# small cabinet build( 750mmx450mmx450mm)  for tmc signature.



## kirk (7 Jan 2015)

Hi all have decided that I'm going to make a sleek cabinet this time round. Have been inspired by other builds on here too. I'm going to skip the boring measurement bit... So saved work and had it all cut for me to the cost of £19.


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## kirk (7 Jan 2015)

stacked it all up and like a wally let it fall over trashing some corners on the door this mdf is not forgiving if you drop it on the corner from table hight. 

 cuts were not perfect Grrrr.

 plenty off filling and sanding to come. 







  got sick of the quick drying filler that wasn't quick drying at all, so got the car body filler out that I was going to use in the first place.


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## kirk (7 Jan 2015)

much quicker. 



 more sanding.

 first coat just got to wait now till I can sand.





  Well 6 hrs till I can touch it so housework then off to gym.


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## kirk (7 Jan 2015)

Do you recon I can get away with putting the tank strait onto the cabinet without any thing between the cabinet and the tank? ( it's perfectly flat)I have always put something under but I'd rather not if I don't have too. Aesthetics are important on this set up. Cheers.


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## tim (7 Jan 2015)

Looking good Kirk, personally I would always use something under the tank, if you can source foam mat the same colour as the cabinet it shouldn't stand out in my experience.


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## Rob P (7 Jan 2015)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AQUARIUM-...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item3399fb5288

What I used Kirk, the grey mat really doesn't compromise the look of a set up with a grey cabinet


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## nduli (7 Jan 2015)

Yoga or fitness mat does same thing too. Decathlon normally pretty cheap for it. Subscribed.


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## kirk (7 Jan 2015)

nduli said:


> Yoga or fitness mat does same thing too. Decathlon normally pretty cheap for it. Subscribed.


Indeed I used some under one tank, the one I'm selling has some of the laminate floor silversided underlay it looks terrible because it's green. Some black would be good though, thankyou.


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## kirk (7 Jan 2015)

@rob cheers mate, I had a goid butchers at your build too very good. It's a time consuming task. What does it cut like with a Stanley? @tim, thanks mate i know you know your stuff so I'll take the advice,  I have always used a mat under tanks unless they have those plastic bases. I just wanted to know if it's realy nessasary. I suppose if I stick a fine line of clear sealer around the under Edge of the mat first it will stop water running under the glass on wc. I'm not convinced this mdf is great for tanks.    I am also looking for advice on where to cut holes in the cabinet for the filer hoses. I was thinking running the Lillies cental at the rear push towards the front glass. I've never ran external on a tank this small. I have a 2215 which I think I may have to ram with media to slow it down, theres so much to think about.


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## kirk (7 Jan 2015)

Well that's it for today, it had its second coat 2 hrs ago, I'm aiming for 5 coats in total.I chose the colour hoping it will match near to the maxspect. 

  I am going to miss the other tank but not the work.


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## Rob P (7 Jan 2015)

kirk said:


> @rob cheers mate, I had a goid butchers at your build too very good. It's a time consuming task. What does it cut like with a Stanley?



It goes through bone like butter lol


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## kirk (8 Jan 2015)

Cheers Rob, I popped to the old matchbox factory in gloucester today. There's a foam place there.Cost me £2.79 for two 6mm 450x450 mm. Black sheet. Nice and cheap but............I ended up moving on to aquaJardin so it wasn't a cheap day out. After dragon stone and ada powder.


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## kirk (8 Jan 2015)

. Now over budget.


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## tim (8 Jan 2015)

Nice rocks, looking forward to seeing this up and running.


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## Rob P (9 Jan 2015)

tim said:


> Nice rocks, looking forward to seeing this up and running.



They look like they have algae on them already, head start Kirk! lol (only joking mate  )


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## tim (9 Jan 2015)

Rob P said:


> They look like they have algae on them already, head start Kirk! lol (only joking mate  )


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## kirk (9 Jan 2015)

Lol, they had just been pressure washed then dried on the fire before the pics too. We'll I've spent all day getting the tank together and the old one stripped ready to go Sunday hopefully.


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## kirk (9 Jan 2015)

cut this up to make two doubles as I want to switch them on and off individually.









 took a while to make this decision.



  something I found in one of my oh that will be useful one day tat boxes in the shed.


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## kirk (9 Jan 2015)

Bit of clear tube cut and siliconed in the hole for the power cable.





 tidy for me this is.


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## kirk (9 Jan 2015)

Bit gutted after all my effort to fix the hydor I don't think it's working. At least I can switch it off and not have to remove it until I have a replacement. 





  it's not scaped yet. I've just chucked all our bog wood in as it's covered in fissidens. The blue tub has all the plants in too. Will be crawlin in the eaves at some point over the weekend tovput some wood on the back of these before I hang the razor.


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## kirk (10 Jan 2015)

Happy days turns out my hydor is working better than the day I got it.  It's stopped the annoying clicking on and off. 


 crawled into the eaves dint meet too many spiders in there.



 Well it all together 

just need to decide on the scape as I've just roughly put it all in to keep the plants going, also need a timer as mine when you shake it sounds like a rattle.


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## Lindy (11 Jan 2015)

Looks great Kirk, very slick.


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## stu_ (11 Jan 2015)

Mate,I don't think you've got enough kit in that cabinet....
Proper job though.


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## kirk (11 Jan 2015)

Lol. Cheers.  i will have more space when I go intank diffuser again, I've had it with the stupid reactor.


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## kirk (15 Jan 2015)

Tanks not cleared up but had a play around with the scape today. It will do until the plants get going. They've had a hard time lately. 













 didn't like just the rocks or maybe I've just not mastered the art of rock scapes, I think you need more patience.

 removed the reactor and gone for in tank diffuser, Weel have to see how this goes but I must say it's loads quieter  the flows better,more room in the cabinet too.


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