building a new stand

[StirCrazy]

Ok, looks like the main tank set up is going to be a little longer off than I thought, I have decided that I don't like the amount of space my tank and stand is taking up so I have decided to build a new stand and incorporate it into an already existing room divider and extend it to ceiling hight. so what my initial plans are is to remove this divider and then fix the wall up behind it. then I will stud in my new stand to about 1" from the ceiling and drywall it. at the top I am thinking a chunk of molding to make it look like it goes right to the ceiling. By doing this I will almost double the available space in my front room.

Here are a couple pic of what I am starting with

http://www.members.shaw.ca/crystalk/devid1.jpg

http://www.members.shaw.ca/crystalk/devid2.jpg

if there is anyone who has built a tank into a wall or used drywall as a enclosure substrate I would like to know any problem you encountered and how you worked around them. Ie. paint for inside, ect.. I am thinking of painting the interior with a marine enamel but haven't decided yet.

Steve

[Midknight]

Hey Steve,

If you want to "drywall" the stand in use cement board instead. It works just like drywall except that it will not fall apart if it gets wet.
Builders use it in showers because of this so it should work pretty good for this.

Dan

[StirCrazy]

Hey Steve,

If you want to "drywall" the stand in use cement board instead. It works just like drywall except that it will not fall apart if it gets wet.
Builders use it in showers because of this so it should work pretty good for this.

Dan

ya I though about that but the problem is it is not a finnish product for paint.. it is made for tiles... I am thinking now of maybe using MDF instead of drywall as it takes paint realy well.

Steve

[Snoop Dog]

be sure to completley seal the MDF, as any moisture turns it to sponge,

[TheReefGeek]

My wall is drywall but I only have one side enclosed, so it never gets wet because the side I work on is open. I have splashed it a couple times, I just dried it off quickly, there hasn't been any mold or anything.

I guess you have to figure if it is going to get wet or not?

You could use drywall so you can paint the outside to match the house, then on the inside protect it with MDF or similar, painted with marine paint? You could even put a vapor barrier between the two while you are at it.

[fkshiu]

You could try "greenboard" that is more water resistant than standard drywall and is designed to be painted on. Greenboard will still rot if exposed to constant moisture.

There also isn't just one type of cement board. Certain brands are more easily finished with drywall mud and able to be painted than others. I just finished my bathroom using Denshield (which is a gypsum/cement mix with a vapour barrier) and it extended past where I tiled. The mudder simply blended it with the rest of the drywall and I painted over it. You can hardly tell the difference.

[StirCrazy]

There also isn't just one type of cement board. Certain brands are more easily finished with drywall mud and able to be painted than others. I just finished my bathroom using Denshield (which is a gypsum/cement mix with a vapour barrier) and it extended past where I tiled. The mudder simply blended it with the rest of the drywall and I painted over it. You can hardly tell the difference.

yup I know about the different ones but anyone had a fairly rough surface so you would have to cover it with mud and sand it smooth. this is fine for small areas but a whole wall would be nuts. Green board is good for moist locations but it still won't handle direct water of 100% humidity.

I am thinking the MDF is looking the best as it is a lot harder than drywall so it will take more abuse.

Steve

[Beverly]

Steve,

I would put some kind of ventilation in the upper part of the wall with fan(s) blowing air out, or something like that. I'm also thinking of some kind of air/heat exchanger that might vent outside, or somewhere convenient. How are you going to access the tank when you need to add frags, or reaquascape, or change the bulbs?

[Skimmerking]

http://www.members.shaw.ca/crystalk/devid2.jpg


Steve


What I would do Steve is do the stand with cement board and finish the outside of the stand with a nice slate tile to accent the floor and walls .

[StirCrazy]

What I would do Steve is do the stand with cement board and finish the outside of the stand with a nice slate tile to accent the floor and walls .

I think if I was keeping it the same hight I would do tile, but all the way to the celing I think it would look tacky.. almost like a bathroom.

Steve

[StirCrazy]

Steve,

I would put some kind of ventilation in the upper part of the wall with fan(s) blowing air out, or something like that. I'm also thinking of some kind of air/heat exchanger that might vent outside, or somewhere convenient. How are you going to access the tank when you need to add frags, or reaquascape, or change the bulbs?

I have a couple ventilation ideas in mind, one is just leaving the top open with about 1/2 of space from the top of the molding to the ceiling so this will give an air gap all the way around so natural convection should make it act like a chiminy... hot air should rise and leave through the top, while cooler air is pulled in the bottom.

the other idea is similar but not leaving it open and power venting the top.

for access there will be doors and such for access, probably bottom, middle and higher up as I want a few shelves inside the upper area for storing stuff inside.

Steve