Aquarium stand rant - Aquarium furniture is too ugly

[Parzival]

Why is it that aquarium furniture tends to look like cheap trash? And often it is built like cheap trash. I've wasted hours trying to find a single decent looking stand for a 10 gal that is enclosed so I can hide a canister filter in it.

This is something that turned me off about this hobby in the past, before I started keeping fish. I'd walk into fish stores and see rows and rows of ugly *** (this site just censored the three letter word for buttocks) aquarium furniture. It's why I bought my Fluval Edge, which is attractive but turned out to not be very functional. I don't see many alternatives, other than expensive proprietary systems or custom stands.

Why is this? Surely there is demand for moderately priced, mass-market aquarium setups that don't stick out like a sore thumb.

For my 10-gallon, I'm going to end up using a small bookcase that's currently the landing for my keys, phones, tablet, and so on. It has a glass door on it, so I guess I'll get some frosted window film from Home Depot.

[R_sustaita]

Amen to that.

cheap looking and they still charge you an arm and a leg for them. thats why i made my own, still ugly but i am proud i made it and i know it wont break next week (i hope so) it jsut seems if you want the good stuff you have to fork over alot of money.

[crazy42bmx]

Thats cause nothing is mass produced in AMERICA any more. All the crap is overseas and crappy azz particle board, which u dont want as an aquarium stand. These days if u want the good stuff you either fork out the big dollars or make it yourself ! Stuff just isn't what it used to be.

[johnnymisty]

Thats cause nothing is mass produced in AMERICA any more. All the crap is overseas and crappy azz particle board, which u dont want as an aquarium stand. These days if u want the good stuff you either fork out the big dollars or make it yourself ! Stuff just isn't what it used to be.

+1 most stands are just garbage thats why i have had my stands custom made in the past

[BeefyG]

Wood ain't cheap especially quality wood. Craftsmanship sure ain't cheap. In order to sell the stands for so little they have to be able to crank them out with low quality lumber all day long. You either do it cheap all the way and sell a bunch or quality all the way and sell a few. There's no profit to be made on moderately priced stands with mediocre quality because either the higher material quality or the extra time spent eats into your profit margin too much.

If paying all the money up front is an issue, you might could ask either Justin or John to make you a support stand first and then a skin for it later when you've got a bit more money.

[myjohnson]

Just go to IKEA.

[jhenry]

Just go to IKEA.

Good call for a tank that small that woukd be your best bet

[greg_tsam]

I find this topic right on the money. I have two custom stands that are more like furniture pieces. I offered the FishBox Community a chance to have some built. I had a few requests for quotes but everyone wants high quality for low prices.

[jhenry]

I find this topic right on the money. I have two custom stands that are more like furniture pieces. I offered the FishBox Community a chance to have some built. I had a few requests for quotes but everyone wants high quality for low prices.

Well that I basic human nature. Everyone wants a deal. Especially on a 10g . It is hard to spend $20 for a tank and $250 for a stand it doesnt make sense and I build stand for a living

[troy tucker]

everyone wants high quality for low prices.

High Quality and Low Prices> are words that do not go to gether.
As a tradesman. I can build my own stuff for low prices but I am not getting my tools out for no money. Also there are people here that already do stands and other related thing. As a Job and I don't like stepping on other people toes.
all most any small table or book case will hold a 10g tank.

[jhenry]

all most any small table or book case will hold a 10g tank.

Exactly. And you dont get your tools out for nothing. Why not man your nit in bussiness for the greater good.you mean old capitalist

[Parzival]

Aquarium stand rant - Aquarium furniture is too ugly

I don't mind paying $200, maybe $300, for a nice stand for a 10. I have to look at it everyday; what's the price of the stand got to do with the price of the tank? Almost all the generic furniture I've seen that's about the right size had drawers instead of doors.

[flipside]

Well then... Call jhenry up and have it designed and built. That's what I did. Twice. More than happy to pay him to do what "I" want rather than pay for MDF covered in cheap, thin laminate.

[greg_tsam]

High Quality and Low Prices> are words that do not go to gether.
As a tradesman. I can build my own stuff for low prices but I am not getting my tools out for no money.

Yup.

[Parzival]

Aquarium stand rant - Aquarium furniture is too ugly

In fairness, I said moderate, not low.