[mocker]

Ok so here is what i did this weekend!

So i bought a 37 gallon over summer. and we could not thinks are where to put it! Then finally i said why not do an in wall. we had just enough room on a wall in my basement. <img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc246/mockery1982/DSC00407.jpg"
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc246/mockery1982/DSC00408.jpg

So i like working with wood and building stuff. But my dad would not let me do it my self. So he ask around and a guy where said he could help. This is the first time he could make it out.

So we got started!
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...82/wallout.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...llandstuds.jpg

Then we made the stand! http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...1982/stand.jpg

And here it is finished.
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...hotherside.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...82/finnish.jpg

And here is the stand painted.
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...2/DSC00427.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...2/DSC00428.jpg

Let me know what you think still need to add a board up top so hope fully by the end of the week end i will have the water cycling!

[thelastmucci]

I likel it allot. I didn't know where you were going with the stand sticking out that much but you definitley (I never spell that word right) made it blend. Kudos to you.

[mocker]

thanks i want it so long cause i did not know exactly where i wanted it to sit (I still don't) cant decide flush or 1,2,3 inches back. leaning more with 3 inches back cause the tank in narrow and i want a lot of light to hit it.

[swinginbeef]

looks nice. All you need now is a black or blue backing on the tank so you don't have to look at the storage room behind it!

Good job.

[wesley6610]

Well if you build your rock up, you may get away with not need the backing at all. Or at least until your coralline builds up and blocks the storeroom area. Good job.

[boombadan]

looks great!

[mocker]

Ok Progress update!
This weekend i painted the back and sides of the tank.
Added a step to make maintenance easier.
Put on the bottom shelf for a small sump.
Add piece of glass on top on the tank for support.
Add about 15 gallons of saltwater and lots of sand don't know how much, more than 40 lbs. if that is to much let me know i'll take some and put it into the sump when it is running. Want to top off the tank before the weekend and get the sump going then too. Who knows will keep you posted.

[thelastmucci]

Can't wait to see some pics

[mocker]

Ok picture time
here tank paint took about 5 coats of black house paint it was like 130 before i was done!
here is a pic of the step and shelf i put on the stand
here is the tank with the sand and about 15 gallons of water

[boombadan]

I think painting the back of the tank is the way to go, thats what i did to my tank.

[wesley6610]

Originally Posted by mocker

Ok Progress update!
This weekend i painted the back and sides of the tank.
Added a step to make maintenance easier.
Put on the bottom shelf for a small sump.
Add piece of glass on top on the tank for support.
Add about 15 gallons of saltwater and lots of sand don't know how much, more than 40 lbs. if that is to much let me know i'll take some and put it into the sump when it is running. Want to top off the tank before the weekend and get the sump going then too. Who knows will keep you posted.

Are you shooting for a deep sand bed of 4 - 6 inches in the DT or are you reserving that for your sump?

[wesley6610]

Originally Posted by boombadan

I think painting the back of the tank is the way to go, thats what i did to my tank.

I will be doing the same in a few weeks and finally taking down the black poster drop I have on the rear of it.

[wesley6610]

Originally Posted by mocker

Ok picture time
here tank paint took about 5 coats of black house paint it was like 130 before i was done!
here is a pic of the step and shelf i put on the stand
here is the tank with the sand and about 15 gallons of water

Okay, now that I saw your pictures, I would suggest going for a deeper sandbed than what you currently have. I would say at least double what you have since I'm sure your sump won't be bigger than a 10 gallon or 20H gallon, right? Also, I would invest in the Maxijet Mod that turns them into a more wave powerhead instead of stream.

Maxi-Jet MaxiJet Modify Mod kit Aquarium Pump Refugium - (eBay item 300155092379 end time Oct-05-07 08:54:04 PDT)

[mocker]

yes i am planning on putting some so the sand in the sump because it just doesn't look good with that much sand. I am also going to do the maxi-jet mod in a while.

[wesley6610]

Okay, sounds good and on second thought you are probably right about the extra sand in that small of a tank.

[dclaghorn2]

It looks great to me. One thing though, from a woodworking/carpentry standpoint, it doesn't look like in the stand's current iteration that it would be strong enough. You are only using 2 nails on the quasi-stretchers. You might want to add another 2x6 to the legs to bolster the strength and get four nail between the "stretchers" and legs, or, you could skin 2-3 sides with some 1/2-inch plywood to add diagonal strength (triangles are mucho el strong-o). You appear to have, in essence, added diagonal strength along the back by nailing the stand to the wall studs, but I would indeed consider adding some 1/2" plywood to the sides for additional support (remember, you're gonna have 50-75 lbs of rock and sand each, and over 400 lbs of H2O). This aquarium is gonna be beautiful from the living room, and I'd hate to see it come crashing down because of some event that would rack the stand...

Dave

[boombadan]

Originally Posted by wesley6610

I will be doing the same in a few weeks and finally taking down the black poster drop I have on the rear of it.

You wont regret it. It also makes cleaning the salt crept between your background and your tank a lot easier than having to remove the background.

[wesley6610]

Good looking, I will get some black paint this weekend and get started.

[mocker]

Ok time for update!
So i've been running the two with sand and water for 2 weeks. Today I went to my LFS and bought 38lbs of LR and got my light. when i was checking out i thought my heart stopped when she told me the price for the rock alone. I'll put up picks soon my camera died so i got to get batteries.

[wesley6610]

Oh, you should have ordered your rocks online, I'm sure you could have gotten a way better deal for the same or less money. I ordered my rocks a week ago and got 60 lbs for $192 with 2 day shipping on Fiji prememium. So next time you get rock ask around the forum for some good online dealers or try out eBay also. What type of light did you get?

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by mocker

Ok time for update!
So i've been running the two with sand and water for 2 weeks. Today I went to my LFS and bought 38lbs of LR and got my light. when i was checking out i thought my heart stopped when she told me the price for the rock alone. I'll put up picks soon my camera died so i got to get batteries.

Lots of us got LR from mrmarine on e-bay. good stuff, although I did buy some at a LFS and got to pick which pieces I wanted and yeah expensive!!

[wesley6610]

I understand that, sometimes a LFS for certain pieces is not out of the question, but the original stocking i would do online for the best rates on 50lbs or more.

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by wesley6610

I understand that, sometimes a LFS for certain pieces is not out of the question, but the original stocking i would do online for the best rates on 50lbs or more.

Definetly good advice, save by buying most of it online, then pick a few for the final rockscaping touches at a LFS. Online is about $2 per pound shipped at the LFS - $5 or more...
And 50 pounds sounds like a lot, but its really only a few pieces..

[wesley6610]

I agree, at first I thought that I would be getting way too much for my tank, but then when you see that the rocks are dense and the size of a melon you feel a little cheated, lol

[mocker]

Are you kidding me!!! $2 a pound 38 lbs of rock cost me 327.77 no joke. 50 lbs for 200 that makes me so mad. and look ing back at the recept i think they over charged me . It dose not matter i got some great pieces of rock the aqua scapeing look good might just add 1 or 2 more small pieces. But you live and learn. I'll remember that when i upgrade !! But that won't be for a year or two.