Advice?: Aquarium Rack for 75gal + 6x10gal With Bottom Storage

[Danny O]

Hi Aquarium Co-op Forum Community! First time posting. :)

My wife and I are looking to set up a new fish rack. In the past we used an old craftsman built-in to set up tanks on a shelf system (near our dinner table) and loved the experience of interacting with our fish every meal.

Our current ambition is to keep one primary (75gal standard) and several secondary tanks on rack with storage underneath. Something like retail aquarium stands with nice trim/finish but built with clearance for a second upper shelf.

We are generally comfortable with DIY but would much prefer to buy something reliable and nice-looking. (We're willing to pay for something specialized like this.)

Do you have any recommendations? In return we'll post our build progress. :)

[Danny O]

More research. Here's what we're thinking of doing.

1. We are going to have a rough-in faucet and drain built around the height of 60" and 12"
2. We are thinking about getting a storage shelf (https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-2190/Wide-Span-Storage-Racks/Wide-Span-Storage-Rack-Particle-Board-48-x-18-x-60)
3. We will put wood paneling on this to make it nicer, and hinges on the bottom.
4. We will drill between boards as necessary to route cables, tubing.

The dimensions of this shelf are the exact same width as our 75gal tank - both 48". Will they fit on one another? If the edges aren't fully supported will this be okay?

[StevesFishTanks]

My concern would be that the shelf you linked is the exact "standard" size of the aquarium. 

I have found that the real numbers are usually +1/2" or more for the tank.

The rack you linked may be exactly 48" and 18" but that is from leg to leg. The shelf inside will be shorter than 48" or 18" by the thickness of the uprights and any slop built into the connection with the rivets.

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by s1_

[StevesFishTanks]

browsing uline I found some cool options.

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-4814/Wide-Span-Storage-Racks/Two-Shelf-Wide-Span-Storage-Rack-Particle-Board-60-x-24-x-36

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-2195/Wide-Span-Storage-Racks/Wide-Span-Storage-Rack-Particle-Board-60-x-24-x-60

 

Not sure if 60" width works in your space but it gives you more than enough room for the 75g. I also chose 24" depth, you can use this extra space as a shelf or push the tank flush to the front and hide hang on backs/plumbing in the rear. 
 

5* 10g tanks will fit on the bottom shelf if you install them with the side panel facing out.

I dont like the particle board shelfs at all and would recommend replacing them with real wood.  Wood prices are astronomical right now so if you do use them make sure you waterproof them as best as possible.

 

[Philip]

Mr. O,

I have two of these shelves. Not in my fish room but in my basement. They are sturdy for sure, but I don't like the particle board the shelves are made of. One got wet and it swelled the wood terribly. Not something I would like around fish tanks. 

If it were me, I would be sure to paint the wood first, or better yet use some Marine grade plywood and start off right.

Just my thoughts. 

Respectfully,

Phil

 

 

[Tetra Guy]

thinking of something similar here, too. Agree about the dimensions leaving no margin for error, and particle board around water.  If DIY isn’t your thing, or big sheets of heavy material are unwieldy, some of the big box stores will cut plywood to order, for a very reasonable fee. I learned to order in advance and not to have them do it while you wait, because the saw will be broken the day you are there or the employee will be out sick... 😕 

[MattyIce]

I would recommend something more along the lines of a gladiator or edsal heavy duty 77 inch long rack, with some sheets of plywood cut to fit on the shelves.

For the gladiator (Home Depot)/edsal (Lowes), I believe the supports take up a total of 5 inches of the listed 77, so there is around 6 feet of usable shelf, which should be more than enough for the 75, with shelf space on the sides, and the 6 x10 gallons would be around 63 inches, so the shelf would also be able to fit that request.

Though I don't know how easy it would be to make it look nice, so it falls a little short there.

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by MattyIce

[FrozenFins]

I found this:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Muscle-Rack-Black-5-Tier-Heavy-Duty-Steel-Garage-Storage-Shelving-36-in-W-x-72-in-H-x-18-in-D-UR-185PBB/305553549

I have never used it, but Cory has had very good reviews with a simmilar storage rack. It could fit a 75 on one rack and 4 10 gallons a shelf. it claims to support 800lbs per shelf. 

Heres the video cory did on the smaller version:

 

[Socqua]

On the "making it look nice front," I would consider adding in some plants around the supports/shelves. You can add some traveling vine plants to wrap around the supports, and add in some different plants on the shelves to overflow/hide things a bit more. Just a thought - something I'm considering doing if I setup a shelving rack at some point.

[Danny O]

@s1_ Unfortunately for our space 60" is too long. 54" is about the widest we can go.

I found the following industrial shelving:
1. https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/storage/bulk-rack/extra-heavy-duty/bulk-storage-rack-48-w-x-24-d-x-84-h-starter-3-shelf-levels-wood-deck-light-gray

But it isn't clear between the product width and outer width that it meets the +1/2 inch rule of thumb. @James Black I also found the following tutorial, similar to the video posted above from Cory:
2. (114) Dual 75 gallon Aquarium Stand Racking - YouTube

We also found racks that do meet the dimensions but are only rated for ~600lbs per shelf, which just probably isn't enough for 75gals + glass + substrate + filters + lights. 900lb seems more appropriate.

The more we think about it, the less confident we are on DIY. Not because we don't think we can do it, but more than for this project we just don't want any risk.
3. If anyone is in the PNW and feels comfortable doing this, we'd pay $300 for a leveled and tiered stand for 75 gallons that meet our specifications (making it look nice our responsibility :D).

@SocquaMy wife loves the idea of decorating it with plants. We'll have to do that. 🙂

@Phillip Any chance you can check if the width of the shelf is 48.5" actually? I realize it probably is not.

We're having trouble making the vision of a 75gal with 10s above work so we're working on the vision of two 75gals with storage underneath.

@Tetra Guy clarification. Is your idea to look at a pre-built plan and get plywood cut to size, and then level and screw it together ourselves?

Edited February 7, 2021 by Danny O