How hard is it to make a basic aquarium stand?

[Anonymous]

I just got a 100 L (60" long and 18" wide) and I am coming to the realization that this isn't a particularly popular size, and stands are hard to find. My main concerns are that it holds the aquarium and distributes the weight evenly, and that it has room for a sump (possibly my 55 gallon older aquarium). It doesn't have to be a thing of beauty but it would help keep my marriage together if it weren't an eyesore. My naive idea is to buy a bunch of 4 x 4 or 2 x 6 pieces and bolt them together, but I suspect that there is more too it than that. The tank is acrylic, BTW.

 

[Anonymous]

Really, if you can use a table saw and a chop saw, or even a hand saw, a drill and a hammer that is about all there is too it.

There are a bunch of threads on how to build stands, one of the ones with pretty clear pictures of how the joints should go are by space ace and bingo I think.

Basically a 2 by 4 frame with plywood skinning it on the outside and then some trim to fancy it up will work.

I will try to find you some good construction pics if you are interested tonight.

 

[Anonymous]

It is not hard if you have the tools and some time. Basically you are just building a reinforced box.

 

[Anonymous]

The tank you see in the flooring thread have a foot print of 60" by 18" wide. I have a thread on the constructure of the stand a few months ago, around Feb 2006. It is not step by step, but it does show you some of the joint and basic info. You may want to look at some of the threads that mentioned above and see how we did it, and copy the portion that fit your need.

 

[Anonymous]

Not terribly hard, I built a 6 foot x 18" one, and I used 2x6s and 2x4s for vertical pieces, and 2x4s for horizontal pieces, put it all together with woodglue, deck screws and biscuits. Mind you I built this thing to withstand a 10.0 earthquake after a 1 megaton nuclear bomb is dropped on it, so it's definately overkill. But I do have a 60" x 18" stand downstairs (with a tank on it sorry ), that I got for free, it's a "professional" stand and looking at it it I swear to christ the thing is made out of a 1-by material, and it apparently can hold a 115g tank, water and all that rot. AND it has an open back, so I'm guessing that tank is going down first in a large earthquake. But it's more than strong enough to hold the tank.

Bottom line, it's not that hard, build a couple "floors" one for the floor one for the tank to sit on, and put some 2x4s or 2x6s (4x4s are overkill if you ask me) to connect the two "floors together" , put some siding on it (it's strengths it up) and you're set. Simply take your time, make sure things are level and square and it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Anonymous]

www.bad-coffee.com/reef/stand

that's how I built stand for my 20. It's how I'm building my new 58 stand as well. (except I'm using 1x6's at the top and 2x3's for the legs.

B

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, everyone.

I found what look like reasonable simple plans on the Garf ( 8O ) website.

http://www.garf.org/stand.html

I think I will try to do this. My abilities with the reefs.org search engine are limited; I seem to get more hits here using google.

 

[Anonymous]

The link bingo gave above is the one I was talking about.

simple to construct and simple to make look nice.

 

[Anonymous]

It looks like a similar approach. Thakns for the lnk.

 

[Anonymous]

Well make sure you post pics of your progress so we can see how you are doing.


That's most of the fun...

 

[Anonymous]

Well make sure you post pics of your progress so we can see how you are doing.


That's most of the fun...

It is only fun*ny* if the titled is "ATOS's botched DIY stand".... <jk>

 

[Anonymous]

:lol:

 

[Anonymous]

The stand in Bingo's link looks better than the one at the GARF website because the top frame rests on top of the upright frame members.

 

[Anonymous]

www.bad-coffee.com/reef/stand

that's how I built stand for my 20. It's how I'm building my new 58 stand as well. (except I'm using 1x6's at the top and 2x3's for the legs.

B

The hindges in that link are the one I need. I wonder where he got them? Anyone have an idea?

 

[Anonymous]

Waz,
those are 110 degree hinges. I got them from a place in NYC called dykes lumber. They're actually knock offs of Blum hinges. I can't say they're cheaper because they aren't! those were $10 a pair Blums are about $4 each.

www.blum.com check out what style you need, then go find a dealer.

They're really well made, and they're pretty cheap. The normal hinges I just bought are $2 each. and they're built like a tank.

BTW, that's the stand for my 20 gallon. Soon that page will be replaced with the build from my 58.

B

 

[Anonymous]

dykes lumber.

8O

I wound up buying a used stand, and as penance, I've hole-sawed it and reassembled it twice now.

 

[Anonymous]

Even with the labor, and reinforcing you're still ahead.

B