What should i do???

[Iceman_6104]

do you think that it is ok to build your own stand for a 55g tank. or should i just go spend the money on one?

[Hannys_Papa]

Well of course "its ok" to build one - the commercially available ones arent made out of anything special - in fact i'd say that what you can build yourself will often surpass a cheaper store stand.

Question is - how handy are you and do you have all the tools you'd need.

[IceH2O]

I'm building stands for my 75 and 55 this weekend.

I'll tell you what you need for the 55, this all depends on how high you plan on making it.

Mine will be 48 - 50 inches long, 28 -30 inches high and about 18 - 20 inches wide.

At these dimensions I figure I'll need 8 2x4s 8 ft long, 3 1x4s 8 ft long and 1 half inch thick plywood sheet ( you can probably find a scrap piece to use, but get 2 so you can have a bottom shelf). I'll be using screws and not nails, but either way you'll want some 3.5 inch nails and some 2 inch roofing tacks.

[Persimmon]

By far if you have the know how, build one. You get to control everything and come out with a much better item for a lot less.

[clyons10]

My hubby is a carpenter, and when I got a 10g tank, he built a 2-door cherry cabinet with raised panel doors and a laminate top. He even had the fore-thought to make it bigger than the 10g needed, so I can upgrade to a larger tank and keep the same cabinet. Just a thought - if you want something different from the typical stand.

[aklaum]

I am currently working on my own plans for a 55 gallon stand. I have attached two preview drawings. It will be made out of 2x4s and select pine boards from Home Depot and then stained dark rosewood.

Based on my calculations the wood is going to cost under $60.00.

Sorry there are no dimensions on the drawings yet. It is a 30" high stand and the other dimensions are just about the same as the tank itself.

I'll post the full plans when they are complete.

I think it is worth it to build for the control and the cost.

I built a stand for my son's 20 gallon tank. It is not as nicely finished as this one will be but it is rock solid. The only major power tools I have are a band saw and a drill press.