My Stand and Tank Build (Almost Free)

I came across and free 29 gallon with a bunch of accessories and figured I would get a new tank up and running. This is a super budget build with all the free materials I could find in my shed and scraps from other projects. Bored and thought I would throw these up. Let me know what you think! Questions, Comments, and Suggestions are all welcome!

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This is when I first thought I should start taking some photos for the heck of it.

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Using it to store the supplies while working on it haha

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Painted it black and tossed it in the already cramped office

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Set up tank (Only thing purchased at this point was my gravel and filter)

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Wanted to go planted but for now the fakies and huge structures will stay

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Came across a 10 gallon set up and threw it on top shelf until I clear out a spot elsewhere.

Nice, mts so early? I LIKE IT!

Thank you. It's only a matter of time before another tank gets set up.. I will find a nice spot for that 10 gallon and a different 10 gallon will go there! lol

SCORE! to make all this from stuff laying around and free equipment. Nice work...great job!

Looks really good DrakeAquatics!


I notice when ppl build stands they put a lip around the top of the stand. Is this aesthetic or does it serve a function? My thought is over time water, & debris would find its way down between the lip & tank. When doing maintenance I notice that water always drips down the side of my tanks...

Great job with the stand! It looks very nicely made.  

Pretty inspiring DIY. I'll second the question about the lip though. Just curious what you thought about it in case I get the DIY bug myself

Thank you all.

MRTom and fishNAbowl ---- The lip is purely aesthetic. Since I used plywood on the top on this budget stand I wanted something to cover the edge of that plywood and where the different types of wood meet. It gives a much better look in the end. I thought of the build up of water and left a decent gap where I can run a rag with finger pressure if there are any spills although it would look better without said gap.

I went a little over kill on support and this thing is pretty heavy. There are a lot of changes I will make mentally if I make another stand for this size tank. I could stretch this same build out to hold up to a 220gal. Maybe at the next house : )

Another note. I covered the back which looks a lot better when you leave the front open. Another route I was thinking which would have been costed more is leave the back open to house all my pumps, cords, etc. and put on a couple doors. This was the more affordable and plan on getting some nice looking baskets to hold all the extra fish supplies.

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

really digging it thanks a ton for sharing.. but i do have a follow up question..

HOW WILL YOU GET TO YOUR BEER IN THE MINIFRIDGE?!?!?!?!?!????

   

Anthraxx wrote:really digging it thanks a ton for sharing.. but i do have a follow up question..

HOW WILL YOU GET TO YOUR BEER IN THE MINIFRIDGE?!?!?!?!?!????

   

LMAO I know!!! I moved it over just enough to get a six pack in and out haha.

Very nice stand! Not bad for piecing together scraps!  

Well it looks really good! I also built a stand a few years back for a 7 foot tank. I also used black stain (looks like what you used). I haven't put on the doors yet , had planed to. Ended up putting a 30 gallon tank opposite of the 30 gallon sump underneath the tank.

Isn't the inside of the stand supposed to be for more tanks? lol

DrakeAquatics wrote:Isn't the inside of the stand supposed to be for more tanks? lol

Or any available space, ha!

Lol that's why fish lovers either open up a pet store or try to work at one.. Plenty of tanks to look at and play with haha.

DrakeAquatics wrote:Lol that's why fish lovers either open up a pet store or try to work at one.. Plenty of tanks to look at and play with haha.

Well, that's why I enjoy working at Aquarium Co-Op hahaha.
Great build btw! I love that it holds two tanks!