[Smstrick]

Ive kept many types of fish, easy plants, and corals over the years, tropical, Large African and South American cichlids, saltwater reefs in tanks 10 gallons to 300 gallons. Sadly got out of the hobby for the last ten years due to career relocation and starting a family. Finally settled in our new home and I’ve decided to do something I always wanted which was a legitimate high tech aqua scape community tank so here we go......

-75 gallon rimmed tank ( thought about rimless but got a deal)
-fluval 407 loaded with biohome ultimate media
-fluval 207 loaded with biohome ultimate media
-2 pen plax optimizer canister prefilters ( I like to over filter and this allowed for tons more bio media in fluvals)
-hydor 300 watt inline heater
-fluval inline UV filter ( I like to run periodically, adding new fish or pants, water changes etc)
-fzone pro series CO2 regulator with inline diffuser
-hygger 72w led plant light (may add a second depending on needs
-jebao auto dosing pump
-Milwaukee ph controller
-substrate layering with aqua soil, fluorite or lava rock, and possibly sand cap or at least at the front of tank

For the stand I always enjoyed building my own and am working on an overbuilt stand now...

adding to my work out room, still working on the removable flooring for the tank bottom, I like being able to get under the stand to dry or clean should I ever have a leak or spill. Hoping to start staining this week.

 

[JasPR]

NICE solid stand! Like the attention to detail.

 

[Smstrick]

first coat of stain on, decided to do in the room since raining all week and I’m working on some other projects in my shop. Hoping to get the doors fished and stained tomorrow as well as the floor inserts.

 

[Smstrick]

Been busy at work hoping to wrap up the stand and start configuring all the filtration and plumbing by next week 😬 got my shaker doors framed just need to finish then and stain over the weekend and these are my removable floor panels that will hold my canisters, both will be waterproofed to hold any small leakage or spill that may occur during maintenance.

 

[somewhatshocked]

I love this stand, @Smstrick! Everything about it.

Planning to use any sort of cheap LED strip inside the stand for lighting? Maybe one of the cheapy rechargeable ones on Amazon - usually magnetic - with a motion/PIR sensor? I have one I only have to charge a few times per year and I must walk by that thing easily 20 times each evening. In a tank stand, you might only have to charge it once a year. Well under $20.

 

[Smstrick]

I love this stand, @Smstrick! Everything about it.

Planning to use any sort of cheap LED strip inside the stand for lighting? Maybe one of the cheapy rechargeable ones on Amazon - usually magnetic - with a motion/PIR sensor? I have one I only have to charge a few times per year and I must walk by that thing easily 20 times each evening. In a tank stand, you might only have to charge it once a year. Well under $20.

Love that idea, I will have to do that thank you!

 

[Smstrick]

Making progress, shaker doors are finished with first coat of stain, floor inserts are primed for sealing, and got some led lights in the stand!

 

[Smstrick]

 

[Smstrick]

Getting cables run and figuring out my flow, went with an ink bird temp monitor as a safety for heater, added two heavy duty gfci power strips with switches for each outlet for maintenance. Also decided to go the smart plug timer route for co2, hoping to pick up my tank and get mounted this week.

 

[Smstrick]

 

[Smstrick]

We’ve got doors! Staring to work on plumbing and cable management, despite my Best efforts my top board has a slight bow on the end of one side, some additional screws have helped but I may still sand down a bit and refinish. Acrylic tank should be shipping this week, so the fun goes on

 

[Count Krunk]

Looking good!

 

[Smstrick]

Decided I wanted a little more presence on the top, plus a more solid top board since switching to acrylic so replacing to top today. Tank is being made by clear for life and is set to ship in about a week, can’t wait! Got my hygger 72watt led plant lights in and I have to say I like them

 

[Smstrick]

New top leveled, shimmed, gap filled, glued and screwed, sanded perfectly flat! Now to staining. Was hoping to reinforce floors today but realized the HVAC work I just had done has blocked my route to this section of floor and my knees can’t do the crawling they used too to shimmy under so waiting to get this done next week.