Stand and canopy custom made; what should I ask for?

[manooosie]

I have been looking for about a month (and reading this site daily) and have determined that getting a stand and canopy custom built is my best (and cheapest) option. It's for a 55g tank (which I have yet to buy), and has to be darker in color. The tank is going in our living room which has a java theme (very dark brown/purple color). Of course getting it in black is an option, but what other colors would go good for the stand, canopy and even inside the tank? Is there a particular design you saw that looked great on a stand and canopy? Post pics if you can! Thanks.

 

[manooosie]

Ok, its confirmed. Stand and canopy for 160! thats pretty good. Obviously cant be to fancy. What to you guys like? I have to let him know my tomorrow...

 

[talloulou]

Someone is going to custom make you a stand and canopy for $160? I'd go with a dark brown wood stain to match the living room. Plus if you go with some wild color it may be harder to sell or incorporate into a different room in the future. Black looks good in more modern decorated homes but I prefer natural wood colors myself....since my home has more of a woodsy feel. Plus...to me.....the black stands always look "cheap". But that's pure opinion and you have to go by what aesthetically pleases you.

As far as design aren't you limited by what the carpenter can make? I'd stop by a local fish store and ask if they have any catalogs you could look through. There are probably online catalogs as well.

 

[manooosie]

What kind of special features should we get? I have seen a feeder door; is that necessary? Also, what should the holes in the back look like? What would you do if you could get it custom made?

 

[Guest]

What kind of special features should we get? I have seen a feeder door; is that necessary? Also, what should the holes in the back look like? What would you do if you could get it custom made?

Storage space in the stand for supplies and maybe a canister filter would be good, for the hood you should be able to either mount your light in it or at least the hood should go around what you already have. You will need a feeding door too,, otherwise every day you are going to be lifting offf that hood, which will get old fast. I would look at stands at the store and try to copy those designs. For example, a tall stand might sound good, but over a certain height its dangerous because of the high center of gravity.

All that being said, I bought my great wood/metal stand with ample storage space for $99 at Petsmart, so I wouldn't even bother. JMHO.

 

[greenmaji]

To make a tank look ballanced to me the length of the tank should be how high the top of the glass is off the floor.. so if you have a 4 foot tank the top of the glass would be 4 foot off the floor.. with longer tanks (6 footers) I would make the top of the canopy that height..

 

[manooosie]

so my 48 inch long tank should have a 28 inch stand? That seems a little short to me, plus I am 6'5 and dont want to have to bend over to see my fishes. I was thinking 33' or even 36'...

 

[greenmaji]

My 75gallon Oceanic has a Oceanic made stand, it is 26inches high making the top of the glass exactly 48inches high making it exactly the same hight at the top of the glass as it is long. This is the standard practice to make the tank look ballanced. Making the stand taller would make it look elevated.. If you plan on doing most of your viewing of the tank from a standing position I would suggest mounting it in a wall, your tall..LOL
If you plan on viewing your tank from a favorite chair, measure what your eye level is when your seated in your chair, and try to make the center of the tank that height even if it does put it higher in the air.