20 gallon SPS Tank Stand build.

Hi 3reefers,

I have been around the site for years and had a previous account but lost the information for it. So here I am back with a new username. I just finished my bachelors degree and its time for me to finally make the SPS dominant tank I've always wanted...well sort of. Its going to be a 20gallon build. I want much larger but not until I have a steady career. Enough about that though, here we go:

So I have had a 20gallon tank that is drilled and drains to another tank below where I run my filtration. It has been up and running since April. Right now its a FWLRO. I was waiting for my cycle to stop and for water conditions to become stable. However, the stand is currently just a metal frame and that just wont do. Since, my future father in law has some extra wood lying around from his shop, were going to build me a nice stand, not to mention some very nice upgrades to come when it is finished. This is a work in progress but the design is finished and I wanted to share it with you all.

So it all began with Picture 1.

This was designed while I was working. It was a good idea of making a traditional stand with a hood. But it wasn't good enough. So my girlfriend decided she had to give some input and she came up with picture 2.

I loved this idea of the shelving unit but I didn't want to close off three sides of the tank from viewing. So I decided to take this idea and edit it a bit more and came up with picture 3 and 4

I am 99% sure this is what the final stand will look like. There will be some detailing put in but the general look will be that. The left side of the tank will be exposed and the right side will have a shelving unit. The top will be on a hinge with a support similar to the bars that hold open SUV rear doors.

As for the upgrade that I am excited for is....LED. I will be installing a LED system into the hood when all is said and done. I have decided after much research to go with Steve's LEDs. I am still deciding between the 10" fixture with the 50% more sps option or the 24" with the normal options.(Another forum will be for that.

 

Looks really good! I like the shelf on the right side, cool functional idea

 

sweet deal man, i used 1x4 for my stand as well, are you going to laminate it or put spaces btwn them? i put spaces, figured it would let the sump area "breath", but if it has to do it over i would laminate them and plane them all down nice and pretty.

 

Looks good! Good luck

 

Welcome to 3reef.

 

Update Morning 7/22

So after a few days, I finally have an update. The stand is finally in the building process. We have two projects going on right now. We are currently building a new apartment since I just got out of college and finding a job has been hard work. However, this morning we got around to finalizing the measurements and cut out the frame. The frame will be band edged tonight and building should start tomorrow. As long as all goes as planned, staining will also occur tomorrow. That leaves me Wednesday to put on the protective clear coat. Steve's LEDs will be ordered Friday(payday) and should be here by Tuesday or Wednesday next week. And I think it'll take about a few days to get that set up and running. So there's the update. Pictures to follow. ;D

 

Another Update

I have completed a majority of the stand. I am waiting on the hood and door to be cut and banded, then I will begin staining. Tomorrow, I will be ordering the LEDs from Steve's LEDs. They should arrive before Wednesday and that build will begin.

 

nice.

I'll tell ya, there is never enough room for all the fish related equipment but your stand my do it!

 

So, the stand is about finished. Waiting on Steve's LEDs. I am not sure what is going on in that respect. I payed for and the payment cleared my bank account on Friday. No word on shipping or even a status update as of yet. I sent an email this afternoon asking for an update. Hopefully, they will ship in the next day or two. Progress pictures soon.

 

Update 8/2

This build is taking longer than I wanted it to. Steve's LEDs shipped yesterday and will be here tomorrow. I think I'll be doing a review of that and will be posting pictures of the build. Thanks everyone for the kind comments.