I know a lot of people have bowfront tanks, and wonder if they can build their own stand. Well, I admit the ones in the store look a lot better because they fit the curve exactly. However, they were trying to sell me a stand that was 150% the cost of my 72 bow tank, so I decided to DIY.
Main frame. The whole project built out of 2x4's
Reinforced framework. 49" x 19" x 30"
First layer of woodstain to protect wood. Use atleast 2 layers, and don't forget to apply wood conditioner before applying stain for untreated lumber.
Added 3/4" plywood over top of stand, cut curve using jigsaw which turned out a lil crooked (its HARD to cut and sand). Painted black to match tank trim, min. 2 coats. Added styrofoam board, cut to tank dimensions (not shown) to protect tank bottom.
Here you can see the minor imperfections of the curved plywood cut. But when you paint everything black, it isn't really noticable. If you look closely, you can see the styrofoam under the tank bottom.
Done! 72 AGA bowfront with DIY stand. Total cost 74$, compared to over 200$ at lfs.
I found this site very helpful, and that's where I got the plywood cut idea from: DIY Aquarium Stand
Let me know if you all want to see the complete step by step pics, I didn't want to flood this thread with unnecessary pics. If so, I will post them to another image hosting site that people can go to. Any comments, suggestions, concerns appreciated :D
Main frame. The whole project built out of 2x4's
Reinforced framework. 49" x 19" x 30"
First layer of woodstain to protect wood. Use atleast 2 layers, and don't forget to apply wood conditioner before applying stain for untreated lumber.
Added 3/4" plywood over top of stand, cut curve using jigsaw which turned out a lil crooked (its HARD to cut and sand). Painted black to match tank trim, min. 2 coats. Added styrofoam board, cut to tank dimensions (not shown) to protect tank bottom.
Here you can see the minor imperfections of the curved plywood cut. But when you paint everything black, it isn't really noticable. If you look closely, you can see the styrofoam under the tank bottom.
Done! 72 AGA bowfront with DIY stand. Total cost 74$, compared to over 200$ at lfs.
I found this site very helpful, and that's where I got the plywood cut idea from: DIY Aquarium Stand
Let me know if you all want to see the complete step by step pics, I didn't want to flood this thread with unnecessary pics. If so, I will post them to another image hosting site that people can go to. Any comments, suggestions, concerns appreciated :D
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