Does anyone build their own tank stands?

I have a fair amount of hardwood waiting to be used up. I’m toying with the idea of building my own tank stands. What design considerations should I be aware of? Strength wise I’m not too concerned. I can make the stand capable of holding the weight and I’ll have adjustable height feet on it as my floors are not very level. What other things should I be worried about? Waterproof? Any design flaws you’ve noticed or things that would help me design a stand that would make life easier? Drawers/ no drawers / Cabinet doors/ open bottom/ some way to attach lights from above / etc. Any ideas to make the stand look nicer? Photos of your setup would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

 

Stand building is easy. Look up the king of diy. Many ideas. I built the stand for my 125
for my 90 I bought a buffet table made by Ethan Allen for $75. I reinforced the center and the back and repainted. Very happy with both.

 

Myself, i would be building some shelves into it or something. Currently have a 45g stand in the garage i have been modifying. Mainly just put worthwhile latches for the cabinet doors and adding a shelf or two inside. Also added a piece to the back to make it a bit harder for kitties to get at everything!

 

Stand building is easy. Look up the king of diy. Many ideas. I built the stand for my 125View attachment 721777for my 90 I bought a buffet table made by Ethan Allen for $75. I reinforced the center and the back and repainted. Very happy with both.View attachment 721778

They look sick well done !!

 

Look up the king of diy.

Wow, what a rabbit hole! I may not have time to build a stand now, with all the other things I want to build.

You’re right, he does have some pretty good ideas. Your stands look pretty nice. I’ve gone through the local yard sale sites looking for a decent table or similar that I could convert.I just haven’t been able to find something that would work well. If I end up building one (my wife would prefer I buy one and not spend hours in the shop), I’ll post photos here when it’s done.

 

If i had confidence in my carpentry skills i would never buy a tank stand again!

 

Not hard to build a basic stand out of 2x4s, and you'll get much better quality for the price than buying from most stores. Go for it!

 

Wow! Nicely done

Stand building is easy. Look up the king of diy. Many ideas. I built the stand for my 125View attachment 721777for my 90 I bought a buffet table made by Ethan Allen for $75. I reinforced the center and the back and repainted. Very happy with both.View attachment 721778

 

If i had confidence in my carpentry skills i would never buy a tank stand again!

The only weak points are the joints, provided the lumber is good quality. I often buy hardware for the joints when high strength is required. They make brackets that are hidden inside the material and invisible too. I know they say wood glue is stronger than wood, but sometimes I’ll use steel dowels too. The hard part for me is making it look good without having to put a table cloth over it.

 

The only weak points are the joints, provided the lumber is good quality. I often buy hardware for the joints when high strength is required. They make brackets that are hidden inside the material and invisible too. I know they say wood glue is stronger than wood, but sometimes I’ll use steel dowels too. The hard part for me is making it look good without having to put a table cloth over it.

I tend to be plenty handy in the garage but most of that is on mechanical things like trucks and bicycles. Not too shabby on plumbing and electrical, either.

 

Not hard to build a basic stand out of 2x4s, and you'll get much better quality for the price than buying from most stores. Go for it!

Exactly! And fairly forgiving if it’s not perfect. I think anyone with a hand saw, a drill and a screwdriver could make one. And make it look pretty decent.

 

I tend to be plenty handy in the garage but most of that is on mechanical things like trucks and bicycles. Not too shabby on plumbing and electrical, either.

Woodwork isn't much different. Cut some things to length, tighten a screw here, and another there. And voila, you have a table. You could also say you have a working outlet, or a faucet, etc. basically the same skills, just different tools. You won’t become a master craftsman without years of practice, but you could definitely build a 2x4 stand that does the job, and looks good enough for company.

 

All you need is a chop saw and a drill. Also it doesn’t take long. I have a thread “starting a 125 discus tank”. It starts with building the stand. Oh and a circular saw for the finish sides. If you want them. Cost was about 150-200.

 

Exactly! And fairly forgiving if it’s not perfect. I think anyone with a hand saw, a drill and a screwdriver could make one. And make it look pretty decent.

Yup. I whipped up a stand for my 10 gal with just 2x4s and a drill (got the boards cut at the hardware store). I used the Kreg Jig to get really strong box joints, but one can probably just use glue & normal screws.

 

Yes, I got a used bathroom vanity from the from a lical site, and modified the depth. Then with the bigger tank added on a section. The dog has her spot underneath, though she will lose that soon as I have too much fish stuff to store.
A piece of butcherblock tops it off.

 

I used a piece of plywood to add for my 20g long. I have a metal stand I used for the 10g but the 20g was too long, that is why I added the plywood.