# Aquarium Stand Modification for Large Filters.



## Handyjoe (Jan 11, 2015)

Just want to share an idea for something I've done to my stand to fit a large canister filter underneath.
I have a pine wood stand for a 150 gal. with four small doors. There is a brace in between the two doors, making the door opening tiny. I want to put an FX5 underneath. So, here is how I did it.

Start with a standard Pine wood stand.









With all the doors opened, the openings are too narrow to fit a big canister filter through.









I measured, cut, and painted couple pieces of angle iron from an old bed frame.









I overlayed the two pieces of angle irons, traced the outlines with a marker, routed the inner top side of the stand to the depth that's equalled to the thickness of the angle iron so it would fit flushed with the stand.









The angle iron pieces are then installed on the inner corner of the front of the stand. They are secured with screws.









Now the center brace between the two doors can be removed and installed with three magnetic latches. I installed two on top and one on the bottom just to keep the orientation of the brace correctly everytime.









My FX5 filter can now fit nicely through the enlarged opening of the stand without the center brace.









I nailed two pieces of woods (light colored), one on each side of the center brace, to index the position of the center brace.









The center brace can be magnetically attached back into its original position correctly every time.









Once the brace is backed on its original position, the stand took on its original form. No modification can be seen.









Hope my idea above would help someone who wants to use a large canister filter, or a sump, but could not because of the same, or similar type of aquarium stand we often seen.
Cheers!
Joe.


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

Is that center brace weight bearing?


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## Handyjoe (Jan 11, 2015)

rgr4475 said:


> Is that center brace weight bearing?


Hi rgr4475. Not sure, but I had assumed it was. Not anymore though. An angle iron cut up from an old bed frame bridged a cross the span of the brace area took care of that (Pic 5). Load transfer. I've been using it this way for awhile now. No problem at all.
Joe.


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## onedownloader (Mar 6, 2015)

nice work Handyjoe


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## Handyjoe (Jan 11, 2015)

onedownloader said:


> nice work Handyjoe


Thank you


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Nicely done.


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## Fishnut71 (Dec 7, 2014)

Very nice DIY write-up!

Bed frame, huh? This is why I don't throw too many "useless" things away :thumb:


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## Handyjoe (Jan 11, 2015)

Thank you, Fishnut71 :thumb: Useless things can become useful things sometimes!
Cheers!
Joe.


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## BrianMerkley (Dec 17, 2016)

Hi Joe, I like what you've done with your stand and I have the same issue. Wondering why you used the metal bed frame parts, is it for the magnets? Or the extra strength? I was thinking of doing something similar, but was worried that I might take away some of the structural integrity by cutting the wood between the doors. I'd love to hear back. I have a 90 gallon with a similar stand to fit a FX 5 through the front. Thanks!
-Brian


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