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Hi there if you have been following my last thread located here [link=http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/General%20Freshwater/59219.html?200505121357]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/General%20Freshwater/59219.html?200505121357" style="COLOR: #FFFF00[/link] you will know by now that I cannot get the tank that I wanted. When I thought more about it I thought well that does not have to stop me all I need is to find someone else that can build me a tank, cabinet and hood at about the same sort of prices. So does anyone know of any good places that can custom build me what i want and is able to deliver. It has to be in the UK. I am looking for a tank that is length 96in, Depth 15in and height 20in with purpose built cabinet and hood. Many thanks all.

http://www.greenspersonalprinting.com/

many good lfs will do a custom job for you if you ask!

I'm in se london & find castle aquatics the best deal in my area for tanks. they are family run.

Don't get your lid made by the fish lodge in mottingham.

bizzarly pets at home do some good tanks & stands at ok prices but they're not custom built.

First of all, i don't know how much do you have for the stand, tank and such. I'll show you how my proyect was going and what was done so you can comprehend that is not hard to accomplish a good aquarium set up.

I can help you to accomplish a good aquarium setup, including a wonderful STURDY stand, a simple yet cheap and watt-efficient hood and such.

Let me show you my proyect.

THE TANK

I purchased the plastic frames ( lower and bottom, are the same) and then bought the glass cut to fit the frames, then I siliconed all with a friend's help. that's all.

You can go to a glass shop where commonly they sell aluminum windows, shower doors, etc and ask them to make the tank, the aluminum frames and glue all togheter. It'll come cheaper than buying the tank in an aquarium shop. Your tank should have 1/2" glass because of the amount of water contained. I WILL weight a lot, but anyway, my 55g was like 70 lbs without water or anything

THE STAND
My stand is made of hollow steel tubes 2"x1" and then this structure was pleased with wood to make a nice cabinet. The cabinet was cheaper because it didn't need any big wood bars to hold the weight because the tubes were actually holding the weight.

Check the photos.
INSIDE THE CABINET YOU CAN SEE THE STRUCTURE. it was the first thing I needed to be made. Structure cost =$35 uk + $250 for 'furniturizing' the thing (it was made at factory of cabinets, desks and such where they use lots of metal... the owner is a friend of mine, the price was only the cost)

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/Sharpix/AquaStand/AquariumStand3.jpg

^^^^ The stand is 4' x 20 inch. I wanted a tank of 20" so i did that to later replace the 55g is actually holding.

Notice there are 4 parallel tubes at the top. The inner two are 12" apart, holding the tank (its 12" width too) and the others are for the upcoming 20" thick tank (as yours)

The frame was black painted, except the braces (diagonal tubes) that were added to ensure structural integrity and to make it really sturdy. When the doors are opened, you don't notice the tubes tought they are almost in your face... nobody takes attention to the inside of the cabinet ohh, its about 3.3 foot tall. there is only a tray at the middle of the internal height.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/Sharpix/AquaStand/AquariumStand1.jpg

Then.. The cabinet finished. It doesn't has any thick wood, its just covering the metal frame. I sent the frame to be 'furnitured'. I asked for a nice polyester lacquer (resists more than regular enamel against water) its semi-matt finish.. looks great

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/Sharpix/AquaStand/AquariumStand2.jpg

The finishing touches.. i wanted to be as nice as i could afford at that time and that's how it ended.

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THE HOOD.

My tank is glass covered, with the glass cut in two corners for the canister tubes. The hood doesn't gets any vapors because of the glas....

Look at the tank photo: The upper thing is the hood. Its a canopy that is a mirror-reflective aluminum, an electronic ballast and a tube. There are canopies of the exact large you want and tubes of the same lenght.

**The ballast is what powers the flourescent tubes to work.**

There are ballast for one or two tubes. (a ballast for two tubes usually can't power only one tube).

If you need further assistance on this, send me an e-mail at sharpix@hotmail.com If you want, I'll show you photos of how the things were made and even how to wire the canopy... its easy!

--------------------- Excuse my english, im not perfect at it

Go for the tank!

Last edited by Sharpix at 13-May-2005 12:47