Jasmine Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Need a stand for a 2.1metre heavy tank. Any ideas? Preferably cost effective would be great because I'm one of those poor students I don't think that's the kind of thing you can just pick up off TM lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_r Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 build one with MDF and can paint it any colour you like ill take a pic of the one for my 4 footer, very very stable and very easy to make its 18mm MDF i think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasmine Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Thanks that'd be great if you could take photos. About how much does it cost for MDF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 The cheapest material to use will be mdf, i would make the frame out of 100x50 wall framing timber & clad it with MDF & paint it. anything painted will scratch & possibly deteriorate quickly if not looked after though like anything else. If you can, use plywood instead of MDF, it is alot stronger & won't soak up anywhere near as much moisture as MDF but is also 3 times the price. MDF will absorb moisture, it is not pourous so will hold it & go "fluffy" & will continue to deteriorate over time so depending on how careful you are (we all get water on the stand from time to time whether it be drips or larger spills) you may need to replace panels in a couple of years which may also require emptying the tank & taking it off so maybe best to spend a bit more now & save hassle in the future. When i started i bought jebo heaters as they were cheap, after two years all the thermostats stopped working so i have replaced them all. I did get 1 second hand jager heater when i started & i have never had a problem with it & it still goes well, they cost alot more but really it is worth it getting good equipment first time if you can. here is DIY stand instructions that will help http://cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_stand.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 If you paint and polyurethane the mdf properly it will be waterproof and you won't need to worry about it falling to pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasmine Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Thansk for that website Smidey, I shall pass it onto my DIYer partner lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 you can get a water resistant MDF, I forget what it's called, MUF of sumit like that, not sure what it's like for price, but ask around, someone will know what you mean eventually. The flat face of MDF will be OK as long as it's well painted and you wipe it dry straight away, it's the cut edges that's the real problem, they soak up moisture like a sponge. you may find if you seal the edges with a poly or even a two pot epoxy it will water proof it. Maybe even lots of coats of paint will help. our hood has swollen up like weetbix where the water has been evaporating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 If you paint and polyurethane the mdf properly it will be waterproof and you won't need to worry about it falling to pieces. thats right, until you scratch it or constant wear takes off the sealer. The same theory applies to modern kitchen cabinetry, the PVC edges shouldn't let water in but we all know they do. theres no cost effective, perfect product (there is 1 but sooo expensive) for getting wet or preventing water damage, just some are better than others. I have a stand that has the plastic foil wrapped doors & panels which is very good at keeping the water out as there is only the back edge can get water in but it's not a perfect situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 you can get a water resistant MDF, I forget what it's called, MUF of sumit like that, not sure what it's like for price, but ask around, someone will no what you mean eventually. its called MDF HMR (High moisture resistant) but its not that good, i made so many kitchens out of it for HNZC & they still swell etc, it just takes a little longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 When I was working for Kitchens by Kevin in Kerikeri, everything was made of MDf and painted in 2 pot lacquer and we found it out lasted meltica and tape easily, as moisture eventually makes it's way between the tape, but with a good hard lacquer it can't get in. Bit pricey for the average Joe though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 When I was working for Kitchens by Kevin in Kerikeri, everything was made of MDf and painted in 2 pot lacquer and we found it out lasted meltica and tape easily, as moisture eventually makes it's way between the tape, but with a good hard lacquer it can't get in. Bit pricey for the average Joe though. yeah & the people who spend that sort of coin tend to look after their stuff more to in general. I was with Pat Gavins for 8 years. At the end of the day if you take care of what you have it will last longer than if you don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diver21 Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Cinder blocks!!!!!! im probally their biggest fan. I just covered it with a bed sheet to hide its uglyness. but they can be heavy, great if you have concrete floors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 ^ I guess you missed the thread where the OP is concerned about the weight of the tank on the floor... I'm with mystic, don't be a tight... and put your fish/tank/carpet etc at risk with a dodgy stand. If you've never built a stand before then you probably shouldn't be messing around learning how to do it with something that has to support ~800kg and distribute it evenly over the structure of your floor. The steel stand for my 800L 6' tank cost around $600 including powder coating and delivery, its dead level and plenty strong enough to support the weight. IMO its a small price to pay when I've invested over $2k in the set up (stand included) and have a similar value of fish in there. Go see Hollywood and see what it would cost to have one made for your tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morcs Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 WIth the steel stands though, the conventional 4 legged ones, it probably would cost much more to add a rim around the bottom with some braces to evenly distrubute the weight rather than just four legs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 For a 2.1m tank it should have more than 4 legs... Mine doesn't have feet, so the weight would be distributed over the joists. Pics here: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... p?t=237532 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkfur Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 steel shelving is not that expensive at Bunnings and some are rated for a good weight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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