These glass aquariums are designed to have weight supported by the edges. Adding padding such as foam puts the weight on the glass bottom and leads to leaks. Acrylic tanks can use it. Instead of foam I used 3 layers of plywood to "self level" and the weight was on the edges as intended.

@UnderPresser

9 ай бұрын

Three layers of plywood? And I don't see how anything but the edges of the tank rest on the polystyrene anyway. The tank would have to be pressed pretty far down on to that styrene before the bottom of the tank would touch it.

Just an update, this stand worked perfect. Thanks for the diy project. .

I just have to say, my dad and I made one of these for our new 40 gallon reef because we had all of the supplies. It ended up working awesome for us, and there was no hassle at all. Great idea, and thanks for the free stand man! :)

7 years later and 2x4s are 60% more expensive at $4.20/stick

@chuckwalla325

3 жыл бұрын

Tell me about it. I just bought 6 of them

@aidanb7782

3 жыл бұрын

and now we miss the days of 2x4s being under $5

@luisnaranjo2233

2 жыл бұрын

Today March 28 2022 2x4x8 price is 8.25 at Home Depot Dang

@thecrazylineman68

2 жыл бұрын

@@luisnaranjo2233 :(

@reefer9224

2 жыл бұрын

Build Back Better 😀

Nice build. Have seen dozens like this on youtube and this is the method I plan to use when I build mine. I must caution, however, about using styrofoam under a glass tank. The bottom rim will sink into the styrofoam leaving the middle of the styrofoam sitting high and pressing into the glass bottom. The glass bottom is not meant to withstand this kind of pressure from below. It leads to weak seals and will eventually leak. You're better off attaching a flat sheet of plywood to the top of your stand and using a thinner piece (1/4" or so) sheet of rubber to set the aquarium on. Styrofoam CAN and should be used under acrylic tanks. They're usually one-piece and the bottoms are meant to sit flat on whatever you're setting them on. Styrofoam under a glass, bottom-rimmed tank will lead to problems.

@ginamathews2338

4 жыл бұрын

you are 100 percent right on that! the styrofoam will not counter an unleveled ground it will actually make it lean more.

@Waiting4RealLife

4 жыл бұрын

Agreed! For decades, I have always only supported area from the end and in about 4" of my tanks, including a 150 gallon saltwater tank. Never had a problem, ever

@ABM261-zi2gl

4 жыл бұрын

Waiting4RealLife I want to this for my 40 gallon tank. What wood should I use because he doesn’t say?

@Jje24goblue

4 жыл бұрын

@@ABM261-zi2gl Kiln Dried Framing 2x4s

@ABM261-zi2gl

4 жыл бұрын

Jeff Edge Thank you

Very helpful video. Just finished building and painting mine. I added plywood panels to the top and bottom for added support and shelving. Going to use the polystyrene foam as well so the tank will self-level (that was a very helpful tip that I never knew about before). Can't wait for the paint to dry so I can finish setting everything up. :)

@gregjonesonline

8 жыл бұрын

+Angela Hentschel glad it helped!

Thank You, I followed your instructions had Home Depot cut the lumber to size, the lumber was a bit expensive in FL but still made out better then buying a pre made stand. took less then a half hour to put together :)

What a well thought out, articulate, creative and motivating instruction video. Thank you.

We built 2 of them. One for the 40 and one for a 20 and they both work and look great! Thank you for the video!

Greg thank you so much for the quick response! and A A+ on the video

thanks for posting this! i love that you used sketchup to design it first, i'm gonna do the same thing! ive used it mostly to design complex environments for illustrations in the past so this will be much simpler! im glad i found a video for the exact type of thank i'm getting, thank you for answering all the technical questions!

Thanks for the video Greg. I am building this right now. just picked up a 40g breeder at a dollar per gallon sale. I looked all over for an easy stand to build. and yours is very simple and you had the dimensions added in. I think I'm going to add to it a bit and make it more that just the frame. I will throw a video up once I get to wrapping it in some nice ply wood and staining it. thanks again.

@gregjonesonline

8 жыл бұрын

looking forward to it!

I love this build. I designed my stand with 4x4 supports which increased the strength and made a cleaner look over all

Great vid! Was struggling to find a stand for my tank, now it looks I'll be building my own.

Hey Greg. I just wanted to give you a big thanks. This video helped me out a ton. Just finished building my stand! :)

@gregjonesonline

8 жыл бұрын

glad I could help!

Gonna build this stand tomorrow, thanks for the guide!

awesome to hear! can't wait to see it!

I am not sure if i said thank you before. But Thank you so much for this. I used this to build 2 stand so far, first one was unpainted but second one i painted before i put it together. Great video and good job on providing the dimensions.

thanks! i considered 4x4s, but wanted to keep all of my cuts as simple as possible

Awesome! That's gonna be one heck of a cool room when you get all done. Great job!

Do you have the sketch up of this stand in a PDF file? I can't open from the link you provided. Thank you!

Cool thanks man I just built one today after I got a 40 gallon breeder at petco's dollar per gallon sale. Everything worked out great, I barely had any wood left though. I siphoned about 30 gallons from my 55 into it so I could move it so that all my tanks fit evenly along one wall, and it held no problem. Just a note, I cut the longest pieces first to make sure I had enough wood, it was cutting it a little close so if you don't do that you might have to get an extra piece of 2x4.

Great stand! Thanks for uploading.

just what i needed. Thanks bro!

awesome thanks a lot Greg , I may have a go at it , condo living makes it tough though,lol

Thanks so much I've already built the stand and it's strong , I love it. But do you know the dimensions on plywood if I used 1/2 inch and just wanted to coat the front and sides ? Id want the front piece to cover the sides so the seams are on the sides . I can't measure now cue I'm at work and would like to pick it up on my way home

Hey man thanks a lot for this! Made one for my 20 long using this vid as a guide. Turned out great and my shrimp love it! Liked and subbed!

GREAT JOB BRO!!!!

Brilliant!

nice stand. I like the foam leveling. Good to note that if you get your wood at Lowes or Home Depot go in there with your plans and most likely they will cut your wood for free. Its a good way to get the same cut for your legs since they stack the boards.

no filler, to the point. thank you.

Brilliant! Thank you!

Looks good. I'm thinking of building a stand like that but with leveling feet and T nuts at the bottom for easy leveling.

Nicely done.

correct! no problem!

Nice video thanks for sharing

I think it would have been cool to install the side brace pieces on the inside, then you could have put a flat piece of wood and made a shelf, it that makes sense. Thanks for the video I plan on making a stand just like this!

@pucho513

6 жыл бұрын

JDO Fishtank do you know the measurements

@austinmccarthy9572

3 жыл бұрын

Exactly what I was thinking!!

Great build.

Hi Greg, thanks for making this super helpful video! I will be following it closely when I am building by 40B stand. I know it's a lot to ask but would you be so kind to share your sketch up file? Doh nevermind. Just saw you posted link to it in description

Hello question will this stand be okay for a 38 gal tank? Thanks

Hi Greg, can't find the link for the lumber cuts. Please forward. Thanks

Very good construction concepts! Another method is instead of doubling up on 2x4's for the legs, is to use 4x4, and for the top frame, use 45 deg cuts like a picture frame, to sit on top of the 4x4. Bottom frame would be identical. No need for the full coverage foam sheet, except for acrylic tanks. For glass tanks, its best to support them only at the corners. So, a 2"x2" piece of foam at each corner is better than a full length on any or all sides. This is how institutional aquariums are designed, and the larger the glass aquarium, the less contact support there would be, just a 1" round rubber or plastic footing at each corner.

Great video!

Nice build bro!

Can you tell me what the measurements of your aquarium you have sitting on the stand please

I recently tried building my own from scratch... didn't go so well. So I'm going with the plans from this to build a canopy and a stand. My only question to you is where did you get the glass lids from. I'm in need and I'm not a fan of plastic anymore haha

Really good video! :-)

HAHA, awesome video, i love the part, where when you finished it, you got on it, it made me laugh. Good Job!

Nice job Man

Great job wish I saw this sooner

What does the stand end up finishing up at height wise???

Good explanation .... nice stand

Looking great! :)

glad it was helpful, post a video reply with your version, i'd love to see it!

Will be getting a 55 gallon soon, 48 1/4 x 12 3/4 x 21, what would the dimensions for wood pieces be? Would more support be required across top or bottom? Thanks for all your help

Thanks for sharing this video . Will you fasten all your stands together or leave them all single next to each other ?

@gregjonesonline

8 жыл бұрын

+carpet180 i left them all apart because the floor wasn't level

Love this build I did the same thing thanks dude

thanks!

That is a very clean build me friend

Very good!!!

do the long pieces of the top and bottom frame (the front and back boards) go all the way to the edge? the shorter left and right pieces should be interior to the front and back boards, is that it?

Was the 40 gallon breeder fish tank purchased from petco like mines?

33" x 15.25" is the inside "hole" dimensions of the top and bottom frame, however, the stand's legs do interrupt that as they are interior to the top and bottom frame, is that what you were looking for?

How do you measure the weight bearing legs to fit in between the top and bottom frame?

@gregjonesonline

5 жыл бұрын

full height leg - 3.5" - 3.5" (subtract the width of the 2x4 top and bottom frame)

Can you fit a 20 gallon long on the inside?

greg what will be my best build for building a stand for my mr aqua cube 25 gallon 18x18x18

Greg, what size is the inside wood on the top and bottom frames?

Hi, could you please tell me what material is that black strip that tanks have on the the top and bottom edges? Thanks.

What type of wood was used??

Your video is the best one among many I watched recently, but I can state that as it built it is not stable an will not survive on big tanks. Plywood panels should be added on the both sides and on the back to stand against side loads and fwd/aft loads. However, it helps me to design my stand so I added a like :-)

@gregjonesonline

9 жыл бұрын

Danny F thanks, this stand design was specific for 40 gallon aquariums and the load they bring, I agree that plywood would add a lot of strength

Did you make your stand exactly 32in in length?? Because auqaon specs says its 32 1/4 in length. I want my stand to be flush with the side of my tank. Ty

Hey Greg....I was just about to go out and to buy a bigger tank for my turtles when my neighbor ask my wife if she knew anyone who wanted a fish tank (40 Gallon) She was going to get rid of it. (talk about luck) I was looking at the stand here that you made and was wondering if the height on it can be a bit shorter if I decide to built one (you have it at 3ft high). can it be done at 1ft less? (2 feet high?)

hey tell me if this the correct measurement... 37 for the L 16 for the W and the leg i got that part. im just worrying about the L and W part.

@gregjonesonline

10 жыл бұрын

check the full description for the measurements

I can't download your sketch file😔

im interested in the sketchup and have asked for permission to the file

Also what need to waterproof it

yes, that's correct, but the 5x pieces of lumber you mention are 15-1/4" long, so you may have cut them short as they are over 12 inches all by themselves, when placed on the inside of the front and back boards the total depth should be right around 18-1/4" which is the same length as the "handles" that sit half way up the legs

How do you make it up on sketch up where it doesn't fill up the middle space? Say you are making a square out of 2x4 on sketchup and the middle there is nothing there. When I do it, it fills up that middle space?

@gregjonesonline

8 жыл бұрын

+Tristan Beligan you can select a face and delete it, sketchup automatically applies a face to a shape that is completed connected with lines and points.

Curious what graphics software you use? Cost breakdown would be helpful. Great Video! Thanks!

@gregjonesonline

9 жыл бұрын

Google Sketchup for 3D modeling and adobe premiere to cut video

@jumpinghighest

9 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

What was the height of this stand?

I have been watching many of your video and they are very helpful, i find your videos very educational. I have a 75 Gallon tank with 3 adult RES, i had them for about 8 years now. I don't have a official stand for my tank. i kinda just have it laying on a old counter i have. I want to build a stand and canopy like the one you made for 125 gallon tank, Is there any chance in the future u will make a DIY video on how to build one

I can't find what size my tank is. Guy I bought it from says it was a 40 breeder, but my dimensions are 36 1/4 x 16 x 16, what does that do to my measurements on the wood?

how much wood did you have left over from this build?

take your plastic trim's Width and Depth dimensions and add 1 inch to each dimension, so 36.25 + 1 = 37.25 Width and 16 + 1 = 17 Deep. the long boards for your top and bottom frame are 37.25 inches, and your end pieces for the top and bottom frames are 17 - (1.5" x 2 = 3" if using 2x4 lumber) = 14" long, all of the dimensions for the legs remain the same, hope that helps!

I made the same . But I actually expanded so the tank sits inside and dropped the supports down 1 inch so the tank is recessed and hits the black tank frame and prevents it from sliding off ever if the doggs bumps. 140 MLB American Bulldog is a klutz lol

hey greg is it safe to use a second hand miniature table for a tank which is a 61cm x 30cm x 38cm 65litre fish tank as my brother wants his old stand back will I need to make any modifications to the table at all to make it more sturdy cause it looks strong enough to hold it if so would love some feed back the tank fits perfectly on top of the table

What would this stand allow weight wise? I have built this stand with the exact dimensions listed and it came out great! I did add an extra leg to each side between the top and bottom base where the support legs meet, so it might be able to support more weight. But, I wanted to upgrade to either a custom made 58/60g(not exactly sure which one) dimensions 36x18x21 or a 75g tall dimensions 36x18x25, which both would technically fit. But, I'm not sure of the weight capabilities of this stand. And wasn't sure if you, or anyone knew if a 75g would be too much or not? I did want to thank you! This video was very detailed, helpful, and saved me tons of money!

@MELODYMUNRO

8 жыл бұрын

+Corey I used this same design for my 180 gallon tank..I use a board on top as well as the polystyrene and I added an extra leg in the middle of my stand due to the length of the tank..however, this design is holding up super strong.

Do you have a list of all the cuts, i dont have the tank yet to measure but i know all the 40 b are the same , would like to go ahead and build the stand

@gregjonesonline

7 жыл бұрын

Shady Reef check the description

@scottsparks5231

7 жыл бұрын

Greg Jones thx man

I asked because I'm building this same frame but the width does not come out to fit the 18inch depth of my tank......what am I missing?

it's impossible to say if it's safe or not from just the description. most desks should be able to hold 200 pounds or more by design, so you may be ok. when in doubt, don't use it, especially if it wobbles, is top heavy, or doesn't have four legs carrying the load evenly, hope that helps!

hey greg daniel again could you give me the measurements for the frame i need to use for my fish tank its a 61cm x 30cm x 38cm 65litre fish tank and what type of wood will I need to use I am using the top half of the desk since the legs are not stable enough and I am using foam to support each corner of the tank anyway would love some help as I live in western Australia cheers mate

Styrofoam is not a good idea generally for rimmed tanks... You've filling unlevel surfaces visually not allowing for load transfer...

@gregjonesonline

10 жыл бұрын

the idea is that you shim the tank to be as level as possible, and use styrofoam to allow the tank to level itself over time, if a floor flexes, or a stand bows, the styrofoam will absorb those minor changes, without it, those stresses are carried by the seams and will shorten the life of the tank - right?

glad it helped, link me to a video of your stand!

There's also leveling feet you can use but that'll add more cost

@gregjonesonline

8 жыл бұрын

+Abraham Luevano true, i'd rather spread the weight out across a larger foot print, less dents in the floor/carpet

36" L x 16"H x 18"W right? Ty for the response

Where are you located are you in New England. I will buy one get ahold of me ASAP

it doesn't shrink with water, but if you are going for salt water, i would recommend just building the background out of the live rock

Can I get the exact measurements for this build?

@gregjonesonline

9 жыл бұрын

check the video description

I got all the measurements you put on this video i think home depot cut some of the pieces wrong

Nice