# Help on DIY 75 gal stand



## BrettFavre (Jul 22, 2008)

HI. this is my first post on this site. I have been searching everywhere on the internet and i have seen a few different ways on making the frame for an aquarium stand. i just want to know if anyone has a sketch or plan on the best way to make it. I dont know if i should use 2x4 or 4x4 or what wood should be used. any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

i've drawn up some stuff for some people, one of which was a 75 i beleive... plus i built mine(90) and my brothers(120) my stuff is at work, i'll post again tomorrow when i am there, it should be helpful... or at least get you in the right direction


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

I've built fish stands since the late 60's, and if you are really asking for the "best way" to build a wood fish stand, this is the best I've come across after building and seeing fish tank stands in the homes of many aquarium hobbyists, breeders, and building many different kinds myself over the years. Look in our library here. I built five stands to hold ten tanks from 75 to 125 and this article shows the steps to building those stands.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_stand2.php


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## BrettFavre (Jul 22, 2008)

Thanks alot guys. i cant wait to see the plans you have venustus. also what wood do you guys ussually go with? i was thinking oak would probaly be the most common.


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

check out the couple ther posts on here from like cornbread_5, i posted some drawings i've done in the past for others, if you like them, i can try and work on one for you too.


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## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

Oak is usually very expensive compared to other woods. A lot of people will use inexpensive 2x4s for the structure then attach less expensive 1/4" or 1/8" ply with a nice hardwood venier to save cost. It depends on the design though, a sheet of 3/4" oak plywood will run about $40, but if you plan well you could build an entire stand with two sheets maybe 1 1/2 sheets if you use some 2x4s for bracing and leave the back open. I just finished building a 20G stand using 2x4s then skinned it with mahogany ply trimmed with hemlock, it turned out okay, if I remember I'll get a picture or two tonight. I think I spent about $25 on lumber, and hinges. To double the size of the stand would cost maybe $40. I've got to buy some different router bits and I'm going to start working on a stand for a 55g room divider, I lost the CAD drawings when my computer took a dump, I'll see if I can find the sketches I drew and post them.


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## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

BrettFavre said:


> Thanks alot guys. i cant wait to see the plans you have venustus. also what wood do you guys ussually go with? i was thinking oak would probaly be the most common.


For the frame of my stand, I used regular old pine 2x4's, since they are concealed once I put the skin on the frame. I used mahogany plywood for the outside of mine, but I'd say that oak is the most common because of the availability of oak trim and oak doors, etc.

Good luck


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## BrettFavre (Jul 22, 2008)

thanks a lot for you input guys. ill be starting my project soon and will post pictures as the action is happining.


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## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

I would recommend against mahogany. Its usually pretty cheap (depending on the type) compared to other "hardwoods" but its not a good wood for staining. It has very course grain, so it really requires a wood filler - otherwise the small holes will cause a lot of little dark lines. Also, the smoothness of the wood changes over time after you stain/varnish. It seems like it still absorbs the finish for weeks. This is normal in most wood, but it was impossible for me to make the finish super smooth. A few weeks later the grain of the wood would always come through - even with a lot of sanding. It can be done right, but its a lot more work than other woods. Unfortunately I say this from experience. I really regret using mahogany.


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## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

boredatwork said:


> I would recommend against mahogany. Its usually pretty cheap (depending on the type) compared to other "hardwoods" but its not a good wood for staining. It has very course grain, so it really requires a wood filler - otherwise the small holes will cause a lot of little dark lines. Also, the smoothness of the wood changes over time after you stain/varnish. It seems like it still absorbs the finish for weeks. This is normal in most wood, but it was impossible for me to make the finish super smooth. A few weeks later the grain of the wood would always come through - even with a lot of sanding. It can be done right, but its a lot more work than other woods. Unfortunately I say this from experience. I really regret using mahogany.


I'm not sure if we are using the same terminology but I find that mahogany is very fine grained, you don't see the figuring typical with b_i_r_c_h or oak veiner plywood. I'll agree that it does not sand very smooth but that doesn't bother me, I like to see a little bit of uneven grain so I know it isn't a laminate impostor. I used a self leveling water based polyurethane that smoothed the plywood out nicely without hiding the fact that it is in fact real wood. I'm not really into stained wood at the moment, I like to see the wood the way it is, if I want a darker wood, I'll buy a darker wood that won't need staining, being that mahogany is kind of a generic term for wood from a rainforest tree (I know there are some moral and ethical objections to buying mahogany) I've been able to find just about any color from dark to light by sifting through the stack of plywood, finding two matching pieces can be a bigger challenge. I don't know what finishes you've used on mahogany, because it's a soft wood not a hardwood finishing is going to be a little different than finishing oak, but certainly not impossible. I've seen some pictures of canoes and kayaks built from mahogany that are absolutely beautiful.

If money were no object and if oak ply were easier to find in 1/4" thickness I'd probably go with oak, but my house was built with mahogany cabinets and trim so oak wouldn't blend in with the decor of the home as well.


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