DIY stand vs store bought stand

[davocean]

Well I gave my old 75g and stand away for free to a friend so had to get a new stand.
I decided to go with DYI as that way I can have all the freedom I want. Result is not quite exactly what I wanted, but I can keep working on it. The one disadvantage with my stand is the weight, it weights a ton

Don't have a pic with the doors on, however I got some Ikea doors and they are slightly too big, so they don't fit in the opening... will have to somehow cut a few mm near the top/bottom and sides.

Also my finish is really bad and I'm not certain how to fix that either as I don't have any carpentry skills besides structural

Your doors could be run through a table saw or a circular saw w/ a rip guide, ask for help if you can not do that.
As for your finish, maybe a scuff w/ 220 or a scotch brite pad, very lightly, don't burn through finish, and then seal it w/ a clear coat, that should level out that finish and make it nice and uniformed.

 

[Ginu]

Your doors could be run through a table saw or a circular saw w/ a rip guide, ask for help if you can not do that.
As for your finish, maybe a scuff w/ 220 or a scotch brite pad, very lightly, don't burn through finish, and then seal it w/ a clear coat, that should level out that finish and make it nice and uniformed.

Thanks for the tip, i will try to do a clearcoat see how that goes. In regards to running the doors through a table saw, I dont think its possible as the doors are finished in a type of laminate and I wont be able to replicate that if I cut them to size. I think it might be easier to cut the wood used to skin the 2x4's , however I havent figured out what machine can work directly on the stand and give me a straight cut... any suggestions?

Here are my Ikea doors

 

[davocean]

Maybe post pics of your stand too for best advice.
usually it's not as easy to cut down anything on the stand and make it clean, unless maybe you get lucky and are really good w/ a circular saw, and I don't recommend that normally, but pics may answer that better.
They do have an iron on edge band that could be applied to your doors if you go that route, might have to search for black though, but a thought.
The doors are usually by far the easiest to trim down.

 

[Gooburz]

If you don't have a chop saw or circular saw get in touch with a lumber mill and you can have all your boards cut to specification for a small fee. If you don't have a drill you can rent them from Lows or Home Depot for cheap, same thing with a sander. Once you pick up your boards from the mill or even have Home Depot or Lowes cut them for you all you'll have to do is assemble them and then you have a stand. Really is VERY easy to do and you'll save yourself a LOT of money.

I truly am amazed that these "stands" stores sell now a days don't fall apart seeing how flimsy they are and how much they charge for them. That is a big problem these days with a lot of things, being charged out the butt for a sub par product that uses cheap materials. Even the metal stands have crap weld jobs done with them.

Do yourself a HUGE favor and build one yourself that will last. Why put it on a crap flimsy stand when you are going to put hundreds if not thousands of dollars into your tank?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Make sure you use pressure treated lumber and stainless steel fasteners. I had a custom steel stand build and had a cabinet maker friend build a three sided surround out of MDO board. It easily slides around the steel frame and I used european hinges so that the doors were removable.

I would not advise using pressure treated material, way too many chemicals injected, one being a copper based chemical, and you know how we all try to avoid any copper around our reefs.

I agree not to use pressure treated, not because what's in there (and yes, one of the ingredients is copper), but because it is typically sold wet, and when it dries it will twist, warp, cup, check, and you name it. It's too unstable. Just purchase whatever variety of untreated dimensional lumber your local store carries.....kiln dried....and pick straight ones.

 

[captainsmitty]

I bought one 14 years ago and a few years back redid the whole stand. Looks really nice now. The issue for me was the height so I jacked it up 6 inches and added a ledge for me to rest my arms on.
BEFORE


AFTER


Same stand redone. The only think I would of did different is the stain.


Took the original doors and made them into these boxes. Which are removable.

I agree that most stands are too short and am going to build a riser for mine as well.

 

[braaap]

Check out my thread for pictures of the stand I built. It is 40inches wide. Made it of 1x4 sanded poplar. Pocket screws and glue. Thing would hold a ton easily. 3/4 ply on the top and 1/2 on the sides and doors. Center support is removable and loosely fitting. Doors also come off. 2x4s are good for 4 foot without support. 2x6 is 6ft. Both when stood on edge. Anything you build out of 2x4 will be drastically stronger than any store bought stand made of MDF.

http://reef2reef.com/threads/43-6-gallons-of-soon-to-be-sticks-and-flowers.207712/#post-2385912

 

[Ginu]

Check out my thread for pictures of the stand I built. It is 40inches wide. Made it of 1x4 sanded poplar. Pocket screws and glue. Thing would hold a ton easily. 3/4 ply on the top and 1/2 on the sides and doors. Center support is removable and loosely fitting. Doors also come off. 2x4s are good for 4 foot without support. 2x6 is 6ft. Both when stood on edge. Anything you build out of 2x4 will be drastically stronger than any store bought stand made of MDF.

http://reef2reef.com/threads/43-6-gallons-of-soon-to-be-sticks-and-flowers.207712/#post-2385912

Nice work on the stand.

 

[Saybng]

I love diy...here's my old stand..someone saw it and bought the whole system just for the stand..

 

[Bob Escher]

I'm looking to build my own for a 55 gal with a open back and doors in front but would also like a drawe underneath to house my apex controllers how hard would that be to do?

 

[Saybng]

It's not hard..as long as all your plumbing and wires are set back you can add a drawer...it also depends on how deep your stand would be and of course plumbing locations..and use full extension slides..you can also add it to the side..

 

[acidtablockshifty]

is it a 125 long, im building a stand tomorrow i could post the measurements, although this one is kind of copy of my 125L stand i changed it a bit, making this one with a bit less concern on weight, because it will only be holding a 40 breeder but i wanted the room below for a 55 sump, and it gives me room for two tanks up top or table space.

as long as you have a tape, pencil, saw, screw gun, square, your golden.......... i would sit a car on my stand and i almost did except cars are not very flat on the bottom

 

[Gravityreefing]

Hey all I know I said I'll post pics of the 180 stand I built but can't get to it right now with all the construction being done at the house.. but I am in the process of building my stand for the quarantine tank for the 180 gallon here is some pics. The tank I received from someone who didn't want it..

 

[s2nhle]

nice. tagging along

 

[Slm222]

I don't remember the cost of mine for my 125, when I built it. But the stands out there were too short so I set out to build one the was the height I wanted with a "floating canopy". 42 inch tall and canopy with counter sunk LEDs. I certainly wouldn't have been able to get anything off the shelf like that. If you could, then you should.

 

[Slm222]

As a benefit of building my own stand I was able to incorporate a frag tank after words.

 

[cor4eyh]

Well I gave my old 75g and stand away for free to a friend so had to get a new stand.
I decided to go with DYI as that way I can have all the freedom I want. Result is not quite exactly what I wanted, but I can keep working on it. The one disadvantage with my stand is the weight, it weights a ton

Don't have a pic with the doors on, however I got some Ikea doors and they are slightly too big, so they don't fit in the opening... will have to somehow cut a few mm near the top/bottom and sides.

Also my finish is really bad and I'm not certain how to fix that either as I don't have any carpentry skills besides structural

I'm in your boat man!

I built mine it looks alright but hopefully some time and a bit more trim and it will be pretty!

 

[sharkreef]

As a benefit of building my own stand I was able to incorporate a frag tank after words.

How did you make the floating canopy

 

[Gravityreefing]

I agree with the store bought stand flimsy and all it is are particle boards glued together with a few nails if that. I just got this from someone. A used 30 gallon tank am going to use as my quarantine tank. I decided to rebuild the stand. Here are some picks of the build. I think am over doing it on the build though lol..

 

[Gravityreefing]

Still building in progress though. Still have to stain and put on my two wooden eagles carve outs on hood and stand. Sorry for the mess house under construction for my 180 gallon tank in basement. Those picks will be available for viewing in about two weeks. Here is the monster civered up. This is my first ever DYI tank stand build and of course it's for the 180. Let me know what u guys think of the quarantine stand build.