Making Of An 41 Inch Aquarium Cabinet Journal

[alexlark]

Nice cabinet mate!! Good job with the mouldings and that ply has come up a treat once painted!

 

[Zikofski]

very good job looking nice i would like to do this one day for my tank

 

[Dan-CR4]

Nice cabinet mate!! Good job with the mouldings and that ply has come up a treat once painted!

Thank you, yes the cheap plywood came out better than I expected

very good job looking nice i would like to do this one day for my tank

I wanted to do it for a while but the wife did not want me making one, but she has changed her mind as she really like the cabinet now. It is easier than you think to do, just really plan what you want and look how other people put theres together.

Little Update

Its been a bit slow as my car has been off the road and needed to get some wood for making the doors and lugging 1.8m bits of wood onto public transport would not of gone down too well with other passengers so this weekend I made the doors and cut out the hole for the glass, phoned a local glass company today and the glass is only going to cost me £1.34 a sheet...bargain! Today I am putting a clear varnish over the cabinet and doors.

I got good news the other day, ND Aqautics are delivering the tank on the 7th February, so I will build the hood once that arrives. Got to order me light starter/controller units (2 x 39w twins) this week. Also need to buy some substrate, trying to get some Akadama double red line locally but that dont look like its gonna happen, was looking into cat litter but not sure on the colour, really dont know what to do regarding that.

I also bought an external 300w heater so thats arrived and waiting to be used. Its al starting to come together now, will update with some pics later once the varnish has dried.

 

[coldcazzie]

will update with some pics later once the varnish has dried.

 

[Dan-CR4]

will update with some pics later once the varnish has dried.

sorry I forgot to take some, will do them tomorrow as the doors are on now. been slowing down on it as I Still got 2.5 weeks till tank arrives, been reading and looking at other peoples tanks to give me more ideas on a scape of some kind. So will take some more pics tomorrow

 

[ainsy]

Dan - it looks like you have put loads of hard work into this and it has really paid off.

You have also put some hard work into the write-up - so thank you very much!

 

[Dan-CR4]

Dan - it looks like you have put loads of hard work into this and it has really paid off.

You have also put some hard work into the write-up - so thank you very much!

Thank you for the kind comments. This was my first venture into making a piece of furniture.


I have updated the first post with another 4 pictures. Since the last post I stained the wood twice, then rubbed it down with 320 grit sandpaper, then stained it again, so 3 coats of stain on it. I also stained the inside once. Then I varnished it twice on the outside with B&Q clear varnish 250ml cost £6, but got enough left for the hood as well, also the stain I sill have enough for the hood as well.
I have fitted glass to the doors as well, that cost me £5. and the hinges for the doors were £2.80 for a pack of 20, so again got enough for the hood.

All I got to do now is fit the hardboard on the back and make holes for the piping etc. but will do that once im setting up the new tank, as that will only take a few minutes.

I know this seems like it took ages but I reckon you could do all of this in one long weekend, if you work constant at it, I just did bits here there and the past week done nothing on it really. So I reckon in all it took me 20 hours.

 

[coldcazzie]

I'm surprised you put glass in the doors - I wouldn't want to see all the equipment etc.

Good job you're decorating the hall cuz that stain is very obvious

 

[CrazyAirborne]

wow turned out GREAT! ive been looking at a full 4 x 2 tank from ND aquatics as well, I would have to build my own cabinet without a doubt.

very well done! I look forward to the hood build!

 

[Tizer]

Great build mate, not sure on the stain though, i like the natural wood finish, but its not got to live in my house

 

[Dan-CR4]

Tank arrived today so will be starting the hood now . Fits the cabinet exactly how I wanted it to. Tank cant be filled til the 11th so that gives me the time to do the hood.

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

Nice one fella.......I will be following this all the way to the end! Top job

 

[bae1994]

Any pictures ?

Looks great so far

 

[Tizer]

Nice Dan, glad it fits! Sounds like a busy weekend ahead

 

[Dan-CR4]

thanks for the comments guys. heres the finished product, hood all done, lights added but got to clean up the wires, going to get some trunking tomorrow.

bit blurry, will take a better pick once I start to design the scape, in my other thread. but as far as the build, it is complete....phew!