How to build a stand riser? Tips? Stand pictures inside...

DavidinGA · Sep 17, 2021

I picked up a used 90g tank stand and canopy set and I would like to raise the stand height. The stand is a 3/4" plywood stand built by a custom aquarium stand builder in Atlanta (not some junky petco stand) and is 31" tall - really short. The stand is a standard 90g footprint 4ft x 18". It has a thin (1/8"?) bottom base that I would remove.

I'll preface this with I have just average woodworking skills.

The stand is 31" tall and I would like it closer to 40".

I was thinking of building a simple riser out of 2x8's (open in the middle where the sump will sit on the floor). If I did this would I want to have the existing stand sit flush on the edge of the 2x8 so the stand and the riser meet cleanly on the outside or would it better to center the stand on the middle of the 2x8 boards? How would I join the 2x8's to the 3/4" plywood? Glue?

Should I just use common 1x8 boards and glue/attach them to the existing stand base to increase the height? That seems a bit sketchy to me in my mind; comments/thoughts?

Does anyone have a better plan or suggestion?

Thanks

shwareefer · Sep 17, 2021

A riser made from 2x8's would support that easily. If you're going to have it open with the tank on the floor I would build it with deck screws and construction adhesive. If you aren't commited to the sump on the floor you could build it with cross supports like a floor 12" on center with screws, and just put the whole thing as is on top of it - no glue needed. Centered or to the edge shouldn't matter structurally. I would make it flush to the edge just to look better.

flagg37 · Oct 20, 2021

shwareefer said:
A riser made from 2x8's would support that easily. If you're going to have it open with the tank on the floor I would build it with deck screws and construction adhesive. If you aren't commited to the sump on the floor you could build it with cross supports like a floor 12" on center with screws, and just put the whole thing as is on top of it - no glue needed. Centered or to the edge shouldn't matter structurally. I would make it flush to the edge just to look better.

I agree the compression strength of a 2x8 on its side is quite substantial. The harder part will be finishing it so that it looks good. That stand already (in my opinion) doesn’t look very nice.

dantimdad · Nov 24, 2021

To make it match, get 1/4" oak plywood, glue it to a piece of 3/4" birch or other cabinet grade plywood. Rip it to desired width, pocket hole it to the bottom of the stand and use glue.

Will hold up a truck, quite literally and not move. I would, however, put in a stretcher across the middle front to back to keep it from having any possibility from racking. Just my .02