# diy cinder block stand



## SeaSerpant (Feb 20, 2008)

anyone have a design for a cinder block stand that would work to hold a 70g tank?


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## ummyeah (Jul 8, 2007)

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/diystandscabinets/ss/diyaqstand_2.htm

I put a third stack of cinder blocks in the middle of my stand. What are the dimensions of your 70g?


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## SeaSerpant (Feb 20, 2008)

l-48 w-20 h-16.5


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## swylie (May 10, 2007)

SeaSerpant said:


> l-48 w-20 h-16.5


This is a glass tank, correct? It makes a difference because glass is very rigid, and a glass tank won't flex very much even if it's only supported at the ends. You have to be much more careful to support the middle of an acrylic tank.


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## SeaSerpant (Feb 20, 2008)

i'm going to support the middle anyway  and yes it is glass.


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

Do you have the cinder blocks already? If not, why not just build a frame out of 2x4s and some screws? If you ever want to then improve the appearance it would be easily "skinnable" with plywood or mdf.


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## SeaSerpant (Feb 20, 2008)

building a cinderblock stand is cheaper and i don't really care about apperance.


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## swylie (May 10, 2007)

SeaSerpant said:


> i'm going to support the middle anyway  and yes it is glass.


In that case I think you should be pretty confident that whatever you build will support your tank safely.


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## SeaSerpant (Feb 20, 2008)

okay thanks


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## kornphlake (Dec 4, 2007)

Cinderblocks should be fine, just be sure you stack the cinder blocks so that the holes line up vertically, that's the way they are load rated, if you stack them any other way there's a chance they could split and you'd end up with broken cinderblocks, broken glass and water all over your floor.


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## SeaSerpant (Feb 20, 2008)

yep i put that into account.


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## ummyeah (Jul 8, 2007)

Can everyone post pictures of their cinder block stands? I'm trying to get ideas on how to cover the blocks up.


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## swylie (May 10, 2007)

ummyeah said:


> Can everyone post pictures of their cinder block stands? I'm trying to get ideas on how to cover the blocks up.


I have a metal (non-aquarium) stand that I found out in the barn and was way too ugly to use under my display tank. I made a tight-fitting fabric drape for it using hot-melt iron-on glue tape. It looks pretty good, and I think it cost me less than $5.


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## ummyeah (Jul 8, 2007)

Can you post a picture?


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## icom (Mar 14, 2008)

*75g and cinder block stand ??*

I'd like to see some pics too of anyone that has a tank on cinder blocks.

I'm picking up a 75g,and with the tanks being set up in the basement,I see no need to spend the $250 or so for a nice stand when I can get cinder blocks,2x4's,plywood/MDF for less than $100

anyone have a guess or suggestion on how many blocks to use under a 75 ??

just need enough room under it for an XP3


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## jflng (Apr 5, 2007)

Buy a cheap 3 dollar sheet at walmart, and drape it over the stand. It looks fine for my non display tanks.


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## ummyeah (Jul 8, 2007)

Here is a picture of my stand. I kinda like the look of it now and probably won't cover it up.


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## Canadiancray (Mar 12, 2007)

Building a cinder block stand is dead simple. You just stack the block & put some 2X4 in between the blocks every few rows. The weight of the blocks & the tank helps hold everything together. You can even screw some some plywood on the top of the 2x4's to stabilize everything.


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## icom (Mar 14, 2008)

jflng said:


> Buy a cheap 3 dollar sheet at walmart, and drape it over the stand. It looks fine for my non display tanks.


I have a sheet or two of underlayment (?) that I can build around it if I decide to.but the sheet idea sounds good :thumbsup: 



ummyeah said:


> Here is a picture of my stand. I kinda like the look of it now and probably won't cover it up.


 
thats what I'm lookin' for !! some room for the XP3 and something else too !:thumbsup: won't be a CO2 tank this year though:icon_cry: What size tank is on that ??

I don't remember what size the blocks were at Home Depot.6x8x16" maybe.would that couple inches short hurt anything as a 75g is 18" front to back,or would using 2 rows run length wise on each end work better ?
I guess that wouldnt matter,the 2x4's and plywood take up that little bit

how would you level something like that ? I'm sure the basement floor isnt perfectly level


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## bluelobster (Mar 8, 2008)

before you put the tank on you could get fabric and drape it over the stand so it looks a lot better!!!!!!


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## jflng (Apr 5, 2007)

You could also paint the cinder blocks. I saw a stand some time ago that was painted a solid color with fish silhouettes on it. It looked really nice.


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## ummyeah (Jul 8, 2007)

The tank is a 55 gallon. I would use 2 rows running length wise for a 75 gallon. Using a spirit level my stand was perfectly level since my floor is level. I also put Styrofoam to cushion the tank.


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## anthonysquire (Jul 18, 2006)

I've been looking but I can't remember where I saw it, but someone had a massive aquarium and made a stand using cinder blocks. He covered the cinder blocks with some nice tile and it ended up looking amazing. Can't remember if they made some kind of doors or just left the front open, but the tile looked very nice!

Ok, I found what I was looking for. Here is the link, looks very nice imho!


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## ummyeah (Jul 8, 2007)

Oh I saw that too but I can't remember the website. It looked really nice.


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## icom (Mar 14, 2008)

ummyeah said:


> The tank is a 55 gallon. I would use 2 rows running length wise for a 75 gallon. Using a spirit level my stand was perfectly level since my floor is level. I also put Styrofoam to cushion the tank.


 
lucky you...I've never had such luck with floors being level..So I need to figure out how/where I'm going to shim either the blocks at the concrete floor or the blocks and wood at the top.It's not really to far from being good and level,maybe a 1/4 bubble or less

what did you use for styrofoam ?


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## ummyeah (Jul 8, 2007)

I got mine from Home Depot. It's a pink 4 x 8 foot sheet.


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