Dons diy project

Donw · #1 08/11/2007, 08:57 AM

I havent been around much since my tank was destroyed by my grandson. I decided to start over and build a new system from the ground up. Actually from the lights down.
The tank is going to be a constantly overflowing tank like the zero edge three sided tank. All the woodwork is Padauk and Maple, of course the tank will have full automation.
I'll just post some pics every now and again as I go along.

The first is the light. Going to be two 250w hqi. Here is the shell after it came out of the vacuumpress with ends and bottom installed. This will just hang by geismann cables from the ceiling.

OnlyCrimson · #2 08/11/2007, 09:18 AM

thats something new. That looks really awesome!

DB06 · #3 08/11/2007, 09:54 AM

Thats some nice looking wood work there. Wood texture/grain looks great. What are you sealing it with?

Did you skin a fixture with the wood or make up the components yourself?

BeanAnimal · #4 08/11/2007, 10:08 AM

don.... have you looked at joewoodworker.com

I have a pump. Just never got around to finishing the project.

Donw · #5 08/11/2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DB06
Thats some nice looking wood work there. Wood texture/grain looks great. What are you sealing it with?

Did you skin a fixture with the wood or make up the components yourself?

The finish wil be laquer. No its not a skin. I made a 12 sided 8ft mdf column and turned it round to 10.75" on my Oneway then split it down the center. This was used for the form, then put 8 sheets of maple on the form and pressed it in the vacuum press with urac 185. Pretty much made half a big plywood tube. The reflectors are just hello lights hqi retrofits. I'll add 4 internal fans and a thermostat along with both of the hqi ballast inside the fixture.

Don

Donw · #6 08/11/2007, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BeanAnimal
don.... have you looked at joewoodworker.com

I have a pump. Just never got around to finishing the project.

Ive seen his site. A press is pretty handy. Ive got a bunch of bags they are the spendy part especially when you start getting up there in size. My smallest is 1ft x 1ft flat type and my largest is 12ft x 12ft x 5ft box type.

Don

BeanAnimal · #7 08/11/2007, 10:15 AM

Did you make your bags or buy them? His bag recipe seems to be fairly well thought out.

Donw · #8 08/11/2007, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BeanAnimal
Did you make your bags or buy them? His bag recipe seems to be fairly well thought out.

No I have them made. I tried the whole diy thing and ended up wasting a bunch of money. I guess it would be fine for up to about 4 x 4 flat envelopes but you wont get alot of use from them. The bag for this project was a custom I use to make huge false columns.

Don

Donw · #9 08/11/2007, 10:33 AM

Here is a shot of 1 of 2 drain boxes. Just black 1/4 cast acrylic with a 3/16 padauk veneer.

BeanAnimal · #10 08/11/2007, 10:36 AM

Don.. .anytime you want to give me veneer lessons, I will be glad to show up for class. I plan on finishing my press soon and would like to start getting some projects done. The corners on that came out very well. That is where i have the trouble.

Donw · #11 08/11/2007, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BeanAnimal
Don.. .anytime you want to give me veneer lessons, I will be glad to show up for class. I plan on finishing my press soon and would like to start getting some projects done. The corners on that came out very well. That is where i have the trouble.

Here is one of my collector veneers I think you will appreciate. Some day when someone comes up with enough $$ it will be a table top or ??

BeanAnimal · #12 08/11/2007, 11:43 AM

I see two naked ladies dancing...

Very nice veneer. I sometimes get stuck looking at that stuff on some of the exotic hardwoods websites. The local woodcraft has nice pieces once in a while also. I just don't have the skill to properly apply the stuff. It is a learning curve I have yet to tackle.

Donw · #13 08/11/2007, 04:38 PM

Here is a little more head way. This is one of the two end stand panels. Each panel is 1.75" thick and has a 3" taper which will be more apparent after construction gets a little further along.
These are made from marine ply and thick shop cut padauk veneers.

scaryperson27 · #14 08/11/2007, 04:52 PM

All i can say is wow!! I like the skill you have with your woodwork!

kuramura · #15 08/11/2007, 05:21 PM

Great wood choices. Is padauk stained or naturally red ?

Donw · #16 08/11/2007, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kuramura
Great wood choices. Is padauk stained or naturally red ?

Thank you, No thats just natural unfinished wood.

Don

ibmgeek · #17 08/11/2007, 06:33 PM

Awesome woodworking skills, definitely will be one of a kind stand. Im also working on my stand myself, making it out of Honduran mahogany. But that padauk is something else.

Donw · #18 08/12/2007, 07:27 PM

Just a little more. The space below the bottom will house two drawers for the tanks electronics and automation.

Donw · #19 08/18/2007, 07:12 PM

I started the sump last night and still have a ways to go. The back section is the fuge. If anyone has any lighting suggestions for the fuge I'd like to here them.

Azazael13 · #20 08/18/2007, 07:39 PM

not sure what happened to your other tank or how it looked but I will be tagging along here. Nice start.

Donw · #21 08/18/2007, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazael13
not sure what happened to your other tank or how it looked but I will be tagging along here. Nice start.

My grandson threw a few handfulls of pennies in the sump that I didnt notice until I lost more the 50" worth of clams. I just decided to go ahead and do a completely different system.

Don

liveforphysics · #22 08/18/2007, 08:28 PM

Hi DonW- Your woodworking skills look increadible, I would love to see it in person sometime.

For lighting the fuge, I would recomend 70w HPS sealed and well reflected outdoor fixtures. They are quite cheap, durable and water resistant, selfcontained, reliable, and have a small footprint.

HPS is also able to make around twice the light of CF for the same power consumption. That means less energy goes into heat. The spectrum grows macro algae quite well, and bulbs cost around $10 to replace and have very long usable lifespans.

Best Wishes,
-Luke

Aqua_expert19 · #23 08/18/2007, 09:45 PM

god i cant wait to see how this one turns out. You have some ridiculous wood working skills. How did your grandson ruin your tank. a link to a previous thread would be sufficient for me. Thanks and good luck

MarkS · #24 08/18/2007, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Donw
Here is a shot of 1 of 2 drain boxes. Just black 1/4 cast acrylic with a 3/16 padauk veneer.

Can you explain this for me? I'm not sure what a drain box is. Do you mean overflow?

Donw · #25 08/18/2007, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aqua_expert19
god i cant wait to see how this one turns out. You have some ridiculous wood working skills. How did your grandson ruin your tank. a link to a previous thread would be sufficient for me. Thanks and good luck

Pennys, lots of pennys. He of couse didnt hurt the tank but killed a number of prize show clams and many sps to include the 16" gigas in my avitar. Oh well life goes on and the new system will be nice. It was time for something a bit different than a average tank anyways.

Luke, what are we talking in the way of heat with the hps. Would you mind hitting your fixture with a thermometer. I'd like to do a custom fixture but heat is of couse a concern.

Thanks
Don