Homemade Tank Shelves

Fish tanks (also known as home aquariums) can be quite expensive, especially large ones with all of the features, such as filtration and aeration systems. Buying a shelving unit or stand for your fish tank only adds to this cost, and transporting the unit is another concern. Homemade fish tank shelves offer an affordable solution. Do-it-yourselfers with basic carpentry know-how can easily construct their own fish tank shelves using materials from their local hardware or home supply store.

  1. Prep Work

    • Before beginning construction of on your homemade fish tank shelf, you should consider a few options. The location of your shelving unit will largely determine its size. Make sure you find a place in your home that is away from heavy foot traffic (such as near your home's front door or in a hallway), and roughly measure out the space with a tape measure. You can use this as basis for planning out the dimensions of your fish tank shelf. Of course, you should also take into account the size of your fish tank (if you already own one) and make sure the top surface of your shelf is large enough to accommodate it.

    Construction Process

    • The best method for constructing homemade fish tank shelves is to use wood and nails. Building a shelf out of metal is another option for do-it-yourselfers. But this would require the use of a welding torch, which can be difficult if your are inexperienced. According to FishTankStand.net, when constructing your shelf, you should use beams of lumber (such as two-by-fours) to construct two rectangular frames: one for the base and one for the top. A beam can then be added vertically to each corner, and you will have the basic skeleton of your shelf. You can then cover the open spaces of the skeleton with plywood and nail them in place. If you want to include a cabinet door on your shelving unit, leave the front space open. You can easily make a door using plywood and hinges, just make sure to vertically inset a beam adjacent to the corner where you are putting it. This beam should be set back enough so that hinges can be attached and the door is flush when it closes.

    Finishing Work

    • After you have built your fish tank shelf, there are several finishing options you should consider. According to PlantedTank.net, you will want fill in all nail indentations with wood putty and, after the putty dries (which will take approximately an hour), sand over all of the shelf's surfaces. Sand the shelf by hand using sandpaper that is 120 or 150 grit. You can get rid of excess sawdust between sanding sessions with a vacuum cleaner. Once sanding is finished, you will have staining to consider. Use an oil-based stain, which you can apply with a brush, specialized staining sponge or cloth.