Improvised stand?

Elliriyanna

Elliriyanna

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Is there anything I can use for a stand for my 4 ft tank other than a traditional tank stand that would be completely safe? I am very short ( 5' 2") so cleaning tanks can be very hard for me so if i could use a well built coffee table or something ...

I am not at all above just buying a stand but I wanted to be sure of my options.
 
My flatmate is probably about your height and she struggles to reach into one of the tanks. It makes me laugh and then she has to ask me to do it haha (I'm almost six foot so no issue for me! Lol)

And we don't actually use tank stands.. Just really nice SOLID wooden furniture. A solid coffee table would work great. I'm trying to find a stand for my tank and just search for second hand buffets or side boards. Careful what they are made of coz some aren't suitable to be around water like will majorly swell up is they get wet :)
 
Only problem with the coffee table is wacking your shins on it lol. But thats better than a dirty tank.
 
Anything that you feel confortable that can hold 400+ lbs of weight(probably closer to 600lbs maybe?) is great. You want solid wood and nicely built. I have my 25gallon on a dresser and after thinking it through it works.. I mean its only temporAry and we dont open/close the drawers often.. Which can lead to a lot of vibration and potential to crack the tank. Its been about 3 1/2months and no problems. So i do not see why you could not use a well built coffee table at all.
 
8 x 40 ... 320 lbs of water + tank and decor ( I dont use substrate ) It will be less than 400 lbs ... I have had this tank on a coffee table once before but the table just was not long enough So i have no experience with keeping it on an improvised stand that could actually work lol.

All my small tanks are on other furniture ( 20 long on the dresser, 10 gal on the night stand and my 5 gal on a shelf) but a 40 long is a big jump from small tanks.
 
real quick and easy stand, get some cinder blocks from a hardware store and two 2 inch x 4 inch wood planks
stack the cinder blocks, stick the boards on top and set your tank on that

this is from another website but here is an example
DSC03989-1.jpg
 
Ha! you're taller than me! Yeah I have the same problem. It's hard to get to the bottom of the tank.

Coffee table should work fine, honestly most coffee tables look more sturdy than the average stand anyway!
 
Maybe I should also buy a lower dresser for the 20 long ... Hmmm ...
 
I have the same problem (I'm 5'3")! A sturdy solid wood dresser/table would be OK as long as it takes the wieght.

BUT have you considered getting a little stand for you to stand on instead?
(or getting a 6' boyfriend....:p)
 
My boyfriend is 5'10' BUT he is OCD ( So he doesnt want to touch the water) and isnt the biggest animal fan in the world lol.

I have considered like a step stool but I dont like being away from the ground at all lol, I am a bit of a klutz and knowing me I would fall into the tank injuring both myself and poor Natsu.
 
Im also only 5' 3" haha and i have two tanks, one is on an old dresser and the other is on an office desk (sturdy of course) theyve been there around 10 months and ive had no problems although i often worry the floor may fall through haha!
 
My dresser is almost as tall as me so Natsu's tank being on it is a pain lol ... Can't wait to move it.
 
I second the cinder block and plank stand! I use it for my tank and it's wonderful. Out of the way, and a little extra space on the planks for storage. And it's low lol. I'm 5'6" so it's a little short, but that's OK :)
 
Maybe I should have mentioned I would prefer it be presentable as well since I know this will be a centerpiece tank ... 4 ft long with a strange creature in it ... Its gonna prompt some conversations
 
Go to goodwill. Pick up a pair of cute curtains or a sheet. Cut to size and staple to the boards.
 
My six foot is a centrepiece tank, it's on a DIY stand made out of bits of pressurised 4x4 timber. Doesn't take long to put together and is much more sturdy than the flat pack tank stands. It will be easy enough to clad with some plywood at a later date. Best of all is really didn't cost that much :)
 
I have thought about building a stand but I am so afraid to mess it up ... My tank is older than me and I love it more than anyone should lobe an inanimate object.
 
Elliriyanna said:
Maybe I should have mentioned I would prefer it be presentable as well since I know this will be a centerpiece tank ... 4 ft long with a strange creature in it ... Its gonna prompt some conversations
Click to expand...

if you use my cinder block idea its really easy to dress it up, just buy a black (or whatever color you like) sheet and hide all the blocks and wood :)
 
mackinthebox said:
if you use my cinder block idea its really easy to dress it up, just buy a black (or whatever color you like) sheet and hide all the blocks and wood :)
Click to expand...

Wouldnt it still be REALLY low? I want it more than an inch off the ground lol ... Might as well put it on the floor at that point.
 
no, not necessarily, the great thing about the cinder blocks is that you can stack them
here is another example:
DSCN0685.jpg


this is a good idea too! you can paint the blocks!! dont know why that never crossed my mind!! lol

http://virtuallyamy.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/tank-stand-29-front.jpg

edit: wow thats a big picture, removed the img tags so its a link...

They come in all kinds of sizes so you can stack them however you want
8 in. x 8 in. x 16 in.
8 in. x 4 in. x 16 in.
8 in. x 1-5/8 in. x 16 in.
8 in. x 8 in. x 8 in.
7-3/4 in. x 2-1/4 in. x 3-3/4 in.

they should have plenty at your local hardware store :) just let your imagination run wild and grab a couple cans of spray paint!
I might just do this myself now, was going to get a 50 dollar shelving unit from the home depot but now im wondering if it might be cheaper to get cinder blocks and 2x4's cinder blocks are only about $1.34 each here in dallas
 
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