120 Gallon Aquarium Stand

Geomancer

Hello all,


I'm on the verge of buying a 120 gallon aquarium from Petsmart, they are 20% off right now, but want to build my own stand.

Mostly because what they have in Petsmart is laminated particle board garbage, and they want over $200 for it

I was thinking of following this plan: How to Build a DIY Aquarium Stand

I have some questions though.

1) There doesn't seem to be much support from it moving in a left/right direction. Do you think this is fine, or should there be more support? And if it needs more, how/where?

2) Shouldn't there be a sheet of plywood put on the top to help evenly spread the weight of the tank?

3) Should a sheet of plywood be used on the back for extra support (with holes cut for hoses/power)?


Thanks!

bearwithfish

well first off this stand was designed with a 55 in mind... so as you expand it to fit your tank you will need a support (just like the one in the middle) between the middle and each end. (front and back) were it me i would also add 2x4's in between each upright support and add a 3/4" ply wood top for distribution.... now that say if you really want to add some stability replace the outer corner "legs" with 4x4's and you are golden...

Geomancer

The plans in that link, and pictures, are actually for a 120 gallon. The very last picture is the one he made for a 55 gallon. Both tanks are the same length (48") but a 120 has more width (double, 24" versus 13") and height (about 4") to it.

So you agree that there should be a sheet of plywood on the top, what about across the back?

Here's the other question.

The room I am going to be placing this in has carpet, however I don't plan on keeping it that way. There are hardwoods under the carpet and ideally I would like to restore them. Someone, at some time in history, pained them however so i don't know if they can be saved. The alternative would be either to use a floating floor, or tile. Does a floating floor stand a chance holding a ~1400 pound aquarium? I somehow doubt it, but then again it could surprise me.

bearwithfish

actually i would be more concerned with structural issues versus the floor it self i have never seen a stand break flooring.... now as for restoring the floor goes i would seriously consider taking care of that before placing this tank... moving it later will be a royal pain in the butt,,, its doable but a challenge non the less....
back to the stand i have built a few stands and to be honest with the main structure being well built a plywood board on the back would be more for looks versus any actual function.....if you want it sealed back there i would go with something thin like hard board or 1/4 inch ply... just my opinion you understand i mean ultimately the choice is yours

SinCrisis

if you do a floating floor, you could leave a hole open for the stand so the tank and stand will be on the actual floor so you dont have to worry about the weight as much, it just makes the stand more or less permanent since if u take it out u have a hole in the floor. However, you might be able to mod the stand with the new floor to make it look integrated and make sure they match well.

Geomancer

Thanks for all the tips.

I hate that the floor needs dealt with first, since it has to possibly wait for next year and I want to get started now!

I've narrowed my options down to:

1) Strip the paint off the floor, sand it down, and resurface it. Depends on the floor being in good condition which is a big unknown.
2) Repaint the floor. Hate the idea of a painted floor, but it's cheap and quick.
3) Tile. Could be ... interesting doing this as a DIY project with no experience in tile work.

Ideally i would like to do number 1, but it requires the windows being open for days which just isn't possible this year (too cold out). Tile concerns me because of the added height it would put to the floor. I'm not sure if it would be much higher, or equal than the carpet + pad that is down right now.


For the tank stand itself this is what I have sketched out. It's the same basic concept as what I linked above, but modified some to make it more robust in my opinion. What do you all think? This is just a sketch of the basic shell. I would add paneling and trim to make it look better, but that wouldn't add anything structurally.