Painting An Aquarium Stand
February 14, 2008
When I constructed my aquarium cabinet out of pine great pains were taken for strength and accuracy. An aquarium full of seawater, rocks and sand is very heavy. Improper construction could leave to a very unwanted disaster.
Once the stand has been properly constructed, it could be used in its raw state, but only if the system is in a garage or a hobby room. If the system is anywhere in the house then there is a need to blend it in and make it attractive. The lady of the house will have something to say on the choice of finish usually. My aquarium is in the hall where there is a good deal of medium stain varnish finish, and I matched it in to that. After the initial base coat, four full strength coats were given to the whole surface of the stand, inside and out.
If the stand is to be painted or varnished, the initial action is the same. The wood needs to be sanded down to a very smooth finish, using fine glass paper. Sand ‘down the grain’ using a small wooden sanding block. This block will apply even pressure and avoid pressure marks. This produces quite a lot of dust and before a paint brush is lifted this dust must be removed. If surface decoration is to be pinned or glued to the stand, rub the stand down carefully first, or access will be restricted. Later sanding can be done with the decorative additions in place.
When varnishing, the first coat is better if it is thinned with 10% white spirit. This will allow good wood penetration and adhesion. However, be sure to check the instructions. Make sure an adequate amount of time is allowed for drying, again as in the instructions, before applying a second full strength coat. Before applying full strength varnish coats, check the wood surface for smoothness. Applying varnish can raise the grain of the wood. If necessary, using fine glass paper and with a gentle ‘with the grain’ motion, sand down again. This action should be considered for every coat that is applied. Even the final coat can be smoothed if necessary. However, as it is the final coat, obtain some ’wet and dry’ paper, very fine standard. Have a bowl of water nearby, and, keeping the paper wet, very gently rub down with the grain. Do not use excess pressure or the surface might be marked.
Using paint for the finish is very similar to varnish. Again, the bare wood should be prepared as described already. Then a wood primer should be applied and given adequate time to dry. If necessary, sand down with fine glass paper, as the grain may have been raised. Then apply the first coat of paint. Once dry, check if it is smooth - if not, sand down. Continue applying paint coats until complete, sanding down as necessary between each one. On the final coat, ’wet and dry’ can again be very gently used if required.
For a good finish to be achieved it is best to work in a dust free environment as far as possible, so clear dust up and let things settle well before proceeding with varnish or paint. Make sure a good quality paint brush is used, or the finish may be marred by lost bristles.
Using high gloss varnish or paint will make it more difficult to achieve that ‘perfect’ finish because of imperfection light reflections. Often a semi-gloss - or perhaps even a flat finish - looks better.
For health reasons, the working area should be well ventilated when using varnish or paint.
The final finish can only be as good as the base preparation, with a little assistance from a ’wet’ rub down at the end if needed. So take the time.
When viewing the aquarium, it is the reef and/or fish that are looked at. However, there is much satisfaction - and money to be saved - in constructing a stand and finishing it yourself.
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Tags: aquarium-cabinet, aquarium-stand, Equipment, marine-aquarium, saltwater-aquariumHow To Level An Aquarium Stand
January 28, 2008
Ensuring that the aquarium is level is important. Sometimes if it is slightly out of level it doesn’t matter as the water surface is often above the lowest part of the aquarium hood, or there is a black band on the aquarium to hide the water surface. If the water level can be seen it needs to be visually correct, and in any case it is best if the stand is level in any circumstance for support.
There are two approaches to levelling, and this depends on the start point of the construction - is the stand being constructed from the start or has the stand been purchased complete.
If the aquarium stand is being constructed, then consideration should be given to the site it is to be used in. Using string or similar, mark accurate lines exactly where the stand will go. Then, using a reasonably long bubble level, lay the level carefully along the string, first along the front edge and then along the end line. (If the level is not as long as the line, use a piece of wood the length of the line and put the level on that. Ensure that the wood is absolutely straight, and not warped at all.) Note in each case if the bubble is exactly in the middle. If it is not, raise the level until it is. A measurement can now be taken of the distance that the level had to be lifted to achieve true horizontal. The same should be done with the side lines.
If the levels of the floor are true, then no problem. If not, then proceed in one of two ways. When constructing the stand, allow the additional measurement to be added to the height of the stand at the necessary end, ensuring that strength and stability are maintained. Properly done, the stand top will be level. Or, second, construct the stand as normal as though the floor was level. Then construct a filler, the thickness of which should be the amount by which the level had to be raised to make it truly horizontal.
The downside of adjusting the stand itself is that if it were to be moved to a new location, then it is not going to be level, and fillers are going to be needed. On this basis, it is best to construct the stand normally, and use fillers as described above. If inserting a filler, make it so that support is given to as much of the stand as possible. It may be necessary, if a floor slopes, to construct a triangular shaped filler.
If the stand is ready built, then use fillers where necessary as described above, after checking with a bubble level in the same way.
Aquariums full of water and rocks are very heavy and need to be stable. This is one of the reasons why the stand is levelled, as well as it being visually correct. Maximum and effective support is required if the floor area is out of true. Hopefully, most floors will be level. A little off topic, make sure that the floor itself is strong enough to support the aquarium. If in any doubt, seek qualified advice.
Tags: aquarium-stand, DIY, Equipment, marine-aquarium, saltwater-aquarium
Should You Use A Metal Aquarium Stand?
January 18, 2008
Asking a question such as this seems a little strange. Not very technical and a matter of choice surely?
It certainly isn’t very technical and is a matter of choice. Metal aquarium stands were used a lot more in yesteryear, nowadays it is mainly wooden types, usually in cabinet form. Having a wooden one usually fits in better with the home décor, as the finish is available in all sorts, from matt black to light pine. If it is the man of the house who is the aquarist then this will please the lady.
The metal aquarium stand is more of a bare bones affair, comprised of a horizontal base construction for the aquarium to sit on and four or more legs, with additional horizontal braces at the bottom. I assume they can be obtained in silver, black or other colours, in matt or gloss finish. They are strong, but there are dangers and disadvantages in their use.
The danger is in support. If a wooden cabinet is used, the available horizontal support from the floor is normally the full length of the cabinet and the full depth as well. Though the wooden cabinet should be checked for and have full support horizontally, it is more forgiving than metal legs as it will span small irregularities. The metal legs exert a direct pressure on one small area of the floor for each leg. An aquarium full of water and rock/sand is very heavy, therefore this pressure is considerable. If the floor is made of soft wood, such as pine, the pressure could cause a leg or legs to sink a little. Or, if the floor is uneven, one leg or legs may not have full support. Therefore it is important to check that all legs are adequately supported. I have known aquarists in earlier years place a square of metal on the floor for each leg to rest on, thus giving resistance to sinking. Any leg that is still not fully supported needs to be padded out with a suitable material so that it is. Even if the area that the aquarium is in direct contact with has adequate padding (which it should have), this will not compensate for inadequate base support.
Another consideration is that saltwater can corrode metal. As the stand is obviously below the aquarium, pollution from this will not gain access to the aquarium. The metal base is usually well painted and will resist the inevitable drips and water spills, but corrosion could eventually occur.
Usually a metal stand means that a very useful area is missing for the aquarist, and that is the under-tank cabinet. What a useful place this is for storing things such as test kits, food, a notebook and the like. Also a sump can usually be housed in this cabinet, meaning it is out of sight and no thought needs to be given to its decorative value, only to its effectiveness as a filter etc.
So metal aquarium stands are fine, with care. I bet that the vast majority of aquarists go for the wooden variety though. I always have.
Tags: aquarium-cabinet, aquarium-stand, Equipment, marine-aquarium, saltwater-aquarium
The DIY Aquarium Stand - Some Resources To Help You
November 30, 2007
Planning and researching your saltwater aquarium is an important and at times very frustrating stage.
One of these areas is what to place the aquarium on.
There are many ways in which to do this. You can purhcase an aquarium which is sold with an aquarium stand. If you are not interested in DIY then you can have someone make a stand for you, however a lot of people, like me, prefer to make their own aquarium stand.
At first the idea of making your own stand appears quite straight forward, however when you start to think about it it becomes apparant that it is not as simple as your first thought. You have to take into consideration the strength of the wood so that it can hold the weight, the type of wood so that it does not rot, the plan of the design so that any plumbing can fit and sumps can be installed and accessed plus many more details which need to be considered.
[Read more]
Recent Comments