Stand Ideas for 150g Acrylic Tank

[johanasu]

Our school is receiving a 150g acrylic tank and steel frame stand. I am going to be cladding/skinning the stand.

Has anyone tried to install sliding acrylic doors into the stand so you can see into the sump/refugium (since it is a learning tool). I was thinking you could attach 1/4" plywood to the face of the steel stand as a spacer then attached the cladding through the plywood into the stand. This would leave a 1/4" gap between the skin/clad and the steel where we could install sliding pieces of 1/4" acrylic.

Thoughts about this particular idea, or thoughts in general about cladding this stand?

 

[dream54ing]

Easiest way, IMO, is panel(s) with magnets backs. I've done a few large setups with exotic wood panels on metal stands. They can be easily attached/re-attached for maintenance.

 

[saintsnsinners]

make glass windows in the doors.

 

[dream54ing]

make glass windows in the doors.

glass+kids=bad idea

 

[johanasu]

I have access to free acrylic panels for this project, so I originally considered insetting the acrylic panels into cabinet doors. However, cabinet doors appear to be quite expensive. That is why I was thinking of an internal track for sliding acrylic doors. They could be up to 15" wide each for a 30" acrylic window into the sump area.

I also considered magnetic panels but I don't want students to be able to remove the panels without supervision.

 

[saintsnsinners]

Acrylic will scratch easily.

 

[saintsnsinners]

If you aren't concerned about the acrylic getting scratched by the kids, that would be a neat idea. Half inch acrylic would be best. you could put each sheet on sliding door tracks.

 

[azjohnny]

I have a metal stand for my 180 and I went very simple and have a black curtain instead of the panels. I used 1/2" PVC pipe as a wrap around curtain rod that I painted black to match the curtain

I like to access/look at the sump a lot

 

[johanasu]

Thanks for the ideas. I do want the sump enclosed so I can lock the equipment area when my students are not doing cleaning and maintenance so a curtain or magnetic panels are probably out.

I don't think the students would scratch the doors, I would be more concerned that they will get scratched sliding in and out of the pockets on each side (each door would slide behind a plywood panel like a pocket door.

Things to think about! Thanks again