Hah, love that first shot.
ArstenA's 75 Build Thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter ArstenA
- Start date
Kepler
Former: Koletang
First pic is awesome.
What macro are you using?
What do you have your light program running through? Sounds like this isn't your run of the mill aquarium controller.
What macro are you using?
What do you have your light program running through? Sounds like this isn't your run of the mill aquarium controller.
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Nice shots! You might have to stop by for a beer next time you go to SWE and take a few shots of my tank 
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I put this photo in the BRS photo of the month competition. If you like it please vote for me.
http://a.pgtb.me/rlb4c7
Done!
This awesome photo deserves some more praise! Now go vote!
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I love the wp-40. I don't think there is much for dead spots, but I definitely need to clean it!
+1 I run the same size tank and my WP-40 (and split return) remove all dead spots.
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Well after almost a year I had some time and started to cut up the lumber I got to finish my stand.
I got three quarters of the wood cut, but still have sanding, assembly, staining(?), varnishing,...
As for the tank I have been battling with hair algae for a long time and I feel like I am starting to gain some ground. Hopefully it isn't temporary.
David G. Has also given me a tiny bit of motivation to try a scrubber again. My overflow sure grows a lot so maybe a scrubber would too...
I got three quarters of the wood cut, but still have sanding, assembly, staining(?), varnishing,...
As for the tank I have been battling with hair algae for a long time and I feel like I am starting to gain some ground. Hopefully it isn't temporary.
David G. Has also given me a tiny bit of motivation to try a scrubber again. My overflow sure grows a lot so maybe a scrubber would too...
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I am finally getting around to finishing the stand. Wood is mostly cut, most frames are assembled (stand and doors).
Now I need to decide on a stain for finishing.
Wood is pine.
I got some small cans of cherry, red mahogany, Bombay mahogany and ebony. I applied it to a few scraps and at first glance the cherry went on the best. But I haven't decided on a favorite.
What have others done with pine? How has it turned out?
Now I need to decide on a stain for finishing.
Wood is pine.
I got some small cans of cherry, red mahogany, Bombay mahogany and ebony. I applied it to a few scraps and at first glance the cherry went on the best. But I haven't decided on a favorite.
What have others done with pine? How has it turned out?
OP
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Well I have been making progress on the stand!!! Stain is being applied. Hope to start varnishing this week.
I went with a cherry stain on pine. If you ever plan to stain pine make sure you use a pre-stain. If you don't the stain will be very blotchy because pine takes the stain unevenly. The pre-stain prepares the pores of the wood so they are more equal, therefore absorbing the stain evenly.
I had an extremely difficult time finding matching pine plywood. Below are two pictures of a door. One is with run of the mill plywood. The other is of a $80 sheet of 1/4" plain sliced pine veneered plywood. HUGE difference! If your looking for quality plywood call up Young Blood Lumbers in NE Minneapolis.
Regular Pine Plywood from Menards/Home Depot
Plain sliced Clear Pine veneered plywood ($80)
I went with a cherry stain on pine. If you ever plan to stain pine make sure you use a pre-stain. If you don't the stain will be very blotchy because pine takes the stain unevenly. The pre-stain prepares the pores of the wood so they are more equal, therefore absorbing the stain evenly.
I had an extremely difficult time finding matching pine plywood. Below are two pictures of a door. One is with run of the mill plywood. The other is of a $80 sheet of 1/4" plain sliced pine veneered plywood. HUGE difference! If your looking for quality plywood call up Young Blood Lumbers in NE Minneapolis.
Regular Pine Plywood from Menards/Home Depot
Plain sliced Clear Pine veneered plywood ($80)
jlanger
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Great advice!
It's really disappointing to have a bad stain application ruin an otherwise good looking build.
With about 20 years of working with woods, I still have a hard time when cabinets/doors are built using the rotary cut veneers.
The beauty of using wood is in the grain and it's organic appearance. Rotary cuts eliminate the variance in grain directions that make the veneer look like its solid wood parentage.
The main reason we see so much rotary cut veneers on plywood is the cost of production. Rotary cuts produce large sheets of veneer in a single process, where the plain sliced veneers use multiple cuts and requires them to be glued together. More steps equals more costs.
All told, plain sliced veneers are indeed much better! A more organic appearance showing the diversity of the wood grain. And it is worth the added cost.
Great choice to spend the extra cash!
You can also try Buffalo plywood and veneer. You can also get lumber core if you like. That's where i went for mine.
You can also try Buffalo plywood and veneer. You can also get lumber core if you like. That's where i went for mine. I also have a TON of every clamp if you need to borrow them. I have the pocket screw jig, etc. ...... if you need something, let me see if I have it.
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Well I have one coat of varnish on everything!! Getting closer...
Everything looks great so far. What are you doing to battle the HA? I have a bunch in my tank also.
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I am running a LaCl3 reactor that I built from a 4 stage RO/DI filter.
Weekly water changes
Weekly cleaning/exchanging filter socks
Harvesting as much HA as I can every week
All new filters in my 6 stage RO/DI
Monitoring nitrates, nitrites, phosphates
Three urchins, and large variety of snails
It is a very exhausting battle but I think I am finally starting to win.