# Going to begin an aquarium stand soon



## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

The one thing I was curious about is having a full bottom or open beneath the tank. Should I plan on putting a piece of ply there or is it really not necessary. I've seen Loha's setup and many DIY stands that have nothing on the bottom. Just supports around the framing of the tank itself. 

Otherwise, don't really need help on this in the sense of construction. That will be a breeze. Plan on lots of 2x4's and a few 1x2's for trim of the tank itself. Basically creating a lip to cover the bottom seal of the tank so it can't be seen. After that it's staining time and whatever I use for cabinet doors. Undecided at that point just yet.

Wanted to know any tips and advice on mostly little things that you wish you put in/did not put in etc on yours or you wish you had (access points, dividers, etc). I know personally I hate the fact that my stand now has too many dividers and is too small for an appropriately sized sump if I wanted it. Barely enough room to fit my Fluval FX5 (maybe 2 inches on each side clearance). Big thing my Fiance want's is still an external shelf because this is where she keeps her records.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Records? under a fish tank. Not the best idea in the world. Maybe in a closed cabinet. Most tanks never leak, but sooner or later there will be a spill, a drip, a splash, on overfilling, something. You only need to support the sides. Having a dark bottom is nice for fish in a bare tank, but you can paint them black. 

I get aggravated by my end-wise tanks and their length-wise lids. If I want to stick a little power filter on I have to pull the lid funny and let it stick out. On a redo, I would have the tanks end to instead of side by side. Double sided, it would be about the same size. Either that or get end-wise lids with a cut-out on one end and the hinge across the short side of the tank. I made one like this, but my glass-cutting skills need work.

I hate it when tanks are too close vertically, I have one I can't put big rocks in. But 3 high and plenty of room to work means having to stand on a 3 step stool to do anything to the top tier. This in not ideal either. 

I have concrete blocks for the uprights and they work great, but replacing them loha's wood uprights would give me room for another tank on each level. Even better would be steel, since I'd only need 1", but that takes real money.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

Side access doors are nice. 

As for the ply, you wouldn't need any on top unless it was a rimless tank.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

*Emc7* - I feel ya. But it's one of those things that I'll let her learn on her own. I told her it wasn't a good idea her response was " You take care of your fish tank so I'm sure it will be fine." I think I might just tell her it's going to cost me $40 extra to build a space for them and make her move them just because. 

But fortunately, and I understand what you're saying, I only have my 125 to deal with versus multiple tanks stacked. Steel is expensive as all get out, cheapest way to do it is angle iron, but still flippin expensive versus just plain ole pine from home depot/lowes. This is the way that it will always be for me, dedicated tanks for display and my own viewing. And the bottom of the tank will always have gravel, so no see through for me.

*Funlad3* I was thinking about side access but for how my house is laid out with the entryway into the kitchen/dining room right there, wouldn't make sense. On the other side is the cold air return for my AC. With 3 access doors on the front, should be more than adequate space there for me. None the less, right now all I have are my aerator, canister filter, and all the electrical with drip lines. As far as the ply on top, I was talking more on top of the stand I'm making being beneath the tank. Much like the store bought stands that have a solid sheet of MDF on top and supports underneath.

I think the only thing that I was really considering is a setup to house a surge protector built in. As where right now I just have a nail in the wall for a drip point and the surge protector on the ground laying on it's side.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

blindkiller85 said:


> As far as the ply on top, I was talking more on top of the stand I'm making being beneath the tank. Much like the store bought stands that have a solid sheet of MDF on top and supports underneath.
> 
> I think the only thing that I was really considering is a setup to house a surge protector built in. As where right now I just have a nail in the wall for a drip point and the surge protector on the ground laying on it's side.


Yeah, I know. On a tank with a rim, only the rim needs to be supported, as it's the on;y part supporting any weight. Now if it were a rimless tank, then then you'd need to have the ply on top of the stand, otherwise the tank would crack. Your tank has a rim though, so you only need to worry about supporting the edges.

A GFCI outlet would be a great idea; I replaced one of my outlets with one of them before I hooked up the 90 gallon reef, and for the $20 and the five minute time investment, I know I won't regret it. Not only does it trip if I run too much electricity (everything turning on at once for example), it turns everything off in the presence of water, helping to prevent fires. Then again, that's basically the same thing. Regardless, GFCI is a great $20 to spend. :fun:


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

I see what you mean now with rimless, and I feel like a 'tard. Personally when I think of rimless it's usually just the top unless, not the bottom. Durrrhurrrr......

Already have a GFI outlet there, did that when I put the tank in. Great ordeal of 5 minutes and turning a breaker off. Done a lot of electrical work in my life and you're absolutely right. Much better to do it than regret it later type of deal. I was terribly sad when I bought this house and not but 6 inches away from my sink was a non-GFI outlet. I shook my head in disbelief again when I saw that they had jumped an outlet to run it out on the back porch, using all 4 connections on the outlet with aluminum wiring.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

I'd say yell at their old electrician, but he's probably already been killed by his work...


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Never had one. I am my own electrician in my home. Was that way when I bought the house.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Ironically, as soon as I say I was going to start this project. I get a job working 60+ hours a week doing irrigation. I have no time for this now.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

i have a open bottom fish tank stand for my 10 gallon, just holds the tank around the edges. iv never had a problem with it. and i like it, i could have done a better job on it. but it works.

i tried to put a picture of it up, idk if it works or not but iv had it set up for months. i used scrap wood for the whole build, helped getting my girlfriend to stop nagging about a fish tank sitting on the floor lol.


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