DIY Stand Q's

[Cowboychris]

When building my stand do i need to place supports in between the plastics on the bottom to support the glass or just have the RIM rest on the base of the stand?


thanks

[MDahms]

Glass tanks with plastic trim are designed to support the weight of the filled tank without support under the bottom pane of glass, the plastic frame that comes with the tank is all you need.
I have no experience in building stands so hopefully someone else will have some additional info.

Mike

[Detritus Mulm]

Go to a fish store and see how cheaply they are made. You'd be amazed how little wood you need if it's designed right. You want the supporting members to sit under your rails (no shearing force). You also want cross bracing to prevent wobble; best way to achieve this is a plywood back and sides.

I built my first stand with 2x4s and skinned it with oak veneer. I also built a light canopy for it and may finish the doors before I die. It's from the Russian shool of design, but it looks pretty decent and will hold that Elephant fish when I buy it. :-)

Second stand is built from 1x3 Oak and has no top, just rails. I hope to get the trim routed before Christmas, so I can finish it in the warm weather. :-) It's a much sleeker design than the first model.

I've also built a few basic canopies to keep the cats from swimming in the smaller tanks.

If you want a simple design, go here:

http://www.garf.org/calculators/BuildStand_2.asp

[Cowboychris]

thanks to both of you i will look at some in the next couple of days and start building it little after that