TheSwissAquarist Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 (edited) I'll be plain & brief: What's the best material to build an aquarium stand and can you build one out of it yourself? I'm faced with either building one or buying one...it's for a really crazy looking fish...a bichir? (Any recommendations on that are also appreciated & I'll tag @Robert in case he has any suggestions!) Thanks! 😁 Edited November 11, 2022 by TheSwissAquarist French keyboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOLANANO Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 You can find plans for building one out of wood on pinterest but you will probably have to extrapolate the plans for the size of tank you will need for a Bichir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 (edited) It seems like most folks in the US use common building lumber. It’s readily available since the houses here are mostly all built with sticks of softwood. Here’s mine, google “raw industrial style tank stand” for plans and pics of other stands in this style. Edited November 11, 2022 by Patrick_G 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 @TheSwissAquaristprobably go with Pine or Oak then use a good sealant or stain to keep the wood protected and from rotting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janoš Bećar Pecaroš Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 On 11/11/2022 at 11:53 AM, TheSwissAquarist said: I'll be plain & brief: What's the best material to build an aquarium stand and can you build one out of it yourself? I'm faced with either building one or buying one...it's for a really crazy looking fish...a bichir? (Any recommendations on that are also appreciated & I'll tag @Robert in case he has any suggestions!) Thanks! 😁 You can use any material you are comfortable working with. If you know welding and have access to a welder make it out of metal. If you have access to woodworking tools and have a know how, make it out of wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The endler guy Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 Why aren’t you using the aquarium coop guide!?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted November 11, 2022 Author Share Posted November 11, 2022 On 11/11/2022 at 8:10 PM, Aiden Carter said: Why aren’t you using the aquarium coop guide!?!?! Good question 😂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JettsPapa Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 Are you determined to make your own? There are many tanks out there, including most of mine, that are on various pieces of steel or solid wood furniture. It may be a challenge to find one the right size, but it's worth looking. Thrift stores or online sites for used items are good places to start. There are several reasons for using furniture instead. It often has doors or drawers for storage, and don't require any woodworking skills. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 Check the warranty from the tank manufacturer. Some require you use their stands or the warranty is void, like marineland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 (edited) You can build one out of many kinds of materials. So the more important question is -- what kind of tools do you have available to work with? That's going to be your determining factor. Unless you really enjoy building things or if you're looking to do it cheaper, I'd buy one and save yourself the hassle. Edited November 11, 2022 by tolstoy21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenman Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 The best material is aluminum extrusions. The aluminum doesn't rot, is corrosion resistant, and lasts forever. It's relatively easy to work with using simple tools and can even be ordered in kit form from a company called Framingtech.com. Being the best material also makes it the most expensive material. Well, among common materials. There's probably a Saudi Prince somewhere who has an aquarium stand made of titanium with gold plating, but for those of us in the real world, the extruded aluminum is the upper tier of aquarium stand materials. It's what the owner of Tidal Gardens used in his new coral grow out facility. There are a lot of people selling aluminum extrusions online with every type of fitting, connector, and whatnot you can imagine. If you go to framingtech.com and click on the "Solutions" header you can see their fish tank stand options and they'll custom design one for you if need be. Once again though, these are pricey. But if you truly want the best, aluminum extrusions are the best way to go at this time. And you don't have to buy them in kit form. The extrusions are easy enough to work with that you can cut and build one yourself. The kit form is easier, but you can do it all yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luciferkrist Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 What do you mean by 'best'? Most durable - non-ferrous metals like aluminum as gardenman suggests, but it is gonna be pricey. Price - can't beat pressure treated 2x4s and cinder blocks. For ease of use and peace of mind, you're best buying a stand made specifically for your brand of aquarium. I have built my own for 2, bought two, improvised a rack for my 4 10gals, and also found one that was close to the correct dimensions at a thrift store for my betta tanks. I'm pretty happy with all of them, but there is a bit of pride in the ones I put together. If you do build your own. OVERBUILD. There is no such thing as too much bracing and weight distribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The endler guy Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 On 11/11/2022 at 3:34 PM, JettsPapa said: Are you determined to make your own? There are many tanks out there, including most of mine, that are on various pieces of steel or solid wood furniture. It may be a challenge to find one the right size, but it's worth looking. Thrift stores or online sites for used items are good places to start. There are several reasons for using furniture instead. It often has doors or drawers for storage, and don't require any woodworking skills. Problem with making your own or using furniture is you don’t have the peace of mind that you get with a dedicated aquarium stand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sairving Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 (edited) On 11/11/2022 at 1:10 PM, Aiden Carter said: Why aren’t you using the aquarium coop guide!?!?! That's fine, as long as you don't care if the stand looks nice. Works for a fish room or maybe a dorm room. Edited November 13, 2022 by sairving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sairving Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 (edited) Find a piece of solid wood furniture and refinish it. That's probably the cheapest way to do it. You can paint or stain it to match your decor. Another option is to find someone locally to custom build one for you. Its not cheap, but the stand would be built to your specifications. Edited November 13, 2022 by sairving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted November 13, 2022 Author Share Posted November 13, 2022 On 11/13/2022 at 2:15 PM, Aiden Carter said: Problem with making your own or using furniture is you don’t have the peace of mind that you get with a dedicated aquarium stand I think I’ve pushed my IKEA chipboard shelves as far as they can go🤷♂️. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JettsPapa Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 On 11/13/2022 at 7:15 AM, Aiden Carter said: Problem with making your own or using furniture is you don’t have the peace of mind that you get with a dedicated aquarium stand I disagree. Someone who is knowledgeable about carpentry, or evaluating existing furniture, can have just as much peace of mind using a homemade stand or repurposed furniture as someone one who buys a dedicated stand. I've also seen dedicated stands I wouldn't trust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenn anthony Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 I'm in the same boat with the stand issue, I've had a 40 breeder siting on the ground, and with that much weight I'm a little skeptical about using i solid piece of furniture (I have a 20g long on there now, but...400+ lbs. I am very mechanically inclined but I'm not so sure I would trust my wood working skills (also major OCD here) so i'd probably lose sleep worrying if the tank will crack cause its not 100% straight etc and i would like one with a shelf and doors. that i could do if one i bought did not have said features 🤔🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy's Fish Den Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 I have built many stands and racks out of common 2x4 lumber to hold tanks from 10 gallons up to 180 gallon and racks with many rows and number of tanks. As for the easiest, I would say that for me would be the cinder block and 2x4 or 2x6 stands that someone linked a video of earlier. If you have basic tools, saw, drill, screwdriver, hammer, you can build your own stand, there are plenty of videos and tutorials online of many different ways to build your own stands, so watch several and decide which method/ design you would like to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren A Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 (edited) On 11/11/2022 at 12:53 PM, TheSwissAquarist said: I'll be plain & brief: What's the best material to build an aquarium stand and can you build one out of it yourself? I'm faced with either building one or buying one...it's for a really crazy looking fish...a bichir? (Any recommendations on that are also appreciated & I'll tag @Robert in case he has any suggestions!) Thanks! 😁 Hi, I wish I had the woodworking skills to build a stand, and maybe I will give it a shot someday but I did buy two of these stands on Amazon. I’ve looked at and ordered and returned a few store bought and would never put a tank on them but if you change your mind on building one, this is very sturdy and I do have complete peace of mind. I have 10 gallons on them. But they have different sizes. and they look nice too. Here’s a pic of it in real life too. Aqueon Forge Aquarium Stand 20 by 10-inch https://a.co/d/fzvVhgx Edited November 15, 2022 by Lauren A Sorry so many edits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenn anthony Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 @Pepere my apologies I did run through all the posts, but fairly quickly, I dont know how i missed all the info you had, but I thank you for the re-post of said info Have yourself a great week, and thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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