my new project tank, stand ,and shadowbox

[littledabosalt]

My first step was to change this entertainment center into a fish tank stand for my 75g saltwater tank. I've never done a saltwater tank before, so I hope I thought all of this out ok.The first thing I had to do was lengthen the entertainment center 2 inches and get rid of the cabinet on the side. I also shortened the drawer in the center to accommodate the 20g wet dry I'm putting under the tank. dry I'm putting

[littledabosalt]

I totally dissected the stand. built a new floor base and the pedestal was supported with braces. A new shelf was made that will go all the way across to hold the tank. I then cut the cabinet door to match the height of the shelf. since I am shortening the center drawer I cut it back so that my back panel is directly below the back of the fish tank for strength. I also had to make it accessible for feeding and for maintenance of the tank. So I reinforced the top of the stand so I could hinge it for maintenance and put a hinged front on it that folds up for feeding.

[littledabosalt]

This is the finished stand. So tommorrow i'll work on the posting of the shadow box although it is not completed it is close. Got to go for now.

[littledabosalt]

Now on to my shadowbox. I started with a piece of 1/8" plexi glass i got from menards. thinner than I wanted but it was the only thing available locally.I work in a bodyshop so I had access to all I needed to spray my plexi glass blue. I first used a clear adhesion promoter for plastic then I sprayed two tinted transparent bases over that with the darker of the two on the sides. Then I cleared it to protect the basecoat. I then sanded the other side with 400and then 800grit to give it the hazy look. Since the plexi is thin I built its base to go up the sides as well .It's nice and snug that way and If I need to I can still slide it out to access behind it. the back ground it's self is made out of hard board like euromomtex suggested(thanx mom). I painted it using a couple of different blues and some black(for outlining) in spray cans. This board was then attached to my main back board of the stand. I then made my 3D rocks with a sheet of2' wide styrofoam glued one piece on top of the other using spray can expanding foam but it has to be weighted down very tight together or the spray foam will push the to pieces apart. I then cut it using an electric carving knife to the shape I wanted. at this point I have left the center of the foamroughed out because I am getting a wood model of the flying dutchman that I intend to carve up to make it look like it has been shipwrecked there. In order for me to paint the foam I spread tubes of silicone over it to protect it from the spray paint otherwise the paint just eats it up. When I get the bottom cut the way I want it I intend to silicone it and then spread sand(black or white any suggestions) over it to blend in with my live sand.

[littledabosalt]

For my background light I found a t5 two light 48' fixture for $40 at home depot it Comes with 3000k bulbs that I might change later. the only thing it needed was a cord and a shield of which I made out of an old t12 light fixture.then I put reflective chrome paint and painted the outside black to hide it better I am also waiting on some blue sleaves for the lights . I don't know If I'll like them on there or not. If not I'll change to blue bulbs. On the the lighting for the fish tank it self I was told about Odyssea 60" 322W Power Compact Light Fixture Advance. they are $159 plus shipping of $35 from aquatraders .com has anyone ever delt with them or there light seems to cheep to me:blown: Well thats where I'm at right now any suggestions will be appreciated I know little of saltwater tanks I've always had fresh water so this is new to me and I want to learn all I can. I'll keep you all posted as I progress. Thanks to all and especially my wife and euromomtex for their inspiration.

[littledabosalt]

Today I was finally able to fit the tank in the stand and get my wet dry filter plumbed in > I had to do a little modification to shorten the filter and I used hard pvc to go from the tank to the filter I think that will work better than the hose that was on it.:beer:

[99mstng]

Nice project! What are you putting in the tank?

[euromomtx]

Looks very promising! Can't wait to see it with water :)

[Sugar Magnolia]

[welcome]

You're off to a great start!

[littledabosalt]

thanks for your thoughts and for welcoming me into your community. I'm not sure what all I'm going to put in the tank yet. We are planning on some inverts definitely some corals and some coral friendly fish. We are doing our homework to make sure that what we do get, will go good together. First thing I have to do though is paint and carpet the room it's going in. I don't want to move it later. so it will be awhile before I can start on the inside of the tank so I will start with my lighting ,skimmer, quarintine tank, water supply and etc.

[littledabosalt]

I got my ship for the background yesterday , cut it to the size I nedded and formed the foam the way I wanted it. Then I put some silicone over the lower section of the foam and put the sand I wanted right on top of that. I thon put it back li the tank and this is exactly the effect that I wanted.

[bleedfire]

Love it!

[nd31male]

thats pretty cool

[littledabosalt]

Thanks bleedfire and nd31 I've always been fascinated by ship wrecks and the ocean I loved to scuba dive too so, this gives me all the Above And I can't wait untill I can get the tank filled in a couple of months . the suspence is killing me:fish2:

[Sugar Magnolia]

That looks great! I really like the uniqueness of it.

[PurpleMonster]

wow man, awesome work!!!

[mossdog]

That's awesome man!!!
Do you think my wife would mind if I told her I had changed my mind about the foam rock wall I am just finishing building, because I have seen your background and I want to go out and spend more money to make one like yours? LOL

[littledabosalt]

UM, maybe she will like it better if you start out with flowers first moss.LOL:love2:

[littledabosalt]

thanks sugar and purple. Right now I'm working on the room it's going in I have to paint and put new carpet in so it's going to probably be january before I can get water going in the tank. but I can,t see getting water started just to have to take it out .

[euromomtx]

That looks fantastic! Congrats :)

[littledabosalt]

I finally managed to finish my tank room In the colors we wanted so the paint is done I'm putting in carpet in the next few weeks as soon as it arrives. so while I'm waiting on that, I'm working on my quarantine tanks I have 2 ten and 2 twenty gallon tanks setup. I put hang on the back filters for the tens.and on the twentys an undergravel filter with reverse flow powerheads . I've heard this works well as long as you have some air wands for air.I will be using these tanks to house my freshwater fish for a day or two when I get the carpet in the room where my freshwater 125' is then I will use them for my saltwater setup.Except for one of the tens wich is going to house my yellow lab mom with her new to come fry and the five she already has in the tank> I've never raised fry before it's been cool to see those five grow.

[littledabosalt]

I've also been working on my RO/DI system. I've taken an old salt tank from a water softener and added a pump to carry the water to my tank with enough waterline that I can go through the entire house to get the water where I need it.I made my own nozzle at the end so I don't have to stand there and hold it while it is filling up. It has two shut offs since the water supply is in the garage and my hose and nozzle are in the hall closet I used a remote control out door power cord to run the pump.The remote senor is in the closet so that I can turn the pump on and off while I'm filling the tank.And then I also have a manual shut off on the nozzle so there should be no accidents.I hope to get my ro/di system up next week. which will include a shut off on it I also found out that the tank I have been told that my tank may not be a75. So I hope that someone can help me on this with the dimensions on the tank being this.60'' long x12" wide x 22" high.

[david1983]

The tank should be 68 gallon.
http://www.fishlore.com/ConversionCalculator.htm
Looks good the tv unit turned out really well.

[hardin4019]

Stand turned out quite nice. You a member of the local club?

[littledabosalt]

Thanks david ,because I'v been having trouble finding 5 ft fixtures and a top for it also. I was at a shop here in ft wayne. and the guru there question the size when I told him how long it was. I got the tank from I guy I know who's father in law owned it but had passed away last year.So once again thanks david.

[littledabosalt]

Thanks shawn . no I haven't gotten in any clubs around here I was talking to a lady at clauses friday night and she said there was a couple local clubs. but I don't have any info on them. I would love to find who that lady was to.she seemed very in tuned to saltwater also.

[littledabosalt]

Now my question is lights and skimmer . since this is a 60" tank I was not able to find much in lighting that was that long.My intentions for the tank are to havefish some corals and some inverts .With the stand designed the way it is,it needs fans wach are temp sensored they are going to be mounted so that one will pull in and the other will push out one on each sideof the tank.I found an odyssea compact fixture with blue Leds for moonlight. Ithink the compacts will run cooler.THe skimmers I found that I like best are the HOB oceopuss 100, 100f,and the 300. the 100f I don't know if that would be needed since I have A wet dry already. Any ideas from anyone.

[littledabosalt]

I'm starting to get a little ancy so I put a few base rock in just so I could see what it might look like with a little rock.

[saltbitten]

well unfortunately my 70 gallon tank on this build came apart at a seam so this project got scrapped however I do have a 125 that I will probably do a shadow box on but first I got to work on the 125 reef tank I got up and I'm looking at getting a 200 or a 300 one of the local dr has. I'm looking to get one of these for my wife so the shadowbox will have to wait for now.