How to Build a Bow Fish Tank Stand

Bow-faced fish tanks are an attractive display option for any fish owner. They can be purchased in the same wide range of sizes as regular fish tanks, from 5-gallon starters to enormous 50-gallon tanks fit for the largest pet fish. The main problem for the bow-faced tank owner is that the unusual shape of the tank doesn't match well with the tops of many commercially available fish-tank stands, which are typically designed for conventional tanks. Rather than simply accepting the visual clash between your bow-faced tank and rectangular-topped stand, why not make a simple wooden stand that will better accommodate the design of your particular tank? This particular design is intended for a large, 50-gallon tank, but it can be easily modified for smaller tanks.

Things You'll Need

  • 4-inch by 4-inch by 37-inch lengths of lumber (4)
  • 4-inch by 4-inch by 11-inch lengths of lumber (4)
  • 4-inch by 4-inch by 22-inch lengths of lumber (4)
  • Belt or hand sander
  • 4-inch angle brackets (24)
  • 3-inch wood screws
  • Wood glue
  • Screw gun
  • 4-foot by 8-foot sheet of 1/2-inch plywood
  • Jigsaw
  • 4-foot by 8-foot sheets of 1/8-inch plywood (2)
  • Finishing nails
  • Stain or paint
  • Polyurethane finish
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Instructions

    • 1

      Sand the ends of the 4-inch by 4-inch lumber lengths until they are smooth.

    • 2

      Set out a rectangle made up of two 37-inch pieces of 4-inch by 4-inch lumber laid side by side, 11 inches apart, with two of the 11-inch pieces joining the ends together. Glue this rectangle together with wood glue. Use an angle bracket secured with wood screws at each corner to join the pieces together securely. Repeat this process to build another, identical rectangle. Allow them to dry fully before continuing. These rectangles will be the top and bottom of the fish-tank stand.

    • 3

      Vertically attach the four 22-inch lengths of 4-inch by 4-inch lumber on top of the corners of the bottom rectangle, using wood glue and angle brackets. There should be two angle brackets for each of these "legs," so they can be attached to both pieces of 4 by 4 extending from the corners of the base. Allow the glue to dry before continuing.

    • 4

      Set the remaining rectangle on top of the vertical supports and affix it in place, using wood glue and angle brackets in the same configuration used to affix the supports to the base. Allow the glue to dry before continuing.

    • 5

      Trace the outline of the bottom of your fish tank onto the piece of 1/2-inch plywood, then add 1/2 inch in all dimensions and draw the new, expanded outline. Use the jigsaw to cut out this piece, which will be the top surface of the stand. Sand the cut edges smooth. Trace the sanded piece on the plywood and cut out an identical piece, then sand it smooth as well. This last piece will be the bottom of the stand.

    • 6

      Affix the 1/2-inch plywood pieces to the top and bottom of the stand, with the flat end flush with one side of the frame and the bowed side extending out beyond the other. Use wood glue and wood screws to secure them.

    • 7

      Cut out panels of 1/8-inch plywood that fit the dimensions of the sides of the stand and affix them in place with wood glue and finishing nails. Allow the glue to dry before continuing.

    • 8

      Paint or stain the stand as you wish. When the paint is dry, paint on a layer of clear polyurethane to protect the finish.