two sheets that Im mudding and sanding. I will throw on a coat of primer over that and probably do a coat of semi-gloss paint to hold up to any splashing. Part of me wants to do a tranquil blue background but I think I will just do a white.

 

[DMD123]

I had been trying to figure out how to properly carry the load across the top since the corners were the high pionts. I looked for different thickness of plywood and other woods at the store and nothing was right. A buddy of mine had a planer and custom did some planks to the right thickness.

New filler planks to carry the load
The gap is now filled and the load will spread out evenly


Now to do some iron on edge banding and light sanding and then paint

 

[DMD123]

Been wanting to progress on this project a little more but came down with the start of a cold. I am trying to get the wall painted behind where the tank will go. Then I can put the rack in place and start on the plywood top and bottom shelves and iron on the edge banding and paint shelves.

Thankfully last year we tapped into the heating system and added two register outlets into the garage so it is not too cold during the winter (as long as we dont open the garage door for long periods of time.) It also stays cooler in the summer with the heat pump.

While I have outlets behind where each rack will be I bought some nice long power strips to accommodate all the electrical stuff.
Im using these (Prime 10 outlet) from Lowe's:

Kind of cool that it matched the Dewalt rack

 

[FishBeast]

Looks really good! I like the planking... Should look nice. You painting them black?