55 Gallon aquarium stand for 42.06 (can be cheaper too) DUW

[Z Trip]

I recently purchased a 55 gallon aquarium and I needed a stand for it. I didn't want to buy one from the pet store because of their price. So I decided to build my own for the fraction of the cost. Here are the materials I needed:

2x4x92 5/8. 7 of them
Half Pound of 2.5inch screws

The rest of the stuff used is optional
Foamboard (1)
Foam Brush (1)
Wood Glue (1)

Here we go

You need (wood wize)

2x4x34" (8 of them)
2x4x10.5(6 of them)
2x4x48.5(4 of them)

Foam Brush and Half pound or 2.5" screws.

A swcrew driver can be used but I preffer mister drill.

Glue along with the foam brush is an option. But I do find it usefull to make things easyer.

Clamps are a very important tool to make a hard job very easy.

Glue 4 of the 34inch peices and clamp together. Make sure atleast one end is flat.

Start up on the frame using the longer and shorter peices.

The top and bottom will be made like this.

Once everything is glued together and screwed together, set it up like so and clamp it down. I used pencils to raise the frame just enough so that it was perfectly spaced.

This is what it looks like all done.

Side view

I used alot of screws for the top frame because it will be suporting the heavy aquarium.

I took it a little easyer on the bottom because no major weight will be on this level.

Next up is to cut the foam board. This is important because it will help level the tank once full of water. I used a dry wall square, tape measure and knife for this.

Measure with the tape, score with the knife then snap the board.

Without the tank. Foamboard in place.

With tank. I will be putting a peice of wood on the bottom so it can support the filter.

So there you have it. It worked out great because when I was all done I only had 3 screws left over. Because my floor is so messed up it took me a few fours to level everything off but now it holds water fine and I am not affraid of it falling appart lol.

Comments are welcomed

 

[Tilapia Buttikoferi]

Great idea and I dig the design except it has one flaw.

You need verticle supports. Right now the screws holding your side boards on are the only things holding the weight, and the stand will get flimsy and eventually fail over time. I made the same mistake in my 75 DIY thread but people brought it up and I fixed the issue and trust me I am way happier now knowing it will last way longer and I won't have to deal with a disaster on my living room carpet. You are right about the foam brush too, it made painting nooks and crannies wayy easier and cleaner for me.

I do also believe the foam pad is supposed to rest directly under the glass, inside the tank frame, not completely under the whole thing or else you might as well not have one at all..

 

[wizardslovak]

cool design but still you need vertical supports
4 more 2x4s cut and stuck on walls of your stand
but thanks , you gave me idea for stand

 

[poly-nomial]

I used a lame storebought stand, oh well.

 

[bob965]

You'd be better off letting the compressive strength of your vertical supports carry the load, rather than sideways force on a bunch of screws. Will it make a difference for a 55g tank? Probably not, just something to think about if you build another one. I don't think the foam serves much purpose either. I think that's more of an acrylic thing, since they need to be supported by a flat surface on the entire bottom. Glass tanks are designed to be supported just by the perimeter on the plastic frame.

 

[Z Trip]

Thanks for the answers guys. I thought I needed foam board oh well. Since the tank is full now I don't feel like emptying it. Along with the screws holding it their, what if I added some major bolts too. That should to the trick right?

 

[bob965]

It'll probably hold just the way it is. People tend to be extra conservative about DIY stands, and I don't blame them. 2x4's are cheap, and busted tanks are expensive. If you wanted to beef it up, I wouldn't add more fasteners, I would just cut 4 more lengths of 2x4 for vertical supports that fit between your top and bottom framing and put them in the corners

 

[brian.klean]

i like it

 

[Knowdafish]

It'll probably hold just the way it is. People tend to be extra conservative about DIY stands, and I don't blame them. 2x4's are cheap, and busted tanks are expensive. If you wanted to beef it up, I wouldn't add more fasteners, I would just cut 4 more lengths of 2x4 for vertical supports that fit between your top and bottom framing and put them in the corners

 

[BODYDUB]

It still looks good though..............