Stand for 75 Construction Help

[starsplitter7]

I may be the new owner of an old 75 gallon aquarium. It needs a stand. I am not handy. I have few tools.

Could you give me plans for a *very easy*, inexpensive stand to make? Pictures would be really helpful. I am thinking probably just wood. 2 X 4s I imagine and nails. What else would I need? What do I use for the solid top piece? Maybe a shelf in the middle. No doors. Nothing fancy. I have never constructed anything. The tank is four feet long I think.

I will fill up the tank before I fill it up with fish. Hopefully there are no cracks. The plastic that holds the hood has a crack. I will need to figure out how to fix that. As long as the glass is sound, I imagine I am okay. This tank is selling for $75 with hood, nothing else. That's still an excellent price, isn't it?

This will be the new home for my bichir, eel, plecos, Featherfins, Croaking catfish, ropefish and probably my Clowns.

Thank you. Tanja

[Diana]

Use screws and carpenter's wood glue, not nails. Pre-drill all the holes, do not trust self-tapping screws.
Make a box out of 2 x 4s standing on edge. This will exactly fit the size of the tank so that the rim of the tank fits on the center of the 2 x 4s. It must be very carefully put together so the top is completely level. One way to do this is to assemble it on a very flat surface, upside down.
Then make an exact copy of this, for the bottom.
Set up some 2 x 4s vertically, 2 in each corner. Screw and glue these into place.
Very carefully measure and cut diagonals for the back and ends.
You can measure and cut a floor to rest on the 2 x 4 bottom, to act as a lower shelf. You do not need a shelf for the top; most tanks are designed to rest on their rim. If you want to use plywood as a top then use about 1/2" thick material and paint it well. Even exterior grade plywood needs protection from the moisture. The actual weight of the tank is carried by the 2 x 4s. If the rim of the tank does not line up over the 2 x 4s then the plywood is holding the weight, and must be thicker, perhaps 3/4" subfloor material.


Another option: Make only one of the boxes and support it on concrete blocks (8 x 8 x 16 APUs)

[starsplitter7]

Thanks Diana. I can almost see it. Thanks for the screw and glue info. Do you put the screw in the hole and glue. Or glue in the hold and screw? I am really unhandy. I am embarrassed to admit, I will probably have my mom help. She is good at any kind of construction.

[Diana]

Put the glue between the two pieces of wood that you are connecting. Do not bother gluing the screws in place. I actually use a little Vaseline to help get the screws in easier.

[plaalye]

Lots of good tips from Diana as always. Screws/predrill/construction adhesive at joints. Be sure that your vertical 2x4s are under the horizontal 2x4s of the top actually bearing the weight, not just screwed to the side whereas the screws would be bearing. I use what is called a half lap joint where you cut away half the thickness of one of the pieces(or equal to the thickness of the added piece) to accept the cross members. For a 4 ft. tank I add a center vertical support. Sorry i don't have pics.
Have a look at this forum there are many threads and suggestions.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/8 ... tands.html

[wasserscheu]

there are light weight bricks (in German "ytong") which are foamed croncrete.
Put those above each other and put a 1" plywood over it, cover the plywood with a really sturdy foil or paint it water proof. Put some foam between bottom and board to prevent cracking of the bottom glass.

The ideal bending curve is reached once the stands are inside the outer edges. Means the board may stand out(over) the stand about 20% of the lenght of the board (measured from the CENTER of the stand).

Coke bottle-cases do an excellent job for a quick setup. The cases can be trimed with any nice woodboard of choice, just for decoration. That way there is no risk of the entire setup to collapse, you have seen mine (which is missing the trim ). Inside the case some thin boards could work as a shelf for storage of little items.

http://deters-ing.de/Statik/sockel.htm