Ok...diy Tank Stand Will This Work....?

[divegirl]

Am getting desperate here ........

I have the chance of a 55'x24''x24''....but cannot find a stand for it...the guy had made his own, and has utilised it his own new bigger tank . Well, when I say I can't find a stand, the one I found is a metal frame and costs approx £120 [see post below]
So browsing the net I found this......

http/saltaquarium.about.com/od/diystands.../diyaqstand.htm

I would 'beef' it up a bit.....4 stacks of blocks and double up the wooden struts.....and paint it a pretty colour

What do you all think?

Lisa x

 

[Bluefintuna]

Looks like a good simple idea, preety neat I think. I would lay the concrete blocks on their side for better balance, less likely to get toppled over could also no-nails some batton on the front and add doors easy enough.

 

[Neo8223]

easy peasy. id personally add a middle support beam too. Therefore theres less chance of the wood sinking in the middle (causing your glass to crack)

I made my own tank stand out of mdf. As long as you waterproof it, then its strong as! Below is a pic of it during construction. All you need is a ruler, circular saw and a few other things and you are done. Pic below was for a 2 foot tank, my dad did one for his 4*3 foot tank of similar design and its still going strong.

 

[divegirl]

So...if I was to do a stack in each corner and one in the middle it should be OK?

Just got to get my hands on the tank now!!!!

Lisa x

 

[Neo8223]

So...if I was to do a stack in each corner and one in the middle it should be OK?

Just got to get my hands on the tank now!!!!

Lisa x

yup should do!

 

[waterdrop]

Looks like a good simple idea, preety neat I think. I would lay the concrete blocks on their side for better balance, less likely to get toppled over could also no-nails some batton on the front and add doors easy enough.

I'm not a mechanical engineer or construction person but I thought cinder-blocks had directionality to them. I thought their weight-bearing was supposed to be done with them standing upright.

 

[Kizz]

That is pretty much exactly how my 4 foot stand is built and my partner's 6 foot stand on the 4 foot i've got 4 Aireated?blocks on there side 2highx 2wide on each side these sit on a 1/2 inch thick bit of mdf i then have 2 further block supporting the back in the middle and a further 2 supporting the front with wooden support bracing at the front to take any extra weight with a further piece of MDF of the top

WE got them out of BnQ under 2 quid per block then just went to the kitchen department and bought some cupboard door's for the front and either end

Can show you pic's if you wish

 

[divegirl]

Yes please!!! Pics would be more than helpful!

Won't know if I'm getting the tank til tomorrow....but starting to get a little excited I really need to upgrade my Clown Loaches! I've been looking for the right tank for ages....and now it's like I'm in a house buying chain! If my friends friend gets his upgrade I get mine....but he won't get his unless the seller of his 6' gets his 8'

Will look into the weight bearing issue Waterdrop....and will let you all know what I find out! I assume you mean on their side [long side to the floor], but at only about a £ each....I could buy 40 and still save cash on a 'built' stand.
One of my neigbours has some 6' pallets sitting in their front garden too....am going to ask if they want rid of them.....would save money on the 2"by 4" wood.....then I'd just need two sheets of heavy duty ply to make a re-enforced base [and no...I can't afford Marine ply!!!!]

Lisa x

 

[Kizz]

Few pic's for you hun

How it look's with the door's on

Door's off

Inside to the left

Inside to the right

Middle view from the left

Middle view from the right

Hope they help you

 

[raptorrex]

I'm not a mechanical engineer or construction person but I thought cinder-blocks had directionality to them. I thought their weight-bearing was supposed to be done with them standing upright.

this is VERY true. they may well crumble when on their sides.

gota say, Kizz, that's a nice view of how to do it

 

[Kizz]

Thanks Tank was set up the exact same way for over 3 years in my partners house never had to replace the block's just be carefull with them as do they chip very easily

 

[divegirl]

Cheers for the pics

One question! I know these blocks are a 'uniform' size, but is there much difference in the stacks? Albeit a centimeter or so? Does the weight of the tank basically balance the blocks out? OK that was two questions....and I'm hoping it makes sense....am thinking compression of the wooden base + polystyrene layer will level it!!!!
But hey I'm a female....what do I know

lisa x

 

[Kizz]

They all sit perfect i used MDF on top of the bricks so i guess that takes the brunt of the weight the weight of the tank will level out any issue's . Me and 3 of my mates got on top of the stand after i had built it to make sure it was safe and it never budged lol.The brick you can see in the very last picture is a diffrent kind of brick to the rest hence the cement stuff he used used on the top but even at that the gap was only about 3mm if that .I suppose when you have a tank with 100G+ sitting on it you gotta be extra carefull lol

 

[River Dog]

I have used blocks and on their sides, I have three rows and 6x2 wooden beams across the top, and it holds my 6x2x2 easily. It has been up for just over a year. I then covered the front with an mdf board stained the same colour as the beams.

 

[Neo8223]

Hey. Polystyrene should level it at the same gradient. However, it wont render it at a perfect horizontal angle. Hopefully the bricks will do that tho. mix n match.