Building double aquarium stand

I plan on building a double tank stand for my quarantine tanks. They’ll both be 10 gallons. How do I go about making such thing design wise? Usually 2 of the same size tanks don’t fit underneath each other due to the legs underneath. And my plan is to have 1 over the other because it’s the only way to make it work in the space I have. Anybody have any experience with this? Or any tips or ideas or just a general layout of it? I could make the top of the stand be a few inches bigger on all sides than the tank is, so the bottom tank fits snug underneath, and I could add a lip all around the top tank to make it snug as well. I live in earthquake country and just prefer to have a tank so small secured tight. I appreciate any ideas Thanks

 

That sounds like the way to go unless you can weld decently. Or try a utility rack from a hardware store or something, but those wouldn't leave the tanks quite so snug, necessarily.

 

Rip 2x4 down to actual 1.5x3 by taking a pass off each side. Cut dado joints as you don't need all the strength for tanks that size. Have a shelf above the top tank too for books or whatever (hospital tank maybe). Basically just make the middle part of my rack:



There are some photos of it being built in this album, I haven't done a write up yet but it's pretty easy.
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/media/albums/evolution-of-the-rack.7536/

Edit to add. If you do it small footprint and tall, make sure to put a lag bolt through the top into a stud in your wall to prevent tip overs.

 

Your idea sounds good. Just make sure to take into account the fact that any tank you get will need to be serviced, and that that takes room above the tank... an that that tank needs to sit on something other than air (my setup didn't take those things into consideration...especially the last point)

I used 2x3s (which are technically 1.5"x2.5" already). If you have a pocket hole guide for a drill, that is what I used (along with woodglue) and my 60g tank is just fine. You don't NEED it, but 3/4" plywood is what I would recommend for the shelves, with a frame of whatever wood you decide on around the corners.

 

You can build nice stands out of wood, if your handy.

What I see a lot of people do is get yourself cinder blocks ( you can paint them to match your decor ) then use 3/4 plywood as the shelf for the tank to sit on.

Just go to google and type if fish tank stand using cinder blocks, you will see some really nice stands

 

You can build nice stands out of wood, if your handy.

What I see a lot of people do is get yourself cinder blocks ( you can paint them to match your decor ) then use 3/4 plywood as the shelf for the tank to sit on.

Just go to google and type if fish tank stand using cinder blocks, you will see some really nice stands

If you went that way, use at least 2x2s under the plywood shelves. Just plywood WILL sag and even a 10g tank might crack or have some other issue if it isn't on a level, flat shelf.

 

If you went that way, use at least 2x2s under the plywood shelves. Just plywood WILL sag and even a 10g tank might crack or have some other issue if it isn't on a level, flat shelf.

You can, but a piece of 3/4" plywood that might be "lets say" 3 feet long is NOT going to sag. I will even bet that a 250lb man will be able to stand on it without a problem.

 

You can, but a piece of 3/4" plywood that might be "lets say" 3 feet long is NOT going to sag. I will even bet that a 250lb man will be able to stand on it without a problem.

I might be ok, but it DOES warp. I have a piece in my back wayward that has been standing up near vertical, with NOTHING on it, and it is warped.

 

I’ve made a number of double stand/racks, most recently set up my 75 gallon stand to hold 2 tanks underneath. Made racks with 2X4 and with 2X3. The bookshelf looking one is made out of common board and some 1X2, If I ever do it again though I’ll re-design it with more room to work on the tanks. Just some of the stuff I’ve done, hopefully some of it helps.

 

All weight goes to corners .
I have made stand to 120g tanks with only 2x4 on the corners ....
The dado is the way to make the top fit a tank under it IMO..
This is the stand I still use that holds 2 @ 60g above the bottom 80g ..


This is the stand for the 120g.The banding is really cosmetic .As long as the uprights can not wrack out of perpendicular you will be fine with whatever on top of stand .You can see I keep the uprights together in the back well below a level that supports the tank ..


Here it is holding the 120 full just for proof .The tank still stands today ..