Anything to know when building a stand?

Stand prices are OUTRAGEOUS! In some cases they cost more then the tank size it holds up! (And thats with starter kits!) $90 for a 20 gallon wooden stand! So i come to the conclusion that the only option is to build my own. My friends got wood, got mateirals, i know measurments, i know how much weight it has to hold, but anything extra i should know?

 

well, all i can think of is to make sure it has good support, has a few inches on each side that the tank isnt on so teh tank wont overhang, and use quality wood.

 

yeah i built my own for my 55. be sure that it's level. make sure that you put enough bracing to keep it from tilting side-side or front-back. when you think you have enough, brace it some more. i don't know what size tank you are putting on it but when you get it done, get up on it and jump up and down. push it around, make sure that it will hold way more than you intend for it to.

use long screws. nails will work themselves out of the wood over time.

good luck

 

I learned from experience not to use a solid top on the stand. If you look at all the comercial stands they use stacked 1"x4" or 2"x4" around the perimeter of the stand for support. The reason for this is, if you use a solid top on the stand it tends to warp, leaving gaps where there is no support for the tank. The result is a pressure crack on the bottom of the tank.

 

Also, make sure you have a good base to prevent tipping, and if you wanted, you could build cupboards into it. I built a stand for my 33 and the cupboards underneath are perfect for storing food and equipment.

 

I got it built, it has 4 legs to hold it up, not a square base, so it could be tipped if u pushed it, it doesnt have a cupboard but it has a sub-shelf, which holds everything like food and condtioner, im gonna put my guppy tanks which im breeding guppies there. The stand it big enough to hold a 29 gallon but im using it for 20 gal, the top board, looking from the underside, it has developed a few minor cracks which consern me, any tips?

 

it'll probably be fine. 20 gallons isn't very much weitght. what did you use for the top?

 

I dunno, on the top, put contact cement, then like this waterproof plastic cover