Scratch Build – In Progress Ultimate Serenity - Update 03/11. Fishies Ill be using in the build

Hey guys, Im a modder/scratch builder from Canada. A few of you might recognize me from other builds. My last build was called Massively Dysfunctional (MDF).

The log can be found here:
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=172787



Well I was going to take a few weeks off from the stresses of modding but an opportunity to build a system Ive been dreaming about for awhile now has happend.

I am super proud to announce that EVGA will be sponsoring this build. Now this isnt how people usually announce there sponsor but I would like to take a second to explain how this happend because it speaks volumes for there service.

It started out as a RMA gone horribly wrong. Long story short... I was put in touch with Joe Darwin (marketing director). He offer me compensation for my bad RMA (Very cool of them). Our convo turned to a competition @ NewModCity Im in. After seeing some pics of MDF we worked out this deal.

Every company/person makes mistakes, its how them mistakes get handled that speak for there character. Not only did they take 100% responsibility for there mistakes, they cross shipped me new card, offered a bunch of goodies and in the end became a sponsor. Damn fine company. Joe is a super great guy and Im 1 mega happy customer.

And of course my bros from CoolIT are hooking me up with enough cooling power to keep ya chilly on a hot summer night. Huge thanks to Barry Reicker and Jon Stanley, there the guys that make everything possible for me.



Here we go.

Alright my idea is to submerge a running system into a 75+ gallon working freshwater aquarium. Complete with fish.

Im not the best at 3D models but this will help you get the idea.

Im going to seal a plexiglass compartment into the back of the tank to house all the components. Fish will be able to swim on three sides of the plexi. A 22"screen will be mounted into the front of the stand.


I will have intake/exhaust fans on the rear of the tank for components. Depending on humidity I will have a dehumidifier under the tank plumbed into the plexi compartment. (remember this is just a very rough sketch)

Nothin beside the sketches right now. I have a small tank setup with a few small fish. I want to get the fish for the build as soon as possible so I can be sure Im putting healthy fish into the system. I plan to have a Cichlid tank with this build and will be buying them and introducing you all to them as the build goes on.

So this will be something alittle different from your regular build. You might learn alittle about setting up aquariums and taking care of fish.

Every modder goes through a ton of stress thinking of and building there mods. They say an aquarium is 1 of the best forms of stress relief. I wonder if this will be a stress free build.

Hope every1 enjoys my build and maybe learn a few things. I am about a month into the build already and will bring you guys upto date over the next week or so. I plan to finish it up over the next couple months so pull up a chair.

 

This, I will follow!

 

Next update!

Due to the price of tanks, my plan was to use a tank around 75gallons. Even a 2nd hand tank of that size can be expensive. Like any modder, its the money that holds me back.

During boxing day I was working in my shop when an add came on the radio for my local fish store. Everything in store is 70% off! I raced over and was amazed to see the prices. (Could have been a very bad day if I brought my credit card, would have bought half the store)
My 75gallon tank was only $99! Oh man the deals. I have 3x that set aside for the tank. Decisions, decisions.

I ended up grabbing the biggest tank they had in stock, lol. So after renting a truck and clearing space in my living room, its home!




Oh, Im soooo happy. Its a 120 gallons and the final price with taxes was only $215. Now I dont need to worry about space inside the tank.

Time to get to work. Since 120 gallons of water weighs roughly 1000lbs Im going to make the frame out of 2x4s.


Im starting with a simple "stick and frame" construction. I built 2 of these.


All pieces are glued, drilled and screwed.






I joined them using a technique similar to patio building.






Now some support for the middle.

I chose 2x3s for my center "sticks" in order to give me an extra inch of space in the cabinet sides. Any1 with fish knows how fast you can pile up fish stuff. Ill take all the space I can make.


And last for the frame is a couple braces for the 22" monitor.


There we go, the support frame is done. Im happy it will hold much more than 1000lbs.

Thats all for today. Hope everybody enjoys!

 

And so it begins!
Sub'd
Will be following this.

 

This I just have to see.

Subscribed!

 

Wow my best friend wanted to do something realy similer but he never got around to it, this looks like a great idea

 

Thanks guys!

Alright next rnd of updates.

I wanted to use mahogany wood for the outer shell and my local lumber store was out. I had to wait 2 weeks for it to arrive but its finally here!




1st thing to do was to reinforce the bottom level of the shelf sides since it will need to be strong enough to hold pumps, filtration, buckets of rocks and other heavy fish stuff.




Starting with the outer walls.


Used the wood glue than nailed them into place.


I have a bunch of insulation left over from insulating my shop that Ive really wanted to get rid of so I figured I would use it for sound dampening in the cabinet.


That should be real quiet now... Glued it up...


Nailed on the panel.


Both sides done.


Thats it for today. Things should start to move along now. The plexi is on its way and should be here by the time Im done the cabinet.

Hope ya enjoy!

 

This looks like it is going to be super epic!

 

Looks great!

Out of curiosity, why did you choose the position of the monitor to be so low?

 

Brother UFC sup man? I am sure that this will be epic!! As my friend above me mentioned before, the position of the monitor isnt bit low? I would prefer if it would be in the upper part and left and right of the monitor, 2 aquariums with some crazy fish inside!! So you can watch your movie etc surrounded by some crazy live effects!!! But that is just my opinion, no matter what you do its goin to be EPIC!!! Peace my friend! Keep in touch!!

 

Thanks guys!

@ Achron - The monitor in the stand will be used as my 2nd monitor. In the end this is going to be used as my media player/ gaming rig. My main monitor will be my 42" tv. That monitor wont be used very often... Just really there for the cool effect.

@ AnG3L - How ya doing bro. Honestly I thought about having a monitor surrounded by 2 tanks at the very beginning. I was even gonna build a joining tank to go over the monitor. Like this:
But after setting up a few aquariums in my living room Ive noticed if you can see the tank you will watch the fish instead of TV. So plans changed. lol.

Im gonna be building a curtain into the hood so I can close the curtains while watching movies and stuff.

 

What the hell at that video? How are they defying gravity?

 

The chanal has to be sealed airtight. Than there is no magic behind this.

Try it yourself. Fill up am bole with water and take a glas. Fill the glas with water (it has to be under water) and pull it up so the open end show downwards.

It's physik. Not more not less

 

Man thats very nice!!!!!!!!!! If you could only do that like you thought in the beginning!! Thats would be awesome! And the curtain thing! Why not brother! Mod on!!

 

Coolest thing I've seen in a long time

 

Fascinating Idea mate, looking forward to seeing this progress.

 

subs'd!

 

great design, sub'd
AC

 

Thanks! Yup b0nez is right. No magic, just some basic elementary science.

Alright 1st thing to do this rnd is to build some kind of access way to be able to get to the back of the monitor. Since this thing is going to be over 1200lbs once its full there will be no sliding it out to work behind it.

I want a place to be able to store 5g buckets. As it is right now they are taking over my computer area.


So I will be leaving this cupboard free of shelving. I built it 2 buckets high. I figure this would be the best place to build my access way.






Time to finish of the sides.




Both sides and cupboards finished.


Just need to put down a piece of mahogany on the bottom.


Cut out a couple panels for the front.






Cover the bottom and top rail.


Didnt forget the underside.


Action shot! Everything must be smooth.


And here it is with the front paneling done!


Sweet.... Its starting to look like something. This is the point in a build where I start to get excited. Everything is going good now that supplies are here.

Thats it for today... Enjoy!

 

Another round of updates...

Next thing was to get a back panel on. Bolted a frame in place to route cables and stuff through.






All the flooring is in place.


Finished insides of the cupboards.




Finished the inside of the monitor area. (Ill have other stuff in here, just dunno what else to call it, lol)








Didnt forget the cable cutout.


Lookin good.


The backside of the inside of the cupboards.




Heres the last pic of the bare wood.


Its staining time!!! The whole time I had mister miyagi in my head.... Wax on.... Wax off. Damn how old is that movie and it still pops in your head all the time.Heh.


All stained up. It looks much redder than it is. Might be my shop lighting or just the camera. Ill see what I can do for future updates.




Alright thats it for today. Next Im gonna get some trim on this thing.

Enjoy!!