# Tank stand..



## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

In all the time I've been on here I've seen numerous thread about how somebody built their viv; yet never seen one about a fish tank stand.
When you look at the cost of a tank stand compared to a viv, they're bloody expensive just for a few pieces of MFC


** please excuse all the shite in the background of the pictures. I'm redecorating from floor to ceiling downstairs at the same time **

So here's my tank stand build! 

A few months ago I picked up a 60x18x24 tank with a home made stand. It does the job but as my house is tiny, I wanted it to be a bit higher; so I could put a chair in front if I needed.











*The build*

B&Q are currently doing lengths of kiln dried timber - 2400x38x63 for £2.60 each. Which will give an indication of the overall cost.
I got:
4 cut to 1455mm and a 914mm 
1 cut to 2 x 914mm and a 457mm
1 cut to 3 x 457mm and a 914mm

I also got two uncut lengths. Total cost - £20.80

The 4, 1455mm lengths are the width of the tank with a 457mm at each end to join them (5ft x 18inch) and the 914mm are the 3ft height.

I also had a bucket load of timber left over from other 'projects'. So here we have a whole shit load of wood.











and some important tools










Now although this is a really simple project, I'm an expert in this field so I have all the correct tools. If you're attempting it yourself you might have the correct tools, or you might have to drink straight from the can 
But as you can see from the pictures; I'm doing this build in the kitchen. I don't have a workshop, a garage or even a table saw; so it's better to get a lot of pieces cut to length at B&Q / whichever place you get it from if you don't have the correct tools.
I got the width, depth and main height pieces cut for me as these are the ones you really do want to be right!

So on with the build.

Drill a couple of pilot holes in the end pieces, I use a slightly bigger drill big to sink the screw and drill a shorter hole.










Attach to the ends of the long pieces to give a rectangle / frame










Attach both ends. 










I'm screwing and glueing for extra strength.










You can see the glue I'm using on the work bench on the above picture. I took a lot of time looking at all the different options available, and then just used the one I already had.


then do it all again so you have a top and bottom









As you can see; I was doing the washing as well... I'm just f*^king hardcore! and it really is that easy

When you've done that, add the uprights for the height.










I've put two screws in the front, two in the back and two in the side - as well as glue.


Just to show how you attach it. 








So you can see that this takes the weight of the tank. 

and how the leg looks










Then add all your other supports - as many as you want










I've got one in each corner, one at the back and two at the front as I'm having an external filter in the middle and shelves at each end. So having them at the front as they are will help me with the shelf positions. 

Then turn it upside down on top of the other frame










and screw the legs onto the top / bottom of the frame.

Now we add a few more supports onto the frame. Just measure between the internal top and bottom and cut the struts, think it was about 790mm..... and fit in

The pictures just show how this goes together



















and










This is pretty much really to distribute the weight. without these you're putting all the weight on the corner posts, but these give extra support as they're glued and screwed to the legs and extending the thickness of the corner. As I've got 7 uprights in total, I'm reducing the tiniest possibility of it bowing and sagging (although I'll mention more on that later)


At this point I ran out of timber this size so I couldn't add the extra support to the struts. I probably needed about 3 more to be safe. I do have other timber but as it's not the same thickness I'm just going to use that for additional braces (maybe), but tomorrow I'll finish the basic frame off.

At the minute it looks like (up against the tank that'll be going on it)










Some people may think they'd love to be able to build their own but can't.. but you only can't because you haven't tried.
I started building this at 8pm tonight and by 9pm I had most of it done, mainly because I had the wood cut for me. Anything after that was the internal struts, because I was measuring and sawing.
I didn't use anything more exciting than a drill, screwdriver and glue. 

you might also think that if you build one it'll fall down and your tank will smash - but that's far from the case. *This is ridiculously over engineered*; a shop bought one will just be made out of 18mm contiboard whereas this is made from timber and could probably hold a family sized car.

The back of this will be 18mm MDF - simply because I have a sheet of 5 x 3 upstairs doing nothing. I'll panel the sides and front out with 19mm smooth pine, and stick some MDF shelving inside for the filter and 'whatever' else.

The pine will be stained in a dark oak.


more pictures will follow as work progresses


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

Looks great! I've been watching a few youtube guides as I need to build a small one.

Nice dog aswell, not so sure about the taste in lager......:whistling2:


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

I watched far too many and then found Cichlid-Forum :: View Forum - DIY - Projects & Ideas which has far too many builds on there!

I built a smaller for my new tank as a tester, but it looks far too deep. It's only a 12inch deep tank I didn't want a really narrow stand, so I did it 18inches deep which makes the tank look lost.

Once you've got the frame you can stick whatever you like on it, MDF, plywood, decking, OSB etc. Depending on how small you want to do it, it shouldn't cost a lot especially at £2.60 a length of timber! 
You just have to make sure the width of the frame is as wide as the tank, so it's putting the weight in the right places.

the taste in lager is quantity over quality. Lower quality lager = I can drink more.


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

That's pretty cheap! Is it a special offer or is it just that low?

I only need it for a 75 x 30cm.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

I think it's just that low; wasn't any special offer signs up. If you want to go 38x89 it's only £3.18 for a 2400mm length


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## AshMashMash (Oct 28, 2007)

Bless ya Meko  looks good.


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## ianxxx (Apr 25, 2011)

Just a quick question, How many cans of larger were required to finish the build ? i dont want to skimp and would hate to start a job i cant finish. Thanks.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

I only got through 8, but if you get a crate you'll be fine.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

They can also come in smaller sizes.

I build a stand for a tank I've not set up yep, but I wasn't too keep in it as it's a lot deeper than the tank. 
I was trying to price up the cost of pine panels last night at B&Q and decided to have a quick look on eBay to see if there was anything on offer locally. Strangely enough, there was! somebody had pine cladding on their ceiling which they'd taken down. They were selling 27, 3.6mtr lengths for £11; so I paid him a tenner and picked them up today.
As there's more than enough for the big stand I decided to have matching stands. £10 later at B&Q .......................

Top and bottom frame









Couple of legs









Add the top









Big and little together









Just need one more length of timber so I can strength the legs and give me something to attach the sides to.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Seeing as I had the basic frames done I got on with other stuff I needed to do (mainly tiling the lounge floor), but seeing as that's almost done now (just needs tidying up) I did a bit more on the stands.

I already had a 5x3 sheet of 18mm MDF which I'm using for the back of the big stand, but for the rest it took 2 sheets of 18mm MDF. There's a bit left over but I need to do some shelves for the big stand.

All pre-cut by B&Q, although they're sick of the sight of me now :whistling2:. Last night I got a few panels for the big one and screwed them into the frame.











Then today I got the rest cut. The centre on the big one has a support leg in the way so I couldn't just use two sides and a base - I needed a back as well. So I put it together and slid it in. This one will have all the fish bits in; external filter, water pump etc, so I need to drill some holes through it and also through the back panel 

Middle section...










Slide it in










didn't think it was going to go at first but a bit of a wiggle and....








in

Panel up the small one









The high shelf is going to be the base, so the outer cover will come level with that.

both together




















Cost wise... still not silly expensive.

2 sheets of MDF = £35
Timber = £2.80 for 2400mm. Can't remember how many exactly but if it was 20 then the cost is £56

For the outside, I bought 100mtr of pine cladding for a tenner but I'm not too sure on it. I can get oak MDF so I might go for that but it's not cheap at £44 for an 8x4, I'll have a look and see what it looks like and if I can get enough to do both (and a hood for the small tank) out of a single sheet.
I could use ply but it's still quite rough unless you sand it down a lot, and then it needs staining.


But... the aim was to show it's not too difficult to build your own tank stand cheaper than you can buy them.


Next job - paint the skirting boards, then do the outer skin and set the tanks up.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

So off I went to Savoy Timber near work and bought an 8x4 sheet of MDF. It's bloody expensive but it's oak veneered so it has a nice grain to it











After I recovered from spending £41 on a sheet of wood that was slightly too small, I started screwing it on before throwing some dark oak stain.

I was busy getting pissed so I didn't get many pics. This is a bad one of the small stand










It's had a few more coats and I've painted the inside white; along with a dado rail along the top so it's not so plain.










As you can see, it's taken over the kitchen and lounge to do them
It's now set up and just getting the water up to temperature.

The big one had the same treatment











White inside, 5 coats of dark oak and a dado rail. Drilled a few holes in the back for cables and stuck the external filer in place. You can't see on the picture but just above the filter is a tiny shelf which has an air pump on










Tomorrow I'll be putting the tank on and starting to set it up.


Yes I will be putting doors on at some point, at the minute I a: can't be arsed doing them as I've not stopped for the last month, b: don't like spending £41 on a single 12mm sheet of MDF. When I do get it though, I'll do a hood for the smaller tank.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Right... So the tank went on, and some sand and rocks



















but as I'm going Malawi I needed more rocks for them to hide... and the sand hasn't settled on that pic.


Bigger rocks and slate went in



















but i wasn't too keen, so i had a change around last night. Still not perfect as i'm not overly keen on the slate so i'll probably pick up some more rocks when i see some, and build it up.











I do have a couple of none African in there.. I inherited this South American off a mate who had 3 that he bought as fry, but the two remaining ones didn't get on










and some clowns










and some random crappy shots















































Yes, i need to clean the class
Yes, i did take some with a calculator


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## jacko32 (Jan 26, 2012)

very nice build i just went and got 1 fabricated from steel tube didnt have the time or inclination to build my own you must have pretty high pH and kH for old world cichlids im surprised your clowns and GT are happy they must be well acclimatised.


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