mjd271169 Posted July 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 this is the tank I was thinking of using, just emptied it and put it here to see how it looked, if I put this on an angle in the corner the fact that the tank is not as wide as the stand will not be obvious. If I put it flat against a wall I think it will not look so good. options are in the corner or custom made tank. I do like the idea of a tank that is wider and taller than this one so maybe that is the way to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I thought you already changed the stand to fit the tank? confused... :thumbs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I actually don't see an issue with a small shelf in front of the tank. I've built all of my stands deliberately o/size, cos invariably one needs somewhere to place things temporarily (food, scissors, bags containing new fish etc.). Also, I think having a tank custom built would ruin a great "DIY" project. Just slap on some paint, sit the tank you have on it, fill her up and Bob's yer Aunty's live in lover... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I thought you already changed the stand to fit the tank? confused... the width only, I was thinking of the shelf on the back to hide the ferts and food out of the way so idont have to keep going in the cupboard for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Ok, so this is what you planned, right? Stop changing things and plant this tank up already! LOL ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 progress will slow now, once its painted I really want to go full ADA substrate set up and thats gonna take a little saving unfortunately. I will kick off a new thread once the stand is done with lights etc I will do a tank thread on setting up, I will do another post tonight though on my first lot of pearling plants in my other tank quite happy at last I think it is going well. But thats another post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canary Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Looking good : I spent a day working on sides and door for a cabinet. Kept me amused and happy even though no-one else could see why I was going to all the trouble! I'll have to post a photo sometime. My first thought, when you said the size wasn't quite right, was that you could screw another board on top. I think you could put a top on to overhang say an inch and a half either side and to the front with no problems. Seems like you got it all sorted and are happy though. Good on you for recycling. Have fun. ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 So in the continuation of spending no money I had a tin of ceiling paint sitting in the garage that I have used to undercoat the stand, so far 2 coats. Will sand and do a few more tomorrow. Used a brush inside and a roller outside Once I get to the top coats I will be using an oil based paint, now when I do get there choice is brush or roller to apply. Not sure which to opt for yet but if I get a decent paint then as it dries it should form a smooth surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 another free option. I had a part tin of a water based gloss that I tried a while ago, did not like it for inside as the oil based gloss I felt was better in the way it covered. But for the inside of the stand I think it will do the job nicely, gloss finish, bright white and will be tough and waterproof. Here is a pic that tries to show the gloss of the finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Wow. Looking good already now that it's all the same colour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 so decided I would make a light box of out MDF and do my own light fitting, went to bunnings to price up bits and pieces and it would work out dearer than buying one online. On line store in QLD on the gold coast, sure a few people know who that is has lights for about $60. scratch that idea, but picked up a colour card of the colour I may go with, not a perfect pic but this gives an idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted July 7, 2008 Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 I think that colour would work well. Does it meet with the other half's approval? Match the other furniture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 not so much match but the colour will not clash and I am not allowed black, even though the TV is black and it will be going near it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 bought some paint today on the way home from work and could not resist cracking it open and putting some on the stand. did not mask off the areas I need to so only a very rough first coat, once I mask the interior I can do the edges to neaten it all up. Colour is darker than I thought it would be but I am pretty happy with it and think it will look nice when finished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 It's looking good. I think that colour will work really well. You're so meticulous. The paintwork looks so smooth and shiny and it's not even done yet. You can already see the reflection of the wall in the surface. I have to admit the more I follow this thread the less I'm inclined to try this myself. Seems like more hard work than my lazy a*** can cope with. Much nicer being a voyeur. :fish: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missglamourette Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 wow! awesome job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 Well today there is some good and some bad unfortunatley first coat put on to the door looks good left and right sides with second coat now the bad, this absolutely gave me the s*!$s. Because it has been so cold when I sanded before painting the second coat it had not dried very hard and some came up like little rolls of clay and buggered the side. I am thinking now I need to leave it a couple of days to really harden up then sand smooth and re paint Maybe a brush is not the best choice for this in hindsight but c'est la vie I am not marketing these its just for me so as long as I get it looking ok I will be happy. It is not the entire side just one little bit that is affected like that but I am in rush to complete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RarePets Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 Your design looks good. The paint damage can always be hidden with other items placed near to it. I used Pine for a Brine Shrimp Hatchery last December. The oil Based paint is great for the salt water splashes that occur. The painful part was putting acrylic doors on it. Still home made carpentry for our own use is taken with the pratical use being what we set out to achieve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Paint finish has been improved, sanded back and re coated looks 100% better now. Stand has had 4 coats and maybe one more light sand and a final coat should do it. had some more pieces of scrap wood hanging around and knocked up a very rough box that I thought might do as a light box, was not going to do this but hey the thing is DIY so why not continue. This is the basic idea was thinking use ceiling batons I could get 3 probably 4 in here drill through the back and wire in to the baton, wire out the back in to a junction box that then can plug in the wall Need to work out what to do about reflectors, depending what I use I may have to only use 3 fittings, if I use 4 CF bulbs of 15W each I should be getting 60W over the current 40L tank. Any thoughts on using the normal CF bulbs? or the option for the light box. ohh yeah and still need to work out how to attach it yet, haven't got that far :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 The views keep going up so I am assuming we still have some people following this progress, so for the benefit of the ones still with me: I had another play around tonight just to get myself famliar with what I wanted to do. 1 old lamp that I tore to pieces, 1 ceiling baton, 1 electrical connector and a little piece of 4mm MDF only used 2 11W CF bulbs, took these out of the laundry and downstairs toilet (wife not impressed) but they went straight back after my little play. The plan was to have 3 or 4 15W bulbs but now I am thinking maybe 2 CF bulbs and fit the 15 inch flouro I have in there too. Who knows pics here are with the box on top of the tank and the aim is to have it mounted higher so hopefully I can produce enough light intensity to have it rasied and still grow plants. Lamp apart then rewired back to the cable and switch and srewed onto piece of scrap MDF. ceiling baton then wired into the same connector and also srewed on to MDF - no reflector so added a sheet of foil inside the hood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 few tank shots this is the old tank I had still full of bits and pieces so excuse the mess in there and all around it for that matter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 So tonight had an idea how to attach the light box to the stand. A number of ideas had been through my head, metal tube, metal pole, hinges on the box so it could swivel or lift up out of the way for tank cleaning etc. What I decided to try which I thought would be the easiest and involve no spending of the hard earned was, and I will try to explain as well as I can. want access to feed easily, do not want to move lights for this, want some way to move the lights easliy for cleaning - easiest way is to lift up and move. So my idea is a strip ( 6 inch wide piece of pine) running up the back of the stand to a set height. The light box to them have some form of saddle constructed so that it sits on top of the strip. Took some pics to try and make it easier to follow. Hopefuly it does the first pics are just with bits of scrap used to get the idea to see if it would work Made a cradle to hold the strip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Added a scrap piece just to create the saddle Basic principle - to be attahced to the back of the stand pulled apart and glued togather the pieces for the saddle which can be srewed to the back of the light box when dry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 Hi Latest update. How the tank stand should be when completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted July 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 Found some strips of laminate about 4 feet long and held together with tape. Cut these into smaller sizes as per the pic Cut myself a triangle from MDF Thinking this could make the shape of a triangular reflector once the laminate was glued to the MDF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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