Aquarium Stand UPDATE

Update

Got the tank set up this weekend, we mixed white gravel with red, brown and black plant substrate, the white overpowered the color and we were not happy with it. Emptied the tank, added more color substrate and we are much happier with the results. The extra substrate gave me the ability to be creative with mounds and valleys. Put some plants we found locally, they are hard to find, going to order more on line this week. But, this is where we are ........

Hope you enjoy, Tony.

Looks good, I hope the fishes like it as well.

Looks real good Tony. Gives me some good ideas. I was thinking about getting a fish tank for my granddaughter.

The only thing you're missing though is the little plastic deep sea diver with the bubbles that come out his helmet

UPDATE with plants & Fish

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoy!

Looks great. It's always fun to watch an aquarium evolve.

Very nice Tony!

Looking Good, Tony!

I see you have two Angel Fish?
We also had two in my 30 gal tank. Things were fine at first, but after about 4-6 months they started picking at each other, and a couple months later we found one floating dead.

We should have done more homework. They're fine when young, but become territorial as they get older, and a 30 gal tank just wasn't large enough for each to establish their own territories. And they must have been both males. If they were opposite genders it would have worked out a bit better...

With 120 gallons and all those plants, you should be okay. It sure looks a lot more full now with plants!

I was showing my wife this thread and we scanned back to the earlier posts where you showed the stand before you put the tank on it. I noticed then but forgot to ask... Is there no actual top on the base? The one photo showed it totally open. Is the tank complete supported by the sides?

Art Mulder said:

I was showing my wife this thread and we scanned back to the earlier posts where you showed the stand before you put the tank on it. I noticed then but forgot to ask... Is there no actual top on the base? The one photo showed it totally open. Is the tank complete supported by the sides?

Click to expand...

That is correct. The owner of the fish store warned me not to have a solid top, that the tank is supported by the plastic rim only. The bottom glass will bow a little under the weight and if it hits a solid object it could break. After looking at the commercial stands he sells, the larger ones are all built without a solid top. Basically the rim sits on the edge of the plywood which carries all the load. I know, I had a hard time believing it at first, but as I built the stand I gained confidence in it's structural integrity.

Tank Stand looks awsome Tony, Makes the one I built last fall for my grandson like over kill. I built it all from 2X4s even the top that the tank sets on. But was also told that the tank glass will flex a bit and was told to cushon the top of the tank so if it did flex down it would hit the cushon and not break But sure can make that plywood look more pleasing to the eye than the 2X4s I used even with all the sanding and staining that was done.

Tony Falotico said:

That is correct. The owner of the fish store warned me not to have a solid top, that the tank is supported by the plastic rim only. The bottom glass will bow a little under the weight and if it hits a solid object it could break. After looking at the commercial stands he sells, the larger ones are all built without a solid top. Basically the rim sits on the edge of the plywood which carries all the load. I know, I had a hard time believing it at first, but as I built the stand I gained confidence in it's structural integrity.

Click to expand...

An interesting point. I've always used dressers and cabinets as tank stands, always with solid tops. I would think that if the glass bowed enough to move beyond the plane of the plastic rim, it would break on its own. Shows how much I know...

Good luck with those angels. I know they're just south american cichlids, but my experience with them was even worse than Art's: I could just never keep them. Maybe my Ph was too high? Who knows. I gave up trying after a while, but I've known people who don't pay much attention to their fish who've kept them without trouble for years. I think it must be my bad karma!

Thanks,

Bill

Now that's a nice tank. I've always had a tank but no room any more. Maybe now the kids are gone I can put one up. You did a fine job on the cabinet.