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My 2 20g Long Tanks

ICEEGRL

ICEEGRL

Fish Herder
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I started this stand a long time ago. Then life happened... I am finally getting it finished so I can get my tanks out of the floor and get them running.
I thought I would go ahead and get the journal started now.
This stand is my first attempt at building anything. I am right now working on getting it sanded and stained. I was going to close it in and make it pretty, but it was brought to my attention that it would really make maintenance a lot harder with it inclosed. I started thinking about it and decided against closing it in. I have too many tanks to keep up with. Maintenance needs to stay as simple as possible.
Here it is so far...

View attachment 51498
View attachment 51499
View attachment 51500

That is the 2 20g long tanks that will be in it. The 10g on bottom won't be there. I am going to build a box/drawer to go there to hold supplies.

What do you think so far?

Thanks for looking and posting. :good:
 
Looks great ICEGIRL, although I wouldn't be able to resist keeping the 10G tank too!
What fish are you planning on keeping or have you got the fun part of deciding all over again? ;)
 
Thanks.
I am planning on making a stand that stacks my 60 & 55g tanks next. Then the 3 10g tanks will get their stacking stands. I am going to be busy for a long time...

For now I am going to get them set up and planted. I haven't even thought about what fish will be going in them yet. They will definately have corys of some kind. Other than that... I don't know.

I am open to suggestions. I do know that I want something different... I just have no idea what.

Thanks for looking and posting. :good:
Amanda
 
That looks really secure, ICEEGRL. Good work. Looking forward to seeing the end product.

llj
 
Thanks... It weighs a ton though. I tend to over do... I didn't want to take any chances of it falling apart.
I didn't get it sanded yet. The doctor put me on some new meds and I am staying kind of zonked... I do hope to get it done in the next few days...

I have plants coming, and some of them will go in one of these tanks. I have to get them ready.
I also have a box of filters that I need to put together and try out. I have had them for a while and have still not really gone through the box yet. I have got to get that done. There is a lot that I have got to get done.

I will be so glad to see them up and running. It is just unnatural to have empty tanks sitting around the house. I can't wait to start filling them! I have been trying to figure out how I want to do each one. I am still undecided. For now I will be happy to get the stand finished with the tanks in them. Then I can decide how I want them scaped and stocked.

I would love to hear suggestions... keeping in mind that they are only 20g long tanks. :good:

Thanks for looking and posting.
Amanda
 
Thanks.
It was a challenge though. All of the pieces were cut out with a hand saw, and most of the screws put in with a regular screw driver. It was killing my carple tunnel so I ended up learning to use a drill to put in pilot hole and then the screws...
I have now bought a small sander and jig saw. They are still in the packages though. I am going to learn to use the sander today. The jig saw will come later. I got it for cutting the plywood for the rest of the stands. That was hard to do with a hand saw. The 2x4s are not that hard to do with the hand saw, and I figure it might be too thich to use that tiny saw... I have found that I really like making stuff, so as I attempt more things I will get more confident and will probably end up investing a little more in convenience tools. The tools will have to come a little at a time though. The only real problem with doing it all without any power tools is that it takes a lot longer... and of coarse you have to work a lot harder... but it does work.

I am planning on getting this stand sanded and stained today. I want to get the tanks in it tonight or in the morning.
I have plants coming today, and a few of them will be going in these tanks, so I have to get it finished. I need at least one of the tanks filled and ready to plant...

Once I get the tanks in the stand I am going to use one of them to start new cuttings and such for a little while... It will probably house my betta...
The other one will get planted and ready for fish. I just have to make up my mind what I want to put in it. I am now thinking I want a pair of german blue rams. I have been looking around, but I have not yet found anywhere/anyone that sells pairs though.

I am planning on going this weekend to hunt for some interresting rocks and maybe some wood. Maybe I will get lucky and find something. I hope so...

Thanks for looking and posting. :good:
Amanda
 
Well... absolutely nothing got done with the stand today. My plant order came in today, and I had to get something done with them.
Maybe tomorrow I will be able to get it done. Nothing went the way I had planned today.
I guess it will now be the weekend before I can get these 2 tanks running. Sanding and staining and all will take a couple of days... If all goes well I will be able to get the stand finished and it get dry in time for me to get them up and running this weekend. I am so ready to see them set up! Empty tanks bother me.
I do still need to get some things though. I need a decent substrate for them. I am probably going to get eco-complete. I am also considering flourite... I think I saw that they have a black sand flourite now... would that be good?
I have to decide soon. I need to get it ordered. Which would be better?

Thanks for looking and posting. :good:
Amanda
 
Looks really great! Closing the bottom off with doors or a drawer sounds nice; storage is always a good thing.
 
Thanks Wendy. I sent you a message about that gravel you gave me. I love it and want to find more. I have never seen any with that small of grain size. I need some information about it. All the bag says is Dekoline carat 8 apuarium quartz. I did try to google it, but I didn't find anything about this gravel. It is the perfect size. I need to find out where to get it, or atleast more info about it so maybe I can get better search results.
Thanks again for everything. :good:
Amanda
 
Nice stand, total overkill on the build, I like it. Check garage sales for used tools, a buddy of mine was over yesterday, showed me an old circular saw he got at a garage sale, $10. They used to build them heavy duty 30 years ago, it's a Craftsman to boot, lifetime warranty.

Taking your time gives you the advantage of thinking things through more thoroughly, you will end up with a better finished product that way. Hand tools will give you a workout, it's good exercise the way I see it. I always laugh at people who pay for lawn service & snow removal, then pack their trendy gym bag & head off to Ballys. I guess someone has to keep the economy going, I'm too cheap & bullheaded for that.

With a little practice & some basic tools you will be surprised how much nice stuff you can make cheaply for around the house.
 
Thanks. I was worried that it would not be strong enough or stay together :shifty: I was unable to decide how strong is strong enough. Overkill and I have been good friends for a long time. :lol:

Thanks for the links. I checked them and they are a bit high. They don't give any information about the size of the gravel either. If I knew the grain size I could search that and maybe find some a little cheaper somewhere.

Does anyone know what the grain size is on the gravel in the links that Wendy put up for me? It is about 1/4 the size of standard aquarium gravel. (If not smaller)

I have still not started sanding. I don't know why, but I just can't get in the mood. I guess I will just have to force myself. I had better go get started, or I will never get it done.

Thanks for looking and posting. :good:
Amanda
 
Well... the stand is now sanded and stained. I will try to get the poly on tomorrow.
Here is how it looks now.
View attachment 51541
The color don't look like it did on the can. I should have expected that. I think I will like it though. I will have to. It is on there now.
I will be glad when it is finished so I can get my tanks in it.

Thanks for looking and posting. :good:
 
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