Help-15-20 gal stand mod to hold 10 gal tank?

[BlueStar]

I have a stand we used tanks on 40 years ago that I tought where 10 gallon tanks, but turns out they must have been 15-20 gallon tanks. I bought a 10 gallon bare tank before I dug out the old stand.

Can I cut 2x4's to fill in all the space across the top of the stand and add another piece of wood to the top of that and it be good enough to support the 10 gallon tank? If so how thick should the piece of wood on top of the 2x4's be?

[BlueStar]

Was this a really bad question or why has there been no replies?

I bought a 5 gal tank kit (wanted 2 but decided to wait and see what size the tank was) and dug out my 5 gallon stand only to find out the rectangle 5 gal tank was too big for it. Leaves me to wonder if the bigger stand was for 10 gallons and they are just making shorter 10 gallon rectangle tanks today.

The kids (betta's) sure would like an answer so they can move into cycled tanks before they die of old age or something LOL.

Due to rain last week I couldn't connect to the net for 3 days and more may come tonight, so if someone does reply & I don't get back fast that is why.

[TonyK]

I had a 10 gallon that I put on a 20 gallon stand. I used a board cut to fit on the 20 gallon stand then I drilled a couple of holes in the board and used zip ties to keep the board from sliding around. I would be a little nervous using 2x4's for the support. If someone accidently bumps the tank it might slide off the 2x4 and fall.

[BlueStar]

Thanks for the tips TonyK.
Guess I should have detailed it a little.
Stand is 12-1/2" wide x 24-1/2" long so I was going to get 3 2x4 cut to 29" long (extra on both ends for added support) and with 3 of them it would be 12" wide.
Then I was going to get a board cut 12"w x 29"l to set on top.
Tank is 10"w x 20-1/4"L.
Since the tank will be heavy with 10 gallons in it I'd rather have some over-kill in it's brace. But definately don't want it to be not enough since I have a blind adopted Cocker. Years ago I think I only used 2x4s and they ended up bowed so I'm thinking a board on top of them might stop that.
2" of the 2x4 plus a board 1/4" thick is what I was thinking if it will be enough.

Right now I'm trying to cycle a 2.5gal tank I had and when it's ready I'll put a betta in it and start the cycle on a 5.5 gal tank. One by one 3 will end up in cycled 5.5 gallon tanks and the smaller one will be in the 10 gallon with some guppies I get later if they get along. If not he will end up in a 2 gallon non-cycled tank or the 2.5gal cycled tank. Bought the poor guy as a female, but later realized when it got better it's a male. Named it Blue Girl, so now he's just called Blue :).

[TonyK]

I'm having a problem understanding what you are going to do with the 2x4's. I am thinking you are cutting the 2x4's and put them on top of the stand. Then you will cut a board top put on top of the 2x4's is that correct?

[BlueStar]

Yes the 2x4's would be put on top of the stand length wise and then a board on top of that to give the bottom of the tank uniform support.

Sturdy shelf boards stacked on top of each other might work without 2x4's, but doubt I could find any in town the right size, plus if I did 2x4's and scrap wood would be cheaper more than likely.

Not sure how they are making 10 gallon tank stands now, but this is a metal one where the top is a rectangle shape with a ledge of about 1+" that is made to hold a bigger rectangle tank than a 10 gallon one. Even with the right size tank it would only have the bottom edge's supported unless long ago we made boards to set on top of the frame. It's made to hold 2 tanks (one near the floor), but due to the dogs that will only be a storage area.