Check out my new tank!!!! 55g!!!!

[Drake Titan]

how do you like it?

after a few months of preparations, I finally have my tank up and cycling!

I build the stand and hood with the help of the old man!!!! it cost me more then other DIY stands but its well worth it!! i think we could make these and sell them for 250! :D

so what do you think?

:cool:

[Drake Titan]

here's another!!!

[Tempest]

Looks really nice!! Wish I had more of an education in woodworking sometimes. My 55 gallon ended up sitting on an antique metal table but I would have gotten a larger tank at the time except for the high cost of a proper stand. I didn't want to put more than the 55 gallon on the table.

[Skittyfish]

Looks great. I wish my hubby could figure out (find the time) how to make a canopy for my bowfront. I love the way they look.

[goldfish freak]

Very nicely done.

[ArkyLady]

Looks great! I'm jealous :)

[tnlguinn]

nice looking setup. i just built two DIY stands myself. one for a 55 and one for a 135. made the frames out of 2x4s and finishing with 3/8 paneling(still on order). found the design here:
http://www.garf.org/stand.html#STAND

still have to plan for the canopy. thats my next project. have fun with the setup. BTW, i have $25 in the wood and screws for the 135 and $18 for the 55. the paneling was $27 a sheet, and it takes one per tank, and some left over for a canopy.

[Drake Titan]

Thanks I'm (we're) really proud of how it turned out!

tnlguinn - wow you guys must have some really cheap wood where your from.....I had to use 2 4x8 sheets of oak 3/4" plywood....thats 47 bucks a sheet!!!! plus stain, varnish, hinges and all other little things the total build came out to about 125~ bucks!

[tnlguinn]

by the time i finish with the paneling, add locks and hinges, and put on the cabinet doors i got from the hardware store on clearance for $5 each, i'll have $75 each in the stands. i went with the heavy finish paneling because it cost less, and IMHO finishes out better.here are some pics of my 135, and the old project for my 125.( note the paneling is not in place yet)

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL204/1088967/2285706/27632193.jpg

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL204/1088967/2285694/27633250.jpg

the pics are not very good for the stands, but yu get the general idea.

[125gJoe]

Drake, Nice set-up! I like the canopy since you have a wide choice of lighting! I've always wanted to see what Metal Halides would look like on my tank but, of lower wattage due to Discus.. I don't think Discus would like lights that are too bright.

55 gallon is also a nice sized tank! Congrats!!

[krucialkey560]

tnlguinn on your second pic the left peice of drift wood...where did you get it???It looks great and it would be the perfet home for my black ghost knife!!!let me know!thanks!:)
krucialkey560

[tnlguinn]

krucialkey560,
it came from Petsmart. i think it was $25 or so. just for perspective, that is a 125 that it is in. its a pretty large piece of [wood](its molded something). i got it for my flathead to have a home till i get a larger tank for him( if you look really close, you can see him with his head sticking through a hole in the middle of the piece). hopefully an indoor pond.

[nolemite]

Nice work on the furniture. There's no problem with spending some money on something that's going to look good, right?

[fishdude]

I wish my tank was as good as yours:)

[Heidyth]

Nice tank and stand. I am sooo jealous.