Building my own stand

[Julie's Julies]

I need to build my own stand. It would be for a standard 55-gallon glass tank. My current 55-gallon is on a manufactured stand that basically has thick legs at each corner of the tank and then some 2x4's running along the top perimeter of the stand on which the tank sits. The center is hollow.

If I copy this example using 4x4's for the legs, will this be sufficient? My current tank is plexi and my new one is glass, so there is a little bit of weight difference and I want to make sure my home-made stand will hold the recommended 500lb. weight.

Thanks for any suggestions, recommendations, and insight.

[emc7]

Better go up a little on your weight estimate. 458 lbs for just 55 gallons of water, not counting tank, gravel, lights, etc. But I do think 4x4 would be sufficient (they hold up my 2nd story deck). A glass tank only needs support around the edges. Look at where the tank is going. If the legs would sit between joists, I'd make the bottom similar to the top to spread out the weight and avoid floor dents. If the legs will sit on joists, you'll be fine with legs.

[Danh]

You can use two stacks of cinder blocks.. one stack on each side. The stand for an acrylic tank should really support the entire bottom of the tank.

[Julie's Julies]

Thanks for the info. Our floor is concrete, so there's no worry about where the legs land on the floor. It is a good thing to consider, though, if we ever move...so maybe I will take that precation anyway.

I didn't know about plexiglass tanks needing support all across the bottom. Thank you for pointing that out. We will see what we can to to fix that.

[Gump]

Here is how i built the stand for my 75 and its way over kill. You really don't need 4x4s but it its only a few extra dollars just make sure you cut them clean as a circular saw wont make it in one pass.

[emc7]

Gump, thats awesome, solid and square. How did you hold the cross pieces (top and bottom middle) in? I don't see any fasteners.

I made a headboard out of 2 x 4s and wanted to put screws through the 4" side, but couldn't find any 6" screws.

[Gump]

That was weird, it was showing two of the same pic so I uploaded the three again. To hold the center pieces in i put screws in at an angle (can't remember the term) from the center to the main frame. You can see the black dot(screw head) on the right side of center piece in the 2nd pic. I also put a piece of plywood on the bottom to make a flat bottom for the filter to sit on.

[Danh]

Toe nail/screw is the term for angling them. Nice stand gump. I also like your 450 stand.. Although I feel that my cinder blocks do the trick just as well, without so much work. I draped a piece of black fabrick over mine to make it look better.. although with your 450 you have much more space underneith. I agree your 75 is overkill... A glass tank definitely doesn't need to be supported with ply.. nor does it need 4x4.. but it will DEFINITELY do. Doesn't appear to be too expensive... and rather than panneling it, apply the black fabric drap to help with save $$$