Cinder Block Stand Questions + Reinforcing Cabinet?

You are Picasso in disguise

How'd you know?

 

Would a 2x10 work if I just put 2 planks? The plywood at my local hardware store sells them so big, I wouldn't know what to do with the excess pieces of wood personally.

just take the measurements and call them and see if they can cut u the sizes you need. I'm just partial to plywood i guess but the boards will also work i'm sure.

 

just take the measurements and call them and see if they can cut u the sizes you need. I'm just partial to plywood i guess but the boards will also work i'm sure.

Ill do that, still figuring out exact measurements for now, so ill have to see

 

I would personally stick with just a 4x8 sheet of plywood two by whatever size boards are a lot of times bowed and curved and everything else. The plywood is beyond more support than u need and that way you can cut to size the pieces as you go ( future projects/more tanks ) or just bring the measurements u want to the store and have them cut it for u. I'll add pics from my phone in just a minute! And if u want you can always cover the fronts and sides with a piece of fabric and a couple tacks so it covers the blocs or paint them and leave them exposed.

just noticed the pics now, they look pretty good for just concrete and wood, also love your tanks!

 

Update here is a more finalized plan that looks a bit better lol



Edit: Fish size is so inaccurate excuse my digital drawing

 

Hey there everyone so I've built a cinderblock stand for my bow front and since it's cheap I'd rather go this route with a new 75 gallon I purchased. My question is for my bow front which is 26 gallon I believe I was fine just leveling and putting the bricks on the edges, for a 75 gallon do I need to also put a stack of bricks in the center? I'm planning on laying a piece of 3/4 plywood ontop of the cinder blocks and then a piece of foam on top of the wood. My only question concern is about the middle of the stand needing the cinderblocks or not I'd rather have that part open if it's possible. Advice would be appreciated.

 

I love the idea is simple and effective. But to answer your question. I'd go all the way across with a 75 just to be safe. I mean if there were only say a foot gap I might say don't worry about it but anymore and you're entering a different world. But cinder blocks is ingenious i mean i held up a ram 1500 on one side with some because I only had one jack so they're plenty tough.

 

It looks nice and it's making me second-guess a stand that I was going to build out of wood. I second the advice with a 75 of having the extra support there on that long of a tank.

Out of curiosity, what did you use to paint the cinder blocks?

 

Exactly I wanna know because that is nice.

 

I used a black acrylic paint (I believe valspar was the brand) from Lowe's I just used up all the quart i got I think it was like 4 or 5 coats I just used a brush to paint. I also painted the plywood. I really liked how it came out too it filled all the texture holes of the cinderblocks. The fluval 207 just barely fit in the gap.

But yeah I guess I'll have to add a center pillar of cinderblocks to be safe.

 

If you don't want to do cinder blocks in the middle then lay a couple of 2x4's across and then lay the plywood on top of this. I wouldn't use the foam this will cause you more problems then good. The plywood is fine all by itself to set the tank on, that is unless there is problems or something wrong with the plywood.

My 55 gallon which is the same length as your 75 gallon is setting on painted 3/4" marine plywood.

 

Dude I've been trying to figure out a stand for like 3 days now. I've got 3 dovii cichlids 1 jaguar and one green terror coming next week and have been killing myself trying to figure out how to go about building a stand to handle the load and here you go with simple brilliance.

 

If you don't want to do cinder blocks in the middle then lay a couple of 2x4's across and then lay the plywood on top of this. I wouldn't use the foam this will cause you more problems then good. The plywood is fine all by itself to set the tank on, that is unless there is problems or something wrong with the plywood.

My 55 gallon which is the same length as your 75 gallon is setting on painted 3/4" marine plywood.


View attachment 719919

I never would've though 2×4 would work. But I get nervous at times and would've broke the bank on 4×4. But apparently they work nice setup.

 

If you don't want to do cinder blocks in the middle then lay a couple of 2x4's across and then lay the plywood on top of this. I wouldn't use the foam this will cause you more problems then good. The plywood is fine all by itself to set the tank on, that is unless there is problems or something wrong with the plywood.

My 55 gallon which is the same length as your 75 gallon is setting on painted 3/4" marine plywood.


View attachment 719919

Oh wow I definitely will go the 2x4 route. With the plywood. I like the cinderblocks sturdiness but on the smaller tank it's hard to work around because of the tight spaces.

 

Going to be getting supplies tomorrow I'll picture the progress

 

We were discussing making a stand out of cinder blocks back in June. @kallililly1973 showed me one he had made using plywood. I already had the stand but the plywood idea was great and I'm using it on my 20g long. I didn't think about painting the wood. It would have looked better!

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfi...208a-276a-4aad-8c1d-94a36d66a6bd-jpeg.705498/

 

We were discussing making a stand out of cinder blocks back in June. @kallililly1973 showed me one he had made using plywood. I already had the stand but the plywood idea was great and I'm using it on my 20g long. I didn't think about painting the wood. It would have looked better!

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfi...208a-276a-4aad-8c1d-94a36d66a6bd-jpeg.705498/

Nice I like the way it came out with the shelf. I think I'm only going to go 3 blocks high on the other I went 3 high plus the cap pieces and wood and feel like that's perfect viewing for me. So 3 blocks high plus 2x4 and plywood should be perfect I'll still buy extra in case.

 

Youtube vid on building a 75 gallon stand.

 

Didn't get a chance to get to Lowe's but decided to get 4ftx2ft plywood and 3 of each of these on the side since it'll make 24"this way I don't need to cut anything the 6, 2x4s will also not need to be cut but just once in half since they come in 8ft length. Will be posting more as I go hopefully it turns out good.

 

id thought about this myself. i mean if the tank can bow forward, i can possibly bow downward? i mean im picturing the tank just braking in the bottom center like a large dump and then you are screwed

 

I don't think it will give in the middle with plywood and 2x4s

 

I forgot to mention landscape timbers earlier, because these are super strong. You could go without the plywood and 2x4's and just use these. Landscape timbers are cut flat on two sides so they don't roll and the tank can set on them.

 

I've used them on 55s before first thing is lay them down long ways and do use in center an aquarium is designed that most of the weight is on the corners but it doesn't do harm to support the center