Hi,
I'm looking to build a stand for an 8ftx2ftx2ft aquarium weighing approx 1000kg + with water and substrate etc. What timber is best suited and sizes ?
Thanks
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Cuda6. It's fabulous to have you join us and many thanks for your question on building a fishtank stand.
For an aquarium of that size and weight (around 1000kg+), you’re getting into structural load-bearing territory, so it’s important to approach this quite cautiously.
In general, stands for loads like this are typically built using structural-grade timber (for example MGP10 or higher), with generously sized members, often in the range of 140x45mm framing and 100x100mm posts, depending on the design. The key isn’t just the timber size, but how the load is transferred: you want direct vertical load paths (legs/posts sitting directly under the tank edges), good bracing to prevent twisting, and a top frame that distributes the weight evenly.
That said, at this scale, the design becomes just as important as the material. Factors like span, floor capacity, and how the load is distributed all matter, and a failure here could be significant.
Because of that, I’d strongly recommend checking your design with a qualified builder or structural engineer before building, to make sure it’s suitable for the load and safe long-term.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
