Stand Build...

[Meko]

The stand was too big for the lounge, new build and tiny rooms. So I decided to look for a better stand where I could put the tank along the kitchen wall; but stumbled across a 60x18x24 tank with home made stand which fits perfectly.

Stand doesn't look too clever, so a splash of paint and

 

[Juggler75]

looks great but where are the vivs?

 

[Meko]

They ended up on eBay as well within about two weeks of me getting them.... My frog died so I just had the cresties and just happened to stumbled across a 40x40x18inch glass viv with full setup (including stand) and extras... on eBay obviously! so they're currently living in style.

 

[Meko]

And then I got bored.

Very bored!

I decided that the stand was too low as it restricts what you can put in front of it. If you put a chair in front it blocks the view of the tank; so as I wanted to decorate I decided to build a new stand.

First stop B&Q - £2.60 for a 2400mm length of 38mm x 63mm, so I got a load of those, some cut and some as they were. I also had a load of timber kicking about anyway.

Second stop - Bargain Booze

cutting, gluing and screwing (and taking over the kitchen)

leads to

then add the legs

few more and

put the top on

and then double up the legs

Then compare the size to the other one

It's 3ft tall. I went 3ft because I had a sheet of 5x3 MDF which would be perfect for the back.

At this point I decided that I wanted to go Malawi on the tank so I went shopping and bought a smaller tank - second hand, for the others. So what did I need?

Yep, a baby brother for the stand

Then I lined them both with MDF on the inside to tidy them up.

and painted it white. I also covered the outside in oak veneered MDF and gave it 5 coats of dark oak stain, adding a dado rail for added effect

Also fixed the light unit

When I put the smaller tank in place I realised that the spare tank I had would fit in the gap..

As it's quite tight I made a little table the same hight so I could slide it out for water changes etc.


Hopefully at some point this week I'll have the big tank in place.

 

[Million]

Wow. Industrious, aren't you?! A man like that needs a garage/shed

 

[smudge_]

That is amazing work! I had enough trouble putting together the ikea style stand I got

 

[Meko]

Wow. Industrious, aren't you?! A man like that needs a garage/shed

cheers but the answer is no! I just need a social life to stop me getting bored...

That is amazing work! I had enough trouble putting together the ikea style stand I got

I'd rather do Ikea stuff, I just get ideas and as soon as I start I wonder why I bothered. As you can see from the pictures the wall changed colour and the floor went from laminate to tiles - all at the same time as doing the stands. I'm not using any tools for at least a month now!

To top it off though I leant on the light unit and snapped a leg so i need to glue that together.

 

[Juggler75]

[/quote]

To top it off though I leant on the light unit and snapped a leg so i need to glue that together.
[/quote]

Whereas most of us would be at Casualty, you just superglued it together and wondered what to build next

 

[JL94x4]

My stands doors have broken and i need to make some more, the thought of that puts me off the idea, though.

 

[Meko]

Well since the last picture.. it's all up and running (I'd saved the water from when I broke the tank down so I didn't have to cycle it for weeks)

I like the way cameras have a cheeky way of telling you that you need to clean the glass, after you've taken the picture and copied it onto the computer

Although it's supposed to me Malawi I was given what we think is a South American, but nobody is actually sure.. so if you can put a name to it, let me know. As well as the cichlid's there's also a trio of clown loach in there. I've always liked clowns and seen quite a few people with clowns and Malawi together.

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8R1hDOZ-So


listen to it with the sound off as I forgot to turn the TV off...

and i haven't got around to doing doors yet.

 

[D4n.gr33n]

im guessing that the cichlid your unsure about is the biggest one in there, then I'm pretty sure its a green terror. hope that helps

 

[Meko]

Aye it is that one and I won't argue with you on that.. Somebody else mentioned green terror and it does indeed look like one.