building a three level tank stand

tirzo13 · Post by **tirzo13** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:46 am

my friend wants to build a three tiered stand.
3x 55 gallons.
anyone have any plans/pixs or a link to where something like this is done?

rich1988oxford · Post by **rich1988oxford** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:16 pm

I am wanting to do the same myself but a two tier stand

Post by **TwoTankAmin** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:39 pm

Unless your friend is about 9 feet tall, this is asking for problems. A 55 gal is 21 inches high- so if you just stacked em with no space and start on a floor the top tank will be 5ft/3in up (63 inch). Now to syphon the bottom tank you need to raise it off the floor- so add at least 6 inches and 8 is better- this gets your stack up to 71 inches. Now you need space between each tank for things like filters and lights and more importantly to allow access- netting fish is a pita without space above the tank to maneuver a net handle. If you really try and squeeze things you might get away with 12 inches clearance - so add another 2 ft (24 inch) which now has the top of the upper tank at 85 inches- or over 7 ft high. If you are like I am, you would want more like 18-20 inches of clearance over a tank to work in so you are now well over 8 ft up. At about 9 ft tall you should be about the right height if you strain to work in the top tank.

However, at that height the NBA would pay you more than enough money to buy a big house with a huge fishroom so you could have the tanks side by side :p

Caesars · Post by **Caesars** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:57 pm

tirzo13 wrote:my friend wants to build a three tiered stand.
3x 55 gallons.
anyone have any plans/pixs or a link to where something like this is done?

Here is a photo of one of my racks (double) at the capacity you require. TwoTankAmin is right, to reach the top tank I use steps (it's not that bad, the small steps from BnQ do the trick) but the fish love being up there as they don't "see" people or shadows going in front of them every so often. I got panaques up there (L204s and LDA31s) and they breed regularly.

I left 9 inches between the top of each tank and the bottom of the next to allow for wood, polystyrene, the lighting (Arcadia) and obviously some space to remove pieces of wood, service the pumps etc.

Hope that helps.

rich1988oxford · Post by **rich1988oxford** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 10:19 pm

Very impressive caesars!
Did you make that yourself

discusbabe · Post by **discusbabe** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:53 am

Wow that looks fab!

I used to have a three tier stand like you get in shops, got it thru ebay for £125 including 3 tanks, lighting etc. Wasn't as nice looking as Casers though! LMAO! As long as you have steps or a step ladder maintenance isn't a problem.

tirzo13 · Post by **tirzo13** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 7:30 am

man, that is so nice!!!
that is about something i'd like.
a bank of zebra pleco on one side, and kitumba, kigoma and kipili frontosa in 3 tanks on the other side.

anyway, i'm looking for some good plans for my friend.
i have made a simple two tiered stand, but i'm looking for a DIY someplace with info that i can send my friend.

tirzo13 · Post by **tirzo13** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 7:55 am

he has pretty high ceilings in his garage, so no problem.
Even though he is short, he can reach the top with a ladder, so things should be fine.
i see alot of 3 leveled stands, just can't find any plans to build them.
i have tanks flat on the ground, i don't have problems draining them.
i can use gravity to drain most of the water, or i can simply hook up a powerhead to the tube.
what i do is drain it with my fluval, intake tube in the tank, and output hooked up to my python drained to the sink or outside.
does not take too long to drain my 100's or 125 so i can move it.
i think it empties the tank in about a half hour.

Caesars · Post by **Caesars** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:50 am

Plans shouldn't be a problem, my rack is very simple. It is square boxes to the dimentions specified. There is a piece of MDF at the bottom of each box on which there is polystyrene tiles - the tank rests on it. The wood is also used to screw the lighting of the tank below.

Best of luck.

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 1:06 pm

Caesars wrote:Plans shouldn't be a problem, my rack is very simple. It is square boxes to the dimentions specified. There is a piece of MDF at the bottom of each box on which there is polystyrene tiles - the tank rests on it. The wood is also used to screw the lighting of the tank below.

Best of luck.

Hi Caesars,

Long time no see lol!

...I wondered where you had disappeared to. Good to have you back on the boards.

regards
Plastic Mac

Caesars · Post by **Caesars** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:41 am

Hiya!!!
True, but I was up to no good, lol.
10 new tanks (4000lit capacity) etc etc...

How are your zebbies doing?

steveashtray · Post by **steveashtray** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 12:53 am

I helped build and i operate a LFS we built 3 tiere shelfs that hold 40 breeders which are similer in height of 55's, out of 2x4's. i can email you plans if you want.

building a three level tank stand

building a three level tank stand

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