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>>Cabinet FINALLY together :)<< 'In my Dreams, I see Palettes of Green'
- Thread starter Nathaniel Whiteside
- Start date
Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
Really happy how its come together! Will get the cramps off tomorrow, and give it another coat of varnish, fit the top and see about a light rig.
Can make and fit a door once the tanks on top 🙂
I don't know much about LED setup.
Can someone offer me an explanation of how to set some up on the inside of the cabinet? Want plenty of light in there.
Cheers,
Can make and fit a door once the tanks on top 🙂
I don't know much about LED setup.
Can someone offer me an explanation of how to set some up on the inside of the cabinet? Want plenty of light in there.
Cheers,
Palm Tree
Member
Have a look here- DIY LED Lighting guide | UK Aquatic Plant Society
That would be a good setup but otherwise the led strips off ebay are cool, you can get them in 5 metre strips and you can just cut and use connectors on them.
That would be a good setup but otherwise the led strips off ebay are cool, you can get them in 5 metre strips and you can just cut and use connectors on them.
Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
Just got back from Workshop, thought I'd upload some slightly better images:
Cheers,
(PS. I promise to stop with cabinet updates now
)
Cheers,
(PS. I promise to stop with cabinet updates now
)
LondonDragon
Member
Looking good, but you forgot the holes for the pipes! 
Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
Looking good, but you forgot the holes for the pipes!
Will do them tomorrow once I decide where to put them
Alastair
Member
very shhhexy mate
jack-rythm
Member
Really really nice job nath Mate, lovely wood choice man. How much did the wood cost out of interest? My mates building me a replica NA canister soon for my cube. Bet u can't wait to get it home and start using it Mate! Good job man
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Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
Hey mate,
Thanks very much. Nice, They are fairly simple to make from sheet material, you could probably knock one up complete within a few hours but look great.
Hmm, The only thing I bought for this was the timber for the back panel ( 150x22mm Tongue & groove solid oak flooring) and that was £15, on the cheap to me. Its the fact it was European air dried oak, which is second only to English oak in terms of feature and quality. I'd say you'll easily be looking at a couple of hundred quid plus to replicate what I've got here, if not £300. In lower grade oak such as American, you might be able to knock a bit off that. Then there's the hours you put in if you want to cost them up. I'd be looking at a weeks worth of hours if not more by now. So you can see how it adds up.
I will show you a photo of the wood this all came from, You'll be quite surprised.
jack-rythm
Member
Yeah sounds good Mate, I love oak for units, looks cool man. I'm hoping to get my Mate to bosh me out a NA replica asap, I was going for the 450mm size to snugly hold my cube but I'm tempted to get a 600x450mm to offer me more cabinet space including the option to upgrade to a bigger tank too. Being able to just make up a tank when I please is an excellent luxury I am very grateful to have 😉 Hoping to spend as little as possible on the unit though.. I'm painting it white and glossing it so wood choice is irrelevant really. Just something solid and sturdy. I know bugger all about wood construction though! Hence why I'm asking my Mate!
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Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
Yeah mate, I know what you mean. I like doing cabinets. Feels more personal. But sometimes you can be overcritical of you own work, and I am a lot.
Ideally use a far eastern ply, nice quality plywood which when screwed together will be extremely strong and importantly waterproof. Only problem you will have is finishing the edges. If you paint and sand down a few times you should get an acceptable finish.
Another alternative is Waterproof MDF, but this is pricey.
Cheers,
jack-rythm
Member
Totally agree with that Mate, there isn't a single drawing or design I have done that I have been completely happy with!
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Richard Dowling
Member
Hi Nath,
Cabinet looks great, if I had the woodwork skills Id do the same! Well done.
The whole evolution of your tank from the beginning of this journal up to now is pretty much all the ideas ive considered myself whilst planning mine, Ive been reading here for months in preparation. What has been the reasoning behind your update from ND1000 to ND1500? I had always wondered whether you get even light throughout the whole tank with just one tile. And also in scrapping the Black TMC clip on light unit in place of a rail? Im trying to weigh up a balance of cost and a great looking tank....I figured I could learn from your experiences so far!
Cabinet looks great, if I had the woodwork skills Id do the same! Well done.
The whole evolution of your tank from the beginning of this journal up to now is pretty much all the ideas ive considered myself whilst planning mine, Ive been reading here for months in preparation. What has been the reasoning behind your update from ND1000 to ND1500? I had always wondered whether you get even light throughout the whole tank with just one tile. And also in scrapping the Black TMC clip on light unit in place of a rail? Im trying to weigh up a balance of cost and a great looking tank....I figured I could learn from your experiences so far!
Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
Hello Dowheim,
Thanks for your compliments towards my cabinet and my Journal thus far, it's good to know people can look at something You've done and take something from it.
My reasons for going with the 1500 ultima upgrade are that the lights are 35% brighter, with a more clinical white rendition compared to the slight yellow light of the 1000ND.
As for the spread, it seems to spread light across the tank a lot better than the 1000ND too, possibly eliminating the need (but not want!) for a second 1500. I did, however, when upgrading, intend to purchase 2 1500's but one at a time.
Depending on how I feel, I may completely rescape this in a couple of weeks, when the cabinet comes home 😀
Cheers,
jack-rythm
Member
Umm reading this slightly puts me off the 1000ND..
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Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
I really wouldn't let it Jack, in their own right, they are an amazing unit.
If I didn't have something to compare it to, they would be, white and bright. Just side by side, you notice a slight difference.
I ran my 1000 at 60% all the time, don't forget I was only using one!
I'm just a techy Geek. And like the 'newest model'.
jack-rythm
Member
Haha ok Mate understood. I don't plan doing using pressured co2 anyway so should be fine 🙂
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Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
Nathaniel Whiteside
Member
FAO : Paulo. Heres your holes!
Cheers
Cheers
