building a new stand

[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]

Originally Posted by fkshiu

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?

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by 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?

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