New Tank Beginnings...

[bunjiweb]

Well i am starting to set up a 6 x 2 x 2 ft tank. I was going to put it in my bedroom but parents decided against it, so i have sectioned off half of the double garage just for the tank. I am using blue tapaulin to close off the aquarium and hopefully keep heat in.

The stand i have built myself from plywood for the base, sides and top and pine for the upright supports. I have surprised myself at how sturdy and well it has turned out, this is all thanks to what i learned a couple of years back doing a Design and Technology A-Level.... i knew it would come in handy some day!

In total i have spent about £420 setting up the tank. Which in my opinion is a bargain for a 6ft tank! Everything is brand new, and i have purchased a 2nd external Eheim filter, 2 powerheads, 2 300W heaters, filter media, wood for the stand, gravel etc.

Here are a couple of pics, i hope it shows the tank well enough! I will add more pics when gravel/decor is in, when filters and heaters are all in and its up and running!

Ben

 

[Bloo]

WoW Look forward to seeing it's progress and final product.

 

[paige]

tank wish i had one as big as that

 

[smithrc]

looking good - Nice handy work with the unit

looking at the rest of the workman ship i guess there is something stopping those legs going sideways

 

[StrontiumDog]

Hi bunjiweb,

Nice job but I also have to point out, I'm trying not to be rude or bash your workman ship but those feet do look like they should have been made with 3"x3" timber. Also I notice you have no timber along the width or the length, will the plywood without it hold the weight of the tankwhen filled with water and decor.

I'm just trying to help, rather than you doing all that work and loosing it all.

 

[jimboliana]

Yeah i agree with StrontiumDog, while you have done a fantastic job on the stand i would try and strengthen it up abit, you could just add some more supports on the width and the uprights

There is alot of weight there once that is filled with water and gravel etc

As StrontiumDog says we are just trying to help, you dont want all your hard earned cash going down the drain, better to be safe than sorry

 

[Fishy411]

I cant wait to see that thing when its done. Lots of cats i hope. Ornates woul dod awesome in there

 

[bunjiweb]

the stand is very strong. I have looked at designs of other stands for tanks as big and bigger than this and it appears that my stand should be plenty strong enough... It is a very rigid structure and can hold the weight of me, my friend, my dad and my mum absolutely fine (I know, we dont weigh 800kg...)...

I am still not sure whether to keep the supports underneath or not. I may put a bit of carpet down and put it straight on the ground.

And yes, lots of catfish, some cichlids, Black Ghost Knife, and a school of some sort... Congos or a large barb maybe..

Ben

[EDIT!] I should just add that the uprights aren't going anywhere. They are screwed into the back panel, the base and the lid, and also have metal brackets aswell! The top and bottom of the stand are screwed into the back and sides all the way round as well as the uprights. The base/top/sides are made from 18mm marine strength plywood and the upgrights are 3"x2" machine planed pinewood.[EDIT!]

 

[konrad05]

Just trying to help as well, but with the size tank you're setting up, I think those legs you built should go. Just have it flat on the ground so to disperse the weight onto the floor . It's physics, those vertical struts for the legs just dont have the surface area needed to withstand the huge amount of inertia if you might accidentally push the tank and make it shift left/right. If you want to keep legs, why not just use 2x4's instead? Hope it works out either way!

 

[Steve_89]

Looking good!!

 

[bunjiweb]

As said i may well remove the struts underneath the stand and place it onto carpet.

Ben

 

[ChrisP]

Looks good, cant wait to see it all set up.

 

[bunjiweb]

Well, here is a picture of tank with 1.2-2mm quartz gravel in, secondary (mechanial media) filter up and running, powerheads and heaters in place and a bit of vallis in there, although i dont know if i will keep it.....

Here is a picture of the Eheim 2213 with ehfi mech tubes and ehfi substrat in. Its sitting on more polystyrene panels to cut down vibrations. The 2217 will sit next to it on the other tile.....

And this is the little fan heater i am using to keep that side of the garage at an ambient temperature, seems to be doing very well at the moment! Going to put it on a timer when i work out how to use it lol!.....

Ben

 

[Bloo]

Looking good !
Though I really do sincerely hope those bottom support legs will hold with time. They make me a little nervous

 

[pseud]

Looking good!... (but those legs, hmm..)