Cali Kid Corals

Yet another cube, small cube thing in progress.

What are people's thoughts on stand height? Is making the tank be pleasing to YOUR eye most important? Is being able to get your arm in the tank while standing on the floor that important. I'm mentally going through gymnastics with my stand, and it being at a height of 39" does not seem out of the question, very top of the tank would sit at around 65" which while it will require some sort of step stool to get into the tank, doesn't seem like a horrible idea.
 
I made my stand 40” tall. That would make the rock work at or just below eye level.

But my tank is almost 30” tall so I need a ladder to do any work in the tank.


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I like to have the tank at eye level; I was shooting to find a shallower cube, about 20" high since reaching the bottom is a problem for shorter arms; I had a step stool in the past to deal with maintenance and there's also a work platform made of aluminum at Costco and other places; about four feet wide and folds down for storage.
 
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A little more work done today; doors will have to wait.

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Tank will sit on the stand which is 36" tall, just have to add a base that will be roughly 3/4"~1"; total height ~63" that's perfect for my viewing pleasure.
 
sfsuphysics said:
What are people's thoughts on stand height? Is making the tank be pleasing to YOUR eye most important? Is being able to get your arm in the tank while standing on the floor that important. I'm mentally going through gymnastics with my stand, and it being at a height of 39" does not seem out of the question, very top of the tank would sit at around 65" which while it will require some sort of step stool to get into the tank, doesn't seem like a horrible idea.
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My stand is fairly short in comparison to most. It’s only 32”. I would view it mostly sitting down (that was before all the furniture got moved to Colorado) so it was good to be lower. Plus my kids are young and so it is a good height for them too. I didn’t really think about the maintenance aspect when I built it but that’s easier too.
 
Went with 40" on the inside of the stand. Overall height of the stand, with the base, is 43". Tank sits another 21" on top of it. Makes it eye level which is what I view it at since I use a standing desk at work. I'll be shopping for a foldable stepladder/platform for maintenance.
 
Over the weekend went to TAP Plastics to get a solid sheet of PVC and cut it to fit on the table saw. I bought 1/8" 36"x36" ; I have a sheet of 1/4" but it was 48"x24" so I used that piece to cut the walls of the lining tub of the stand; next is to bond the pieces together and make sure is water tight.

The concrete floor is not level; I'm trying to look into leveling feet but the ones available at hardware stores are for furniture only, not meant for heavy duty. If I go that route, most likely will get eight, all corners and the four mid-spans at the center. Once the corners level the cabinet the middle ones can be set at the needed height so the stand sits on eight points but that's if I find those locally and at a reasonable price.
I stopped at Center Hardware in SF on Saturday to check for those but no luck; I did find T-nuts but the screws to act as leveling feet are not available there and is a place I go when I need an odd piece of hardware.
I might just shim the stand level in the end.

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Not much to do today; busy day.
Cut the other walls and test-fit, now I have to find the gray PVC cement; I know is there.. somewhere.

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Out of curiosity did you just use the same PVC glue for pipes? When I laminated 2 sheets together for a tank bottom I went crazy with that stuff, seemed to work ok, however didn't know for certain if it was bonded everywhere along the surface
 
Yes, regular cement. The downside of large bonding area with PVC cement is you have to work fast; I don’t know if there’s a slow curing cement available that would allow you to spread it fast, set the pieces together and let them cure.
I agree that once set the pieces together there’s no way to know if the whole surface is bonded.
 
Well the tank bottom didn't leak for at least the few years that I had it full of water, and I drilled a couple holes in it for the overflow, so good enough for me :D

But for your purpose as a water catch tray, should be fine, easy to test by filling up, and if it leaks get very liberal with slopping on some more PVC cement.
 
Yeah, I'll take it over the weekend on a table outside and fill it with water but for peace of mind I think a bead of glue at all joints would be good.
 
Little more progress; cut the top and added the veneer to the edges; top will be removable since the PVC liner would not fit through the door openings, has to be lowered in place with the suction cup and same way to remove it.
Tested the PVC tub but it does have leaks so a bead of glue should seal it then a second test.
Been thinking on the doors; for a long time I've had in mind to make the doors using aluminum sheet; I believe is available in black but bronze might work fine for a dark brown cabinet. In the end might go the simple route of solid flush doors, euro hinges. Inside will be primed with Kilz oil based primer.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/M-D-Bui...Venetian-Bronze-Lincane-Sheet-57015/202525469

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Well, since Mike @sfsuphysics hasn't updated any images on his build, here are a few of mine.
Still no doors, tomorrow might work on that.
Lightly sanded the stand for the last coat tomorrow; the top will get the coat on the outside as well.

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