Building a Unique Plywood Design for an Aquarium Stand

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[@johnVidBozo]

Nice simple stand. Jake, "I'm not a woodworker". That was obvious! :) Let's clear up some terminology. The material used was plywood, not composite. Composite generally refers to something like MDF (medium density fiber). Think glued together sawdust. This is what really cheap stands are made from. It is not good around water. It swells and falls apart when wet. The fasteners are nails, not staples. Staples are 'U' shaped. Finally, there's nothing wrong with a 2x4 stand. It's much easier to build for most non-woodworkers because you don't need to make those long, square cuts. The table he showed did not have any lateral support. Skinning with even 1/4" plywood would have made it very strong and rigid. As it stood, it was like a plywood box without a back and face frame.

[@ReefBuildersVideo]

thank you for the clarification

[@Hikarixhikarixhikari]

Made the mistake of using composite board to paint on with oil paint a few years ago, then had a house emergency and it got wet, thing just fell apart and turned into wet wood shavings. Good thing I didn't care about the painting that much. And now I know what composite wood is, lol.

[@don_chuwish]

Well said, covered much of what was going through my head!

[@JakeDogg-RIP]

Composite could be used for ply, it’s a fancier name so they can charge more tho, but I’m sure a marine ply would be just as good, with a 2x4 frame and some good paint should look great too 😊

[@zacharymaahs1159]

Thank you I was losing my mind

[@AKREEFGUY]

Jake and Evan - Thanks for the video. I built my stand out of birch plywood too. One thing I did differently was I used 5 coats of polyurethane instead of paint. It's shinny like glass and shows off the beautiful wood grain.

[@Jstn190]

It’s amazing what plywood glue and a few Brad nails can do. I like it and much better than most plywood stands.

[@daredonkey]

Remember-staples rather than brad nails. They hold much better than Brad nails :)

[@Jtone_philthy_aquatics]

Thanks Jake and keeping it reef for sharing the process + design! That’s a great design for anyone to try out even some of the folks who aren’t really into carpentry/ woodwork. Turned out great and I love that it has more of a modern look to it. I actually just ordered a Red Sea reefer 200xl and the stands look very similar. Slap a nice door on that bad boy with some good quality hinges so the door can’t slam shut and you basically have the same product in the end. Great video Jake! Keeping it reef I love the shop setup the reef display looked super nice behind Jake in the beginning of the vid! Great idea to have a workshop inside of the aquarium shop! I’m surprised more owners don’t try to do things this way! They go hand and hand together. I wish you nothing but success I’m sure Jake’s video will help out with that! The reef builders audience is very supportive 🔥👌👏

[@christianharvey5803]

Stand looks great! My stand is a combination between the plywood/brad nails and 2x4 design. Best of both worlds. In my stand I applied white flex seal around the bottom, and up the sides a few inches. That way if the sump/stand leaks, it will fill the bottom of the stand before it runs off into the room. Use of a “WATCHDOG water sensor alarm” will scream so loud the neighbors can hear it. Also, I applied silicone along any corner where wood touches wood. Might be overkill but I want this stand to last forever. White silicone on white paint is pretty easy to keep clean, just tape it up and be patient. None of this is required to have a reliable and elegant reef setup, but going overkill made the build process a bit more fun for me!

[@johnbrand1893]

Lovin this series, it’s just a great 👍 watch. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@areyouarobotz]

Yes

[@barthellemans6062]

I hate video like this, just makes my brain adding things to my to do next time list ;-) thx for all the good work and education, even when i just use 5 percent I still progress in the hobby.

[@rolisreefranch]

Jake, Excellent point about getting a used acrylic tank for next to nothing. I see people trying to get rid of these all of the time, and with some elbow grease, and a DIY stand like the one you just had made, you could go from thousands of dollars down to hundreds for a tank and stand. Seriously considering it for my next build. Thanks for pointing out Keepin' it Reef too. Didn't know we had another store in our back yard. :-)

[@Monkey_The-D]

This is a nice stand and good concept but have you seen aluminum profile built stands, Tidal Gardens uses those and they are made from 80/20 and only require basic tools

[@ReefBuildersVideo]

Oh yes I love my metal stands but 1, they are very expensive and 2, we needed the stand ASAP

[@Spikey042711]

Im excited maybe gives me the idea to build a stand for my 40g

[@ilijazugaj4968]

I'm not a woodworker either and this is a crude example but still a very good example of what you can do without using the klunky 2 x 4 method. Very nice. We need more of these plywood videos. I would bet that thing could holt a truck if it was placed on top.

[@RogueAquariums]

Jake, the stand turned out very well when you needed something in a pinch. It looks aesthetically pleasing as well as structurally sound. 👌

[@fishpony1211]

Your stand came out great but just in case anyone watches this video and reads comments i will say this. First, 2x4’s can hold significantly more weight then plywood. Give or take 10 times the weight. Second, for those concerned about the glue, he is using titebond 3 which is extremely water resistant. It will not fall apart when wet like some are saying. Plus it was painted over. Third, i would not place a sheet of plywood flat on the floor as it will collect moisture and rot out eventually. If you notice, every stand design has feet of some sort not only to level but to support weight across uneven surfaces. So many reasons for it not to be flat on the floor.

[@chaseaaronthomasify]

Good point about it being on the ground, I didn't think of that. However, the reefbuilder studio is not level and i believe they always have to put things under the stands to level the waterline.

[@reefbeta3068]

Will it be good idea to use 2x4 for bracing instead?

[@fishpony1211]

@@reefbeta3068 you can for sure. I use both plywood for looks and 2x4 or 2x6 for support

[@hunterh891]

That is awesome I love the look of this stand great work and David does a great job!

[@walterotiepka1460]

If u have a red sea tank or water box tank stands are basically the same as this stand they use camlocks to hold together and no glue. The stand looks great it will b fine

[@nsashby]

The Red Sea tank is composite and swells if it gets wet. I ended up remaking mine to the same design in plywood.

[@calipsosreefs4843]

Love that stand build definitely will do one for my tank super simple to replicate

[@spicyreef]

I don't know Jake. Ur putting a lot of faith on those 2 side 3/4 pieces of plywood. I did not appreciate the comparison to the ill made 2x4 stand. U can remove the center 2x4 by the way, u can also skin it, and add LVL support braces and glue everything. Those "braces" on this plywood build are only being held by pin nails on the sides (except for the one in the middle. I would feel more comfortable if you removed those middle supports and glued another piece of plywood on each side (on the inside) supporting ALL the braces... I'm not saying it's not going to hold but I would trust my 2x4 build more. x-ing my fingers for you knock on wood 🙂 peace☮

[@min2oly]

Also, when all those plywood glued points get wet.. the wood glue WILL SEPARATE from the wood, PERIOD! then you only have brad nails holding up 1000 lbs of sloshy water.

[@spicyreef]

@@min2oly Great point! In Seattle we have Milk Carton Derby. I built frame using liquid nails, my friend built with wood glue. His fell apart by the end of race day, mine is still holding today. It's been 11 years! If you watch my Aquarium stand video U'L C I used liquid nails 🙂

[@spicyreef]

@@AntiMaxer So you don't believe the new build will support the tank then? The entire support relies on plywood... except those two in the middle, and actually we don't even know if they aren't made of plywood?

[@spicyreef]

@@AntiMaxer umm, not sure we watched the same vid, the "joists" are not 2x4s, he glued plywood together to make them 8:27 The "two supports" are also too small to be 2x4s so we have to assume they are also plywood as he did not show how they were made. also, no "finishing nails" were used, at most 18gauge brads, although from the look of that nailer they could have been 23 gauge pin nails... I think we agree on more than you let on 🙂

[@chaseaaronthomasify]

Nobody thought giant whale size chunks of steel could fly thru the air carrying hundreds of people and land safely thousands of times a day. (Except Boeing planes of course those are deathttaps)

[@schnizdawg]

Please put a black foam mat under that tank. The brown wood from tank view makes the tank look incredibly dirty even though there’s no water at this point

[@ReefBuildersVideo]

We might actually remove the old brown label and paint the bottom black for exactly that reason

[@msa4548]

The 2X4 stand, the local saltwater store had the entire store built on them. They were there for over 20 years until it had to move locations, and still had to be demolished. The biggest concern would be to make sure the fasteners will hold up to the salt, if the metal rusts then everything is gone.

[@don_chuwish]

Not exactly how I would have done it but it's interesting to see others' ideas. Seems structurally sound enough. A better blade and a track saw would eliminate the splintered edges. I like the sistered plywood strips as bracing - should be more stable than a 2x4 over time and plenty strong. A side opening to get at the back of the stand might be nice, otherwise it'll be hard to reach anything back there.

[@ReefBuildersVideo]

We'll definitely be making some more openings now that the 'box' is complete

[@chaseaaronthomasify]

Wow, never thought I'd be excited to build a stand 🤣 damn you Jake! Now I have to build this 60 breeder. I'm such a mindless sheep. Great edit Evan, very relaxing.

[@stevenpavan327]

Dude - Jake we need another video installment in this series posted!

[@bluereef9530]

It's better than Marineland press board. Not a fan of 3/4" plywood on 3 sides. I would of double the 3 sides. Or made the stand a few inches shorter. Definitely a lot of weight in front center with not much support. Nice LFS I wish I had one near me...

[@jamessiverson6994]

Ive made way to many 2x4 stands lol. This must end. Time to make some composite plywood stands. Its like level 2. No more anchoring the 2x4 stand cuz it wobbles time to do some big boy stuff. Tbh woodworking not my Strongsuit. But this made things very straightforward for me. All you needs is doors and trim and you got a full on stand. Thanks Jack setting up a 270 soon!

[@jamessiverson6994]

Jake***

[@michaelross5674]

Nice I'm a carpenter when I upgrade I'll show my build.... I like cherry wood so probably be expensive to build but will look great

[@onschbacher]

I like to use Aluminium profiles, it´s quick and they last for ever. You can cover them with any material you like and it can be replaced if needed without taking the whole Aquarium down.

[@ReefBuildersVideo]

So do we, we've got 4 IM APS stands that are totally open and a couple more stands from CADE and ProClear that have finished sides

[@chronicanimosity1139]

Jake please do a video on the Lacy/ Competes Act. I cant help but think the freshwater/saltwater industry is going to almost entirely die next year.

[@jm-gn7hw]

buff it, buff it really good

[@87ckwest]

Love this! Thanks guys for putting these videos out. 📹 "not a woodworking channel" haha true. Looks great tho

[@paulknapp2223]

Fuck me, that bloke is a bodge artist

[@pedramrayan3002]

just saw this video on my Homepage and still can't believe Jake is not with us anymore... may he rest in peace! 😔😔😔😔

[@Hasans01]

Brilliant ❤

[@satguy]

An update would be nice.

[@aquaristaepassarinheiro4512]

Top top 👏👏👏👏

[@tonyy33055]

I MISS YOU BROTHER 😢 😭😭😭😭

[@meinriff2704]

👍

[@dipperstuckey537]

Number six like your content always learning more I have dyslexia and since i been watching your Channel and you're reading more words of different crows is crazy🤙

[@MissChelle]

Hi, such an impressive build. I’m going to be building a stand for my half moon 190L (about 50 g I think). If I made a stand like this, (rectangle) can I then cut a curved panel from a wood panel to put on the top with the edges hanging over for the tank to sit on? Probably no more than 2-3 inches overhang. Is overhang ok on this size tank? 🇦🇺❤️

[@pammugridge4106]

Did anyone hear the thickness of the wood used here?

[@anthonyscott2368]

I am watching this for the first time and it looks good to me!!. I wish could build some shit that good. Stands are expensive and they are not customized for your needs. I hate both stands that I own!

[@towermoss]

I'd love to build something like this, but there's no way I'd find wood that straight. The big box and lumber stores in my area suck. And I live in a region where forestry is a big deal. It's so sad.

[@joshpitts25]

Idk but I would question that stand. But what do I know..

[@Pau-Rodriguez11]

Hi jake

[@GtcoUC]

Tell that man to wear some ear protection!

[@chaseaaronthomasify]

Live a little

[@maccguyca]

What sizei s this aquarium ?

[@tkiefer72]

How would you do this for longer aquariums

[@debbiebowling1999]

Where are you at?

[@reefreptiles3190]

I've got an acrylic buffing 1 2 3 compound set I'll donate if you want it.

[@buihoainam6196]

I didn't expect it to withstand the load of that glass tank

[@russelmuldowney8736]

He should build a stand for his table saw

[@Mike__B]

100% agree that plywood stand looks way better than a 2x4 stand, although it would have been nice to have a little notch out for the overflow like he showed on the demo stand at the beginning, but... that 2x4 stand he had was absolutely garbage built if it shifted that much by pushing on it from the side. I've built plenty of them over the years, mostly due to lack of space to do plywood, and they have been beastly as far as strength (and yeah they do weigh a flipping ton) even built one that didn't use a single metal fastener. That said, my new jam these days is extruded aluminum stands, so much fun to build, you just have to think about the design well in advanced to building it.

[@invaderjoshua6280]

i feel like the diy aquarium stands most people build with in my case 2x6's are way sturdier looking.

[@camerongarcia3128]

Great stand, but why didn't you add wheels? If you added wheels, you could easily move the aquarium around the store witth any having to kill your back.....

[@JakeDogg-RIP]

Couldn’t the 2x4 one be made similarly by adding glue, maybe some diagonal supports also? But this does look way nicer! 🤷‍♂️ I’m no woodworker tho 🤣 but I think the 2x4 with some marine ply around it would be just as strong 🤔🤷‍♂️

[@ReefBuildersVideo]

yes you are right the combination of 2 x4 and plywood can make for a very solid structure and this is what I used when I built the stand for the water vats

[@apolloravindran]

13:13, why does it look like the tank is not sitting flush on the stand?

[@ReefBuildersVideo]

Good eye! The acrylic tank sat on an acrylic stand for 15 years and despite the support it drooped quite a bit in that time. We're letting the bottom of the tank relax back into a flat shape but it rested sat on a bubble when we first placed it on the new stand.

[@apolloravindran]

@@ReefBuildersVideo i never knew acrylic is so pliable as cookie dough, its interesting to know that it will resume back its original shape as a flat pane, good luck

[@Wonsycx]

Rip 😢

[@eastnjman368]

Rip 😔

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

Sorry brother, but as a lifelong builder Ive got to say a big no. Those finish nails arent designed for holding weight.As you add water, rock, ect thats alot of static weight.

[@mohamadahzwan8648]

😆😣😳

[@brandonplank4233]

Entirely too much glue and should use screws

[@chaseaaronthomasify]

No

[@casper18795]

Composite - you should learn to pronounce that word.