Building a stand for a wave tank

[Reefinny]

I just picked up a 90 wave tank. The stand was shot But I was able to keep the top for a template.

I am going to do it two tone - Black base and top with a cherry stain doors and side.

I will get some pictures up over the weekend. I am hoping to get it built this weekend.

[minix4242]

I'm very interested in your results. My 95g wave tank is the only one that I haven't built a stand for. I can only imagine the fun you'll have trying to skin it. Make sure you take lots of pics for us.

[Reefinny]

yeah - I am a little concerned on the front. I am going to use 8" wide Oak boards and router the edges so they have a curved look to them. The 2 center pieces where the big curve is will not be able to open and then I will have two doors on the left and right of the center piece. The sump that came with is is an Oceanic 1 I believe he called it. Decent sump. I just want to make sure I can get in when I need to.

I might leave the large side panel secured by magnets or velcro so i can remove if I really need to get in there.

[Reefinny]

Now that the rain stopped today and after i go hitting a few small white balls around in the am I will resume my build. I was reading about a few different builds tonight - I have some good ideas for the build. I will take some good pictures as I go and post them up.

[Reefinny]

Okay made some headway. I got the top and bottom cut out I doing them a jet black trim color and the sides and doors will be the natural oak (since I am using oak)

I assembled the sides and backs and braces.

I routered the oak boards so they have a nice curved edge as it will flow better with the curves.

I am going to paint the inside of the stand after I putty and sand the screw holes on the side.

I still need to figure out the best way to a fix the doors. I have a few ideas I am going to play around with. I will be sanding and staining them prior to the instal.

I will also be timing out the sides with molding.

Here are a few pics.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/7yse8ahy.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/ymy3ahu5.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/my7erudu.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/e8egu5eh.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/9e8y3ytu.jpg

[minix4242]

It's looking good so far. I personally don't like relying on the plywood for support, but I guess that's how most of the factory built stands are. Are you only using the two 2x4 uprights? You might think about adding a 2x4 frame in there if you can fit it. just my .02 cents...

[Reefinny]

Yes I am there are 4 uprights. There are two in the back and 2 in the front plus there will be 2 oak 1 x 8's in the front that will be non movable

[woodnaquanut]

Okay made some headway. I got the top and bottom cut out I doing them a jet black trim color and the sides and doors will be the natural oak (since I am using oak)

I assembled the sides and backs and braces.

I routered the oak boards so they have a nice curved edge as it will flow better with the curves.

I am going to paint the inside of the stand after I putty and sand the screw holes on the side.

I still need to figure out the best way to a fix the doors. I have a few ideas I am going to play around with. I will be sanding and staining them prior to the instal.

I will also be timing out the sides with molding.

Here are a few pics.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/7yse8ahy.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/ymy3ahu5.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/my7erudu.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/e8egu5eh.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/9e8y3ytu.jpg

Reposting so the pics show up.

Looks good. Interested to see how you do the door(s).

[Reefinny]

Thanks. I am as well! LOL

[woodnaquanut]

Thanks. I am as well! LOL

Well that just begs the question, what are you going to do about doors?

Seems like a coopered door would be the only way to make the curve work. A fun WW project!

[Reefinny]

What do you mean by coopered? I cut my 8 x 1's and test fit them. They work. The two center ones will be permanant. Then the two on the left and right will open. The curve works with the routered round edges.

[woodnaquanut]

What do you mean by coopered? I cut my 8 x 1's and test fit them. They work. The two center ones will be permanant. Then the two on the left and right will open. The curve works with the routered round edges.

OK. I see the doors will be flat. I had mistakenly thought you were going to make the doors match the curve.

Coopering is like making a barrel or cask. Narrow pieces of wood cut with angled edges so when glued together they form a curve.

[Reefinny]

Okay I see what you are saying

[john08007]

Would be some work but it is possible to make the front curved much in the same way that curved steps and railings are made. you would need to cut 2 pieces of wood with the same curve you are looking for. Then add some 2x4's longer than the piece you are looking to make between the two templates. You will need to leave some gaps between the 2x4's so you can get clamps in there. Then using 3x 1/4" pieces of plywood covering each with wood glue fit them together and clamp them onto the 2x4's in several places making the curved front. I would leave them clamped for 2-3 days to ensure that the glue is completely dried. Sorry my explanation may be kinda confusing but this is the exact way that curved steps and railings are made, you may be able to find some pics online

[Reefinny]

I get what you are saying. My only issue now is work is getting in the way from playing with the stand. I am looking forward to the weekend!

[Reefinny]

Looking to make some headway today.

Going to finish the brace, paint the interior with a bright white gloss, Going to stain the doors and the sides,

Still waiting for my hardware to arrive so I can put the doors on.

[sk8ter20art]

I have the same tank, previous owner built the stand. Plywood sides, back and top. One center brace in the front (1x6), plywood on top front edge is doubled up. Doors are made in a curve to match the tank. Each door is 3 or 4 1x6. Works pretty good.

I would post pics but I'm on my phone.

[Reefinny]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/u9ege4es.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/age8ubuh.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/5adurybe.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/gyjenynu.jpg

[Reefinny]

Stain finally dried. Got the doors hung. Have some tweaking to do and need to get some magnets and hardware http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/y6a2uhyj.jpg

[Reefinny]

Not sure why the pics dont show up??

[Reefinny]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/u9ege4es.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/age8ubuh.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/5adurybe.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/gyjenynu.jpg

[Reefinny]

Stain finally dried. Got the doors hung. Have some tweaking to do and need to get some magnets and hardware http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/13/y6a2uhyj.jpg

[BANANAHANDS]

Looks great! Good work

[Lavoisier]

Beautifully done.

[woodnaquanut]

Looks great. I'd love to see a pic with the doors open. I'm having a hard time figuring out how they are hung.

[Reefinny]

I need to pick up some door handles and magnets, and rework the doors slightly. The left two and the right two swing open. The two center boards are not move able. This gives me about 16" on each side of the sump to work. Not the BEST amount of space but not sure else how to make the doors work unless I rip the boards in half and form them on a curved piece of wood and make the entire front panel removable??

Ideas??

[Pittsburgh]

There was another thread on a different forum building a stand for this wave tank. There he got away with not having the center bar by reinforcing the stand with 2x4s and making curved doors out of multiple boards.

http://www.3reef.com/threads/90-gallon-wave-front-build-a-lot-of-pictures.86196/

I also have a 95g wave tank with the original factory stand, which looks much like what you've built. But after 7 years, the particle board (sic) the original stand was made of (including doors) is showing all sorts of water damage and the doors no longer close properly. I'm following your thread as I will soon be rebuilding mine and I already see having same issues (curved doors, center front bar, etc). It is really a major pain accessing the sump with the center 20'' panel in front of it.

[Reefinny]

I made the center brace only 16" to allow some more room. I do agree it will be tight - I have an oceanic sump in it that is long enough that I can get into it okay - but if I had to pull it out would be an issue - Also - on a side note - this is not part of my reef system -My reef is plumbed into the basement sump system and if I ever wanted to convert this to Salt - I would just need the drain line and return line from the basement - Check out the rest of my build on my SW tank - I built my sump room with expansion in mind. For now this will be to replace a 54 corner I have with Africans. So for the sump I dont need skimmer etc - I have some fish that have just out grown the corner tank that I have had 10 + years they need some room to swim!

I will have a filter sock on left side - bio balls in the left with a heater and then on the other side of the bubble trap a return pump. I am however hard plumbing it with a Wye and ball valve as I will run a carbon reactor and a UV light below the tank.

One thing I also built in was a small 20" light so I have some light to work when in the sump area.