Absolutely PERFECT instructions. I was able to have this up in 2.5 hours, and it was about 60 dollars total with lumber from Home depot (this included a sheet of 5/8 ply for a top and some other projects. So you can probably do this for 50 bucks.
I like your design. I'll probably be using it for a multi 10 gallon setup. I will likely cut a piece of plywood for the bottom to make a shelf, stain or paint the wood and put a backer behind the lower tanks with blue or black paint to serve as a backdrop for them. Thanks for putting the vid together and sharing.
Definitely impressed with this design for stacking larger aquarium (55gallon and up). I’ll be using this in future builds. Appreciate you sharing a very detailed and informative video. Fired Up!!!
Thank you!! First there's nothing over 28" tall you can buy from the stores that isn't over 300$ and made of particle board; this stand is perfect to see over the balcony to the front door so we can see the tank when we walk in the front door and obviously view it in the living area. #2 This trumps any stand even metals ones I seen online that were under 250$-300$ for safety, I am definitely building this over the weekend and will feel that my two year olds are safe around the tanks.
Dude this helped me build it just like that and the most helpful parts were the way you not only explained it but showed us from start to finish. Good job brotha 👏 👍🏻 Thanks !!!
Just built another one of these to stack 40s. Also i modified my old one to hold a 75 on the bottom and a 55 above. (The 55 is a terrarium so weight is no issue) either way these stands are very sturdy and an excellent value even with todays lumber prices.
Nice build. I built a stand for my 125 using 2x6s and lag bolts to secure the stand to the wall (built into wall in basement). I also built a stand for when I decide to one day get the 150g tall tank. Now, I need to build a stackable stand for two 30 long tanks. Since I never built a stackable stand, this will help my build. Thanks.... Got a new subscriber.
This is such a great design and easy to build - thanks for the vid. BTW, you should ask santa for an impact driver, brotha! Makes zipping in screws cake
Thank you for the time you spend doing these videos. The DIY info is very helpful from resealing the tanks to building the stands. I like your design on the 55 stacked stand I've built one 55 on top and a 40 breeder on the lower shelf but I need now to build the identical stand that you just did in this video. Keep up the great videos
I mocked up this design in Blender for adjusting to a smaller version and I couldn't be more excited to build it. I've really been wanting to set up my 20 long under my 10 gallon.
great video and very detailed. Would you be able to share any photos of the two 55's stacked? It would be cool to see the fully finished product with the aquarium loaded up. Plus would help to see how the tanks will sit and how easy/hard it would be to be able to access the tanks for water changes etc.
I just picked up a 55 gallon tank and metal stand. I cleaned the tank and stand and painted the stand. Perfect! I set the tank on top of the metal stand and see that the lengthwise angle crosspieces on top are slightly bowed and there is a gap in the middle of about 3mm. I am reluctant to fill the tank and get it going only to have the center give out. I could reinforce it using 2x4's, but am wondering if you have ever hear of this problem? And great job on the stand!! I may just end up going that route!
Thank you the stand I'll be making with ur videos help will be for my snakes tanks it wouldn't be as heavy cause it's not holding water. the tanks are different sizes so the slightly smaller one will be on top.
I’ve decided to build this design since I’m limited in space in my house and can stack em. Although I wish it was still 30$ to build. I put a veneer of reclaimed pallet slats. Looks good all complete.
Petsmart had a huge sale on their 55 gallon tank kits. I purchased 4 of them, so two of these shelves would be amazing and save me money. The dimensions off the box for each tank is 48Lx13Wx20H. I assume these would fit just fine on this build. For anyone asking...after doing the math you will need approximately (9) 2x4's that are 8 ft long for this project. You will have a little left over but not much. The few things that I would change is I would add some thinner boards to the top to help disburse more weight evenly and I would sand it all down (edges and writing). I would then most likely stain it. Either way, I would be saving a ton still.
Yep, you can totally pre-drill the holes as long as you drill the right size, if you go slightly too large the stand isn't going to be as sturdy because you no longer have full contact with the entire shank of the screw. This is why I chose not to pre-drill, also I think most of the noise you're hearing is the bit jumping on the screw head, due to cheap screws and cheap bits
2x4's are soft, they don't need predrilled. At the most all you gotta do is run the screw back out and in a couple times as you are tightening it down for the first time.
@@3volk715 you are mentioning the dimensions and density of the wood which is completely irrelevant to me commenting on this dude not pre drilling holes and me hearing the splitting of the wood. “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt” -Abraham Lincoln And to @trafish, I would argue that splitting your wood is far more detrimental to the integrity of your structure than the possible oversizing of the drill bit? Why not just choose the correct size bit and show the internet how to do things the right way rather than perpetuating bad habits and laziness?
I know it’s a little time-consuming, but if you pre-drill all your screw holes with a 8th inch drillbit. The screws would go in like butter. They grab better and you wouldn’t split the wood.
Love this! Exactly what we are looking for! Thanks for sharing! It allows the centre of gravity to be lower like the way you have your set up with the larger tank on the lower shelf and smaller ones on the top. The bottom area could be closed in with doors to finish it a bit more and the whole thing painted the same colour as the wall so it blends in. I have two questions: 1. How easy is it to clean the top aquariums (for access height). I am 5'9". Top of the tanks would be 49" plus the height of the tallest top shelf tank. Any challenges accessing for set up, cleaning etc? Trying to avoid a step ladder. 2. Is 10 Inches enough space between the side supports to place a hang on back filter for a 55 gal? Otherwise the whole stand needs to be moved away from the wall at least 4 inches to allow for it to hang at the back if you don't want o put the filter on the front (which we don't). I guess I'll have to do some research on the dimensions of the filter we will be getting. Thanks!
I haven't had any issues cleaning the top tanks, and the ceilings I have aren't even full height. Personally I would just hang the filters off the back, for safety reasons I used 5-in steel L brackets to attach the stand to the wall and I'm able to run penguin 350s on the back of them with no issues
One of the best rack build videos out there! How hard would it be to build a dual 75G stand? You mentioned to use 3X6 lumber. Why did you choose 55G over 75G?
Thank you! Doing a 75 stand would be no different except making the length of the crossmembers from front to back 15.5" instead of 10" making the depth from front to back 18.5" for the 75 instead of 13" for the 55. I chose 55s because I had gotten a bunch of free 55s otherwise 75s would have been my choice lol. And all the lumber used was 2x4.
2"x4" pine boards are more than enough, 1 vertical 2x4 can support 1000 lbs before failure, the bottom shelf on this stand has 6 verticle supports so can theoretically hold 6000lbs at the failure point, I consider half that a safe load rating. since the top and bottom tank are both supported by the bottom shelf you add tank weights together and as long as you don't go over 3000 I'd say your good. A 75 gal weighs about 750 fully set up with substrate and decor so 2 75s would be 1500lbs, so the stand is easily capable of holding that. If you wanted to go 3x6 you could but the dimentions would be a little different for building.
Great instructions... Gonna use this as a base for my design. I want to have a 55 gallon on the bottom, and raise the top to have a bar height counter/shelf. Thinking of using stained/carved reclaimed wood to attach to the top level and jutting out enough to give room for some footspace. Would love your thoughts, or even help if you have done a fishtank bar type build before!
Any wood will work, softer woods like pine (what i used) are more flexible but not as strong as other woods, hard woods like maple, oak and cherry are stronger and more rigid and look better but arent as flexible and can crack much easier
I notice the stand with tanks on it has plywood between the 2x4 and tank, you don’t say this is required but my fear would be if you don’t do the plywood and have the stand exactly level/flat the tank would crack. Do you have any w/o plywood?
Yes i have a few, the one with plywood was originally holding a 20 and 29 gallon so i added the plywood, however having the plywood would help create a flatter surface for peace of mind if you want
@@TrafishAquatics Oh ok, wasnt too sure. Thank you for replying. Also is that an aqueon 55 tank? I want to build this for mine but I know nothing of building or measurements
Hey do you think I can make the 11 inch pieces 7 inches and only putting one 55 on the bottom rack then making the 26 in piece 30in and putting a 55 in tv on the top rack. I’m limited to 84 in and the tv with the wood is place on the top rack would be a little less than 35 in giving me only enough room for the stand but I need a little more room between the top of the tank and the top rack
Nope you don't need to add plywood or anything, framed tanks only touch on the frame of the tank so the bottom isn't being supported by anything anyway.
We are going to build a "guppy tower"! 3 levels with double wide 10s or single 20L with full shelves on each level. What would you say the optimal distance between shelves would be?
It all depends on what tank size you use, personally what I would do is figure out exactly what tanks you want to use and then design your rack with that tank size in mind. Normally when I go to figure out the distance between shelves What I'm really looking for is the amount of space between the top of the aquarium and the bottom of the shelf above it, usually I try to keep mine 6 to 8 in and I feel like that works out pretty well as it gives me plenty of room to work in the tank as well as take things in and out of the tank. In the case of 10 gallons or 20 gallon longs being that they're about 12.5 in tall you would probably want a spacing of anywhere between 18.5 to 20 in from the top of a shelf to the bottom of the shelf above it.
Nice video. This is very helpful. Do you ever have a problem with clearance when you’re trying to do water changes or catch some fish from your bottom shelf?
Personally I haven't, As you can see I'm a fairly large guy and I don't have any issues. But you can increase the height of the upper shelf if you want some more room
Ok I can probably help so for a first question how many 20 longs would you want to to stack? Also 20 gallon tanks can be on a much simpler stand design because of the lighter weight if you want simplistic. Like this th-cam.com/video/Jb3SxwtA9SQ/w-d-xo.html
How many inches of arm space did you give yourself above the bottom tank with the 26.5 board Is there enough space to do water changes, get your hand at the bottom or put a HOB filter in there? Asking because I’m looking to put a shorter tank underneath and I don’t need the 26.5” opening Probably only need 21.5” because the tank is 5 inches shorter.
im gonna be making a smaller version of this for my 29g long tanks, do you have any tips? I did male them a little bit taller and wider to have a little more space.
Yep to make this as easy as possible make sure you use torx bit screws, they're a little more expensive but you have to put no effort into driving them in! Aside from that give yourself a little extra room on the sides of the tank to clean them if needed.
Hi. Is there anyway you can help us with the dimensions for the Aqueon 40 Gallon Breeder Tank stand? I don't have the tools so I can't really do trial and error until I get it right, and I just don't have the skills. If you ever have the time, can you please do a short videos on the measurements so you can keep the credits? I would rather have this double stand over two separate stands. Thanks!
Thank you for this video; I am really considering making this since I jus purchased a 55 gal tank; but my wife thinks it won’t b sturdy enough; but my question is could you make a video of putting the tank in the stand; that part has me confused
I would just suggest using a wood glue as well as the screws, it's a little additional cost but it is an additional piece of mind before screwing it all down that you've done everything to make sure the supports are secure. Might also want to go with a treated wood for termites, might also want to use a sealer so that even if it gets wet it repells the water.
You should never use treated wood indoors, also wood glue wouldn't work with treated wood as the wood needs to be dry for the glue to soak in and treated wood is wet. With the amount of load that the screws and wood can handle the glue is not needed.
You do not use treated wood inside of the house. Just stain or paint it with an exterior paint for water "resistance". I sanded my down and stained them. They turned out perfect.
Great video. Can the lower compartment on the bottom be also used to hold smaller tanks? I am thinking of having a 29g and 15g on top, 55g in center and Spec V and maybe a couple of 10g or 5g on the bottom? Based on the weight you mentioned, it looks like I am well under it.
Would this build work with a 40g breeder at the bottom and a 20 high on top? It would almost look like the setup in the back that has three aquariums. And would the 20g have to be on one side? I don’t know if it being right in the middle would be safe?
Yeah that would work fine You would just have to modify it so that the bottom shelf would be able to fit the 18-in depth of the 40 breeder and then the top shelf would have to fit the 12-in 20 gal, I have another video where I overhauled one of my stands to fit a 75 long on top and 150 gallon on the bottom, You would kind of have to design yours like that to be able to fit the two different tank sizes
You can definitely increase the size of the shelf to meet whatever design you desire, I chose 51.5 because I wanted a nice tight clean look. 51.5 leaves you about 3/8 of an inch wiggle room.
@@eddiebcichlids4143 must just be something with the older tank being a different dimension than the today's standard 55, I have three of the same stand built for my 55 gallons and they all fit
I been wanting to build one of these for awhile now. Is there anyway you could help me with the measurement's? I would like my bottom tank a little lower and also my top tank with just enough room to add my light's, filter and lids.
Sure thing, how low do you want the bottom tank to sit? And how much space do you want between the top of the bottom tank and the bottom of the shelf for the top tank?
@@TrafishAquatics For the bottom thinking about instead of 11''' take it down to 8''' and the 48'' lower it to 46'' and also the 26''1/2 to 24''1/2. As I'm telling you I kind've figured out the measurement's lol. My problem I'm having with this project is with my measurements will I still have enough clearance to add my lighting lids and filters on the bottom tank?
@Aqua Man the current build in the video has a 6" space on top of the bottom tank to get into and work with lighting and filtration, with the changes you want to make you will have 7", not sure what lighting you run but even the factory t8 hoods fit under there with ease with only 6"
@@TrafishAquatics decided to go with just the single stand just made some adjustments with the measurements and it came out perfect. No extra lip hanging off the sides all thanks to you check it out th-cam.com/video/VXiscjxthyk/w-d-xo.html
Sure you just have to make the vertical supports under the lower tank shorter so that tank sits lower and that'll add additional space between the tanks, currently there's 6 inches between the top of the bottom tank and the bottom of the bottom shelf So however much you shorten those lower vertical supports would be gained space in between the tanks
Depends how much, one of my stands had a slight twist but it wasn't much (less than 3/8") and the shelves were still level so I used it, if the shelves aren't level you'll want to try to get the twist out to level the shelves or you'll risk damaging the silicone seams on the tank.
This Is absolutely awesome!!!! I needed a cheap stand because I’m getting a 55 today and I already have a 20 gallon long and I needed a stand for both. Were these 8 foot 2x4s? And do think it would work to put 2x4s across the top to hold the 20 gallon or do I have to use plywood? I need the cheapest option.
Yes theyre 8 footers, you dont need plywood, you can just add a second cross brace on the top and locate them under the edges of the tank to give it full support
@@TrafishAquatics thank you! I’m on my way to buy the supplies right now lol. Don’t worry I’m not driving lol I’m only 14 😅. But anyways, great video!! Thx again! God bless!
@@TrafishAquatics that's what I thought. I was in a local fish store yesterday and the guy had the shims under his aquariums. Could be because he just moved to this location.
It is possible to use shims on a tank, you just have to make sure that the shims are all applying even pressure across the tank and that the load is being supported by the corners which is many times difficult to do. But it is a much better option to shim the entire stand. Because it reduces the risk of leaks due to stressed seals and seams. I'm actually going to be making a video on this topic in the future.
Thank you for your nice video. But I wonder why you are explaining 13 boards of 10 inches. In the video, there 15 boards of 10 inches. 5 boards in each layer. Or am I missing something?
My tank is 48 in in length and 12.5 and width I added an extra half inch because of the radius on the edge of the 2x4 That way the tank was sitting on a flat surface, a 2-in screw is only going to go into the second board approximately half an inch so you're definitely going to want a two and a half inch screw for the best strength, You might even be able to use 3-in screws but I don't know if the tips of the screws are going to poke out of the second board
I know this video is older but I just came across it. I was sitting there thinking to myself... Why are you not using torx heads instead. Then you suggested it like 30 seconds later lol.
My stand I built seems sturdy enough and resting on hardwood floor. I’m going to put my 55 gallon on the bottom shelf and my 20 gallon tall on top shelf. Should that be fine without mounting brackets to the wall? That’ll be 800 plus pounds total.
I'm using 5-in L brackets, You can get them at Walmart, Lowe's or home Depot or pretty much any hardware store, I'm just using regular number eight screws to attach it to the studs in the wall and to the stand
I just use number eight two and a half inch screws and used a stud finder to find the studs in the wall and shot the screws in that way to make it as strong as possible, If you want to use a heavier grade screw you can use cabinet screws.
Hi I’m trynna build this but I would like it the bottom one a little higher. Can you guide me the measurements so I can ask Home Depot to cut it for me since I don’t have the tools to try cut it myself
@@engelsramirez4886 Wait so you want the bottom tank 6 ft high? As it is with this current build the top tank is about 6 ft tall. Maybe if you send me a message on Facebook we'll be able to figure it out a little easier, just search for Travis Stevens, The profile picture is the same as the TH-cam one
I built this and it looks great. I put old pallet board around it. What do you think about the weight of two 55 gallon tanks on one spot of the floor? Basement below.
Building this today, You are so damn lucky one of your boards didnt go flying into one of your tanks.. i was cringing through the whole video, just waiting for one to go flying >.< :D anyway, looks like a good design, and I have stacks of scrap pallet and crate wood sitting around. Thanks for the share!
My husband and I just built this today and it came out amazing. Thank you so much for making this video!
Your welcome! Glad it was helpful
Absolutely PERFECT instructions. I was able to have this up in 2.5 hours, and it was about 60 dollars total with lumber from Home depot (this included a sheet of 5/8 ply for a top and some other projects. So you can probably do this for 50 bucks.
I built this one, now im back to build another one...had to remember what order the boards get put together in...excellent video and info!!!
Totally helpful the blueprint at 0:57. Cheers.
I like your design. I'll probably be using it for a multi 10 gallon setup. I will likely cut a piece of plywood for the bottom to make a shelf, stain or paint the wood and put a backer behind the lower tanks with blue or black paint to serve as a backdrop for them. Thanks for putting the vid together and sharing.
🙌 I really appreciate you making this video I definitely just learned how to build a shelf from scratch YOURE THE MAN!!
Just made this with a few modifications for my 25 gallon tank. took me quite a bit longer but very happy with the result, thank you!
You made me look like a genius master aquarium builder! Thanks my friend! KK, USN/ Ret
Your welcome!
Helpful I have a 75 and 50 I wanna consolidate and this just gave me the idea I needed
Very good video, clear instructions, schematic and cut measurements! Thanks! ✌🏽
Definitely impressed with this design for stacking larger aquarium (55gallon and up). I’ll be using this in future builds. Appreciate you sharing a very detailed and informative video. Fired Up!!!
Thank you!! First there's nothing over 28" tall you can buy from the stores that isn't over 300$ and made of particle board; this stand is perfect to see over the balcony to the front door so we can see the tank when we walk in the front door and obviously view it in the living area. #2 This trumps any stand even metals ones I seen online that were under 250$-300$ for safety, I am definitely building this over the weekend and will feel that my two year olds are safe around the tanks.
Nice stand. Thanks for the video.
I would recommend star bits though. Much easier than Phillips.
*I see you switched up at the end 👍
Merry Christmas 🎅
Thanks man. I used your plans. Turned out great. Have a 55 gallon on the bottom. The top is slowly turning into a nano tank area.
Dude this helped me build it just like that and the most helpful parts were the way you not only explained it but showed us from start to finish. Good job brotha 👏 👍🏻 Thanks !!!
Thank you! Im glad it was helpful!
Pretty ingenious design to carry the weight into the floor. Thanks for the plans :)
Your welcome
Just built another one of these to stack 40s. Also i modified my old one to hold a 75 on the bottom and a 55 above. (The 55 is a terrarium so weight is no issue) either way these stands are very sturdy and an excellent value even with todays lumber prices.
Best tank stand build ever 1 ! Thank you, x
EXACTLY the video I’ve been looking for, thank you!
Your welcome
Nice build. I built a stand for my 125 using 2x6s and lag bolts to secure the stand to the wall (built into wall in basement). I also built a stand for when I decide to one day get the 150g tall tank. Now, I need to build a stackable stand for two 30 long tanks. Since I never built a stackable stand, this will help my build. Thanks.... Got a new subscriber.
Thank you and your welcome!
This is such a great design and easy to build - thanks for the vid. BTW, you should ask santa for an impact driver, brotha! Makes zipping in screws cake
Thanks, yea i may do that lol
Thank you for the time you spend doing these videos. The DIY info is very helpful from resealing the tanks to building the stands. I like your design on the 55 stacked stand I've built one 55 on top and a 40 breeder on the lower shelf but I need now to build the identical stand that you just did in this video. Keep up the great videos
Thank you, I'm glad you find them helpful and informative!
I mocked up this design in Blender for adjusting to a smaller version and I couldn't be more excited to build it. I've really been wanting to set up my 20 long under my 10 gallon.
Can't wait to build this looks good
Thanks, it should work well for you.
great video and very detailed. Would you be able to share any photos of the two 55's stacked? It would be cool to see the fully finished product with the aquarium loaded up. Plus would help to see how the tanks will sit and how easy/hard it would be to be able to access the tanks for water changes etc.
We need more 💯 like this
Thank you
This will come in handy!
Your welcome
Thanks for sharing your skills with us.
Your welcome!
Nice! I'd consider doing this for something like a stand for three 40 breeders.
This style stand would work great for 40 breeders
@@TrafishAquatics Sounds like fun. I just need to work out the dimensions and add another shelf.
Sounds like a fun project!
@@TrafishAquatics Wondering how high I can go with a 10' ceiling. Maybe 4 or 5 tanks high. Anchoring it to the wall to avoid a catastrophe. Hahaha
I wouldnt go more than 3, a ladder is a PITA to move around to do maintinance
I just picked up a 55 gallon tank and metal stand. I cleaned the tank and stand and painted the stand. Perfect! I set the tank on top of the metal stand and see that the lengthwise angle crosspieces on top are slightly bowed and there is a gap in the middle of about 3mm. I am reluctant to fill the tank and get it going only to have the center give out. I could reinforce it using 2x4's, but am wondering if you have ever hear of this problem? And great job on the stand!! I may just end up going that route!
good evening. would you happen to have a video of the build to the left 😂😂. i’m more of a vision type of guy
Thank you the stand I'll be making with ur videos help will be for my snakes tanks it wouldn't be as heavy cause it's not holding water. the tanks are different sizes so the slightly smaller one will be on top.
great video
Good job,thank you
Your welcome
I’ve decided to build this design since I’m limited in space in my house and can stack em. Although I wish it was still 30$ to build. I put a veneer of reclaimed pallet slats. Looks good all complete.
What kind of lights are you running for plant growth on the bigger tank?
NICE WORK
Petsmart had a huge sale on their 55 gallon tank kits. I purchased 4 of them, so two of these shelves would be amazing and save me money. The dimensions off the box for each tank is 48Lx13Wx20H. I assume these would fit just fine on this build. For anyone asking...after doing the math you will need approximately (9) 2x4's that are 8 ft long for this project. You will have a little left over but not much. The few things that I would change is I would add some thinner boards to the top to help disburse more weight evenly and I would sand it all down (edges and writing). I would then most likely stain it. Either way, I would be saving a ton still.
Did this work for you? Thinking about building but i think the dimensions for the aqueon tanks need more length for the width
if you want a stand for just one 55 gallon tank could you stop the build at first shelf space? thanks! great video.
This is exactly what I’m doing. I’m also raising the standard up a little.
4:45
... and this is why you pre drill holes folks!
Crrrrrkrrrk!
Yep, you can totally pre-drill the holes as long as you drill the right size, if you go slightly too large the stand isn't going to be as sturdy because you no longer have full contact with the entire shank of the screw. This is why I chose not to pre-drill, also I think most of the noise you're hearing is the bit jumping on the screw head, due to cheap screws and cheap bits
2x4's are soft, they don't need predrilled. At the most all you gotta do is run the screw back out and in a couple times as you are tightening it down for the first time.
Pretty much
@@3volk715 you are mentioning the dimensions and density of the wood which is completely irrelevant to me commenting on this dude not pre drilling holes and me hearing the splitting of the wood.
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt” -Abraham Lincoln
And to @trafish, I would argue that splitting your wood is far more detrimental to the integrity of your structure than the possible oversizing of the drill bit? Why not just choose the correct size bit and show the internet how to do things the right way rather than perpetuating bad habits and laziness?
Simply because I chose not to predrill 🤷♂️, if you would rather predrill that's your call
Do you have to mount it to the wall or would it be fine as is?
"2x4 are about $2.70 a piece". You can tell this is pre covid lol, cheapest 2x4 at my lumber store is $6 right now...
Yea it was lol, 2x4 by me are down to $3.50
@@TrafishAquatics thats crazy. I just checked the price at my local lowes, still $5.98 for the cheap ones.
Wow that's crazy
I know it’s a little time-consuming, but if you pre-drill all your screw holes with a 8th inch drillbit. The screws would go in like butter. They grab better and you wouldn’t split the wood.
Love this! Exactly what we are looking for! Thanks for sharing! It allows the centre of gravity to be lower like the way you have your set up with the larger tank on the lower shelf and smaller ones on the top. The bottom area could be closed in with doors to finish it a bit more and the whole thing painted the same colour as the wall so it blends in.
I have two questions:
1. How easy is it to clean the top aquariums (for access height). I am 5'9". Top of the tanks would be 49" plus the height of the tallest top shelf tank. Any challenges accessing for set up, cleaning etc? Trying to avoid a step ladder.
2. Is 10 Inches enough space between the side supports to place a hang on back filter for a 55 gal? Otherwise the whole stand needs to be moved away from the wall at least 4 inches to allow for it to hang at the back if you don't want o put the filter on the front (which we don't). I guess I'll have to do some research on the dimensions of the filter we will be getting.
Thanks!
I haven't had any issues cleaning the top tanks, and the ceilings I have aren't even full height. Personally I would just hang the filters off the back, for safety reasons I used 5-in steel L brackets to attach the stand to the wall and I'm able to run penguin 350s on the back of them with no issues
You forgot to mention how long are the screws you run from the outside.
One of the best rack build videos out there! How hard would it be to build a dual 75G stand? You mentioned to use 3X6 lumber. Why did you choose 55G over 75G?
Thank you! Doing a 75 stand would be no different except making the length of the crossmembers from front to back 15.5" instead of 10" making the depth from front to back 18.5" for the 75 instead of 13" for the 55. I chose 55s because I had gotten a bunch of free 55s otherwise 75s would have been my choice lol. And all the lumber used was 2x4.
@@TrafishAquatics Thanks! Do you recommend 3X6 lumber is 2X4 ok?
2"x4" pine boards are more than enough, 1 vertical 2x4 can support 1000 lbs before failure, the bottom shelf on this stand has 6 verticle supports so can theoretically hold 6000lbs at the failure point, I consider half that a safe load rating. since the top and bottom tank are both supported by the bottom shelf you add tank weights together and as long as you don't go over 3000 I'd say your good. A 75 gal weighs about 750 fully set up with substrate and decor so 2 75s would be 1500lbs, so the stand is easily capable of holding that. If you wanted to go 3x6 you could but the dimentions would be a little different for building.
@@TrafishAquatics would this be okay to go 3 levels with 2 10s on top
Would this design work for a 60 inch long build? Without center support
I have a 91cm tank, do i measure it exact until the 4 brace or until the inner brace only
Thanks
Great instructions... Gonna use this as a base for my design. I want to have a 55 gallon on the bottom, and raise the top to have a bar height counter/shelf. Thinking of using stained/carved reclaimed wood to attach to the top level and jutting out enough to give room for some footspace. Would love your thoughts, or even help if you have done a fishtank bar type build before!
If your going to do a bar stand with this I would add wider feet to the bottom to help stabilize the stand from front to back
If I wanted to pre drill for my build..what size bit will I need for #8 2 1/2" screws??
Thanks :)
Your welcome
Love this tank design ! I was curious what the dimensions would need to be for two 20 gallon talls to mimic this set up ?
Does the wood material matter or I can use any wood?
Any wood will work, softer woods like pine (what i used) are more flexible but not as strong as other woods, hard woods like maple, oak and cherry are stronger and more rigid and look better but arent as flexible and can crack much easier
I notice the stand with tanks on it has plywood between the 2x4 and tank, you don’t say this is required but my fear would be if you don’t do the plywood and have the stand exactly level/flat the tank would crack. Do you have any w/o plywood?
Yes i have a few, the one with plywood was originally holding a 20 and 29 gallon so i added the plywood, however having the plywood would help create a flatter surface for peace of mind if you want
Nice build can u use a impact to drive the screws
thank you, yep you can do that.
Love this video! If I’m not planning on stacking tanks could I just build the lower portion for a single 55 gallon to sit on?
You could, personally I would reccomend this build instead as it's more stable for a single tank.
th-cam.com/video/4vNn8zilc48/w-d-xo.html
So would the weight of the water be ok on the glass since the space is open under the aquarium?
Yes even on an enclosed stand the glass doesnt touch anything because of the frame
@@TrafishAquatics Oh ok, wasnt too sure. Thank you for replying. Also is that an aqueon 55 tank? I want to build this for mine but I know nothing of building or measurements
Yes, one is aqueon the other is marineland, a majority of other name brand tanks are the same size also
Amazing build guide. Mention the.plywood and paint that batch
Do you happen to have the exact measurements to replicate this with a 40G breeder rack, 36 inch long tank
Hey do you think I can make the 11 inch pieces 7 inches and only putting one 55 on the bottom rack then making the 26 in piece 30in and putting a 55 in tv on the top rack. I’m limited to 84 in and the tv with the wood is place on the top rack would be a little less than 35 in giving me only enough room for the stand but I need a little more room between the top of the tank and the top rack
Yes that would be fine!
@@TrafishAquatics thanks and you got 9 2x4x8s? And are they pressure treated?
Yes, And don't use pressure treated
What does the tank sit on inside the opening and top? I’m asking because of the large openings underneath. Do I need to lay another sheet of wood?
Nope you don't need to add plywood or anything, framed tanks only touch on the frame of the tank so the bottom isn't being supported by anything anyway.
@@TrafishAquatics thank you, but the smaller tanks on top will need a sheet of plywood right?
Yes if you build the shelf larger than put smaller tanks on top a piece of plywood would definitely help support them
What's your oldest running tank I've got a 75 that is 27 years old it's never been empty or moved
any 40 gallon breeder double tank videos? im trying to do the math dimensions for the cuts on this design.....would 39.5 work? and 15 for the side
What are the dimensions of the 55 gallon? Will is fit a 13x48x21 tank?
We are going to build a "guppy tower"! 3 levels with double wide 10s or single 20L with full shelves on each level. What would you say the optimal distance between shelves would be?
It all depends on what tank size you use, personally what I would do is figure out exactly what tanks you want to use and then design your rack with that tank size in mind. Normally when I go to figure out the distance between shelves What I'm really looking for is the amount of space between the top of the aquarium and the bottom of the shelf above it, usually I try to keep mine 6 to 8 in and I feel like that works out pretty well as it gives me plenty of room to work in the tank as well as take things in and out of the tank. In the case of 10 gallons or 20 gallon longs being that they're about 12.5 in tall you would probably want a spacing of anywhere between 18.5 to 20 in from the top of a shelf to the bottom of the shelf above it.
Nice video. This is very helpful. Do you ever have a problem with clearance when you’re trying to do water changes or catch some fish from your bottom shelf?
Personally I haven't, As you can see I'm a fairly large guy and I don't have any issues. But you can increase the height of the upper shelf if you want some more room
I need one of these for a 20 gallon long. I’m not bob the builder so I’ll need help what would I need? TIA
Ok I can probably help so for a first question how many 20 longs would you want to to stack? Also 20 gallon tanks can be on a much simpler stand design because of the lighter weight if you want simplistic. Like this
th-cam.com/video/Jb3SxwtA9SQ/w-d-xo.html
How many inches of arm space did you give yourself above the bottom tank with the 26.5 board
Is there enough space to do water changes, get your hand at the bottom or put a HOB filter in there?
Asking because I’m looking to put a shorter tank underneath and I don’t need the 26.5” opening
Probably only need 21.5” because the tank is 5 inches shorter.
Its about 6", plenty of room for water changes and i was able to fit a marineland 350 back there
im gonna be making a smaller version of this for my 29g long tanks, do you have any tips? I did male them a little bit taller and wider to have a little more space.
Yep to make this as easy as possible make sure you use torx bit screws, they're a little more expensive but you have to put no effort into driving them in! Aside from that give yourself a little extra room on the sides of the tank to clean them if needed.
Hi. Is there anyway you can help us with the dimensions for the Aqueon 40 Gallon Breeder Tank stand? I don't have the tools so I can't really do trial and error until I get it right, and I just don't have the skills. If you ever have the time, can you please do a short videos on the measurements so you can keep the credits? I would rather have this double stand over two separate stands. Thanks!
Thank you for this video; I am really considering making this since I jus purchased a 55 gal tank; but my wife thinks it won’t b sturdy enough; but my question is could you make a video of putting the tank in the stand; that part has me confused
Tank just slides in from the front and rests on the shelf
Are these screws good to use for this built star drive coated screws Deckmate is the brand
As long as they are #8 screws that are 2 1/2" long they'll work fine
How many 2x4’s do I need to buy?
I would just suggest using a wood glue as well as the screws, it's a little additional cost but it is an additional piece of mind before screwing it all down that you've done everything to make sure the supports are secure. Might also want to go with a treated wood for termites, might also want to use a sealer so that even if it gets wet it repells the water.
You should never use treated wood indoors, also wood glue wouldn't work with treated wood as the wood needs to be dry for the glue to soak in and treated wood is wet. With the amount of load that the screws and wood can handle the glue is not needed.
@@TrafishAquatics
Ok.
You do not use treated wood inside of the house. Just stain or paint it with an exterior paint for water "resistance". I sanded my down and stained them. They turned out perfect.
Great video. Can the lower compartment on the bottom be also used to hold smaller tanks? I am thinking of having a 29g and 15g on top, 55g in center and Spec V and maybe a couple of 10g or 5g on the bottom? Based on the weight you mentioned, it looks like I am well under it.
I imagine you can, You would just have to increase the overall height to open those lower gaps up so you have access to those tanks
Would this build work with a 40g breeder at the bottom and a 20 high on top? It would almost look like the setup in the back that has three aquariums. And would the 20g have to be on one side? I don’t know if it being right in the middle would be safe?
Yeah that would work fine You would just have to modify it so that the bottom shelf would be able to fit the 18-in depth of the 40 breeder and then the top shelf would have to fit the 12-in 20 gal, I have another video where I overhauled one of my stands to fit a 75 long on top and 150 gallon on the bottom, You would kind of have to design yours like that to be able to fit the two different tank sizes
@@TrafishAquatics thanks! I’ll have to look for that video then, thank you for making these videos simple and the plans easy to follow!
Your welcome, I'll find the vid and link it here in a sec
th-cam.com/video/GFLIDMa1nws/w-d-xo.html
@@TrafishAquatics I appreciate that, I found some more of your videos and added them to my list to watch later. Your channel was a hidden gem haha
What did you use for the bottom inserts? Plywood?
Nothing, these tanks are resting solely on the 2x4s
@@TrafishAquatics okay! Could I put plywood down as well? Or would it mess up?
Absoloutley, just make sure the plywood lays down level so it doesn't cause any pressure points
@@TrafishAquatics okay awesome
I would suggest to make the one boards 52 inches or 53 inches
You can definitely increase the size of the shelf to meet whatever design you desire, I chose 51.5 because I wanted a nice tight clean look. 51.5 leaves you about 3/8 of an inch wiggle room.
I had old 55 that didnt fit today
@@eddiebcichlids4143 must just be something with the older tank being a different dimension than the today's standard 55, I have three of the same stand built for my 55 gallons and they all fit
I been wanting to build one of these for awhile now. Is there anyway you could help me with the measurement's? I would like my bottom tank a little lower and also my top tank with just enough room to add my light's, filter and lids.
Sure thing, how low do you want the bottom tank to sit? And how much space do you want between the top of the bottom tank and the bottom of the shelf for the top tank?
@@TrafishAquatics For the bottom thinking about instead of 11''' take it down to 8''' and the 48'' lower it to 46'' and also the 26''1/2 to 24''1/2. As I'm telling you I kind've figured out the measurement's lol. My problem I'm having with this project is with my measurements will I still have enough clearance to add my lighting lids and filters on the bottom tank?
@Aqua Man the current build in the video has a 6" space on top of the bottom tank to get into and work with lighting and filtration, with the changes you want to make you will have 7", not sure what lighting you run but even the factory t8 hoods fit under there with ease with only 6"
@@TrafishAquatics decided to go with just the single stand just made some adjustments with the measurements and it came out perfect. No extra lip hanging off the sides all thanks to you check it out th-cam.com/video/VXiscjxthyk/w-d-xo.html
Is there a way to make it lower yet more spaced between them? ❤
Sure you just have to make the vertical supports under the lower tank shorter so that tank sits lower and that'll add additional space between the tanks, currently there's 6 inches between the top of the bottom tank and the bottom of the bottom shelf So however much you shorten those lower vertical supports would be gained space in between the tanks
@@TrafishAquatics thank you! ❤❤❤
Is it bad if one of the sides leans against the wall and one of the leans away from the wall? I just built my first stand and it’s like that.
Depends how much, one of my stands had a slight twist but it wasn't much (less than 3/8") and the shelves were still level so I used it, if the shelves aren't level you'll want to try to get the twist out to level the shelves or you'll risk damaging the silicone seams on the tank.
think one could do a double stack for a 75?
Absolutely, You could do it the exact same way as this build but just increase the 10" pieces to 15.5" to accommodate the extra depth
around how many screws would you say you will need?
About 104
This Is absolutely awesome!!!! I needed a cheap stand because I’m getting a 55 today and I already have a 20 gallon long and I needed a stand for both. Were these 8 foot 2x4s? And do think it would work to put 2x4s across the top to hold the 20 gallon or do I have to use plywood? I need the cheapest option.
Yes theyre 8 footers, you dont need plywood, you can just add a second cross brace on the top and locate them under the edges of the tank to give it full support
@@TrafishAquatics oh ok. Thank you so much! And how much do you think the total build cost is?
About 35-40 bucks depending on wood prices
@@TrafishAquatics thank you! I’m on my way to buy the supplies right now lol. Don’t worry I’m not driving lol I’m only 14 😅. But anyways, great video!! Thx again! God bless!
Your welcome, best of luck!
@trafish aquatics; how would I build this for a 75 gallon with a 40 breeder sump?
Just increase the front to back supports from 10" to 15.5" to accomidate the extra depth, everything else would be the same
@@TrafishAquatics thank you!
Your welcome
Thanks again for all your help! Do you use shims on the bottom of the rack to level, or shims on each shelf under the tank to level each tank?
You want to use shims under the entire stand, if you use shims under the tank itself it could cause stress on the silicone seams.
@@TrafishAquatics that's what I thought. I was in a local fish store yesterday and the guy had the shims under his aquariums. Could be because he just moved to this location.
It is possible to use shims on a tank, you just have to make sure that the shims are all applying even pressure across the tank and that the load is being supported by the corners which is many times difficult to do. But it is a much better option to shim the entire stand. Because it reduces the risk of leaks due to stressed seals and seams. I'm actually going to be making a video on this topic in the future.
Thank you for your nice video. But I wonder why you are explaining 13 boards of 10 inches. In the video, there 15 boards of 10 inches. 5 boards in each layer. Or am I missing something?
Will this fit my 55 gallon Aqueon tank? The dimensions are Length
48.75 IN
Height
21.25 IN
Width
14 IN
Is it 48.75 or 48.25? If its .75 youll have to make the shelves longer
What did u use to make the top solid?
Top shelf load is transported through the uprights under the shelf to the floor, the outer uprights hold it in place
Is your tank 48” in Length and 13” in width? I can only find #8 2” screws in hex screws can’t find them 2 1/2 is that going to be ok?
My tank is 48 in in length and 12.5 and width I added an extra half inch because of the radius on the edge of the 2x4 That way the tank was sitting on a flat surface, a 2-in screw is only going to go into the second board approximately half an inch so you're definitely going to want a two and a half inch screw for the best strength, You might even be able to use 3-in screws but I don't know if the tips of the screws are going to poke out of the second board
Thanks bud and I think 3 will be fine because I cannot find 2 1/2 anywhere
Sounds good
@@TrafishAquatics is the middle 10” piece at the bottom base sitting flush or is that just support for the center
I have it sitting flush
What sponge filter do u use in your tanks?
Aquatop and aquaneat sponge filters
I know this video is older but I just came across it. I was sitting there thinking to myself... Why are you not using torx heads instead. Then you suggested it like 30 seconds later lol.
It was all part of the budget build lol, torx head screws cost more and I prefer them hands down
@@TrafishAquatics totally understand budget.
What should I do if my bottom shelf is level but my top one is not?
Figure out which way it's not level and cut a little off the respective inner support for that corner or corners to level it
Figure out which way it's not level and cut a little off the respective inner support for that corner or corners to level it
My stand I built seems sturdy enough and resting on hardwood floor. I’m going to put my 55 gallon on the bottom shelf and my 20 gallon tall on top shelf. Should that be fine without mounting brackets to the wall? That’ll be 800 plus pounds total.
With how narrow the stand is vs how tall it is I would still reccomend the mounting brackets
@@TrafishAquatics give me the name of the bracket names please? I just really wanted to avoid putting holes in the wall but fuck it ima do it
What size metal angle brackets are you using and what screws or bolts are you using to support the angle brackets on the top rear beam?
I'm using 5-in L brackets, You can get them at Walmart, Lowe's or home Depot or pretty much any hardware store, I'm just using regular number eight screws to attach it to the studs in the wall and to the stand
what length 2x4 did you get
These are 8-ft 2x4s
Man what size angle brackets should I be using man?
You'll need at least a 5" L bracket
@@TrafishAquatics thanks bud
You got it
@@TrafishAquatics last question I promise. What sized bolts in length should I use? I can determine the size of circumference
I just use number eight two and a half inch screws and used a stud finder to find the studs in the wall and shot the screws in that way to make it as strong as possible, If you want to use a heavier grade screw you can use cabinet screws.
I know this video is old, but can you give a list of measurements so I can convert to metric system?
Hi I’m trynna build this but I would like it the bottom one a little higher. Can you guide me the measurements so I can ask Home Depot to cut it for me since I don’t have the tools to try cut it myself
How high would you like the lower tank to be off the ground?
Trafish Aquatics 6 foot tall. It’s for 2x 55s gallo aquarium tanks
@@engelsramirez4886 Wait so you want the bottom tank 6 ft high? As it is with this current build the top tank is about 6 ft tall. Maybe if you send me a message on Facebook we'll be able to figure it out a little easier, just search for Travis Stevens, The profile picture is the same as the TH-cam one
Trafish Aquatics alright
I built this and it looks great. I put old pallet board around it. What do you think about the weight of two 55 gallon tanks on one spot of the floor? Basement below.
How many 2x4s of what size please and thank you
Building this today, You are so damn lucky one of your boards didnt go flying into one of your tanks.. i was cringing through the whole video, just waiting for one to go flying >.< :D anyway, looks like a good design, and I have stacks of scrap pallet and crate wood sitting around. Thanks for the share!