what is the foot print of your tank again?
72"x36"
you have 2x8 for the horizontal pieces. You are going to double up the back only 2x8? How are you going to incorporate that as i don't see what it would be supported by? what about the sides ones? also you are going to run a center cross brace the long (left to right) length correct? single or double?
I am only doubling the back because the front will use the wall frame as support as well. So there are 6 vertical 2x4s in the wall supporting the tank, and I simply didnt feel there was any need to add another 2x8. But on the back, I will be gluing another 2x6 to each of the legs to support the second 2x8. I'll post pictures when I do so.
The sides will not be doubled. Because I have such a large opening along the back (about 62"), that's where the concern is in terms of any bowing. Based on a quick calculation, there may have been as much as a 1/8" sag in the middle of that single 2x8 (which has been jointed/planed down to only about 6.75" instead of 7.5") along the back. By doubling it, I should be eliminating almost all risk of any sag. Along the sides, there's only about a 24" opening, and the amount of sag in those 2x8s is insignificant.
I will not be running any cross bracing along the long dimension.
The legs you have are all 2x6? except where you routered the ones down for the sump to fit? Do you forsee any issues w the legs going straight to the ground and not onto a bottom frame? Concrete floor i assume.
The legs as you see them right now are 2x4s and 2x6 glued together. Just like the 2x8s, these boards were jointed and planed to be perfectly square (with razor sharp edges, as it turns out
). The legs at the wall are finished. As already explained, I'll add another 2x6 to the rear legs. I do not foresee any concern with the legs going directly to the ground assuming I use something to keep moisture from seeping into them (concrete floor at sea level may create such an issue). A few coats of primer and the tar paper should eliminate this worry.
I will not do a bottom frame. I will brace the legs at each side, and the legs at the wall will be bolted into the wall. But along the back, since I want to just slide the sump in place, there will not be anything in the opening that you see right now. The sump is about 62" long, and the opening along the back is about 62.25". Not a lot of room to spare, but it should work.
Are you planning anything on the bottom for a shelf to hold the sump?
Nope. The sump has been sitting on the floor on a piece of builders foam for about 7 months with a bunch of rock curing. It seems to be working fine right now, so I don't feel the need to change that.
Thanks...as these were similiar to my plans, just not sure about the legs & doubling the horizontal pieces. But overkill is a good piece of mind!
Indeed, especially at the cost of lumber overkill is certainly reasonable in this application! If you have any more questions, feel free to as, and plow back a few pages to see some of the original stand drawings (if you're interested).