Aquariums: My first DIY stand and 36 bow, a total success. Hope this inspires others.

Just a fast blast to show my 36 bow on the stand I built for it out of 2x4s, drywall screws, and…..well i guess other than paint and a piece of cardboard on each side, that's it. Like most DIYers in the trade, I just refused to spend a load of money on some dubious particle board stand which was going to collapse in 2 years. Cheapness is the mother of invention. Id never really built anything in my life before. I used a drill, and a $10 miter box and saw. I didn't even sketch it out first. Its actually very straight and level, with standard furniture shims being used to bring it to a state of perfect levelness. It'm sure it would easily support a tank twice as heavy. I can add a solid wood panel on the front or a door of some kind. The stands paint matches the color of the wall, allowing the tank to be the focal point, with the stand being as unnoticeable as possible, "being there" not at all. The design is about the tank, not the stand.

Now, for placement…..I must have taken at least 45 minutes before I put water in the tank making sure it was precisely positioned on the stand, with the stand being 34 inches from the foot of my bed, aligned with the centerline of the bed. And now, it's my little slice of heaven at the end of any otherwise rough day. Just kicking back on the bed, the cat and I gazing upon the 13 black neons and one female half moon betta. You couldn't pay for therapy this good. Not bad for a guy who had to go out and buy a saw to make it and who'd never built anything before. Don't ever tell you something can't be done.