Finally set-up but still have a few final touch-ups
Finally set-up but still have a few final touch-ups
The good news is the tank is up!!! The doors are not on the stand currently because I have to put one more coat of polyurethane on. The first set of photos were taken in October of 2012. It took a few weeks to find a trim and decorative corner piece that my wife and I liked. My uncle used some sort of tool to cut those pieces and he did an amazing job!
All the wood is birch wood and we chose that wood because of the look and cost. We found it to be a great middle grade for price and one of the prettier woods. Once everything was cut and put together, we did a bunch of sanding followed by more sanding.
Once the wood was smoothed out, the trim in place and the decorative corners in place, we began to stain. I think the stain looks good since this was my first time ever staining. Depending on the cost, if I would have to do it again I probably would have elected to go to a shop out in Mesa to have had it stained. But like I said it looks good for a rookie staining it and I am happy with the way it turned out.
The frist few coats the wood sucked up most of the stain, to be expected. When they say the first few coats are the most important, they are right!!! If you go too heavy or have a glob in once place, it is VERY difficult to even it out later on.
Once the staining was completed, we put two coats of polyurethane on the stand. I wanted to do this to protect the stand for water spills, since it is bound to happen. I used the 1500 overflow box from GH and it went on smoothly. No crakes or anything. Great product too!
The plumbing is simple and not much needs to be said about that.... The sump that you see in the last of the photos is only a temp. I will be using a 90 gallon, 4 footer. In a day or so I will have the baffles ready for install yay!!!
Other than that the only thing that really changed for the equipment was the exchange of Radion gen1 lights for the Pro, added a neptune apex light and a MP60 to go along with the MP40. I am looking to add a chiller for the mixing tank in the garage but other than that the tank is finished Enjoy!!!
After sanding and decorative corner piece installed
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Big 30 inch doors!!!
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Over view shot of the stand. We picked a cherry stain. The ghetto light stands will go and I have one more Radion Pro to install so dont worry
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The top right you can see where the quarantine tank will be. This is where the plumbing is hidden as well.
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The plumbing will ball valves. I really wanted plastic gate valves but Depot did not have them, oh well
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Apex baby!!!
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