# DIY aquarium stand



## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

Hi! Does anyone know if there is any infomation on the web on building a simple aquarium stand? I just need an nice stand for my very heavy 65ish gallon aquarium. The aquarium is very heavy since the glass is like 1/2 inch thick.

Thanks!


----------



## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

All the ones I found online were sorta ugly, so I decided to make this one myself:


----------



## dukydaf (Aug 31, 2004)

I also build my own and althou it was about 2 days of work with my dad it worth everysecond.
It is made from steel covered with some type of wood product.You can use plywood.If you want
photos PM me


----------



## tomas110011 (Jul 25, 2005)

I bought an old cabinate second hand and just ripped off all the old wood paneling and recovered it with MDF sheeting.

Looks much better and didn't need to worry bout structual issues with my frame.


----------



## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Jeff, here is a link for building your own stand... http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/DIY-Tank-Stand/11/


----------



## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

I am still wondering if the stand I build can withstand the 800 lbs. of my aquarium. Do you people use glue and nails to hold the wood together? Because when I went to the LFS to look at the aquarium stand, I couldn’t see any nails. I did get a stand for the aquarium I bought, but the wood is coming off and it looks old and ugly. What is MDF sheeting? Sorry, but I'm not really good with technical terms. 

Anyways, thanks for your replies!

-Jeff


----------



## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

MDF is medium density fibreboard or ranger board. it is a really dense fibreboard and would be a good choice to build a stand with. i would use glue and wood screws, and the results is a very strong object. if you built a similar stand with regular plywood and knocked on it, you would hear a decent echo. not so with a similarly built MDF stand. that sucker will be solid. the drawback is that it will be double the weight of a standard plywood stand.

the other problem is cut edges will not paint well, so you would need to attach wood trim if you want it to look good. it is also a good idea to protect cut edges from sustaining long exposures to water as the wood will swell.


----------



## Mjproost (Nov 17, 2005)

> I am still wondering if the stand I build can withstand the 800 lbs. of my aquarium.


If you take a close look at the stands they sell at the LFS, they are generally pretty cheaply made using thin materials. You couldn't see the nails because it was probably stapled and then wrapped on the outside with a fake wood looking stuff that resembles contact paper.

As far as you building a good stand, that is something you have to decide based on your on woodworking skills and confidence. But, as far as carpentry projects go, a basic stand is pretty easy.


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The two basic designs for stands are:
A load bearing frame made of something like 2 x 4's or 2 x 3's or angle iron, with a covering for good looks made of thin plywood or MDF.
Or, a box made of thicker plywood or MDF, with an opening in the front and back for access to any equipment under the tank. The weakest part of such a stand is the joints trying to resist coming apart when someone bumps or pushes on one side or end. So, the box needs some kind of reinforcing of the joints - metal angles or wood strips.
You do need some basic wood working tools and experience to do this well, but you can buy the tools and get the experience by making one, and still save money and have a stronger stand than the lfs stands.


----------



## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

I guess Mjproost is right, I just went to my local petco and the stands look pretty weak. I bought a book on building cabinets...so that should help. Is there a standard height for stands? How tall can it be?


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

From a practical standpoint a good height is one that lets you reach the bottom of the tank for planting, cleaning, etc. Or, if you don't mind using a stool to stand on, another good height raises the tank up to where you don't have to lean way over to look at the plants.


----------

