Aquarium rack

[Cleo21]

I have been wanting to stack my tanks on a rack for a while now. I want to build two racks. Each one will hold two 75 gallon tanks. I have seen videos on how to construct them but wanted to ask other opinions on the best way to construct and what size lumber. Thanks so much!

[Shane]

Cleo, what is the footprint of the 75s?
-Shane

[Cleo21]

Cleo, what is the footprint of the 75s?
-Shane

They are 48" x 18" x 21"

[Jools]

How is you floor constructed? Is this going on concrete or floorboards for example? Are you going for pretty (e.g. in a living space) or cheap / doesn't matter as much how it looks?

Jools

[Shane]

Take a look at some of the available heavy duty shelving. Home Depot has Gladiator brand shelves 60" x 72" x 18" 2,000 lbs per shelf units for $199 (can't link it for some reason). Not to dissuade you from building your own, but it will probably cost more than $200 in materials. Another option is to contact a welder and have the racks custom made. I have done this twice and the cost was far lower than buying a wrought iron stand from an aquarium store.
As Jools says, aesthetics may be a consideration as well.
-Shane

[MarcW]

Size is a consideration too, if I were to re-do my fish room, I would seriously consider contacting a welder as Shane mentions, having thinner box section steel between, and at either end of the tanks will either give you more room to work between/above/around the tanks or reduce the overall height/width of the rack. Also, given the state of most DIY store wood around here, be much truer!

If you go down the metal route, maybe investigate having threaded feet installed on the base to compensate for any uneven floors, if the floor is solid, e.g. concrete slab, this should be fine, but you will need to spread the load a bit more, maybe with bits of thick plywood under the feet if it is a chipboard floor or similar.

You can see how I built my racks here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=46797

[Cleo21]

How is you floor constructed? Is this going on concrete or floorboards for example? Are you going for pretty (e.g. in a living space) or cheap / doesn't matter as much how it looks?

Jools

It is in my basement in the back room. It has floorboards but is concrete under. The only pretty thing I will do is paint it if it's wood.

[Jools]

If you can put it across floor beams (usually 90% to the boards) then breezeblocks and wood planks will do a good, cheap job. Failing that "2x 4" racks is what I made everything out of. Best tip I can give you for wooden floors like yours is make the verticles terminate on a horizontal that runs along the floor. The spreads the weight out really well and greatly slows rot.

HTH,

Jools

[fishguy1978]

I use concrete blocks and a couple of racks I built. The link below will give you the amount of deflection in a shelf/beam over a given run when bearing a given weight. In the calculator where it ask for shelf thickness use the dimensions of lumber used. So thickness equals 4,6, or 8 inches if using a 2x4, 2x6, or 2x8. Length and width as normally understood.
https://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/
All sit on a concrete floor.
Used only 2x4 for structure and then 3/4in thick plumbers grade press board

Dual 55g Aquariums

Main supporting members running horizontally are 2x8, verticals are 2x4 and

Holds 8 29g Aquariums

I have a 120, a 220 and a 260 sitting on this style support structure

2x6 frame on concrete blocks

This has 3 12ft long treated 2x8 laid flat across the concrete piers. Holds a 100g and a 90g

2x6 spanning cinder blocks

[Shane]

Cleo,
This is two 72" x 36" x 18" commercial metal stands. Each shelving unit is well under $100. Your cost would be slightly more as your tanks are larger. I like the clean look and they maximize space for tanks and storage. I removed the panel over the three 10s so you can see "inside." Panels are just thin paperboard painted black. I then superglued magnets to them and they stick to the metal shelves.
Sorry the tanks look crappy. I just finished water changes.
-Shane