# fresh ADA 75p & antique fish bowl stand



## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

70w halide. It came with a 13000k bulb, way blue. It will work until a more agreeable kelvin color is found...


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

fresh said:


> 70w halide. It came with a 13000k bulb, way blue. It will work until a more agreeable kelvin color is found...


If that's the AquaMedic 70W MH, give the bulb some time to burn in. The blues mellow out a bit and the color rendition is amazing. BTW, those AquaMedic bulbs are by far the brightest 70W bulbs I've tried. Check this out for a comparison. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/l...-70w-mh-bulbs-updated-cheap-2.html#post680428


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

Thanks for the heads up on the bulb, it is an aquamedic 13kk. I'll be sure to give the bulb a good burn in before I decide how well I like it.

Today is build the stand day. I live in an apartment and have next to no tools, so... I bought a $30 circular saw. Its pretty quiet and cuts nicely... 3/4" playwood and I'll frame it out with 2x2s.


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

Wood is cut. I'm happy with it so far considering the circumstances.


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

Started putting together the pieces. Still need to finish framing it out, hang the doors, top etc.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

That looks really nice! 
LOL at the tag "Sweet carpet dude"


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

fresh said:


> Started putting together the pieces. Still need to finish framing it out, hang the doors, top etc.


What other kind of support is this stand going to have?


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

It will be completely boxed out with 2x2s. It's already exceptionally strong. With the scale of the picture it's hard to judge the rigidity, but its high grade 3/4" plywood.. many times over stronger then pressboard used on most stand like ADAs.

One more cup of coffee and I'll get to work. I'll be using a miter box to cut the 2x2s. That was the major reason I chose 2x2s, because I knew I was going to be hand cutting them. Cutting had to be kept to a minimal.


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

One problem I had to deal with was setting the hinges. They needed to be routered out to allow the piece to lay flush. 

We have Dremel so I bought a little router bit for it and kinda freehanded the holes. Not exactly shapely holes.. that thing is pretty torquey with that bit! lol. But they are plenty large to allow for any sort of adjustment I would need.


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

further along.


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

painted.


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

How are the sides attached to the top and bottom?


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## thief (Jan 12, 2008)

Very nice journal so far. Keep it up!


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

roybot73 said:


> How are the sides attached to the top and bottom?


I originally planned on framing in to bottom as I did the top, but I was getting tired of sawing and was already impressed with it's strength. I will sleep well at night, it is solid! 

The top is where the major bracing/distribution is. Behind the front face strip, around the top. Alternatng 2" screws down the uprights, in the corners... its good.

Today I will hang the doors, 1 more coat of paint, drill tubing holes etc.


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

happy face


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

Very happy with the tank.

Fits perfect on the stand.

She is thirsty! :bounce:


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

blingin'



papa's got a brand new bag


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

SHOW OFF!

Kidding. Congrats on the beautiful setup. Kind of makes you not want to fill it up, huh?


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

Good lookin' stuff! Get some weeds and dirt and water in there!

Did you get a Garden Mat to put under that expensive glass box? I hope so...

BTW, I hope the tone of my posts isn't being misconstrued -- it's just that I would _hate_ for anything bad to happen to a nice setup like this.roud:


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

I have matting I bought at a craft store for 89c.

I wanted it up on the stand so badly I was willing to pick it up twice..


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

:hihi:


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

*SWEET CARPET DUDE!*



neoprene? type stuff I dunno.. Squishy yet firm and sticky.


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## moogoo (Dec 7, 2007)

awesome... i'm looking to get a 75p too. no lily pipes for me though... 

stand and tank looks great! thumbs up...


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

Stand recap. Overall I'm very happy with the end results. I wanted a simple monolithic ada type stand. With a circular saw, dremel, and a drill as my tools. If I had access to more tools and was able to work neater materials I would have.

1 4x8 sheet 3/4" plywood.. spring for the $35 stuff
4 hinges
1 box of screws
as many feet of 2x2 you are comfortable with.

I had the hardware store people cross cut the sheet at 32" and 64" so I could fit it in my girlfirends car.

Putty sand and paint for a pretty smooth finish. not bad


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

A high voltage light fixture dangling above 350 pounds of water incased in a glass box. .. nice

Seeing the tank in person has me reflecting on what to do aquascape wise. Scale being the deciding factor. I have plenty of time to settle my mind.

OK filling it up! :icon_eek:


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

Oh, How you gone say filling it up, and then log off. I'm up late and you should be too getting this thing put together. Lets get it going I want more pics!

Well it _has_ been a couple of hours, I hope everything went ok with the fill up.


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## MARIMOBALL (Mar 18, 2007)

nice build, but wait! that neoprene will create a suction and the tank will not come loose, Go to Target and buy black foam board. Its in the crafts department. Works just like the garden mat. looks like its going to be nice and clean and uncluttered. Pendants are the way to go on a rimless tank. Im still amazed when I look at my ADA tanks and see the great quality of the seems. Congrats on your tank.


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

I've got a question. 

How could one be assured the glass would not take calcium deposits?

I know baked on calcium is just shy of impossible to remove.. a handful extremely volatile acids was all I could find... but wouldn't care to use.

I guess the simplest way would be to never allow the waterline down further then bare minimum clearance, but life gets busy, or a bump? So any ideas are apreciated


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

Anyhow. 

I filled it up 50%, then.. at the prospect of having to bucket the water out.. I had a good enough idea how the stand would perform and stopped. Fairly well. I was uphappy with the torsion type support so I added a few more braces; at mid height all around.

Aquasoil and the inline heater arrived.. the list inches shorter until I can flip the switch. :thumbsup:


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## unirdna (Jan 22, 2004)

Nice Journal. I'll subscribe . They are sure shipping the ADA tanks a lot more securely than when I received mine (March 2007). Mine arrived simply strapped to a pallet surround by a thin shell of very banged up stryfoam.


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

AF got a quote for shipping the tank on a pallet, so I wouldn't have to pay for the crate. It was a possibility the trucking rate on a pallet wouldn't make up the difference, but in my case the difference was negligible.


Current thoughts on scape; Buy some HC now, grow emersed in a 10g? plant in 5-6 weeks. 

I dont have my heart set on HC but it sure is a nice plant!

If not, maybe microsword.. with a bunch chain loaches and a trio of pearl gouramis.

..or just cardinals.. I have a cheapish source ~$1ea

::can't help getting a little excited about fish shopping::


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## moogoo (Dec 7, 2007)

$1/each for cardinals is a very cheap price. 

why not grow the HC emersed in the main tank itself after you've got the hardscape squared away? No sense in working/waiting in another tank only to rip it out and put it in the maintank to wait some more.

cardinals would be really nice. i personally will go with rummies in my tank as they school tighter. I am toying with the possibility of adding a pair of german rams too.

HC is a great plant.. but i would work out the kinks in your "image" for the tank with hardscape before choosing plants...


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

A foregound plant was all I was going to order from a store. The majority I would like to buy/trade/share in S&S. 

I'll just play it by ear, nothing too visionary... buying plants and fish depending on what is available and looking nice.

For mmyself fauna kinda dictate the "look" I would want. I love plants, but in an aquarium I like fish to have a strong presence... just for my personal tank at least. I love a mass of cardinals against an almost chromatic green/black.. pretty!


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

A side project I have going on. An art deco iron fish bowl stand. I love the animals and insect motif. 





I do not have the original glass, so I'm either going to have one blown, find an original, make an angular one myelf or use it as a plant stand? I've seen the original so that helps.

Nickel plating it would look really sharp.. and reasonably priced.


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

tricky to photograph




I'm going to find a nice antique hanging light.. planted and a betta :fish:


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## brohawk (May 19, 2008)

Very, very cool little stand. I definitely second the nickel.

The Fish Store off Roosevelt regularly carries a few pots of HC and/or Glosso btw.


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

Nice stand. Looks more like Art Nouveau than Art Deco -- either way nice score! I'd leave it as-is, all that wonderful patina took years to develop!


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

total deco  French deco even before nouveau and clearly the classic angular shapes are american deco. maybe im wrong.. 



Oh it so getting plated


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

came today. down to the nitty gritty 'till we can turn it on!

These weren't around the last time I looked at regulators. The idea is sound..::shrug:: Looks EZ I like that.


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

fresh said:


> total deco  French deco even before nouveau and clearly the classic angular shapes are american deco. maybe im wrong..


Touché. :hihi: The insect motif kinda reminded me of Nouveau, but you're right, the angles are clearly Deco. Either way, it's super sweet:thumbsup:


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

Thanks! Any specific suggestions on glass would be appreciated.


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

beautiful tank.. i wish i could pick up cardinals for a buck each!


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## fresh (Nov 11, 2008)

here's my new pleco.

L201? 


Should be planting in a week or two!


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

You've been waiting since November to plant?:icon_eek:


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## unirdna (Jan 22, 2004)

Patience or Procrastination? :hihi:


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

unirdna said:


> Patience or Procrastination? :hihi:


Well since the fish are in already I doubt its patience?

Nice tank!

-Andrew


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