Building a catwalk around the tank

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Y'all thanks for all the help and suggestions. To be honest I find myself always in my tank so I think a more permanent solution is best for a few reasons.

1. Always in the tank and will need to stay up on the cleaning. Making it harder will result in me procrastinating.
2. The portable solutions are wider than I really want to go because of the space in the room. I know I said 24" but after measuring I am thinking the width needs to be 16 - 20" range and the height 40-43".
3. Cheaper!

@Elder1945 you've already hooked me up big time but if you want to take a shot at helping me build this cat walk that would be awesome!

 

[DanConnor]

If you haven't checked out Mark Levinson's site he has a nice setup for this.

 

[RobBaglieri]

I would build it exactly the way you build an outdoor deck. There are tons of plans out there to build decks. You are simply building a U shaped free standing deck. The only difference is you will need poles on the tank side of the deck where an outdoor deck is bolted to the house. This deck an also be movable if you like. It can be on locking casters. You could also make three sections and push them together when needed. I would leave them in place. Use under the deck for storage.

 

[fmp47]

I purchased a portable scaffold at Lowes. Works great, easy to move and store when not needed

 

[Bluefish9]

Tagging along in anticipation of a build thread [emoji51]

 

[ShawnSaucier]

this could always be fun. Maybe a new game at RAP, Grab a Frag...

 

[TheEngineer]

If you haven't checked out Mark Levinson's site he has a nice setup for this.

^-- This. He has mounting points built into his stand and just slides the walking boards into the mount when he wants to get in the tank. Then he takes them down and puts them somewhere else when he isn't.

http://www.melevsreef.com/tanks/steel-stand-walkboard

 

[Paul B]

OK I am confused. So you are building the tank into a wall and you have no way of opening a panel above and on the front of your tank? Is that correct?

 

[Brew12]

Y'all thanks for all the help and suggestions. To be honest I find myself always in my tank so I think a more permanent solution is best for a few reasons.

1. Always in the tank and will need to stay up on the cleaning. Making it harder will result in me procrastinating.
2. The portable solutions are wider than I really want to go because of the space in the room. I know I said 24" but after measuring I am thinking the width needs to be 16 - 20" range and the height 40-43".
3. Cheaper!

Have you ever tried working from a 20" wide platform? I hope you have incredible balance! I'm sure it sounds like that is plenty wide right now, but when you get tools and supplies on it and have to start reaching around that 20" will feel very narrow.

 

[cobraz]

The only thing I would point out make it just short of the tank bottom..so you don't slam it into the display tank if you were to slip..could see you parting the red sea...ugh !

 

[rayscoralreef]

My 125 display is on my main floor in the living room and my 110 gallon custom stock tank sump is plumbed downstairs in the basement. I have a 12x7 sump room as well as a 15 x 25 fishroom taken away from the storage room.

I am researching how to build a catwalk that will provide room to work on the tank as well as proving additional weight on the back of the tank for more support. We will be moving our couch to rest against the stand of the tank facing outward and a catwalk would make maintenance much easier than having to stand on the couch all the time. Do you have any insights or pictures of how this should look/function?? The opening I have is 6' x 39.5" and I would like to make the deck height 3'