I am just wanting to find out what everyone has, or wishes they had in their stands. i know i want hooks, some kinda light, and ...
please help me think of cool and different things to put in the stand
i took an old massage table...took the padding off, painted it all black, reinforced it with 2x4s and drilled some holes for power and hoses. its 60" which is the same tank size, and has a nice 5" shelf in front of the tank for testing the water.
I'd say a couple shelves. I wouldnt' install them with nails though. I'd put pegs in it and put the shelves on the pegs or something so you could remove them to work around everything a bit easier.
I'd mount 2 power strips on the top of the inside back of the stand. It keeps you from stretching cords across the tank and makes it's own drip loop. Also very convienent and easier to keep neat.
Also, plan for sump removal I'd say. I saw a suggestion to put a door on the end to slide your sump/fuge out if needed; that might be something to consider.
If you are doing a canopy; make it easy to get your hands wet. Put hinges on the light hood or something so you can open it easily without setting stuff all about the room or having somebody hold up how many hundred dollars of lights. Makes maintenece much easier.
If you have a fuge; might want to consider mounting a light for the macro algaes somehow depending on what you have sitting around.
Keep in mind plumbing also with the shelves; might have to make adjustments later.
Good Luck; let us know how it goes =)
i made my stand outta 2x4's and such but the part i liked the most is i made all four panels removeable that way i can access every piece of equipment easily and remove the sump no prob!
heres a few pics of when i made my stand
the last one is with all the equipment in there it works just great
i think im goin to use a pc light over the fuge.
i need to figure out some kinda small practical light, to see in the stand
a pull out shelf would be cool.
thanks for all the ideas i hope they keep comin