DIY Stand for Nano tank (picture intensive)

[mseepman]

Well, I've been working on putting together a new Nano tank for my office at home for a while now and so I thought I would put together a thread to describe the building of my DIY stand and eventually the DIY light hood as well. I say eventually because I haven't figured that hood completely out yet, so this will be a great place to discuss it.

As for the stand, I started building it about 2 weeks back and have been tinkering with it each night that I have time. To say that I have "overbuilt" this is an understatement. After seeing how many people comment on how strong a stand has to be, I got carried away with building it and now it weighs almost as much as I do...all for a 16 gallon nano...lol.

I want to thank my brother for giving me a hand and lending me any tools that I was missing.

Okay so here is a pic of the framework for the stand...remember this is a 16x16x16 cube tank that it will be holding.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Framework.JPG


Then I started putting on the sides...I'm using 3/4" Birch veneer.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Sides_On.JPG


From there the back panel was installed after the frame was planed smooth.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Making_it_fit.JPG


Slowly it's starting to take shape...and gain a lot of weight...lol.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Inside.JPG

And the front facias were glued on and clamped.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Fitting_the_fronts.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Clamp_mania.JPG


Once everything had dried enough to hold, I started to prep the bottom shelf which will be laminated to give it more water resistance.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/The_bottom_shelf1.JPG

Then I installed the kick-plate. Mostly for looks as the door will cover this.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Kickplate.JPG

Now I started on the top. First the plywood needed to mounted and then the cleats needed to be sanded and added. Next will be a black laminate to protect the surface.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/A_box21.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Installing_Cleats.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Cleating_complete.JPG

Well that's as far as I've reached so far. Before I put the laminate on, I plan to condition the wood for staining, stain all the surfaces a cherry color and then put about 3 coats of Diamond coat verathane over everything. There is a door that still has to be mounted once I've finished preparing it as well.

So what does everyone think? Comments...questions?

[Okguy]

Looks great Mark. Once you're finished, maybe I can get you to build one for my new home office. Then I can spend even more time not working. :lol:

[Myka]

You used 3/4" ply? :lol: I'm using 3/4" ply on mine, but only because I'm using european hinges for the doors, and I need the depth to drill for them. Otherwise, I'd be using 1/2". :D

Looks good! You're officially ahead of me. I went diamond hole saw hunting again today, and found some this time!!! All contractor grade though, and $50 a pop including contractor discount! $100+ for 4 holes...uh no thanks. Errrg...I wanted to do my plumbing this weekend.

[mseepman]

Haha....unfortunately, I'll be hanging up my carpenters hat for a while one I figure out how to do the canopy/light hood...Between the two tanks, my FW tank and my new baby, I suspect life will be busier than I like it to be.

Plus my better half isn't thrilled with me going off to work on the stand while she has to care for the baby all by herself.

[mseepman]

If you are looking for a diamond hole saw, you should go to Princess Auto...they had them on sale the last time I was in there for a pretty decent price. Otherwise, you should check KMS tools over by McCurdy road as they also have crazy amounts of tools for really good prices. Check their website.

Hope that helps.

You used 3/4" ply? :lol: I'm using 3/4" ply on mine, but only because I'm using european hinges for the doors, and I need the depth to drill for them. Otherwise, I'd be using 1/2". :D

Looks good! You're officially ahead of me. I went diamond hole saw hunting again today, and found some this time!!! All contractor grade though, and $50 a pop including contractor discount! $100+ for 4 holes...uh no thanks. Errrg...I wanted to do my plumbing this weekend.

[Myka]

If you are looking for a diamond hole saw, you should go to Princess Auto...they had them on sale the last time I was in there for a pretty decent price. Otherwise, you should check KMS tools over by McCurdy road as they also have crazy amounts of tools for really good prices. Check their website.

Hope that helps.

Omg...are you kidding me? I was in Princess Auto for an hour talking to someone who said they didn't have any, and searched through all his catalogues and said they can't even order them!!! Bah! I guess I'll go back today!

EDIT: I just searched through the last two flyers they put out, and I didn't see any diamond hole saws. I just called and the guy on the phone said that the diamond hole saws are "a one time buy offer", and they aren't a normal stock item. Apparently they don't have any right now either. Wow, what a gong show! :lol:

SECOND EDIT: I just called KMS tools, and they only have contractor grade Bosch brand ones, which are expensive.

But thanks for trying to help me out!! :D

[mseepman]

Bummer...sorry about that. I should have bought them when I saw them.

[mseepman]

Well I continue to work on my nano stand. It seems less nano every day though...especially when I have to lift it...lol.

So the top got laminated black...not necessarily the best color for salt splash, but I thought it would look the best.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Top_finished.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/top_closeup.JPG

After pre-treating the wood, I gave it the first coat of stain. It didn't go as dark as I wanted but I will give it another coat shortly. Once it reaches the color I want, I will verathane the inside with gloss and the outside with semi-gloss...hopefully after enough coats it will last for a while.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/first_coat_of_stain.JPG

I also picked up the last of the materials to my canopy...now I just have to put all my jumbled ideas on the canopy into something that looks good and works.

[Myka]

I also picked up the last of the materials to my canopy...now I just have to put all my jumbled ideas on the canopy into something that looks good and works.


My first thought after seeing your laminated top would be to laminate the canopy too. What were you planning for it? I'm waiting to see what you're going to do with yours...you're doing a "floating" canopy too eh?

[mseepman]

Well...as for the floating canopy...maybe, especially if you share some ideas you have for how I could do that. As for laminate on the canopy, I have white laminate which will be go on the bottom where the lights are so that splashing water doesn't show so easily and so that it is as reflective as possible.

I'm imagining a box about 18" x 18" x 6" with a white laminate bottom, birch sides and top. I will make it out of 1/4" plywood. Inside, it will have a 70w DE DIY MH, 2 x 20W T5HO bulbs (1 actinic & 1 10k) and a lunar light for the night. I will have dual fans in the canopy wired to a variable adapter so that I can control their speeds (and noise level). What do you think?

[Myka]

I'm not sure where you mean to put the white laminate, but if you can actually see it, I don't think it will look very good. I'm kind of against white. :lol:

My idea is really just to use small posts on three sides of the tank. Nothing fancy.

20w T5HO? I think the smallest T5 bulb is 24" and the HO version is 24w...? Can you get 18" then being 20w??? Never seen them that small...only T8s.

I can't forget to put a lunar light on my tank...

[mseepman]

Okay, well the light will be only about 6" over the tank so unless your short, you shouldn't see the while laminate facing down.

As for the T5HO, yes I already have an 18" Current T5HO light with 20W bulbs. Current is the only guys that make it so far, but I saw an article online somewhere for UVI stating that they are working on 20W and 14W versions for nano tanks so I'm hoping there will be more choices soon. Ocean Aquatics sells the small one Nova Extreme X2

[mseepman]

Okay, so I thought it was time to bring this tread up-to-date.

I've completed work (exept for staining) on my DIY Nano canopy that I will be hanging over the tank so I thought that I would give a quick view of how it went.

Began work by building a basic box. I plan on the unit being sealed so you don't see all the equipment. Since it will be sealed I needed to make sure air-flow around the lighting would be good...thus the fans. One pushes air in and one sucks it out. They are off-set so that the air has to flow around the equipment before just getting sucked out.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Fan_holes.JPG

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Fans_Installed.JPG

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Fan_grill.JPG

Another concern I had was that being a seal unit, I needed to have some quick way to turn off the MH and my choices were a switch or just make it easy to unplug from the fixture. I chose the latter...I used a PC power connection out of an old PC power supply. This allowed for me to just use a PC power cord for the MH ballast. It also looks really clean.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Ballast_Quick_connect.JPG

Next I needed to prepare the bottom panel and do cut-outs for the various lighting I would have. 1 x 70W MH, 1 x Current T5HO dual bulb fixture and 1 Current Led Lunarlight.
I laminated the bottom panel with white laminate for better reflection and so that splashing didn't look so bad. Here I'm just sizing up the holes for the various lighting.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Bottom_panel.JPG

Here is a pic of our efforts to fit everything how we wanted it. You can see the two holes drilled for the Lunar lights. The Ballast is raised so air flows all around it.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Positioning.JPG

Here you get a better view of how the lights will be from the bottom. I put trim around the T5HO light because it's recessed, while the MH will go from the bottom up through the panel so no trim was required.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/T5HO_installed.JPG

Here's everything in place and bolted down. I strapped the T5 light in as I couldn't figure any other way to hold in in place without screws from the bottom and I didn't want that.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Coming_together.JPG

Here's the wiring mess before it was done:
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Pre-wiring.JPG

and after it's complete:
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Wired.JPG

From there, I attached the top to the box to get ready for the finishing work.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Box_from_top.JPG

Trim pieces were added to match it to my stand.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Box_bottom.JPG

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Pre-stain.JPG

And here it is with the lights on.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/T5_s_lit.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/T5_and_MH_lit.JPG

Now I have to figure out how to hang this beast. I have a sun-light supply hanging kit but I haven't yet figured out how to attach anything in an attractive way to the canopy. Any suggestions would be great.

[Myka]

Awesome! I was just wondering today how you're making out!! When ya comin to get the corals?? :D

[mseepman]

Hey you...you know what...I'm thinking about this Sunday...let me know if that would work for you.

[TheRealBigAL]

Very nice work. Cant wait to see it full of life !

[mseepman]

Thanks...I haven't added any photos of the tank yet...still have to drill the stand and plumb but that should be soon.

[Myka]

Hey Mark...Sunday should work. I will probably be in town (Kelowna) on Sunday, so I can just bring them with me. Let me know what time you're thinkin.

[superduperwesman]

For some reason the canopy looks really big ahah until I seen the spray bottles in the background

[mark]

Looks good.

How's the heat from the MH reflector onto the wood though. Know with my 250W pendents the sides get hot enough to blister flesh.

[superduperwesman]

Now I just want to see a pic of the light on/above the tank.. it will hang above? or sit on top?

[mseepman]

It will hang above. I have the sunlight supply hanger. The light only weights 13.5 lbs total so this should work well.

I am close to being able to hang it soon. Will take lots of pics when I do.