Fish Tank Cabinet Diy Project

[Brilly91]

Looks great mate Well worth the time and effort.

 

[PlumbersMerchant]

Fantastic job, Given me something to use as refernece if and when the opportunity comes to build one. please add a link in here to your planted journal also mate

 

[dgwebster]

That does indeed look good. I've just started the build of my own stand and I will be replacing the hood eventually too: will be stealing your "front flap" design for the hood!

 

[Zikofski]

cheers guys and i will do alto it will be a few months down the line maybe 6 months as i haft to move and settle first make sure you follow this topic if you like so you get the update when i post it


and yes the front flap i love keep everything looking nice and all the pipe work hidden if only where was away to magicly turn the inflow and outflow completely invisible haha

 

[RCA]

Just scan read through this journal, the cabinet looks great Zikofski and I love the depth you have got with the black backing.  Thanks also for documenting it and sharing it with us all, I know it takes time at each step to get the camera out, but it is good to share so we can all learn and benefit.  I did the same with my recent project, as well as my new project (in my signature) which is taking time due to tank, cat, bike, house, garden and garage maintenance having to fit around it 

  
 
Look forward to your journal as you come to fill the tank and plant it.  What are your plans for it, both plant, substrate and fish wise?

 

[Zikofski]

hey cheers RCA thnx for the reply and sorry for the delay and your welcome glad i can share my experiences with everyone and hey i can look back in years to come when i do this again and hopefully remember what mistakes  made and to do them right next time round, i have had thoughts on what is going in the tank going to be a while probably into the new year before i get things setup but i plan to have a few small rocks, with black sand, heavy planted, with dhg vallis and variouse plants i can pick up i want crypts a few mix of red and greens not sure how i would scape it i think it will be the same as my current tank as go along as and when i get things
 
but fish wise i do have a plan becsue of the extreme bioload this tank will hold due to the over sized filter i fell i can over stock slightly not so much in fish numbers but on fish that poop a lot and when i mean that i mean cory's and pleco's
 
this is my list:
 
10 x corys
2 x BN Pleco
3 x dwarf groumi
6 to 8 x tetras
 
i am umming and areing over the dwarf groumi's not sure if i will get them, and i don't know what kind of tetras i want something not to big not small like neons tho, if cory's and shrimp get along i may get some shrimp too, but i will get 2 BN plecos' they will both fit in the tank i plan 1 male one female, and 10 small maybe false juli or sterbia cory's that is the plan may even ditch the tetras for barbs but not sure how many tiger barbs i could fit into an 88L maybe 6 or 8 but that i don't know any ideas suggestions i am open to them and i am happy for them to be posted in here until i get my journal up and running and il post a link to that in this post when i do so if you wanna be kept up to date please subscribe

 

[Smelliot]

Fantastic mate I absolutely love it - I'd go peppermint BN's they're amazing.

 

[nick1200]

Could i ask why have you put the external filter next to 2 electric extension plugs ? You can imagine if the filter leaked...

 

[dgwebster]

I have the same with mines: 3 double gang sockets beside an external heater & filter. I also have a spur from the filter output with a valve & hose pipe connector for easy water changes just dangling in there and will soon add a co2 diffuser. All in all, i have 10 points where the hoses are cut and join to something, many held water tight by a bit of pfte and zip ties.

A simple 2mm clear acrylic cover is being built though, but i have the whole lot sitting on an RCD ready to trip in the event my cat takes a piss on them again! That would be an amazing feat though.

 

[Zikofski]

yes i looked at an RCD but most houses these days have RCD's built in anyway all that will happen if the water gets onto the plugs is the fuse will blow, so no drama there but means i haft to buy a new fuse, the filter is brand new and i am 100% sure it wont leak, il do all maintenance outside the cabinet and then make sure the filter and stuff is dry before putting back in not only for the electrics but to stop any water ingress into the wood. i have two filters on my main tank and neither of them have ever leaked ones nearly 2 years the other is nearly 3 or 4 years old so i know external filters are strong and good i trust them far more than any other type of filter. 
 
again i will use towls and stuff like i do with my main tank when carrying maintenance out but remember, house plugs do have an element of water proofing to them, they are splash poof to a degree, so a little on plugs is not a problem as i get water on my plugs in my current tank all the time its not a big deal

 

[daizeUK]

Is this cabinet going with you when you emigrate?

 

[Zikofski]

yes it is i spoke to the AUS immigration dudes and they said if its new and not been used eg not come into contact with water then i do not haft to declare it so its safe for me to take out

 

[daizeUK]

Good thing after all the effort into building it!

 

[Zikofski]

i know i did call up before building to make sure, as i wanted to build it for out there

 

[dgwebster]

yes i looked at an RCD but most houses these days have RCD's built in anyway all that will happen if the water gets onto the plugs is the fuse will blow

Most homes have a MCB installed at the fuse box, which detects current overload (eg you are drawing 30A on a 20A circuit, best to cut off the supply.)

An RCD detects shorts in your circuits e.g. someone has stuck their hand into the live tank and shorted it to earth.

Rarely is a home covered by a combined unit due to their price and regs do not require RCD in a new build, only MCB.

The RCD plug in also serves an extra purpose: if it trips, its only at the socket where it is plugged in. No need to go climbing into the hatch/under stair etc.
Should say, source: father is a sparky.