# Need help with a stand design



## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

I am looking for some help from the design/build gurus. I want to build a stand for my 29g and my 20gL tanks. I want the 20g long on the top, and have the 29 be high enough to allow me to continue to use the canister that is on it right now, but low enough so I can get my hand into the 20 without problems (it will be a planted bolivian ram tank so I will need to be able to prune).

My problem is that to appease the powers that be it has to be furniture quality and not look huge and bulky. Specifically the supports for the 20g can't be thick (like 2x4s) and block much of the view from the sides of the 29g.

The other caveat is that the prefered materials be wood (at least no metal visible).

Any ideas?


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## iceblue (Apr 27, 2004)

I built my stand for my 84g far more hefty then it had to be and then made a false front with combined hood that slid around and over it.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

That looks very nice.

My problem is to place the 20g above the 29g and yet not have the sides of the 29g obscured bu 2x4s or the like.

I like the slim decoravitve trim you put on the verticles between the stand and the hood. Now to find a way to make something that unobtrusive to hold a 20g tank.


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## jbc123 (Aug 19, 2008)

I don't think a 20 gallon would be too much weight if you put the supports for the top shelf out far enough to not obscure the 29 gallon. As long as you use decent wood and a thick enough platform for the shelf. Maybe a brace running across the middle.

For example, take that first unfinished pic and basically double it on top. That wouldn't be an issue at all. Of course you will have some unused space on top but not much.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

What about putting the supports for the upper tank behind the lower one?

Like the wall mounted shelves that have the support arms, only free standing and not attached to the wall. It could be made to look like the upper tank is floating in the air on a shelf. That would solve the GF's requirement of not blocking the bottom tank (her tank) and it would keep any steel hidden from view so it is ok for the living room.

Now to figure out how to build it, and out of what. I don't want this to become a money pit.


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

Buy your girlfriend a bigger tank... build the stand for your Bolivian rams any way you choose... everybody wins  ... except your wallet


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

kingdave said:


> Buy your girlfriend a bigger tank... build the stand for your Bolivian rams any way you choose... everybody wins  ... except your wallet


I would love to do that, except we are quite limited on floor space, hence the desire to go verticle.

I am going to check out what type of steel I can located and weld up something. I might even just go with some heavy duty wall brackets (bolted to the studs) since it is only a 20g long. I have a tv mounted that way and it weighs more (can't move by my self, and I have moved a full 20g solo).


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

Sorry for the light hearted reply... I know you are looking for serious suggestions.

One thing I would keep in mind with a wall mounted TV is that it can stand a bit of bounce and flex in it's support... something a rigid glass tank can't readily stand without cracking, seals breaking etc.

I do think that there are some vertical shelf standards and brackets that may work for a 20 gallon long, if the verticals are screwed securely to the wall studs. Keep in mind that you should use wood screws rather than black "drywall" screws. Wood screws are much stronger in shear than "drywall" screws, which are actually quite brittle in comparison.

We need to come up with the weight of the fully filled tank and check that against the listed capacities of the shelving hardware.

Once we figure out your setup, let's discuss what to do with that big leaking 300 gallon tank that's for sale down at Annandale SuperPetz


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

I am also thinking that there may be some elegant solutions that can be made from galvanized steel pipe and fittings such as tees and elbows. Iron pipe also comes to mind, but I think mit's rather brittle compared to steel pipe.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

kingdave said:


> I am also thinking that there may be some elegant solutions that can be made from galvanized steel pipe and fittings such as tees and elbows. Iron pipe also comes to mind, but I think mit's rather brittle compared to steel pipe.


 A fish breeder here used the black iron gasline pipe for almost all of his stands.... and connected them with threaded fittings. Some stands has several tanks in a row with only support on the ends, no center legs. His was just the natural black, but you could paint it.


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## Hoosier Tank (May 8, 2007)

Somewhere here is a thread where a member built his stand without a 2x4 frame. It used 3/4" plywood sides and back to bare the load of the tank. I remember it well but have been searching and cant find it. He was praised for the engineering because he understood the strength of wood on edge. 
You could build a 3 sided box with a top and bottom that is open in the front for a 29g this way. With only a 20g on top, it would be fine. But if your paranoid, you could even rip a 2x4 lengthwise (so you have two 2x2's) to support the left to right span under the top shelf...


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

kingdave said:


> Sorry for the light hearted reply... I know you are looking for serious suggestions.


No worries, I did laugh. :wink:



> I do think that there are some vertical shelf standards and brackets that may work for a 20 gallon long, if the verticals are screwed securely to the wall studs. Keep in mind that you should use wood screws rather than black "drywall" screws. Wood screws are much stronger in shear than "drywall" screws, which are actually quite brittle in comparison.


I was thinking of using small lag screws



> We need to come up with the weight of the fully filled tank and check that against the listed capacities of the shelving hardware.


well, I am planning on building the tank myself out of acrylic so the weight should be 15-ish lbs. 20g of water is about 160lbs, and according to the sand calculator, for a 1 in depth I would need about 20lbs. Thsi will be a lightly planted tank for my bolivian rams, there won't really be any rocks, just a piece of drift wood so I would say, just under 200lbs total.

The heavy duty utility racking at Lowes states it is rated for 150lbs per linear foot. I would not use the wire shelving, but instead probably build a wooden pocket shelf to hide the support brackets (like those floating shelves at IKEA). The standards will still show, but I can paint them the same color as the wall, and I can make the shelf surface out of 3/4" plywood (marine).



> Once we figure out your setup, let's discuss what to do with that big leaking 300 gallon tank that's for sale down at Annandale SuperPetz


I know, I just drooled when I saw that. I wish I had the space. :drooling:


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