120g tank set up. homemade stand and canopy turned out nice!

I got this 120g tank a couple months ago. But I just finnaly got around to setting it up.
Turned out awesome! Made my stand from 2x4's, tried to make it bullet proof.



Then I wanted my canopy light, so I made a frame for it out of 1x1's

Then covered it in oak.


Turned out nice, I screwed up though... I didn't leave spots for cords and hoses to run through, so I had to cut through that last night

Did pretty good with a steak knife! Took a while, but I got it lol Just need to bring some tools over from my parents and try to pretty that up.

But yeah, got it leveled, full of water and my fishes in there!
They look small again, which is good. They were looking pretty crammed in my 80g!


Oscars are kind of frustrated with the move, they keep getting angry periodically. But they're starting to calm down.

They were a nightmare to move! Soo much water splashed everywhere! I got soaked! wall still has sand on it behind the old tank. I wish I would have recorded that lol

Pleco was a breeze, dude didn't flip or nothing. Looked scarey as hell in a net though, all black and huge! I think he's about 12" now. Big guy. Oscars are about 11"
Electric blue Jack Dempsey is about 6"

So far I know the JD like its, he keeps swimming to the top and to the bottom enjoying the space, just millin' around exploring.
I'm pretty happy! Mainly because now my little buddies will be right next to me on the computer which is where I spend most of my time home

They used to be in the other room which sucked.

Thanks!! Mega happy with it! Still have alot of work though, I still need to clean out my old tank and get it out of here...

I personally vow sump is the way! You can build such an effective filter out of a sump its stupid!

For this tank, I decided I would just use canister filters. Space and noise were my reasons.


I've heard of AA, I think my friends gf and her mom's apart of it. I've never checked it out though.

Ahh this sucks, my fluval 404 needs some lovin'

Today I was re-leveling the tank and adding sand. So I turned off my canister filters, I have a brand new fluval 405 and a 1-1/2yr old 404. But I forgot to close the valve on the hoses on my 404 today.

Well, water must have kept siphoning into the 404, but couldn't get out besides push past the seals.
Now the bloody thing just leaks past the clasps every time I hook it up. I've cleaned and/or vaselined the o ring I dont know how many times. Made sure the mating surfaces are clean, made sure the impeller retainer is flush. I dunno... my towels have had it for tonight. I'll play around tomorrow. Even if I got it to work tonight, wouldn't trust it!

Bummer!!

That's what I have been reading, and that is what I have read in the past. I've lucked out I guess. I'll play around with it tomorrow, but this definitely makes me lose trust in it.

Thanks I'm really happy with it, I am pretty handi cap when it comes to wood. There really is a "feel" thing when working with it. I'm a manual machinist, and after spending years with metal and metal working machines. Its different working with wood... can't explain it, but its definitely a feel thing.
I made alot of mistakes on that canopy, but in the end. It turned out pretty good

The stand even after gluing and screwing every leg on there, I still went at it with 4 angle braces on every leg, just because I'm mental... Un-needed, but I dunno... I like overkill. I guess I have anxiety and need extra assurance lol