Basic Aquarium Stand Instructions: DIY Project

 

Well, I've had fish for almost 10 years now, and after several rough starts, I finally got some to live and thrive. And thrive, oh they have! I find it truly amazing that such small goldfish can become HUGE goldfish in such a short span of time. It just took alittle understanding about what they needed to make everything fall in place. Water, food, and more food. Clean the filter once a month, change some water, and feed them more. Happy FISH. What more could a fish ask for?

 

Well, since 4 of them have simply out-grown the 45 gallon tank they lived in (and the 20 gallon the other two lived in had to be moved), I figured it was more than time to do some serious upgrading. Going all out with a 75-gallon tank. WOW! That gives each fish a minimum of 12.5 gallons per fish. I want more, but price and building constraints start becoming an issue.

 

The typical 75 gallon tank is 48" x 18" x 18". The water is estimated to weight in at 750 lbs. Plus the weight of the glass, rocks, filter, glass tops, etc…total weight is estimated at 950 lbs +/-. Whoa…..that's an eye-opening amount. Well, I looked into getting a Iron stand like I had with the 20 gallon, but they are as much as the tank and I just don't trust it to hold. The fancy wooden stands at the LFS weren't better; they either looked too weak to hold or ran twice as much as the tank itself.

 

So, while at the LFS (local fish store) I noticed how they had their tanks set-up. 55's, 75's, 90's, even 125's were set-up resting on a column of cinder blocks, painted black. I loved it! Strong, steady, easy to decorate, cheap too…only one thing stopped me from running out and "acquiring" the blocks. The Weight! If I estimated the weight of the full tank at 950, how much more would all those block throw into the mix? I know the building I live in is very well made (upstairs tenant had (2) 125 gallon tanks in his living room and I live on in the ground) but that much weight may be the straw that broke the camel's back.

 

So, off to the Internet for help. After several days of homework, I finally narrowed my plans down. Turns out wood is a lot stronger than I gave it credit. Many plans were simply made with 2x4's, including LFS set-ups. Many people used MDF board, which is very strong material, but for me the cons out-weighed the pros for the material. Also found out my original design had MAJOR flaws. Screws should not be used to hold the weight; rather the design should rely on the wood. Lag bolts would work, but good old Deck Screws and Wood Glue will too. I truthfully didn't want a fancy-smancy base. I rather have a well made one covered in fabric than a ritzy wooden monster. So, I had the plan, I started up my AutoCAD for some well-drawn plan designs.

 

Now, if you have access to AutoCAD, you can download my DWG's and print out the plan set. Otherwise, you can view the JPG files. Here is a complete material list:

 

§         (3) 2x4x12’

§         (2) 2x4x10’

§         (20) 2 1/2" wood screws, galvanized preferred

§         (28) 5" lag bolts w/ match nuts and (56) washers

§         Wood glue or construction adhesive

§         Drill & drill bits to match screw type

§         Handsaw

 

This is the minimum needed to make the basic stand. Nothing fancy, no sides or bottom shelf. I can do wood working myself, but I really have no space for it. In addition, I don't like splinters. All of the wood can be cut at the location you buy it from. Lowes & Home Depot will cut the boards into the sizes you need, most of the time free. Just make sure you measure twice, cut once.

 

For the cuts, here's a cheat list:

¨       (2) 2x4x10’ = 49",49",16"

¨       (2) 2x4x12’ = 16",16",30",30",23"

¨       (1) 2x4x12’ 0= 23",23",23",23",23",23"

 

Now, if you can't access power tools, you can make do with just a handsaw (you'll need the drill either which way). With this plan, the weight is on the upright wooden members, with only 1 small cut down on the tops and bottoms of the 30" 2x4's. You will be using (2) 2x4's for the legs; they will be screwed and glued together. The construction adhesive will make the bond tighter, but wood glue will work. They will have to be screwed and set over night before the rest of the construction. MAKE sure to follow the design and check everything twice BEFORE screwing - the cut pieces have to be done right or they will be wasted.

 

Now, if you are wondering why the sizes are as they are, 2x4's are not 2" x 4". They are in fact closer to 1.5" x 3.5". The sizes listed allow for this fact as well as give the stand a 1/2" lip per side on the top for the tank to overlap on. Measure the size of the wood you have, adjustments may be necessary to the design in order to make it square.

 

First things first; assemble the four legs. Gather your (4) 30" 2x4's and (4) 23" 2x4's. You'll need the handsaw, drill, the 2.5" screws, and glue. On the 30" pieces, at both ends (make sure they are done on the same sides!) mark the center point and measure out for the cut. (1.5" in and 3.5" down) These will be the inner braces for the tank legs. Now…you can use 4x4's for this instead of the 2x4's, but it requires access to a circular saw - which I am lacking. If you use 4x4's, subtract (2) 10' 2x4's and replace with (1) 10' 4x4 cut into 30" lengths. These will need to be notched out so that the 2x4's can still rest on them.

 

After notching the ends, take (4) 23" lengths and place them centered between the cuts on the first set of 2x4's (wide side). Make sure there is no huge gaps at the tops or bottoms. You want the top and bottom of the 23" boards to set flush with the cut you already did. At this point, glue the two boards together and place (2) bolts through both boards. Let them sit over night for the glue to set.

 

While waiting for the legs to cure, work on the top and bottom frames. Gather the (4) 49" pieces and (4) 16" pieces. These will be butt jointed together with the longer pieces on the outside. Remember to glue the joints BEFORE screwing them. Two screws per end will work for now, more can be added after the legs are ready. Make sure they are square; measure the diagonals. They should be the same dimensions.

 

The only pieces left are braces for either the bottom or the long sides. To save time, you can install the (2) 16" braces into the bottom frame, 15" from both ends. This is to give the stand a stronger base as well as diffuse the weight over a larger area. The last (4) 23" pieces have to be installed after the frames and legs are together, so set them aside for now.

 

After the glue has dried and set, full assembly can take place. It will help if you have 2 people, one to hold the pieces and one to drill/screw, but it can be done with one person. Start off by

Dry fitting the frame together, clamp if necessary, or get the other person to hold, you need to drill the corner boltholes. If you are by yourself, the dimension out the holes and drill each piece separately. Take a close look at the design plan to see which direction the 2x4's should be sitting in the corners. It is done for a purpose - to allow the upper frame to rest in the legs and diffuse the weight down through the legs into the lower frame. Make sure everything is as square as you can make it and that you GLUE the joints BEFORE bolting them. Trust me, this little step can be forgotten till the whole thing is together.

 

Now place the remaining frame on the top of the legs and repeat the process. Glue and screw, making sure everything is square. You will need do this - if it's not square, the frame may break and your fish and 75 gallons of water are all over your carpet. Not fun.

 

Now that the frame is together, place in the remaining (2) 23" pieces. The are 14" off from the edges. Now, you can simply screw into them diagonally, but if you have either T-brackets or Flat bar brackets, it will make the joint stronger. Glue also!

 

There you go. Your stand is now complete. It's not the prettiest piece of furniture you might have, but it will do the job. You didn't spend hundreds of dollars. Plus, you did it yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back - job well done.

 

Now, if you want a shelf, buy a piece of MDF or plywood and screw it on top of the bottom frame. You can either cut out the legs or just make it smaller (see the plan for ideas). Sides and a front would be pretty much the same, but on the front you can either make doors, buy some and hang them, or leave it open. The extra material will add extra strength to the stand, but the 2x4's will hold the brunt of the weight.

 

If you want to do as I did and cover the sides with fabric, buy a large piece about 90" long by atleast 33" tall. You can hang it in one piece, requiring you to lift the whole thing to access underneath or you can hang it in two pieces like curtains. Hem the edges (they make sew-less hemming tape that only requires an iron) and make an edge to support the attachment devices. Attach to the stand with either: hot glue, Velcro, or flat head thumbtacks. Done! If you use Cotton, it should be water safe and can be washed when it gets dirty (not if, but when).

 

Enjoy and be safe.

 

I am not responsible if any stand you make based upon my directions/designs fail and causes either personal injury or property damage.

Make sure the location you wish to install your tank is capable of supporting the weight of the FULL set-up (water, tank, stand, decorations, fish, ect).

Take all precautions when dealing with power tools.

 

 

Any questions can be addressed to me at this address: manymindsofsammn@yahoo.com.

 

PS: This stand design may be modified to fit just about any size of tank. This stand will also be suitable for 90 gallon tanks AS-IS. For 55 gallon tanks, decrease the width by 6" (48x18x12 tank size). Be aware that tanks larger than 120 gallons may require more support and thus larger wood pieces (like 4x4's or 6x6's). Do your homework BEFORE starting anything major such as this.

 

DWG/JPG files are copyrighted 2006 by myself. These directions may be printed for personal use. They may NOT be posted to any website (modified or not) without previous written permission to myself. Thank you. :)