180 FRT Custom wall cabinet build

I haven't posted much but I'm starting a new project and have done a tone of research on the forums. Everyone's projects helped so I hope I can do the same. I just moved into a new townhouse and am turning the basement storage room into an office. On wall is 6'6" wide and 11' high so I'm going to build a custom cabinet with a tank in it.

I just bought on CL a 180G tank with a heavy duty custom stand, FX5, sand, drift wood, slate stones and light. $500! Since I spent way less than I thought I would, I splurged and bought a 3d background from Gillsnfins.com. It arrives in a few days and once it's here, I'll reseal the tank while I silicone the background in.

As I've read, it's easier to take the bracing off to put the background in, but mine is stuck on good... 3 hours of cutting the silicone from between the glass and rim and still it won't budge. I'm going to have to cut the background, in 3...

The plan is to build custom cabinets above the tank, and build a fake cabinet front around and under the tank so it all looks like one.

OH! And this is going to be for my 3 year old Fly River Turtle who's currently at my inlaws in my old 70g. I'm thinking of putting in a whack of cichlids with him. Mine doesn't seem to care for biting other fish.

Here's the tank I'm starting with.

And my FRT.


I'll post pics of the background as soon as it's in.

Background came in today! Detail is amazing. I just finished resealing the old tank. House stinks like silicone.

Cutting the background in 3 and putting it back together was easy. The seam is almost invisible. I'll touch it up with black silicone and it'll blend in with the natural cracks. On to building the custom cabinets.

Yes I know how big he'll get. It'll be a good 3-4 years until he outgrows this tank though as he'll be pretty much alone in it. Just a few small fish with him, no other monsters. When he does outgrow this tank I'll build an indoor pond for him. It'll take me about that long to convince the wife to let me do it.

Been swamped with work so nothing built yet... But I did get an LED light during boxing week for half off. Has a remote with a whack of different color tones.

Okay... It's been a while because it's been a slow process with work and all. Here's where I'm at now.

Tank is setup, water is almost balanced to match my temp tank. FRT to move in a few days. Wall mounted cabinets above go to the ceiling, 5" high. Hard to see the cabinets because they're white. I'm in the process of building matching cabinet doors for the base and a frame for the tank so the entire thing will look like it's in the wall. But it's not! (I live in a townhouse and am not allowed to actually put a tank in the wall.)

Better photography to come once the turtle is in there and I clean up...