Or instead of the cinder block (rocket engineer for current stand OR cinder with slightly larger tank)

[Fish Fan]

I did not use any plywood on mine. Mine is a bit confusing because of the top shelf arrangement.

In your case, you’d need the rectangular top and bottom frames just like before. Then you need four vertical posts at each corner. And finally you brace the top frame with a 2x4 running horizontally fully supporting the frame. You could add center brace in the top frame too, definitely wouldn’t hurt.

Here’s a video that may help. He’s building a rack, but you would just need one level. But I think it shows how this goes together and how the supports work.

 

[Daphne's_Reef]

Ah, I couldn't see through them in the picture, so I thought there might be something under it.

I've got a hognose snake coming home next week, and my hopeful plan is to give him the old 40. I'm still not 100% convinced it's going to make it long-term with water in it just because of how long it was outside in the elements. If I made the top rack, could I put the 20 gallon proposed sump UP, and try to find a spot for the (absolutely massive. . .) return pump in the display tank?

 

[Fish Fan]

Ah, I couldn't see through them in the picture, so I thought there might be something under it.

I've got a hognose snake coming home next week, and my hopeful plan is to give him the old 40. I'm still not 100% convinced it's going to make it long-term with water in it just because of how long it was outside in the elements. If I made the top rack, could I put the 20 gallon proposed sump UP, and try to find a spot for the (absolutely massive. . .) return pump in the display tank?

Hognose, way cool! I don't do much with herps anymore, but I used to be very into them.

OK, I understand that your old 40 gallon may not be "water safe" anymore. I think your question is, can you have a 20 gallon sump above your display tank? Yes, you can, but why not have the 20 gallon sump under your 40 gallon display tank, and have the massive return pump in the sump and not the display tank?

 

[jpas]

I still haven't made the cinder block stand for my tank. I've currently got a 20 long I'd like to eventually try to make into a sump again, so I keep looking at it like "but I wouldn't be able to fit it under the blocks. . .

Option A: Rocket Engineer's 2x4 stand. The big issue I've got with that (besides being terrified I wouldn't be able to get it 100% square) is I don't want to skin it, I'd rather have it open if I did it that way, but I've seen tons of things saying you have to skin it or it'll sheer sideways and end up with your tank on the floor in pieces. Is that a huge issue for a 40 breeder, and without skinning with plywood, is there a different way to make sure the side to side is not going to be an issue on a 3 foot tank?

Option B: Get a 60 (breeder?) since they're on sale at petco now, and do a DIY AIO conversion for it. I'd need to find more egg crate for the lid, and need to find a hangar for my lights (I used to have one? Not that I know HOW to hang them) and they might not be long enough (24") for the nearly 4 foot span of the tank. But my fish would be happier, and I could maybe get another one or two for it at some point, and putting a few stacks of blocks under it, I'd still have plenty of room for the jug for my topoff.

I'd honestly prefer to stick with the 3 foot tank, but I would be willing to do either. Which seems like a safer bet?

Sorry I'm so indecisive and have too many questions!

For a smaller tank like that, definetly go with the wood stand.

Daphne, I say just go for it! Building a 2x4 stand can be very easy and very strong. If you have a drill to drive screws and can have the store cut some lumber for you, you’re in. You may also be able to borrow a saw from a friend or neighbor (almost any saw could be used, from a hand saw to a jigsaw, circular saw, or a miter saw is ideal). 2x4’s are still pretty inexpensive, so if you goofed one up it’s not that big of a deal. And there are some easy tips and tricks to get nice, straight cuts using, for example, a jig saw or circular saw.

Take a look at the following video from The King Of DIY Joey. Basically, you build two square frames, one for the top and bottom. You use 4 vertical pieces to establish the height and the overall shape, if you will. Then, you come back with more vertical pieces that directly support the top and bottom frame. This is all there is to it, and I think this video will make sense of what I’m trying to describe.



If you decide you want to try this, I would even help you make a “cut list” so you know exactly what length to cut each piece in the stand. but I promise you, a stand like this is very easy to build and rock solid. What have you got to lose besides ~$20 in 2x4’s?

Just a few other thoughts: keep in mind a 2x4 does not measure 2”x4”, it’s really 1.5”x3.5”. In addition to screws I would suggest using wood glue as you build your stand, but you could likely get away with just screws.

And if you ever decide you do want to skin it, instead of using plain plywood and finishing it, consider using an inexpensive piece of wall paneling. These can be pretty inexpensive, and are already finished for you.

If I can help you with this build, please don’t hesitate to ask. Good luck!

For a smaller tank, wood or t-slot aluminum is your best options.

I made a cinder block base with a wooden platform for my 8' x 3' tank. This is before cutting the opening in the wall.

 

[Fish Fan]

For a smaller tank like that, definetly go with the wood stand.

For a smaller tank, wood or t-slot aluminum is your best options.

I made a cinder block base with a wooden platform for my 8' x 3' tank. This is before cutting the opening in the wall.

I like that stand! It looks like you used mortar to permently join the blocks? I think that looks better and would make me feel a lot better if that was my stand. No chance the blocks could tumble over if bumped or whatever.

 

[jpas]

I like that stand! It looks like you used mortar to permently join the blocks? I think that looks better and would make me feel a lot better if that was my stand. No chance the blocks could tumble over if bumped or whatever.

Definetly, with 500 gallons of water, I wanted to be sure it was level and somewhat permanent.

Here it is with some fish

 

[Fish Fan]

Definetly, with 500 gallons of water, I wanted to be sure it was level and somewhat permanent.

Here it is with some fish

Nice pic! Is this in progress, or have you completed this build? This would be impressive with the 3 foot depth.

 

[Daphne's_Reef]

I can just put the 20 long under it, too. I just figured it'd save some space if I could stack things, and I definitely don't want a bunch of dirt over my reef! It's really interesting that the original plan has uprights on all the corners to hold the weight, yet this seems to be held by (glue) a few nails. Shows the strength pretty well, I suppose.

One day I dream of having a huge tank like that. Maybe I'll eventually be lucky enough to.

 

[RocketEngineer]

Turns out I had a 20L 9n the garage, so here it is filled and doing just fine on the stand.

It also occurred to me that if I wanted to, I could get three 10 gallon tanks on the bottom frame. You may want to consider having your old 40 live under your new 40 and act like a sump. That would be a pretty good setup, I think.

While I like the idea of stacked tanks, this stand has the same flaw I get on a soap box about all the time: it trusts the screws in shear.

You are trusting that a screw is going to hold all that weight and it might. I am much less trusting. Here is a dual stand design where the load is supported by wood:

The magenta legs take the weight from the top straight through to the floor. All the screws have to do is hold them to the greens. On a small setup, you can probably use smaller lumber but that’s up to the builder.

 

[Fish Fan]

While I like the idea of stacked tanks, this stand has the same flaw I get on a soap box about all the time: it trusts the screws in shear.

You are trusting that a screw is going to hold all that weight and it might. I am much less trusting. Here is a dual stand design where the load is supported by wood:

The magenta legs take the weight from the top straight through to the floor. All the screws have to do is hold them to the greens. On a small setup, you can probably use smaller lumber but that’s up to the builder.

You have a great point about relying on the shear strength of the screws too much. However, my focus here was to try to offer the OP the easiest design to build that I could think of. The OP has a very limited tool set, and is having all the lumber pre-cut at Lowes. I was trying to think of a design that doesn't require perfect cuts and would have a little "wiggle room" if Lowes doesn't cut the 2x4's perfectly.

I have also recommended that she glues all the joints, which would make a very, very strong joint that is not only relying on the screws to hold. And in the case of the stand I just made for my temporary QT system, I used fairly beefy Deckmate brand exterior deck screws, which should be resistant to corrosion.

The design you offered above is similar to the first design I suggested, I just think it's a harder build for the OP. Those magenta pieces have to be cut pretty much perfectly to fit snugly between the top and bottom frames. I would just be worried that if Lowes doesn't cut them perfectly, they won't fit right, and the OP will get frustrated.

While not as strong, the design with the horizontal braces doesn't require as much precision with the cuts. If the horizontal support pieces are an 1/8" too long or short it won't really matter.

Again, you make a great point for sure! If you have any other suggestion please let us know!

 

[Daphne's_Reef]

the OP will get frustrated.

Have we met? I do tend to get frustrated easily, though so long as the wood is cut properly, it should be fine, I hope. My petco's still out of 40's, so I'll try Tampa next week while I'm at work. And probably try the first idea, just to be safe.

 

[Daphne's_Reef]

Okay, I was looking up plywood for another potential project, and it seems I massively overestimated the cost of it. Some of the 4x8 foot sheets were under $30. Would be more expensive than the 2x4s, but are there any good plans for them out there? When I looked here, seemed like everyone used a different pattern on theirs. What thickness would I need, and if I wanted to do the front and back open (sump, possibly my planted tank, plus the ATO jug under it?) could I make it that way? Even if it ended up a touch longer than the tank itself? Or would I need specialty tools to cut it apart like that, and having it 20" instead of 18 be too risky for weight bearing?

The one I CURRENTLY have is made out of plywood. It has two sides and the back that are mostly un-cut (though with a few holes I and the previous owner put in it for plumbing to a sump. I want more access than that, though.) and has a single piece that goes across the top/one a few inches off the bottom as a shelf. There's no support under the top/bottom pieces, though, and while it had doors when I got it, they were not weight bearing, and I took them off and either tossed or lost them when I moved cross country a while back.

**shrugs** It's an idea at least.

 

[Fish Fan]

Okay, I was looking up plywood for another potential project, and it seems I massively overestimated the cost of it. Some of the 4x8 foot sheets were under $30. Would be more expensive than the 2x4s, but are there any good plans for them out there? When I looked here, seemed like everyone used a different pattern on theirs. What thickness would I need, and if I wanted to do the front and back open (sump, possibly my planted tank, plus the ATO jug under it?) could I make it that way? Even if it ended up a touch longer than the tank itself? Or would I need specialty tools to cut it apart like that, and having it 20" instead of 18 be too risky for weight bearing?

The one I CURRENTLY have is made out of plywood. It has two sides and the back that are mostly un-cut (though with a few holes I and the previous owner put in it for plumbing to a sump. I want more access than that, though.) and has a single piece that goes across the top/one a few inches off the bottom as a shelf. There's no support under the top/bottom pieces, though, and while it had doors when I got it, they were not weight bearing, and I took them off and either tossed or lost them when I moved cross country a while back.

**shrugs** It's an idea at least.

Hi, Daphne!

Good questions. I have a few quick thoughts, just off the top of my head. I think everyone would agree that if you're using the plywood as the main structural support that's holding up the weight of the tank, you'll absolutely want to use 3/4" plywood. I would suggest you go back and look at what a 4'x8' sheet of 3/4" ply costs these days ;-)

In my opinion, you really want to use at least a sanded ply or something like a birch ply, maple ply, etc. These can all be found at Lowes but can also be fairly expensive. Some of the less expensive materials you may see are typically used in construction and home building, and while they may work for a stand, they are not pretty and wouldn't be as easy to work with compared to a nicer sheet of plywood.

In case you didn't know, just like with 2x4's no plywood is really as think as it says. For example, 3/4" thick plywood is actually 23/32" thick. This is just 1/32" less than a full 3/4", and might not seem like much, but it can't be ignored, and has to be factored into your dimensions. Such precise dimensions may be difficult for the employees at Lowes to cut accurately for you.

You would have to consider how you want to join together your pieces of plywood. You could butt two pieces up to each other with some glue in between and drive screws through the joint, but this is a generally considered a weak joint.

Hands down, the easiest way to join two pieces of plywood together is with a Kreg Jig pocket hole jig. These make it pretty easy to get a good, strong joint without a lot of tools. But, you would need to borrow or purchase a Kreg Jig or another pocket hole jig (the most basic Kreg jig starts at about $40. Harbor Freight may have a cheaper alternative) and ideally you'd want one of their clamps (or at least a friend to help you), which is another $30 or so. Other methods to join plywood include cutting joints like rabbets and dados, but these would require a machine like a table saw or router, the appropriate blades or bits, and a bit of know how.

I think by the time you buy the plywood and any extra tools you'll need this would be much more expensive than using 2x4's. And, I think it makes for a more difficult build.

If you like the look of a plywood stand, consider building a 2x4 frame and "skinning" it with thin, inexpensive plywood. For this, you can use 1/8" to 1/4" plywood sheets that start at about $20. You may be able to buy a half or quarter sheets too. You can do just the sides, which would leave you with that open front and back you like.

I hope that all made sense and is of some help!

 

[Daphne's_Reef]

It is indeed. Thank you again for putting up with all of my inane questions!

 

[Fish Fan]

It is indeed. Thank you again for putting up with all of my inane questions!

No problem, I hope I’m helpful!

 

[Daphne's_Reef]

You are incredibly helpful!

 

[RocketEngineer]

You are incredibly helpful!

Glad to hear.

 

[Daphne's_Reef]

The saw at the local Lowe's has been out of commission for a while. Was going to try again today to see if it's back up yet, but then I thought of another possible issue. I've got parrots in the room where my tank is. How long does paint tend to offgas? I've seen anywhere between a couple days to 6 months while googling. Is there anything else I can do to waterproof it? If I put a drop cloth like this under the tank on the top of the stand, would it keep water from getting onto the wood?

 

[Fish Fan]

I have always wanted a parrot, but we have too many cats lol! I do know they are very sensitive to anything like paint fumes in the air. You may want to ask this question on a bird related forum to be sure. I would look for a low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint, maybe something safe for children's furniture? I would think the paint counter people at Lowes may be able to help you find something. Maybe paint the stand outside or in a garage, and let it dry fully before bringing it inside? I think once the paint is fully dry the off gassing isn't a problem. And I think most low VOC paints are going to be done off gassing in a day or so, certainly a lot less than 6 months.

There are other finishes too, like polyurethane or an oil finish. Maybe there would be something safer than paint to use around your birds?

I probably wouldn't try the drop cloth idea, I don't see it holding up long term. I think it will tear and water will work through it anyway, but that's just my guess.

I just did quick search for "parrot safe paints" and I got several returns that may be helpful Here's one that may help:

https://freerangeparrots.org/2022/08/05/painting-safely-in-a-house-with-birds/

 

[Daphne's_Reef]

Oh my. I looked for VOC free paint at Lowe's and it costs more than a pre-made metal stand!

I was definitely going to paint outside, and I've got a big fan I can use with the open-air of the garage, so that will definitely help.

I'll ask at Lowe's. Hopefully they'll have a good idea for it.

The parrots are awesome, but they're also feisty little dinosaurs who forget that they're not bigger than a house with massive teeth anymore. Wouldn't trade them for the world, even if I am constantly wearing bite marks and am sure I'll be going deaf years early because of them