Fish tank stands are a decorative part of your fish tank setup. You can choose a fish tank stand based solely on design or look, but you might regret your choice later. Taking just a minute to look over some the most commons mistakes made when choosing aquarium stands could save disappointment later.
My tank weighs how much?
Fish Tanks can weigh a ton, literally. One of the most common mistakes made when choosing an aquarium stand isn’t made while buying one at the store. Many try to save money and set their tank up on furniture around the house. This can be a problem with a bigger tank as these things are not made to withstand the weight that a fish tank stand is designed for. Your fish tank weighs 8-10 pounds per gallon of water. A 55 gallon aquarium stand for instance is made to hold over 550 pounds. A 200 gallon fish tank can weigh as much as a full ton! Other furniture may eventually droop or even completely give way. You can imagine the mess that could make.
Don’t forget about the view.
As a rule of thumb, long tanks are ideally viewed while sitting down and tall, show tanks are ideally viewed when standing. If you purchase an aquarium stand, they will usually follow this idea and match the type of aquarium they are meant for. For example, a standard 55 gallon tank will usually have many long 55 gallon tank stand options that are about 28″ high. The problem is that there are some exceptions, so the height is something to take note of. Also, if you are the DIY type and are building your own aquarium stand, this is something to remember while you come up with a design. If you keep the sit down or stand up rule in mind, you won’t be disappointed.
Don’t let your new aquarium stand get eaten up.
Water will damage many materials if they are not treated properly. Metal can eventually corrode. Wood that is not properly finished can quickly be destroyed. If you want to go with a wood aquarium stand, just make sure that it is sealed properly. Laminate fish tank stands usually hold up better to water than traditional wood given its plastic like properties. The granddaddy of them all is the acrylic aquarium stand. These stands are usually are made to match a specific tank. Water has no effect on these stands making them the ideal material choice for your aquarium stand.
Where will you put your stuff?
Filters, food, pumps, maintenance tanks, nets, skimmers and anything else that you might use often while maintaining your fish tank you will want to be nearby. A common mistake is picking a fish tank stand solely on looks and not considering function. This might rule out any open bottom aquarium stands if you feel having this equipment close is a good idea. Usually metal aquarium stands are made with this open bottom. Other contemporary fish tank stand designs might have a similar problem. It is usually the traditional wood designs that are built with the storage space in mind. Again, it comes down to choice, but it’s important to give this some thought. Even if you are not be the biggest fan of the way the wood aquarium stands look, they usually have a bunch of storage space.
I think this is a wonderful site. I’m starting to put my 75 gallon together after many years. I was told I would need about 100 lbs. of gravel.
I’m going to put chilids in. I know I can’t put species together. Could you give me any suggestions on how many pairs I can put in my size tank, as well as species. I tend to like the colorful ones like dempsies, oscars, firemouth, etc. I also want to know if there are any puffers that can be placed in. Thanks!! Dorothy
Hi Dorothy,
Oscar’s can get up to 15″, Dempsey’s up to 10″, Firemouth’s up to 6″. They all should get along as long as they are similar in size when you put them together. Pairs or more of each are suggested. Just remember that you should be looking at the grown up size of each when considering how many to add.
Take a look here for more suggestions also.
http://www.fishtanktutor.com/how-many-fish-beware-of-the-rule