Don't want to offend anyone tank.

[patback]

Thanks. For the life of me I can't remember the brand I picked up. I do remember that it has a poly mixed in and claims that the stain can be "covered up" by another color if you lightly sand it. Not sure how black can be easily covered by anything else, but I wouldn't have bought it if I didn't want that color. .

My mom had some of that stuff from back when she did the kitchen cabinets and has some left, I'll give it a try. Pyronus, would it be okay to use some dust off to get the sanding dust out of corners? I wouldn't think the moisture would discolor the birch, right?

[pyronus]

Try a damp rag and a screwdriver. I wouldn't use endust or any oil based dust removal product on unfinished wood. The moisture wont hurt the wood at all, just make sure you are using a water based stain product.

[Spirofucci]

If you use a pre-stain on your whole stand, the stain will go on more evenly and the two different types of wood will stain the same color. Minwax is the brand that I use most frequently.

 

I'd do this as well. Also, I'm sure you know, but I'd go over that thing to inspect for any left over glue that might need to be sanded off because the stain won't sink in. This happens to me all the time, lol

[patback]

Haha, yeah. I m gonna go over it one more time with the electric sander, I know for a fact that I have 1 spot that some glue dropped down the front. I wiped it immediately but it left a watermark type spot that you can see, so I could only imagine how bad it'll look with stain all around it, like a big highlighter showing my flaws

 

Thanks fr your help and tips guys. It is much appreciated.

[metrokat]

Oh I see I'm late to the party. You really didn't need me anyway, standing there pointing at the spot you missed. You knew how to take care of it yourself. Uh huh.

[patback]

Huh? Lol.

[metrokat]

Haha, yeah. I m gonna go over it one more time with the electric sander, I know for a fact that I have 1 spot that some glue dropped down the front. I wiped it immediately but it left a watermark type spot that you can see, so I could only imagine how bad it'll look with stain all around it, like a big highlighter showing my flaws

 

Thanks fr your help and tips guys. It is much appreciated.

[kgoldy]

+1 on prestain. Advice if you want it:

 

If you're doing espresso over birch and pine, I'd recommend starting with regular stain, rubbing it on with a rag. Ignore what the instructions say- you can rub on a ton, let it soak for 20 minutes, and rub it off with another rag damp.with the same stain. That will allow you to control the color extremely precisely. Do the top (under tank) and the back to practice first. Then do the entire right, then entire front (doors too), then left side.

 

Edit- just reread.... electric sander? Hand sand it, ya wuss!

[patback]

Hahaa, sorry kat, I didn't realize the party you were talking about was the discussion on the stain. Lol I thought maybe you posted in the wrkg thread, but I get it now

 

Thanks kris. I did a practice run just to see what it would come out like without prestain on the back of the stands floor and some scrap pine. Needless to say, I promptly went out and bought some prestain. Lol.

 

So just to be clear, you are saying to prestain, lay the regular sain on thick, and wipe it clean afterwards?

 

+1 on prestain. Advice if you want it:

 

 

 

Edit- just reread.... electric sander? Hand sand it, ya wuss!

 

 

Hand sand? HAND SAND?!?! This is coming from the worlds laziest reefer?!?!

 

Not to mention, my stands surface is as as smooth as a babies butt, and I'm loving the fact that it only took 5 minutes to get that way. I hand sanded an entire buildings interior for 2 weeks, never again.

[patback]

Note to self: I am painting all future products. Staining came out like crap. Waiting until tomorow to hit it with steel wool and if it doesn't look good, I might just paint over the whole thing with an oil base.

[metrokat]

I once hand polished my parke wooden floors in one room with liquid gold oil.

[pyronus]

Note to self: I am painting all future products. Staining came out like crap. Waiting until tomorow to hit it with steel wool and if it doesn't look good, I might just paint over the whole thing with an oil base.

That's why I painted my stand, good old black does the trick. Not to mention its pretty nice to be able to prime with KILZ.

[patback]

I'd post pictures but it's embarrassing how uneven it came out. Half of it is a light brown and the other half you can't even see the wood grain. Idk why, I applied, sanded, and prepped everythig evenly and for the same amount of time.

[Spirofucci]

That's why I painted my stand, good old black does the trick. Not to mention its pretty nice to be able to prime with KILZ.

 

That's exactley what I did. I'm sure you did to, but I also covered the crap out of it with oil based spar urethane!!!!

[patback]

Jedi, I got the skimmer in the mail today! What's going on with these directions though? It says the venturi tube goes from the pump, though the two holes, and then to the top.

Question 1) is the blue piece that connects to the pump supposed to fit so loosely?

2) I've got a tube connected to the pump, and another one already in place near collection cup, but no way to connect them (I'm assuming they are supposed to be connected since the picture shows a line in the middle. )

 

2 ends if seperate tubing

This blue piece covers perfectly, but slides off very easily. I've never ha a skimmer before, but maybe this is normal? Does the suction when it's in use keep it in?

 

[jedimasterben]

Bottom tube is for the air feed of the pump, the tube from the cup is a drain if you want to have an external cup/jug/bucket/whatever. Make sure the airline stays above the waterline.The

[patback]

Okay, I think I might have realized that after I posted but thanks for confirming it.

 

An the blue sleeve for the Venturi is meant to be a loose fit?

[jedimasterben]

Mine was kinda tight, but yours will be easier maintenance then.

[patback]

Cool. I wish skimmers worked in Freshwater... I'm excited to see how it works. An mp10 and piping is all that is holding this build back.

[jedimasterben]

Cool. I wish skimmers worked in Freshwater... I'm excited to see how it works. An mp10 and piping is all that is holding this build back.

I don't see why they wouldn't work in freshwater. You should put it in a bucket to break it in now before it goes on the main tank. Should take 2-3 weeks to break in.

[patback]

Ive been told that skimmers won't work in freshwater due to te viscosity. The bubbles won't foam up. I'll give it a little trial now to see what happens.

[albertthiel]

Ive been told that skimmers won't work in freshwater due to te viscosity. The bubbles won't foam up. I'll give it a little trial now to see what happens.

+1

They do not work in FW ..

[patback]

Everyone get ready to laugh

 

Lol, in person it sorta looks kinda antiqued.

I don't know what went wrong, I sanded everything well, conditioned the wood for an even amount of time, followed the grains; no drips or runs what so ever... I actually stained the deck its on myself a few years ago( it was between a paint and a stain, so not really staining per say, but still )

 

I don't know what went wrong with this, it's like part of the wood just didn't want to soak anything in. :/. But anyways, this is before taking some steel wool to it, hoping to smooth out some small bubble type textures. Still thinkin that I'm just going to say the hell with it and give it a good paint job.

[jedimasterben]

Ive been told that skimmers won't work in freshwater due to te viscosity. The bubbles won't foam up. I'll give it a little trial now to see what happens.

 

 

+1

They do not work in FW ..

 

 

 

Interesting, didn't know that. You should still break it in, though. Doesn't matter what you run it in as long as it makes some bubbles.

 

Everyone get ready to laugh

 

Lol, in person it sorta looks kinda antiqued.

I don't know what went wrong, I sanded everything well, conditioned the wood for an even amount of time, followed the grains; no drips or runs what so ever... I actually stained the deck its on myself a few years ago( it was between a paint and a stain, so not really staining per say, but still )

 

I don't know what went wrong with this, it's like part of the wood just didn't want to soak anything in. :/. But anyways, this is before taking some steel wool to it, hoping to smooth out some small bubble type textures. Still thinkin that I'm just going to say the hell with it and give it a good paint job.

Meh, doesn't look too bad, but I'd slap some paint on it and call it done.

[ZephNYC]

Cool. I wish skimmers worked in Freshwater... I'm excited to see how it works. An mp10 and piping is all that is holding this build back.

 

They do...we used to use them on very heavy/dirty goldfish tanks when we were breeding goldfish. The trick is to put a little aquarium salt in the water, which is good for MOST freshwater fish anyway.