Yes yes...2 years confirm gone case. Because we always drip water on the rack plus LuoHan like splash. I don't use cover for LuoHan. ^^YOriginally Posted by stormhawk
Okay, maybe I'll just go for angle iron, which is surface-treated coated so won't rust so easily, for my frame (but not the supporting stand). I did have one of those Luohan racks and 3ft tank before. The tank later leaked so was disposed off, including the stand and top filter. Looking back, I wouldn't have lost my precious bump-less Luohan if I had known about the 'secret' of surface oxygenation and OHFs then.
LIFE IS UNBEARABLE WITHOUT A FISH TANK!!!
Like that har? The hang on water is 4cm above water surface and not much splash generated from my cute cute GEX Slim L.Okay, maybe I'll just go for angle iron, which is surface-treated coated so won't rust so easily, for my frame (but not the supporting stand). I did have one of those Luohan racks and 3ft tank before. The tank later leaked so was disposed off, including the stand and top filter. Looking back, I wouldn't have lost my precious bump-less Luohan if I had known about the 'secret' of surface oxygenation and OHFs then.
I love Gex slim filters. Hehe.
For WI stands, I got my 3-tier 2' customize not too long back with Fishy Business. Excellent service and stand was perfect to what I specified.
When you going to do? I might want a few slotted bits for something else can hitch hike?Okay, maybe I'll just go for angle iron, which is surface-treated coated so won't rust so easily, for my frame (but not the supporting stand). I did have one of those Luohan racks and 3ft tank before. The tank later leaked so was disposed off, including the stand and top filter. Looking back, I wouldn't have lost my precious bump-less Luohan if I had known about the 'secret' of surface oxygenation and OHFs then.
@blue whale, decide on what you want to use. No point quoting your storeroom when you wasted money buy the tornado sticks.
Learning the hardway, not the highway.
Photo Blog - impervious-endeavors.blogspot.com
Semi-Active currently
"if he cant be bothered to take the time to write his question properly, why should I take the time to answer him."
err...what storeroom？ Thats my room！ Ha Ha ha！
I won't be doing anything anytime soon, as I am occupied with other things now. It's just in my plans for future execution when the time is ripe.
As for Luohans (Flowerheads), I am not into those head bumps as I don't fancy those things at all. I had mine purely for its vivid colour, tame character and unusual body markings, and I specifically choose one without any hint of a bump. Thinking back, I remember feeding it only with the best food of dried shrimps.
When you going to do? I might want a few slotted bits for something else can hitch hike?
@blue whale, decide on what you want to use. No point quoting your storeroom when you wasted money buy the tornado sticks.
Lol. Was thinking why woodlands zone have private estate storeroom so big
Anyway in the sense that you already planned for a angle slotted rack, why never plan it bigger? So can have storage space
Learning the hardway, not the highway.
Photo Blog - impervious-endeavors.blogspot.com
Semi-Active currently
"if he cant be bothered to take the time to write his question properly, why should I take the time to answer him."
From the highest tier to the ceiling is about 1-2ft, the right height for another 2ft. Hence there is no point in bring it up another tier upwards. Secondly, remember the Shenton Way Evacuation due to Sumatra Earthquake, well, I was at Woodlands that time at home. I felt the quake, my tank shook as well because just before the quake the fishes already tried to warn me. So stabilising the rack is of most important which I will look into slight improvement later on.Lol. Was thinking why woodlands zone have private estate storeroom so big
Anyway in the sense that you already planned for a angle slotted rack, why never plan it bigger? So can have storage space
I was not able to update last night as the rack itself blocks off the laptop. Now continuing where we last left off, I was at the completion of the 2nd tier.
For future builders, the round head bolt and nuts is the one we want to get. But notice there is a square thingy at the bottom of the screw thread.
It will help you "lock" into the metal piece so you can just use a nose piler to screw tight. Do not use standard pilers as you have will problem manoeuvring in such tight spaces. See how perfect it locks in? The other thing is that each hole itself is 5cm to the next hole. Each 20cm there is a marking on the metal itself.
Completion of the 4th tier, your back should be breaking by now, at least my did.
Of course if you have 2 people doing this, it would be much more easier, but you need more building space. Now the 3rd supporting beam is one of the difficult part, at this stage, you will be facing sharp edges from all the 4 tiers and to keep the single longest and heaviest beam in place whilst trying put in just 1 bolt. Use your chest to hold it if necessary and be very very careful.
And so finally the 4th tier, excitement kicks in as the rack is almost completed right? Wrong, this is the stage where you need to be extra extra careful. Full attention must be applied so ensure that you are not being disturbed in any way. Now also notice that I use the remainder or extras pieces of metal as a support below the rack as well. Why then should we be careful, this is the part where you use eye inspection, inspecting each joints, you can tighten it along the way, but it will loosen once you starts to move it in position.
Very quickly now, the rack get erected. Nice right? Okay, now you apply pull test. Pull every single tier downwards. I weighing 70kg, so I use my weight to step down the tiers. After each step down, do a quick check on the nuts again and tighten it. Notice I am checking balance of the rack now. As I do not have the rubber to project the legs now, it will be inserted later.
Here is to check water balance. This is not the final check however.
Now you must remember this rack is going to be "watered" along the way, and it does not do well with water, it will rust. Hence a coat of paint should be applied. And so a coat of black glossy paint has been applied to the rack. DO NOT be lazy and cut corners, every single top and bottom of the metal piece should be painted. Any rust will compromise the structural integrity, if you want it to last 5-8 years, it is best to take extra precaution.
And so we have another view at the sexy rack.
Continuing what was detailed in Tale of a Farmer I, here is a quick check on the progress:
Phase 1 Design work - Completed
Phase 2 Order and Transportation of construction materials I - Completed
Phase 3 Construction and Painting of Rack - In Progress.
Phase 4 Arming the rack with Electrical Circuits - yet to start.
Phase 5 Air tube arming, connecting to Beetle 12000 air pump - yet to start.
Phase 6 Bringing the tanks, soils for water recycling - yet to start.
Phase 7 Bring in the plants.
Phase 8 Bring in the Fishes.
Ok, you might be wondering how come the rack has been painted and it is still in progress. Now, after the first coat, you have put a 2nd coat on each tier, the area where most likely water will be dripping down. So 2nd coat to be applied. Did you forget about the wooden planks? Now even though you might order a laminated plank, the cut will means the sides are not protected, hence you will have to coat it with paint as well. The same kind of paint for every doors. Drying is longer of course, it can still be wet even after 6hrs, so always wear the worker's glove which is a cloth disposable type of hand glove. I always buy a pack to put at home in case I need it. Alternatively, have the plastic ones, so long it doesn't tear easily. I would put at 20% done now. ^^/
I am a lousy gardener, that's my wife's forte. I better stick to fishes.
- eric
Massive project you have there.
Actually, with the amount of work you're doing, it might be worth while to invest in a set of socket wrench but I suppose this information came too late
Have fun and keep the updates coming!
- eric
Then make it your forte as well. Whether is it cooking or gardening, I am still not that bad. My sister have long way to catch up, my mom just don't listen...:P My dad just waiting to taste the food, more like a a commentator for food...ha ha...but he looks forward when I cook. And my nieces, they eat my food....(know that kids are picky with food). ^^Y
So the 4 wooden planks are painted. I will leave it overnight for drying before turning it to continue painting. There is one side and the back side not painted yet.
4 planks if you cannot see it. I still have another 3 planks with a small piece of wood as remainder. Will think how I want to use it later on.
socket wrench....precisely what I was thinking at the time of construction. But, just ask yourself for a while, how many times in your lifetime would you need to construct a rack? I mean I was also thinking the same as you, but the white angel asked, "Are you building 1 set of racks every month that you need a socket wrench?" But the dark angel said, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a set of socket wrench". Here is the fact, the last time I build one was more than 20 years ago. Maybe under the age of 20.Massive project you have there.
Actually, with the amount of work you're doing, it might be worth while to invest in a set of socket wrench but I suppose this information came too late
Have fun and keep the updates coming!
It was fun though, I fully agree with you...just back breaking for my current age. Anyway I agree with Bosstek and the two angels, good to have but no need to get it so fast... new toy in the thought.
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A note to Future Builders,
Even at the completion of the rack, do know that this steel rack is very customisable and there are a lot of rack design out there. The best way to plan for one is to actually draw it out using paper and pencil.
This kinda rack is known as modular mounting. For this picture, it is a battery modular mounting, most suitable in a Solar Panel Design.
Notice the supporting bar at the side.
This is another way of using the rack. See how they use empty slots to put bins but the 1st and last tier are both different.
Here is one more on how to strengthen the sides, alternating at each tier.
So basically, there are many designs out there. Importantly just sit down and plan. Usage of wooden planks prevents caving in. But know the shelf life of a wooden plank. If no painting is applied and it is exposed to constant water, it's liken to dropping a sheet of paper into water and watching it degrade as time goes by. Paint it. That is the most simple approach.
Last edited by Blue Whale; 8th Apr 2012 at 07:56.
Finally, the final stage of the rack construction!
From this.
to This.
Okay I think along the way, some of you might be tempted to say, why use black color. Now in any scaping tanks or even say you want to keep shrimps or apistos, the background has to be dark inorder to bring out the color of your deary pets. At this stage, all screws are re-fastened one more last time. The final touch of the painting is being applied and just wait for 2 days for it dry. So basic cost for the rack itself takes me to $220 as the final cost. $180 (initial cost) + $40 (Additional cost due to strengthening of structure). My guess is that I might not need to strengthen even further as weighting down itself, gravity would have already been my friend. Woodlands is afterall on a bed of lime stones which has the strongest foundation in the entire of Singapore.
Tabulating construction phases:
Phase 1 Design work - Completed
Phase 2 Order and Transportation of construction materials I - Completed
Phase 3 Construction and Painting of Rack - Completed
Phase 4 Arming the rack with Electrical Circuits - yet to start.
Phase 5 Air tube arming, connecting to Beetle 12000 air pump - yet to start.
Phase 6 Scaping and tank recycling phase - yet to start.
Phase 7 Bring in the plants - yet to start.
Phase 8 Bring in the Fishes - yet to start.
Phase 4 should be the easy one of them all. Phase 5 would need to take up some design. I would want to construct some kind of water induction system where water is guided from the top to the bottom using gravity and no electrical power will be involved. Sounds a bit challenging here, yah? I should think so, it should be one of it's kind around here. I will need to find a large toyogo type of water tub to insert on top. I wouldn't plan for maximum. No point worrying at this point, tanks will be added as time proceed.
nice work . !!!
how is the load amount the rack able to take ?
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Nocturnal Pets With A Nocturnal Owner
At least 100kg？ Planks prevent cave in.
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