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Im buying a new stand for my 55gallon and they got iron/steel stands for 55gal's for 40-50 bucks!

If you go with cinder blocks make sure your floors can support the added weight of the blocks and aquarium.

Or paint them. I might try that next time.

Mike

If you're going cinder blocks.....try using contact paper to cover each block....my parents had these as bookshelves for the longest time .... in fact I think my step-dads old chem books from uni are still on them .

^_^

They make cinder blocks with one side that is kind of rough and textured. They look pretty cool, it's what my 55 sits on.

Mike

If you decide to go with cinder blocks, you can always place cardboard or a flat piece of wood in that area
and then to hide the cinderblocks, just place a nice looking cloth over it. =)

Cinder blocks are the way to go, even on a ceramic tile floor, simple use carpet remnants between the floor and first block. Use a nice sturdy piece of wood across the top, drape it with what ever piece of material matches your home decor and viola you have a very strong sturdy stand that is actually fashionable as well. If you really want to get fancy, you can add the same type of wood between each cinder block and you have instant shelves for all your fishy stuff.

Good luck with your project and you should post pics when you get it all finished.

What about an old student desk...you can pick them up very cheap in second hand shops.

where?!

the 55g tank/hood was for $100 at the lfs. the stand was $170

Looking for a 29g long tank, but I would like to use milk crates as a stand. I would put six crate stack 3 high. Will it hold? I'll place a sturdy wooden board on top.

I might try cinderblocks, but then again this is going into our living room, so i dont like the idea of cinderblocks on my ceramic floor.

I stopped by the LFS and they have a 45 gallon tank and hood for $80. The stand cost $150 by itself!!! I can justify $80 but $150 for the stand?!

Cant i find something at walmart or target that will hold the tank? The stand that comes with the 45 looks like something that would hold a tv. it's nothing special.

If you don't listen to everyone above and go ahead and do it. Make sure you wire the ones together to each other. I used to work at a grocery store for seven years and have alot of experience with milk crates. They just don't interlock very well. We used to stack them two high when stocking and the top one would constantly slide off from the one below, even with all of my weight standing on it.

That being said, you really shouldn't use milk crates. If you need a cheaper sturdy way, go with cinder blocks. Also, even aesthetically it will look better than milk crates. I posted a topic about this and most people said no you probably shouldn't use them. Then someone said they do hold up buildings, why not an aquarium. Just make sure you get the ones that are 6" in width and not the 8". I say that because it seems the least amount of gap where the holes are in the cinder blocks, the sturdier. I get my cinder blocks from Lowes for .88 each. I feel alot more safer with the cinder block than placing my 55 gallon on it's metal stand, it just doesn't look safe to me, although it does hold it.

Oh and make sure you get a strong wood to go across the top as the actual shelf. Pine should be the softest you use though when in doubt, double it up.

Graphite, yes, it's 8lbs per gallon of water. But, you have to include the weight of all the other stuff an aquarium has. Glass, gravel, plants, filters, heaters, ect. So the suggested weight to use is 10lbs per gallon, like Babelfish mentioned.

And I also would say the milk cartons would not be a good idea. If you're capable, try building a stand yourself. That's what I do, because that way I know the stand will hold the weight and some.

[span class="edited"][Edited by T/A 2004-08-14 15:22][/span]

I believe its 8lbs per gallon.

weight of water: 1Litre=1Kg. that's how Kg was set, IIRC.
1G~3.8L

i think one of the ways to test whether some kind of matterial is strong enough is to use your own weight. i guess you're not 150Kg, but you're much narrower than the aquarium, so the pressure you produce by sitting on the crates is greater than the pressure a well leveled aquarium will produce on the same surface.
so if it is strong enough to carry you and withhold even when you swing a little in place, it should be able to take to weight of the tank.
pay attention to any dents done by your testing. you want the tank to be level.

I'd agree, unless they were the old metal ones.(hard to find)What I ended up using was my old computer desk (cuz I go a new one) that I took the upper shelving off and made a curtain to hide the lower front. It worked out w/ room to spare. Or maybe hit a garage sale and find on old dresser for a few bucks.

I'd have to say no.
Water weighs apprx 10lbs per gallon. To be on the safe side consider it to be 300lbs of weight. I for one wouldn't do it, 29 gallons of water isn't something you want to play lightly with.

If you're looking for cheap stands, you might try looking in home depot for metal utility shelves. I've never tried them myself but they're rated for around 1K lbs.

^_^