Hey guys! I am slowly building out my reef! I have been working on it over the last 2 months. I decided that I wasn't going to purchase a stand, but build my own. The stand I was looking at was right around $550, and I figure I could make one for a fraction of the cost, probably a little better quality, and more aesthetically fitting to my home. The stands I had seen were the black plain pine stands. All of my furniture in my home is dark stained wood.
I started with a steel frame that has a 2,000 lb rating and built from there. The wood on the front and the sides is only for appearance, and just bolted to the steel frame, they don't have any structural use. I stained everything with an outdoor deck & furniture stain that contains a water sealant to combat the water and humidity. I have installed 2 GFCI outlets behind the stand, as well as 2 outlets above the tank that I can use for lighting power. I intend to build a matching canopy once I have figure out the plan for the lights a little more. So far I have purchased my 75 gallon AGA reef ready tank, a Vectra S2 return pump, and a Trigger System crystal 36 sump.
I started with a steel frame that has a 2,000 lb rating and built from there. The wood on the front and the sides is only for appearance, and just bolted to the steel frame, they don't have any structural use. I stained everything with an outdoor deck & furniture stain that contains a water sealant to combat the water and humidity. I have installed 2 GFCI outlets behind the stand, as well as 2 outlets above the tank that I can use for lighting power. I intend to build a matching canopy once I have figure out the plan for the lights a little more. So far I have purchased my 75 gallon AGA reef ready tank, a Vectra S2 return pump, and a Trigger System crystal 36 sump.
