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My attempt at DIY
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:41 am
by midman
Well, after much deliberation over a new tank size, and I am sure to the relief of Emma, I now have a new tank to house my rather big Clown Loach. Still only a 4ft tank, but a lot better than before. I made all the furniture for it myself. A basic cube frame with Pine wood cladded around the outside. Still need to varnish it and still doing top ups of water to keep shock down, but other than that it is complete. Hope you like.
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:58 am
by Emma Turner
Very nice!
I am sure the clowns will appreciate the extra space they now have.
Just a word of warning about varnishing - it would have been better to have done this before you added the aquarium to the stand and added your fish. Make sure the varnish you choose is water-based (rather than solvent- or oil-based) and ensure that the room is extremely well ventilated.
Emma
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:02 am
by midman
I know. I was eager to get them in after I had all those Nitrate problems. I have put all my old water and gravel and filters in there. I have just bought a Fluval 305 filter which is due shortly from the internet. I will get that set up and leave the old filters in for a month or until I am happy the new filter is cycling.
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:14 am
by Mad Duff
Looks great Midman
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:30 am
by shari2
Very nice tank! Wish I was a DIY'er...and nice lava lamp too.
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:36 am
by Martin Thoene
DIYers are like Lava-lamps. A bit slow to get going, but once they do.....
Nice job!
Martin.
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:59 am
by midman
shari2 wrote:Very nice tank! Wish I was a DIY'er...and nice lava lamp too.
Thank you. Not really a DIY'er to be honest. The professionals out there would prove that. Thought I would have a go though. I made a cube to support the tank after Emma posted a good link. Wanted to make sure it was sturdy enough. That was the easy bit. As for the hood, which is sloped, completely different story
Took me ages. I still have to enclose the tank at the back a bit to cut down the light leakage from the lamp. Tank + glass slides was 120 quid. All the furniture came to about 100 pounds, and all to my own design. The only other thing I bought was a circular saw to cut it all. So apart from this additional cost, about 220 pounds all in
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:19 am
by midman
Martin Thoene wrote:DIYers are like Lava-lamps. A bit slow to get going, but once they do.....
Nice job!
Martin.
Started off quickly and then slowed down towards the end
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 2:15 pm
by Dave_2133
Nice tank. looks like you've done a good job there matey.
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:27 am
by Graeme Robson
Superb!!
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:15 pm
by JoeKuhlii
Attractive stand and nice, clean work.
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:42 pm
by angelfish83
Martin Thoene wrote:DIYers are like Lava-lamps. A bit slow to get going, but once they do.....
Nice job!
Martin.
Once they do they gloop slowly to the top only to lose inertia and fall down again to join the glop they began as and start all over again
Just kidding very nice furninture. It'll look great stained...
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:56 pm
by Martin Thoene
I haven't seen too much glop at Home Depot........Is that in the adhesives section? ......Looks for old fart in orange apron to ask..........
Build it, and they will come...............
Get your materials....load 'em on the car.....
Might wanna take a couple of trips there buddy!
DIY is fun.
Martin.
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 7:25 pm
by angelfish83
Some people are so stupid... That load is close to the safe limit for a 15 foot cube van...
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 9:18 pm
by shari2
Got a good laugh out of that pic.
(and I needed it)