David R Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 I'm building a customwood cabinet for my 270L 4' tank, like the overpriced ones you see in the shops, and I'm wondering if 18mm customwood will be thick enough or if I should go for 21mm. The stand will be a three-sided box with doors on the front and a piece of 4x2 running accross the front with a leg in the middle to stop it from sagging. 21mm customwood is a bit cheaper than the 18mm stuff at work [carters] but its quite a bit heavier so I'd rather not use it unless absolutely necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 I would use 21mm for the uprights on either side, 18mm for the bottom/back and top. I have an aqua one 470L tank here and the stand that comes with it uses that mix of wood basically. I'm also about to build a stand for a 4ft tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted March 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 The only problem with that is the customwood comes in 8'x4' sheets, so buying a whole sheet for two uprights is a bit of a waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucid Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 If you are just using the 21mm for uprights then why not just slice up a cover sheet, one of the guys at work (Placemakers) built a stand for both his 2 foot and 4 foot tanks out of coversheets and it didn't matter as he painted it any way. B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 Why why why why WHY would you use customwood? Horrible stuff, I absolutely hate it. NOTHING for fish tanks should ever be made of custom wood. Even with relatively tight fitting lids just the moisture in the lid destroys it. Let alone if you spill some water. Ok, done with my rant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 IRA is 100% correct. Don't belive us, come vist me and have a look at my bow froned tank cabinet, quality customwood job. Its completely borked and I am getting a quote now for complete replacement (in Rimu this time). 3.5 years old. Custom wood and water = MISTAKE. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 Call me ignorant, but what's customwood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo1 Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 We have had a few made out of customwood (MDF) and had them sprayed professionally with multifleck and absolutely no problems. They are still as good as the day they were made. Cabinets made in 18mm and hoods in 12mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 Customwood is MDF(Medium density Fiberboard) It's what most of those black stands you see around are made of. If it's well coated with polyurethane or similar it would be ok. But, I'd still prefer just standard plywood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 I would say 18mm thick custom wood would be suitable as I currently have a stand made entirely out of 18mm. Most important thing to note is that custom wood will sag, especially on the top if you have no bracing. for a 4 ft long top I would ensure that you had 4 pieces of uprights in the frame. 2 sides and 2 in the middle to spread the weight. 4x2 in the front and back would not hurt either but I would have it rebated into the uprights so that it also has support. To stop the customwood from soaking up the water I would recomment that you paint it really well to stop water from being absorbed into the customwood. Polyurathane will do the trick quite nicely. better still if you can get hold of the meltica coversheets for the top would make quite a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatix Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 Have a look here just enter the dimensions http://www.garf.org/tank/BuildStand.asp Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatix Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 Oh and if anyone needs custom wood go to Timpan City in penrose, they are importers manufacturers of all sorts of ply and the cheapest you'll find around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted March 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 If you are just using the 21mm for uprights then why not just slice up a cover sheet, one of the guys at work (Placemakers) built a stand for both his 2 foot and 4 foot tanks out of coversheets and it didn't matter as he painted it any way. B No 21mm coversheets I was also considering making a stand out of 4x2 and using thin ply to cover it [already made two of these, one for a 4'er and one for a 5'x2'x2'] but I thought I'd try making one out of customwood as they look a little nicer. I've also made one out of tri-board for a 3'x18"x18" tank, I put about 5 coats of paint on it and after 3 years and a few minor floods I havent had any problems with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petplanet Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Can you get the green coloured MDF? It's the good stuff that doesn't soak up water like a weetbix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquarium Dude Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 I'm considering making an mdf stand for a 250 litre tank but using the laminated board they make kitchens out of as a sort of facia on the sides, for the cupboards and for the whole hood. This should give a really good finish and be water proof for the hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRSkz Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 I was wondering, with all this talk of MDF stands. I had a friend of ours make me one for my 3 footer (90x45x45aprox) This has no bracing down the middle, however it is all supported by a steal frame like a table with out a top with six, instead of four, legs (2 in the middle front and back). Will this be ok or not? I curently have my 3 footer filled, with my precious malawi's zipping around in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRSkz Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 MRSkz, This is how we'd make a steel stand of the approximate size you have stated. The material choice of either stainless steel or mild steel normally depends on the persons budget (but I like stainless myself :lol: ). The larger framing is 50x50x2mm and smaller is 25x50x2mm. We normally use marine Ply Wood to cover the top rather than MDF as it won't swell if it gets wet. On top of the ply we use a close cell PVC type sheet 10mm thick although we're having problems sourcing it and may have to look at alternatives in the future. I hope this helps. Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRSkz Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Hey thanks for that. That's what mine looks like, the steal bits. It does have MDF for the rest of it though. However I also have a piece of MDF (not painted or anything) that the tank sits on and then that sits on the top of the tank stand. That's what I use instead of poly. That's what was used by the people that had the tank before me to sit it on to so.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted July 15, 2006 Report Share Posted July 15, 2006 I use mdf on top but poly on top of that as it protects against breakage by a bit of grit or protruding screw. The stand still needs to be pretty straight and leval though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMAZONIAN Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Good Luck with the customwood. The main thing to remember is that you have to seal it totally so as it cant get a "sniff" of moisture. The way I have done this when building stands for people (commercially, and I dont want come backs) is to heat the MDF with a heat gun and then pour molten "PARAFIN WAX" over the whole area and sweat it into the board with the heat gun until it can absorb no more. I have used Polyurethane and it is good but it breaks down in time with dampness from the tank and doesn't last all that long before you see the MDF start to blister. Wax is recommended by the manufacturers at the MDF Plant in Nelson, and they actually us it to seal the edges of the sheets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 I have a mdf stand for my fish tank that I have been using for the past 10 years and it is still in good nick with no painting or sealing. Secret is to not spill any water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMAZONIAN Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 You got it in one "wok". DONT EVER GET WATER NEAR IT. In a cabinet situation and with the ambient temp and moisture in that situation you cant not get moisture near it. If you MUST USE MDF ....... "WAX SEAL IT" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bOi Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 Have a look here just enter the dimensions http://www.garf.org/tank/BuildStand.asp This should be a sticky for the DIy stand builders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted September 18, 2006 Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 Hi all, (I work in the joinery industry)the green stuff is HMR (High Moisture Resistant) which is better butter not that great. MDF will be fine as a cabinet but I would not recommend making a hood out of it. It even obsorbes moisture out of the air but if it is well sealed it should be fine. I have a sunsun tank & stand, its 200L so weighs over 200kg with the rocks etc. The cabinet has been well designed & only has 6 verticle panels holding all the weight & it is very stable. Its how the weight is transfered to the floor thats important. It has a horizontal panel that the tank sits on, that panels sits on 6 verticles (2xBach,2xends & 2 central divs) which sit on one base panel which has six feet to the floor. Very basic but very strong. Hey david, scooters should have offcuts that you need even if it is plywood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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