here are a couple pics of the newly setup 65G on my (finally) completed stand.

The stand has a frame of 4x4's as posts and 2x4's for framing with Fir Plywood on the inside and back and Baltic Birch on the doors and sides.
The stand is 49" x 19" x 38"H
Internal surfaces coated with 3 coats of Polyurethane, outside coated with 2 coats of walnut wood stain and then 4 coats of pure Tung Oil.
I didn't have the Fluval when I started so I had to cut away a bit of one shelf to fit it in.


I started the stand in Oct'06 at a night school wood working course and finished it mid summer 07.( so I took my time and took up a whole room downstairs for 5 months, what ya gonna do)

painted the back of the 65 black and put in Bomix White playsand (which is Calcium Carbonate) It took me quite a bit of time to rinse this sand. It has alot of very fine particles in it.



Not too bad for a first at making some sort of furniture.
Don't think I saved any money compared to buying a new one from BA's or someplace, esp. with the time involved. I haven't tabulated the bills yet to see what the materials cost (plus the night school cost) but it looks good.
I know its better then a store bought stand though, it's built like a brick S#*@ house.

thanks for lookin'

I like it - looks professionally done. Good Job

It appears to be taller than most tank stands, which is nice. I bet it will take all of the attention away from the television!

What's going into the tank?

Great job, Strat!

Just think of your stand as a labor of love!
There's no price tag on that kind of work!

I also love the sand! Bright white!

Like Aura ask, "What are you planning to put in this tank?"

Please post some pics when you get the tank filled!

thanks for the comments
Right now I'm trying to make up my mind as to what should be put into it.
Currently I have a 90G that is a mix of Haps, Peacocks and mbuna.
(C.moori, A.baeschi, L.fullenborni, L.caerleus, C.azureus, C.afra White Tops, P.taiwanee reef)
pictured below

in this 65 I was going to make it mostly Haps, but since it is a little smaller then the 90, I might make it mixed mbuna with a Hap or two.

So one scenario is:
9-10 Yellow Labs 2-4"
4 Labedotropheus fullenborni (2M/2F) 2-3"
5 C.afra White Tops (could add more of these, I've got too many of them) 2-3"

1 or 2 A. baeschi (males) 4"
1 A. jacobfriebergi (male)4"
1 A. masoni (male) 5"

Not sure on the last three, the problem is I have too many different kinds of cichlids and I don't need any hybrids. Got to sell some off or trade.

Then in the 90G I could have:this pic is from last night

5 C.moori
2 P.taiwanee Reef (1M1F)
3 Copadichromis azureus
2-3 A. baeschi (males)
2 A. maylandi (1M1F)


Aura, it is taller, which I like too. The tv next to it was $2 at an auction.I couldn't resist.
The professional look might disappear if you got up close to it. Ya know what they say "good from afar but far from good" LOL. I mean that some edges aren't that straight. or maybe I'm being too particular.

It does look good from afar and it's certainly better than anything I could do! I think we tend to be a little more critical of our own work, especially when we know where the little imperfections are. The things other people wouldn't notice unless you pointed it out.

I see some nice looking fish in your 90 gallon. Have fun stocking the new one.

Its all setup. I tried cycling it with some other media from an established tank but it didn't seem to startup too well as I had some ammonia readings.
So I just did the Fishless Cycle thing and after about two weeks it was looking good.
I made it into a mbuna tank with the following

10 x Cynotilapia white top's.
~10 Yellow labs
4 Labeotropheus fuelleborni (one or two are already holding!)

plus two male Aulonocara baenschi and one large A. masoni hybrid.

Looking good!

Do you have any close-ups of your fuelleborni?

Nice job... I have a good friend that is a parapalegic. He wants me to build a stand for his 30 gal long tank. I have never built a stand but will give it a try.
Patrick is a wonderful guy that just loves fish. I take care of his tanks for him.