How do you build an aquarium stand?

Question

ive heard its not safe to build an aquarium stand. the reason though i want to build on is because most of the ones ive seen are ugly. i also heard somewhere that if u get a metal aquarium stand and put wood around it, it would be safer. is this true, and can i do this? the aquarium i want to get is 75 gallons.

Answer 1

For a tank that big, don't make it yourself.  It will end up in a very messy, very wet tragedy.  The thing is going to easily weigh over 700 pounds when it is full of water and rocks and equipment.  Even if it holds the tanks, you can't be sure it is evenly supporting all that weight and that can result in cracking from the uneven pressure.

If you really hate how they look, buy a proper one and put a prettier wooden facade on the front of it.  Just don't change it structurally.  in this case, functionality absolutely has to take precedence over looks.

Answer 2

tanks are only supported along the perimeter of the bottom. the perimeter has to be absolutely true, otherwise the tank bottom will have stress that will cause a crack.

i would buy a commercial stand for anything over 20 gal.