Pics for your viewing - My DIY

[beviking]

Here are some pics of my DIY Hood and Stand for my 90g tank. The camera angle makes the stand look shorter than it is but otherwise it is as seen. Hope you like them!

http://community.webshots.com/user/beviking

[O-man21]

nice

[NJ Devils Fan]

wow, thay is really nice

[Slappy*McFish]

good job:cool:

[Heady]

Wow, that is gorgeous! Do you have blueprints or something? I need to build a stand and canopy of my own for a 100 gallon.

[wetmanNY]

You're a regular Norm Abrams!

[nvision]

stunning. great job on construction and finish.

[goldfish freak]

Very nicely done Beviking, I also like how you aquascaped the tank and even the potted plants next to the tank, nice overall look. All it needs is an Eheim ;) :D . By the way what type of wood did you use and how much did it cost you to build it?

[karfixer]

:D What kind of wood and finish did you use? My dad is working on a stand for my reciently acquired 105 tall.

[goldfries]

you're a carpenter/glasssmith or something?!?!?! that's a nice tank!!! i'd like to make my own some day. very inspring work you did.

[auxout]

That is a very awesome piece of work!
I would love to see a plan for that too!
what type of wood did you go with?

I recently slapped together 2 stands using the plans from GARF for some smaller tanks, nothing like that, just 2x4 and some sanded plywood + stain. I do have to say though it sure saves a heck of a lot of money and the things are so sturdy it's amazing.

[beviking]

Actually auxout, it's similar underneath!

Thank you all for the compliments! The stand is 2X4's, glued and screwed. I built the front frame (top and bottom pcs. with ends and center supports) and rear frame the same and connected them with 2X4's at each corner and top/bottom at center. The joints were dado (sp?) so they overlap but the thickness is still the same width as the 2X4. All 2X4's are on edge. Then I bought 1 sheet of Maple 3/4 plywood ($28 US). Cut it and glued/screwed it from inside so no holes to conceal. The inside shelf is 1/2 pine plywood I had lying around just screwed down. The doors are the cutouts from the 3/4 plywood trimmed with maple boards. I used Provincial stain (2 coats) and 3 coats satin polyurethane. 2X4's and 3/4" plywood is way overkill, but I'm just a fish farmer, not an engineer! Next one I think I'll use just the 3/4" plywood.

The hood is 3/4"X3/4" or 1/2"X3/4" maple board strips (8' 1"X4" board $13) used for a frame, glued/screwed and luan plywood ($10 for 4'X8' sheet) with the maple trim. 2-shoplights ($7 ea).

The best thing about this (IMO), is that with a frame, you can drill pilot holes for the trim, and adjust the trim to where you want it! Or, if in a few years want to change it, I don't have to build a whole new stand, I can just change the trim. I'll try to work on the blueprints (maybe I could have been Norm Abrams?) but first I have to pull them from my memory!;)

I'm working on putting together the "blueprints". It may be a while and won't have specific dimensions, just the how and what with some pertinent info. They'll be posted at the above site hopefully by next week.

One other thing, I used a table saw and drill to make this, nothing very fancy. The daddo blade is a saw blade that cuts 3/4" at a time unlike the standard saw blade width.

Bill

[beviking]

Originally posted by goldfish freak
All it needs is an Eheim ;) :D .

LOL!!!:D

[Heady]

I'd like a copy...

[beviking]

Heady,

Originally posted by beviking

I'm working on putting together the "blueprints". It may be a while and won't have specific dimensions, just the how and what with some pertinent info. They'll be posted at the above site hopefully by next week.
Bill

Since you specifically asked, I'll let you know a.s.a.p!

[PiRaHna]

Wow very nice, you got any rare fish in there?

[Matak]

WOW! ;) Did you really build that yourself?

[ellehcim]

WOW, that stand is so nice, nothing like my ugly DIY stand i made from plywood I found in the garage :D

[beviking]

No, no rare fish. Yes I made it myself. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder;)

I put some plans up at the above link. Let me know if there is anything you don't understand. They are rough plans and hopefully through questions I can get most of the basic "how I did it" ironed out.

[karfixer]

Thanks for the additional info, the frame looks similar to what my father and I have come up with, My setup is going to be much larger 72"l x 32"w x 24"t for a tank that is 60"l x 18"w x 24" t. I want room for movement in case of an earthquake, and for under tank sump/storage and I'd like to keep the wiring and related electronic as neatly as possible-not strewn about on the floor.

[beviking]

Originally posted by karfixer
... I'd like to keep the wiring and related electronic as neatly as possible-not strewn about on the floor.

Those pics were taken just after I had everything up and running. I've since then secured the power strip against the back frame so the electrical cords are up and out of the way. Of course, they all have a drip loop.
I've also added corner trim to the tank so it looks totally encased in wood. Added that final touch! Good luck with yours karfixer!

[karfixer]

That wasn't ment as a comment on your set-up ;) My three tanks have a UPS and 4 strip circuits on the floor-behind the tanks and with drip loops- but it isn't easy to access or orderly. I've been taking picts of the tank as I'm setting it up-I'm making a faux rock wall along the back and routing the return line from the wet/dry in an underground jet configuration. Ultimately I'd like to have the outer shell decorated like a S.E. Asian pagoda-since the occupants will all be S.E. Asian fish and plants. I want to have the tank filled in a couple of weeks and fishless-cycled in a week or so later.

[cpr4cpu]

Pretty stand. A nice addition to the room.
I am replacing my TV armoir with a 125 gallon tank. I am building a more "cozy" and not quite so formal stand myself. I'll try to add some photos of my work if I ever find the time to knock it out.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Originally posted by beviking
... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder;)


Unless the person is blind. ;)

[beviking]

So you need eyes to see? Then you are truly blind my friend.;)