135 gallon tank stand?

[Adrian]

This weekend, with my boys, I am picking up my 135 gallon tank. I want to put this in the living room, as a show piece, however, until I get a stand for this, I can't set it up. I don't want it to look tacky, and I want something to match the wood decor in my house, so any do it yourselvers out there no how to build a stand that can hold 1850lbs? Between the water, live rock and sand, that is approximately what it will weigh. Any ideas?

[Rue]

You can make your own if you're handy...2X4's, wood or panelling to cover the outside...but it's hard to make one quickly that looks really nice...

If you're in a rush, I'd suggest getting the dimensions (double check) and then hit the stores looking for one...a store bought one will look nicer than something you hurry to nail together.

And...in my experience...if you're not handy, you'll spend more money making one than buying one...

ALSO - odds are you'll be storing stuff, or have a sump, or something that will fit in the stand...and you'll want easy access to it. There's nothing worse than having not quite enough room to manipulate equipment.

I hate scraped knuckles...:scry:

I wouldn't rush to find a temporary or 'make-do' stand. Once you have a 135 g aquarium in place, you don't want to dismantle it just to put a nicer stand under it...

[Rue]

Misread your question...(blush)

Sorry. Lots of really nicely built stands on AC...the DIYs will have loads of info!

[Northernguy]

This is my 135 stand before I added the tank.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
and after
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Also make sure its set up in a spot where the floor can take the weight.

[Fisharefriends27]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
This is where I got my stand but the only catch is they build it themselves when they get the order so it takes awhile
Go northernguy the floor has to take the weight.

[Scrup]

2x4's work fine. You can just skin it with some plywood once you have the frame built. throw on some matching stain and you are set.

[BrandonBCA]

Jointing is the most likely point of failure. If you're comfortable making puzzle piece jointery, do it. If not make sure to use thick bolts that can handle the shear stress from the weight of the tank(better to overbuild than underbuild...though most bolts aren't ANSI rated so :| ) you can set them flush with a wood borer and then cover the holes with a plywood outer piece. For cost, it's best use framing timber for the supports and then furniture grade woods for a decorative shell. Oh and you're not supporting 2000 lbs, but 2000 lbs distributed over the length of your tank. The more supports, the less weight on each support. I'd probably go with a 4x4 in each corner, then 2 2x4s along the back, at the 1/4 marks(no 2x4s in the front for access purposes) then trim with hardwood.