So i built my own stand for my FW 75

[ErikAnderson]

The whole reason i am here (sw community) is because i moved Frank The Oscar out of his 38 which i adopted him in and put him in a 75. After doing this it dawned on me that i had way too much spare time and money on my hands and what better of a way than starting up a SW system.

Only bad side was that franks new tank was on a VERY small stand. As a military guy i understand the value of sound construction over eye candy. I wanted to build a stand that could take a charging rhino and laugh about it. I am not however a carpenter.

The stand is made with an intentional 4inch (iirc) lip on the right side to place food, salt, and whatever else. Legs are 4x4s that stand 3 feet tall, i wanted the tank more up in my face. the cage around the legs on the top and bottom is cedar, so are the top boards that the tank rests on. Those are held in with 3 inch drywall screws. Everything is held together with 7 inch (iirc) lag bolts. Then slap a coat or two of stain on it (first time for that, yesch...) and some sealer and i am ready to go.

Ignore the power strip, i have it hanging under the stand and it must of fallen down, i am going to fix that as soon as i get done typing.
Like the little ghetto stand under the fluval? yeah i needed another 4 inches of lift on the canister, so i threw that together really fast. This weekend the bottom shelf will go on and that stand will go away.

 

[mojoreef]

Looks good eric!


Mike

 

[wanareef]

Me too - nice looking stand.

 

[WaterDogs]

That looks really good and strong! How is it without bracing? Sturdy?

 

[ErikAnderson]

the stand is more than enough for my 75.
very sturdy, does not rock or sway at all.

i would reccomend this simple design for anyone who wants to build a cheap stand fast. even after staining and sealing it the total cost was right at or just a little under 100 dollars. And that was with buying good cedar, i could of cut another 15-20 off it if i would of just used pine.

 

[wrightme43]

I like it, and later you could always get crazy and skin it with captive panel doors and sides. I just learned how to make them from a wood working guy here in town. I got the stuff for the router and made my first one the other night. It is just the lid for another canopy I made. I am going to be making a new canopy and stand for my tank that is taller and doesnt have the design flaws that went into my first canopy. I am up to 4 of them made now. Everyone that sees them wants me to make them on too. I am just charging the price of a tool now untill I get all the tools I want. Then I will see if the LFS will buy them from me. I like your design there. I may use it if you dont mind for a less expensive stand. Since its cedar, I bet it would make a nice design for a next to the BBQ stand outside as well. What do you think? Steve

 

[ErikAnderson]

I like it, and later you could always get crazy and skin it with captive panel doors and sides. I just learned how to make them from a wood working guy here in town. I got the stuff for the router and made my first one the other night. It is just the lid for another canopy I made. I am going to be making a new canopy and stand for my tank that is taller and doesnt have the design flaws that went into my first canopy. I am up to 4 of them made now. Everyone that sees them wants me to make them on too. I am just charging the price of a tool now untill I get all the tools I want. Then I will see if the LFS will buy them from me. I like your design there. I may use it if you dont mind for a less expensive stand. Since its cedar, I bet it would make a nice design for a next to the BBQ stand outside as well. What do you think? Steve

you are more than welcome to use the design.
lol comming from three generations of carpenters this is the best i could do :lol:
but i just wanted something that could take a charging linebacker.

If you take a close look at alot of the stands at the LFS you will be amazed at how flimsy and cheap they are. I have seen particle board stands that are supposed to hold up 55gal tanks. And 1x4" legs that are supposed to hold up 75gal tanks.
The very last thing i need in my life right now is to have about a thousand pounds of tank, stand, rocks, water, and angry oscar fish come crashing down on my living room floor. Granted the carpet is garbage, but there is a genuine hardwood floor under it that i am planning on bringing out and making shine here in the next few months.

My SW tank (38gal) is on a VERY crappy LFS stand, particle board legs and a bolt setup that would make a structural engineer crap. THat one is my next project. I will probably make it a bit more pretty though, i was thinking of gluing bands of different wood together and then sanding and staining.

erik

 

[wrightme43]

Cool that will look nice, I was thinking about red oak structure wood on my stand with knurly birch plywood for the captive panels on my stand.

 

[ErikAnderson]

some time i plan on putting a skin around it. i did not live up to my word and put the bottom floor in yet... its funny how the brain puts off a 1 hour job so much

gah... tomorow.