Pictures of your DIY stand please

[Opiy]

Ok now I pretty much have all the frame work done and glued but have a question. The stand wobles abit from front left corner to back right corner. There is around a 3/16 to 1/4" height when I push down on one side. I was wondering if the weight of the tank would push this down or is it something I need to get straight now before I totally finish the stand?

 

[Rollin]

Once you "skin" the outside it will add alot of ridgidity to the stand. The tank might push it flat but with a 1/4 of space it would be pretty catastrophic if it did.

These little problems just seem to carry along so it would be best to correct it up front.

Or take the path that I've taken before and just shim the high corner before you put the tank on it though it's not the best solution. Depending on how flat the floor is where you're going to be putting it you might be shimming anyway.

~chris

 

[8BALL_99]

Make sure the floor is level.. It might not even be the stand... If the floor is level and it still does that then I would for sure fix it!

 

[Opiy]

Hmm .... I decided to grunt the stand on to the kitchen floor and it still wobbled just a hair still, so I went out to my shed to get a good ruler just to see how bad off it was and I tried to lift one side of the stand again to make it lift where it wobbled and it didn't move. Hmm sorta weird. Maybe it was the floor where it was because it wasn't a very flat floor at all where it was.

 

[Opiy]

Well plan on getting all the oak panaling cut today and was curious on the front should I leave a center piece or just have one large front opening. I was thinking the large opening to help with putting sump and stuff in.

 

[Rollin]

Leave it open. It will make a ton of difference getting equipment in and out,

 

[edwar050]

Not a great shot to say the least but wanted to make it as open as possible becasue of mangroves and autotopoff bucket behind tank. Just wish I could have run a float valve to the bucket from the RO unit. That way if it failed it would flood my floor and not the tank.

 

[Opiy]

I took the 4x8 oak ply back to lowes sunday and bought some 1x8 and 1x6 boards. I am trying to figure the best way to do this. I was thinking just like a simple square around the edges just to cover the front and sides. I thought about putting something on the back but heck, its not looked at that often and it would save a load of money. The 1x8 is actually going to be 1/2" to short to cover all the framing and the tank trim. (sighs) Maybe I can come up with something creative to go around the top of the oak to help hide that .5" trim.



I also bought some Olympic Maximum 100% acyrlic latex white paint. Its a water proofing for decks, fences, and something else. Seems like what I need to paint the inside of the stand.

Edwar050: That piece of wood maybe 1x2 in between the doors is what I was thinking of just leaving out on my stand and just let the doors hit the sides of the oak skin.

 

[edwar050]

There are two good ways I have seen it done. Mine is removable to get stuff in and out. I like taking the doors and adding an extra backing to one of them. The only negative drawback is having to open only one door first then the other door, but you get great access that way. I love the hideaway overflow box covers I made. Very cool. Sounds like good white paint. I used el cheapo spraypaint but my canopies a foot and 1/2. Alot of people like putting ply under there tank for extra stability but I don't really like it becasue you have to drill holes exactly where you want the overflow at and its interesting to see whats at the bottom of the sandbed.

 

[Opiy]

I finally got it all painted and it looks kinda cool with just the white framing

I started to cut the oak to skin it and thats when I realized I really need more woodworking tools. Using a circular saw to make straight cuts just doesn't work good so I probably ruined some very $$ wood.

I leak tested the tank for about 4 days and no problems so thats good. Now I need to get my neighbor to help me carry it back in. Tank is pretty heavy.

I ran some new electrical wire friday in the place where I am going to have the tank setup. There was a plug there already but it was the old non grounding wiring so I cut it out and put new in so I can have a GFCI Plug. I also put in a double gang box (think thats what its called) so I would have 4 plugs instead of 2. Figured since I was already working on it do it now just in case. Can't decide if I want to have 2 GFCIs or just the one. If I go one and the first trips for some reason it would kill all the power Hmmm. Might end up getting 2 just to be a little more on the safe side.

Very slow progress but hoping next payday I can get some more cool stuff taken care of.