Homemade Fish Tank Stands

Fish tanks are a sizeable investment at the startup. They are worth the expense and are a great source of entertainment, but often owners seek to offset the original cost of an aquarium by making their own homemade fish tank stand. This can be done rather easily using existing furniture or by building from scratch as long as you keep a few key elements in mind.

  1. Strength

    • The most important aspect of your homemade fish tank stand is the overall strength. Not only does your stand need to be strong enough to hold the weight of the glass tank, all of the accessories including pumps and filters, and the fish, it has to be able to withstand the greatest weight of all when talking about an aquarium---the water. On the average, a filled and fully equipped fish tank will weigh approximately 10 times the number of gallons it holds plus the original weight of the empty tank. Therefore, a 10-gallon fish tank that weighs 11 pounds empty, when filled with water and equipment will weigh almost 111 pounds. A fish tank stand can be as simple or as complex as you prefer, but it must be strong.

    Water Resistance

    • Most home furniture is not built to withstand water damage. That is one reason to consider purchasing a pre-fabricated fish tank stand. The materials used are usually waterproof so that occasional spills from a fish tank will not damage it or weaken its integrity. If you use existing furniture or make your own fish tank stand from scratch, be sure to protect the surface of the stand so that the occasional spills from a fish tank will not cause considerable damage or rot the material. Because of the likelihood of water spills over time metal, glass or fiberglass furniture makes a better fish tank stand. However, wood furniture can be used so long as you place padding or plastic underneath the area where you will place your fish tank.

    Maneuverability

    • If you build your own fish tank stand or use existing furniture, it is a good idea to include wheels on the base of your stand. Fish tanks are not easily moved once they are set up and much too heavy to lift. Never attempt to pick up a full tank. The weight of the water can cause the bottom of a glass or acrylic tank to burst. When you build a fish tank stand, include lockable wheels so that you can lock them in place when you have the tank positioned where you want it, and unlock it when you need to move it to rearrange a room, clean or reach areas behind the tank. If you are using an existing piece of furniture that does not have wheels, consider adding them to make moving the tank at a later date easier.

    Storage

    • A lot of equipment is necessary for the upkeep of a tank. In addition to supplies to clean and adjust water levels, there also is fish food to keep. Having storage areas in a fish tank stand isn't a necessity, but it does make keeping all those items easier.