DIY stand

ok i might start doing my stand in the next few weeks, what is is that i have to watch for? the stand has to be level right? do i put center bar in between the poles? when i put the tank on, do i put something in between like foam or anything?

 

Their are a few different ways to build a stand ie timber or steel with or without hooding.
is it for the 55 or 120 as you will need to consider what you will be keeping under it also.
A flat top surface is important some lay a sheet of timber some go with just the frame to support the tank.
As for foam or rubber under the tank some will say yes, some will say no. Personaly I use it and it doesnt matter what anyone can say to me to change my train of thought 30 years with 48'' tanks in house never had a problem.
But then theirs others the oposite to me.
Maybee you an check some DIY sites theres heaps out their .

 

Make sure you build the tank so that the height is up far enough that you don't have to bend over to enjoy anything in the tank. The bottom of my tank starts at 3' off the ground for excellent viewing while standing up.
As for the structure, if you lay a 2x6 on edge for the top rim you should be good for not having a center brace. I have heard of people putting Styrofoam in between acrylic tanks and stand to help disperse the weight. Just make sure you build the top level or can add shims pretty easy.

 

This is a good design for a stand of any size. My apologies to the poster of this stand. I saved these pics to my HDD after I read this post, and don't recall who the OP was. The first pic was to illustrate the different pieces used. The same color pieces were of the same length and position. If I recall, 2x4s are safe to use for up to 120 gallons. Anything beyond that, and 2x6s are a better choice.

Some important point in the original post were to be sure not to screw pieces together so that the light green pieces bear any weight. The light green pieces are simply to hold the pieces together like a frame.

This is a great design, and in one way or another, most aquarium stands sold at LFS are made this way.

 

what size of the tank is that stand for?

 

I can't tell from the pic, but if you notice, it's two different stands. It looks like the first is a standard 48"x18", maybe for a 90, or 120? The second one looks as though it may be a square 24"x24". I'm not sure though.

I believe this is the standard tank stand frame, it gets covered by plywood or whatever you choose. It can't be beat for rigidity and sturdiness. I believe the OP stated that each vertical 2x4 is good for about 10,000 lbs; and once the plywood or shell gets screwed in place, there's no chance of torsion, twist or fwd/backwards side/side sway. It's actually overkill. I love them because the whole front below the tank is open; no center vertical piece to get in the way.