New Aquarium Stand Needed

[cm11599ps]

My 55 gallon reef crashed last summer and I haven't set anything back up yet but I'm getting the itch. My wooden cabinet, while it looks great just isn't made to house a sump and service the sump so I'm interested in a new cabinet.

I'm recently divorced and would absolutely entertain the idea of a larger tank because of the depth limitations of the 55 but I don't think I can go bigger. I live on the second story of my house and rent out the lower level to a tenant. I really only have one spot where I could place a tank and the tank runs parallel to the floor boards. Also, by my best guesstimate it looks like the tank doesn't actually sit on any of the floor boards if it's 16" spacing. The tank might be currently placed right smack dab in between them. :-(

So any suggestions on where to purchase a cabinet for a 55 reef that would allow for better access to the sump? It's going in a living room and I don't want a basic metal stand. Although, I'd still really love a larger tank too if at any way possible. lol

 

[mcgyvr]

Make your own?
A furniture store (just because its not an "aquarium stand" doesn't mean you can't use it as a stand for an aquarium)

Find a nice cabinet with doors on the bottom

 

[skiingfast]

A standard table will have 4 legs, they may miss the joists.

If you have a edge of a cabinet, it would straddle the joists.


In a similar situation, old apartment above my landlord, I made one like outlined below.

It's simple to make one on your own. Put a 2x6 or 2x4 outline on the floor and one for the tank to sit on, to make the top. The 2xs laying flat not on edge. Put two 2x4s standing, perpendicular to each other on the corners. Put a vertical 2x in the middle of the back and front if desired. Using long screws at least 3.5 inches long or 16 penny nails to keep it together.

Because 2x6 are wide it would leave some stretching into the bottom beyond the vertical pieces. That ledge can be built on to support a sump very easily. The top 2x6 I used on the front was a handy shelf while working on the tank.

Since I used thick wood it was easy to mounts things to it, like screwing in a powers strip for example.

The only problem was I moved a couple times, and it was a beast to move.

I used a sheet to close in the base which worked fine. You could easily clad this in finished wood or whatever you like.