DIY stand for 125g tank.

[Conner]

So I started building the stand for the 125g tank I re-siliconed last weekend. Knocked out the majority of the build in about 4 hours today with my dad's help. All that's left is a little trim and the top sheet of plywood. Then stain it and 2-3 coats of polyurethane and its ready for the tank! Oh, I also need to make some doors, but that can wait a bit.

I used some really nice oak 3/16" plywood for the exterior, it's going to look very nice

The pic of the complete tank is the other 125g tank stand and canopy that I made myself last spring. I'm going with two large doors rather than one large and two small this time. Should have better access for the sump and other things inside it. The new stand will be stained the same color as the other one, since they will be going in the same room together. I wish I could place them end to end and have 12 straight feet of fish tanks, but the wall isn't long enough

What do you think?

 

[bitteraspects]

nice build.

 

[HPIZZLE]

nice looking stand m8.

 

[Druu]

Looking good! Only thing I would have done differently is to build the stand higher and the canopy lower to block the trim on the tank. Any tips for a first time resealer? I'm hoping to pick up a leaky 125 tomorrow and I plan on redoing the seals in the near future.

 

[Conner]

Thanks guys!

I like having the look of the black trim next to the stained wood, or I would have done it the way you suggested.

As for resealing:
1. Make sure to strip out all of the silicone on the inside, using a razor blade or razor hobby knife.
2. Make sure there isn't any thin film left of silicone left behind.
3. Clean with alcohol or acetone really well.
4. Use plenty of silicone!
5. Let cure for at least 72 hours! (Depends on thickness of silicone).
6. Once it is cured, do the finger test. If you can depress it easily with one finger, or it feels soft to the touch, it isn't cured yet!

I used about a tube and a half of GE I silicone to redo the inside of my 125g tank (it has overflows too, which I left alone, since they didn't leak). I probably made the silicone in the corners about 3/8-1/2" thick, which is about 3 times thicker than the original builder made it, and probably twice as much as I needed. I like to overbuild things though. With that thick of silicone, I really had to make sure I waited long enough to let it all cure. If you try to fill it too early, the top layer of silicone will be cured, but the underneath will still be soft, and it will deform and cause a leak.

 

[Conner]

Some more pics. I painted some 3/8" plywood black and put it on top (I plan on having a bare bottom tank to start with, so didn't want to look down into a stand or on ugly brown plywood). Then I finished the trim with 1x3 poplar boards. Also did some oak corner pieces to finish the edges there. I'm about to start staining it. The color is going to be the same as my other stand, so they will go together like two matching pieces of furniture (hopefully...).

 

[Druu]

Thanks Connor. Do I just have to get the silicon out of the inside of the tank or should I completely separate the panel?

 

[Druu]

Wow man, I just realized that you're in Louisville too. How much for tank resealing service?

 

[Conner]

Well, depends on the size of the tank...

You don't have to separate the panels, just scrape everything out from the inside with the tank still intact.

 

[bmthomps84]

Good looking stand.