QUESTION REGARDING DIY FISH STAND

[Howdoiplayxx]

Hey guys i was curious if anyone had plans or knows where/how to build the following:
i have several tanks ranging from 10,20,29,30,55 gallon and i would like to construct a shelf structure of somesort that i could "stack" them on top of one another with shelves that pull/slide out. it would be kind of like a space saver idea rather then putting them side by side, im sure everyone has seen/knows what im referring to. im having a little trouble on picturing how i could get it to support the tank when i pull it out....any comments/questions/criticism is helpful and appreciated. im not necessarily stacking 5 tanks, and obviously i would do it according to weight from top to bottom....thanks guys.

 

[big train]

I have never seen anything like that but it is possiable it would take big money imo u would have to have heavy steel racks on big heavy duty ball bareing rollers and a 55 gal full may be to heavy to [pull] out and have it floating in air with only 2 points of contact to the frame so what iam saying is u probably don't want to spend the cash on this project.lol

 

[blacksmith37]

Yeah, what big train said. You can get some very strong moving shelves in auto parts and industrial warehouses ; but it woud be very impractical (anchoring to floor and walls). Only NASA has the money ( and fools) that would do this. Two high aquariums already require ladder to get in the top ( except maybe 10gals). A friend has a shop where he went 3 high ( with permanent stands), and after a few years he doesn't use the top row of tanks.

 

[gomezladdams]

The roll out shelf idea is cool but too expensive.
I have wooden racks 3 tanks high in my fishroom,plety of room to get in the tanks.I have 1 rack of 15g tanks 4 high thats a little tight to get into but still very functional.

Its relativly easy to build tank racks that you have room to get into and still cheap,without the roll out idea.If you want you could build so that each level going up sets back 4-6" like you see in some petstores

 

[CHOMPERS]

Here are the weights of the tanks (water only). Smaller tanks can be placed on roll out racks but I have not seen anything that will stand up to the larger ones.

10=83.3 lb
20=166.6 lb
29=241.5 lb
30=250 lb
55=416.5 lb

Check around for what is available for shelf rollers in your area. Here at HD & Lowes they have heavy duty shelf brackets that are rated for around 100 lb. The problem with pull out tanks is if the rack topples it will do so when you or someone else pulls out one too many. In other words, when someone is about to be under it. Still your best bet is Gomezladdams suggestion of staggering the tank widths.