melev

For some reason, no matter what tank I set up, people invariably ask me "where is the woodwork" or "when are you going to do the woodwork" or any other compilation of such words... it's almost a running joke going way way back to 2005.

Woodwork is nice, and hides all the equipment. The bright lights are shuttered behind panels or doors, and the finished look is quite appealing. That being said, it never has been a pressing issue to me. Perhaps my reasonings are merely excuses but to me they seem valid. Here's the short list:

I have better access. When a coral has slipped out of place, or I need to kill a pest anemone, I love space and the ability to reach into my tank unfettered. Quickly I grab a step ladder and correct the matter, and don't have to swing open doors or duck under a panel or work around/between stiles in narrow openings. Lots of elbow room is nice. When I feed the tank, I can do so from any spot I prefer, rather than be forced to one particular area.

I can see what is going on. Few things surprise me because I see the top of the tank and all related plumbing. It's easier to wipe things down to remove any salt accumulations, keeping it new and clean and see through (like the eurobracing). With woodwork in place, wiping down areas would be like cleaning off the table with items still in the way... you know the open areas are clean, but there are crumbs and stuff beneath everything you didn't move first. I can see which lights are on, and which ones have cycled off, and if they are operating properly.

I don't have things in my way. From the living room vantage, I can see if the protein skimmer is full and how the refugium is doing. The top off container is instantly visible to remind me to refill it, or not. When the walkboard is in place, as it has been for the past few weeks, woodwork would in fact not be possible because of how the rails slide into the stand. The walkboard would have to be removed to put the woodwork back in place. (Or the woodwork would have two strange square holes for accessibility to install the woodwork on demand, which would lead to more questions from everyone.)

I like the look. The clean look of the gear, the acrylic work, the light rack, and the trim that wraps the tank are all beautifully done. It's an industrial look, and it appeals to me. Everyone has different tastes, but by seeing everything at a glance, it allows you to take in what all is involved to keep a reef tank running. And I won't lie; it is showing off a little and I do enjoy explaining what each part does. I put a lot of pride into what I have accomplished.

I don't need to turn on lights in the living room or dining area. All that extra light splashing out from the pendants and the refugium provide light to see what I'm doing, so I'm actually saving money ( ) by not switching on additional lights.


I do have the goal to wrap the tank with cherry wood. It will have a built in look, which will no doubt appease the masses.

While spending time visiting family in Arizona over the holidays, I was invited over to a neighbor's home for a grand tour. When he took me into his workshop, I was pretty much blown away. He loves working with wood, and has been building all his own cabinetry. Huge blocks of walnut were at the ready, and all the equipment was state of the art. I saw hundreds of clamps (as if he purchased all the clamps in stock from 10 Home Depots at once), at least 10 Porter Cable routers, and he probably owned 1000 router bits. Massive vacuum hoses reached throughout the shop to every station like an octopus to keep everything dust free, and yes - it was meticulously clean with no dust anywhere. Rubber flooring softens your every step. Commercial-grade tools were everywhere. Every tool was clean, every router bit was perfect, placed in their assigned spot after use. Bits are always inspected, sharpened, oiled, and then stored in the exact location for the next time, assigned and tracked via spreadsheet. A large CNC router was in the process of being upgraded. The huge European-made table saw had two saw blades in succession. One was the smaller one, to pre-score the board before the larger blade was reached - this avoids any splintering. The saw could accept a 8'-wide sheet of lumber with a massive support frame that moved back and forth. This same machine also had a shaper section and a router section. It must have cost a fortune. A massive sanding machine nearby allows you to feed your project through it, using different grades of grit until the desired smoothness is reached.

Looking at all this gear, I decided to consult with him about my project. I've got a specific design in mind that will look simple and clean, yet it needs to be waterproof to avoid warping. If the doors don't stay true, it'll look bad. He had yet another device that I believe was called "cold pressing" that would apply 1000 lbs of pressure to the wood. I think it's actually a form of shrink-wrapping, akin to that massive vacuum bags people use to store blankets. He felt if I used that method, it would be waterproof. He offered to let me work in his workshop to fabricate all the parts that will make up the woodwork for the 400g.

I want all panels to affix around the tank yet be fully removable. The lower ones can hold onto the steel stand with magnets. I believe a small foot will be required on the back of each panel to keep them at the same height, the foot resting on the top of the steel bottom rail. The upper section is a little more tricky, but I think a hidden foot for each of the top panels would do the trick as well, resting on the top trim of the aquarium out of sight and supporting the weight. The top of each upper panel would hold to the sheetrock above via magnet and steel. Black felt affixed to the edge would fit between each panel and should avoid light leak.

He suggested using MDF for the straightness of the boards, but as we know MDF swells when it gets wet. Applying cherry veneer over the MDF would result in the look I want and provide the perfectly flat panels I desire. Wrapping the four edges of each board with real cherry wood strips would provide real wood for the look and be an additional barrier against water. The cold-pressed system would seal each piece from moisture and water damage. I don't really care what is in the core of each board, and MDF is much straighter than plywood. It may be a little heavier though. Staining wouldn't be necessary; as the cherry ages it will get that beautiful look.

The drawback is that he is 17 hours away by car. But what an amazing opportunity, plus the fun of working with such nice equipment. And I'd get to visit my family at the same time, another very nice perk indeed. In the meantime I will continue to enjoy my reef the way it is, but I believe in a few months I'll be heading west to make the rest of you happy.