# DIY Aquarium Stand



## mec102778

It can cost you as little or as much as you want. Here is the basic blueprints (very detailed sorry if you don't need all the information).

2x4 - White (should be a #1 board to reduce the chance of it not being swisted store assistant should be able to help you pick the right one)
Sheet board - I choose Pine for to cover the front and sides (you can covetr the back if you will be placing away from the wall like center of a room or something)
Trim Base - I choose 1x2 pine for the base trim
Trim Top - for that I choose more pine base board trim
Trim Corners - 90 degree pine

to start measure your tank don't worry about the height just width and depth. My tanks are the following:

12" deep
30" Width

Add half inch to each side for extra wiggle room while the tank is on the stand.

12 1/2 inch depth
30 1/2 inch width

now decide how tall you want the BOTTOM of the fish tank to be off the floor. I choose 4 feet.

48 inches stand height

now the cuts:

4 - 2"x4"x30 1/2" (these server for the top (tank) and bottum (inside floor) shelves

Measure the thickness of the 2x4 standing on edge should be about 1 1/2 each so togeather they are 3 inches. subtrack this from the depth measurement.

4 - 2"x4"x9 1/2"

Take these eight pieces and form 2 boxes.

now cut the floor braces (recommended to better support to have a brace on each corner of the tank and then one ever 2 foot so a 4' tank would have a total of 6 braces)

4 - 2"x4"x48"

Attach the floor braces to the inside corners of each box previously created.

A little over engineered but it's sturday and no worries about it colapsing.

I found these plans by doing a google/bing search for "DIY Aquarium Stand"

hope this all helps.

Quick collage of the aquarium stand build.

The frame completed:
<a href=http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7057&ppuser=7870><img src=http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=7057&size=1 border=0></a>

Putting trim and facing on the double door stand:
<a href=http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7055&ppuser=7870><img src=http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=7055&size=1 border=0></a>

Double Door and Single Door stands complete:
<a href=http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7058><img src=http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=7058&size=1 border=0></a>

Double door and Single Door stands complete with Tanks running:
<a href=http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7056><img src=http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=7056&size=1 border=0></a>


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## mec102778

I need to add new picture to this collage. I added in power strips which is mounted to the inside of the stand in the back. I made sure to keep the up off the ground to make sure there would be a drip loop in the cords with out making one.


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## M1ster Stanl3y

How big of tanks are these for ?


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## mec102778

My plans are for 30"x12" (37 gallon tall, 30 gallon tall), but you can increase the diagram to fit your tank just be sure to inclued the extra 1/2 inch so there is a little wiggle room around the tank on the stand.

for larger tanks you should plan for a floor brace to be installed every 2 feet, so a four foot tank would look like my Double Door Stand. But with that size tank you will want to consider putting a good size piece of base board to help steady the stand.

I wish I was better at drawing blue prints.


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## jrman83

Great looking stands!! When you getting the doors on?

I built my own for my 75g. I used 4x4s at my corners and center brace that had notches cutout for a 2x4 rectangle to rest on. Wasn't easy to cut the notches with my tools, but it worked out really well.

I think most people think whatever they build won't be strong enough, but truth is it will probably be stronger than what you can buy. Kind of like building your own computer, you tend to overbuild. I bought a 125g tank and stand and could rest the edge of the stand on my shoulder and stand up with it and walk around by myself. I needed to be helped with the stand I built for my 75. Just to give an idea of what I'm talking about.

Nice job. Post some pics when you get the doors on. I'll be building my own for the 40b I plan to get in a few months.


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## mec102778

I do have materials to make the doors. but they wont be anything fancy.  just don't have all the tools and space needed to really get into it. But hopefully I can work on getting the doors added and latched on by March 5th/6th. 

And no worries about the pictures soon as the doors are on I'll get several good views of them inside and out.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics

Looks good, I like the bath tub style top to the stand.

I just got back from getting my lumber but forgot I wasnt remaking the facing for the 210g's stand and got the wrong sheet of ply. But 8 #1 2x4's (in white) for 1.78 a piece. got a dozen of em, only need 6 for the entire stand.

This new one I am building is for a 50g 3' tank, 2 2x4's at each corner, full frame top and bottom.


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## mec102778

Nice White have to post some pictures of the process.


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## Ziggy

Very nice Stand. How about some Canopy plans to go with them?


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## mec102778

Ziggy said:


> Very nice Stand. How about some Canopy plans to go with them?


Sure I can do that. I've been thinking about modifying the tank stand plans to include a cord/tube guide. Could be something like a painted PVC tube to a metal rod with velcro straps attached to it.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics

wont see another canopy on any tank I own, I hate those things, they make fish keeping a chore cause you cant do squat with them on. 
MEC, check this out
210g discus build - Album - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting
that link is pics to the 210g build, plenty of pics of the stand in there.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics

MEC, rethink that cable tube on there, you will kick your own butt the minute you have to change out an electrical device(heater ect), I did that now I just use a intake tube that slit from end to end and use a zip tie that has a 3m adhesive pad on the back and a slit for the zip to fit thru.


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## mec102778

Awsome, thanks White! Yeah I wouldn't have put anything in place without first checking how easy it was to makes changes. That's why I was also thinking the metal bar with velcro straps to tie the cables/tubes to.

Ok your tank and setup is amazing, I have to get some work done or I would flip through them all.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics

thats just the build album, there are others.

How tall are your stands again? Im starting to think 30" is gonna be a short stand for a 50 breeder, but then again it brings it down to child height and allows me to still sit on me duff and observe them lol.
Im trying to figure out what/how I want to mount a pair of doors or an access panel somehow, I gotta fit a wet/dry filter under mine and its 27" wide.


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## mec102778

My stands are 4 foot to the bottum of the aquarium. For me it's a good height for viewing from both sitting on standing.

The tub finish is just high enough to cover the black plastic on the bottum of the tank so there's no loss of tank viewing.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics

Did you put some insulation under the tanks? that sheet insulation(usually pink or blue with a silver backing) takes up ANY and ALL imperfections and levels the tank itself a little better(helps with regulating the tank temp too)


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## mec102778

Nope no insulation undr the tanks. I originally just put them together to see and well then I was to lazy to empty and refill the tanks for some insulation/padding. For the most part my tanks stay even temps, all through winter/summer.


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## GraphicGr8s

One thing I see with this design is you are counting on the fasteners to hold the weight. The weight should always be born by the wood not fasteners.


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## mec102778

GraphicGr8s said:


> One thing I see with this design is you are counting on the fasteners to hold the weight. The weight should always be born by the wood not fasteners.


Yeah, but with the piece of ply wood on the top you displace the weight which also rests on the 4 corner 2x4s that run from the floor to the bottum of the ply wood.

To do it over again I would move the inside 2x4s to rest inbetween the top and bottom rectangles. This would make it wood to wood from tank to the floor, and provide more room under the tank for storage.


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## GraphicGr8s

Try using a half lap joint between the front rail and the leg itself. Then a 2 x 4 filler on the side so it's flush for the plywood skin. I built my workbench like that and it'll hold just about anything. My radial arm saw is built into it and it doesn't move. The bench is 12' long so I can rip a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood by myself.
All that said, your stand is working out for you. You're happy with it. It's holding the weight. That's all that really matters. Even with the way it's built now it's still overbuilt. (That's meant as compliment in a round about manner)


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## mec102778

Oh yeah, way over built for the little tanks. But it was a fun project, still have completed the doors or any type of canopy but the tank look good siting on them.


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## GraphicGr8s

It was a fun project.

That's all that matters. You had fun doing it. The project I am working on (for over a year) started out as fun. Now I just want to get it done! Building a library for our third bedroom. I get a couple of hours a week, maybe, to work on it. What I've built and installed looks great so far but it's just taking about 11 months too long.
I've got 2 more cabinets to build. One for the kitchen another for the utility room. At the wood show here in Tampa I was turned on to a better way for cabinet construction where you can literally lift the whole cabinet with face frames without glue. Uses dadoes, grooves and tongues. Best part is it's self squaring. The kitchen gets a regular cabinet/counter top and the utility room is getting a step back hutch. And if I can fit it a ten gallon tank. But I doubt the wife will agree to that.

Another thing just hit me. When I build things like stands, and I will be doing one for a 75 I am putting in the wall someday soon (I hope), is I never use any type of Simpson connectors. It's all wood holding wood with tight accurate joints, glue and in the case of my bench, lag bolts, instead of screws because there is no glue on the bench. I may need to move it someday. And it's not that difficult. I built that when I first moved into the house and the only power tool I had that wasn't packed was a circ saw and a drill. So I know it's possible without all the fancy tools.


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## mec102778

Oh man, I kow about those projects. Redoing a room at my mother's house and expanding it further into a previously unfinished portion that was used for outside storage. I get maybe 6 hours every couple of weeks, started it last fall and might maybe get it finished by this fall.


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## stingray

I built my stand with 2x4 but never again. 2x4's are the worst wood for lining up due to their rounded edges. Instead, my next stand I'm thinking of maybe combining smaller and more straighter wood together to come up with an acceptable alternative like two 2x2 which come out to 3+ inches. Start it the right way with perfectly straight wood all around. Straight edges combined with a level floor makes for an easy stand build.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics

Ill get better pics of the stand(thought I had a SD card full of pics from that day) but here is the 75g










and the 210









fasteners were used to hold the wood together, 210g has a weight capacity of 4700 pounds and my 75's stand can hold 2000 pounds without making a noise.


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## GraphicGr8s

Problem is you are counting on the fasteners to hold the weight.


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## GraphicGr8s

stingray said:


> I built my stand with 2x4 but never again. 2x4's are the worst wood for lining up due to their rounded edges. Instead, my next stand I'm thinking of maybe combining smaller and more straighter wood together to come up with an acceptable alternative like two 2x2 which come out to 3+ inches. Start it the right way with perfectly straight wood all around. Straight edges combined with a level floor makes for an easy stand build.


If you're so worried about rounded edges just rip them to get a nice crisp edge. You can take off just enough to get rid of the roundover. Then of course you can then run sandpaper over it to break that nice sharp edge that's subject to splintering. 2 2 x 2's won't be as strong as a single 2x4. And it will lead to problems with the fasteners whether screws or nails.
In any type of stand you want 4 points (depending on length of stand) of contact with the floor. You don't want a 2 x 4 running the entire length in contact with the floor. That bottom shelf should be up at least an inch or two.


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