FiReBReTHa
Master Blaster!
Thanks! I really appreciate it, I like the idea of a Dark black granite top....
I am going to have to check that idea out...
Now I just need doors for it!
DIY Stands Template and Calculator
- Thread starter RocketEngineer
- Start date
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Thanks! I really appreciate it, I like the idea of a Dark black granite top....
I am going to have to check that idea out...
Now I just need doors for it!
lunarlanderboy
Premium Member
Okay guys - I am retarded - any help would be greatly appreciated. I read this entire thread, decided to make mine out of 1x4's since my tank is only 20 gallons. My only problem is that everything is so crooked that it is ridiculous. I specifically chose the wood with the least bend in it but by the time I made the bottom frame and screwed the screw strips into place the whole thing looks like something out of an M.C. Escher drawing. I guess I don't understand how to make sure everything is squared up and at right angles as you are screwing it all together. One problem is the bend in the wood - but another problem is just not having things exactly screwed in at the right angles. Maybe I need clamps or one of those metal square ruler things.
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
lunarlanderboy,
To get good square corners, a couple clamps and a square will make things much easier to keep true. Also, if you reuse your pieces, put the screws into new wood rather then reuse the old holes. If you use the old holes it will pull things out of square.
Good luck.
To get good square corners, a couple clamps and a square will make things much easier to keep true. Also, if you reuse your pieces, put the screws into new wood rather then reuse the old holes. If you use the old holes it will pull things out of square.
Good luck.
The 300g is 24" wide and 30" high. I think I read the calculations were based on a max deflection of .125". I assume that is acceptable for an acrylic aquarium. Does anyone know what the max deflection a 300g acrylic aquarium could withstand? I think the thickness of the acrylic is .5 or .75. I am playing with a beam deflection calculator and was trying to see if I could use something smaller than 2x6. I am trying to keep the available height inside the stand as possible. I was even toying with double 2x4s with a (steel) flitch plate. But that may be overkill.
lunarlanderboy
Premium Member
Thanks - I'm going to give it a second go around with the clamps and square...
lunarlanderboy
Premium Member
What do you do about the subtle bends in these 1x4's - I got some of the better ones. Should I just try to sand them or use a plane and get them somewhat straight before I make the frame for the stand? -or should I just build the stand and then plane or sand the stand to make it more perfectly square once it is finished?
WLachnit
Active member
lunarlanderboy,
Ideally, they would be straight and flat to begin with. If you have tools to straighten (i.e., jointer, planer) then that's the best way.
when you clamp and square, you can always measure diagonals (they should be identical), that way you know that you have 90deg corners.
-Will
Ideally, they would be straight and flat to begin with. If you have tools to straighten (i.e., jointer, planer) then that's the best way.
when you clamp and square, you can always measure diagonals (they should be identical), that way you know that you have 90deg corners.
-Will
I'm going to start on my 72"24"x34" build and this thread helped a lot. One thing I noticed is compared to a stand built by the manufacture, these stands should hold up a house. Those stands are held up by the plywood sides or what ever boards they use and one inch thick strips. If they can hold tanks then a properly built 2x4 stand shouldn't have a problem.
Hi, great thread btw, I've been looking for something like this forever!
I was wondering is there a way to attach the skin without screwing from the outside in. I would like to use some nice plywood, maybe cherry, and would rather not have to putty screw holes etc.
thanks again
I was wondering is there a way to attach the skin without screwing from the outside in. I would like to use some nice plywood, maybe cherry, and would rather not have to putty screw holes etc.
thanks again
Siffy
New member
If you have clamps large enough, wood glue should hold it on just fine. The clamps (and I've heard the same about screws) are just there to hold the pieces in place til the glue hardens. The glue is supposedly stronger than a screw connection.
That said, mine uses screws, but the holes are covered by trim.
That said, mine uses screws, but the holes are covered by trim.
Mako Shark II
Fish are Friends not Food
2thdeekay!
Perfect! Your tank (set-up) is nearly exactly what I'm looking for. I have a 120g RR AGA in the works, White (painted) crown molding in the room setting, etc. Like I said, it's perfect. (Although I will have a remote set-up for the Sump, chiller, etc.)
I'd welcome any drawings or sketches you might be willing to share. Thanks! (my e-mail is linked)
2thdeekay
New member
Thank you Marty. I'm out of town, but when I get back, I will try to rustle up some info for you. I didn't actually have plans, just winged it. Got really lucky with the height of the hood.
Behind the wall is another sump (with skimmer, etc), and a frag tank. Unfortunately there's no way I could fit everything in the stand.
Here'a great calculator for building doors that Scott M. made:
http://www.idahoreefs.org/Tank/RaisedPanel.asp
Mohri
Behind the wall is another sump (with skimmer, etc), and a frag tank. Unfortunately there's no way I could fit everything in the stand.
Here'a great calculator for building doors that Scott M. made:
http://www.idahoreefs.org/Tank/RaisedPanel.asp
Mohri
Last edited:
Mako Shark II
Fish are Friends not Food
Thanks! I welcome your continued feedback Mohri. I'll have the tank in a week or two.
bjonesjr1
Premium Member
I'm glad I found this thread today, I've been wanting to get somebody's help & thought's on my stand.
After upgrading from a 55 gallon to a 75 gallon tank I decided to build my own stand this go around. I built the stand about a month ago and looked around for some ideas before I started building and decided on basically what I was going for.
Here is a picture of the stand with my tank on top right now;
Well my problem is that I have started to see cracks start to run down the legs of my stand!!! (shown here)
& here
I am some what worried with maybe the way I built the stand where the tank sits on top of the 4x4 post's & the posts are level to the floor. All the 2x4's are just supports all the way around the stand. I did build the stand on a level floor in my garage & everything on the stand came out to be level after I was done building the stand. What's funny is that the cracks are only on the right side of the stand not the left.
Some things that cross my mind about this problem is that maybe the wood is just splitting (maybe from the weight, maybe not) ??
that I didn't build the stand the right way to where my 4x4 posts are resting on something else other than all the way down to the bottom of the stand... ??
I wonder if I should drain my tank & just rebuild my stand to a slightly different design, to where the 4x4 posts are not to the bottom of the stand and their notched or something onto a 2x4 at the bottom of the post ??
Maybe I'm totally fine with that way it is and their is nothing to worry about & I can continue with the floor for my sump and the sides and front doors to keep my kid out from under the tank ??
Anyone's thoughts and opinions greatly appreciated.
After upgrading from a 55 gallon to a 75 gallon tank I decided to build my own stand this go around. I built the stand about a month ago and looked around for some ideas before I started building and decided on basically what I was going for.
Here is a picture of the stand with my tank on top right now;
Well my problem is that I have started to see cracks start to run down the legs of my stand!!! (shown here)
& here
I am some what worried with maybe the way I built the stand where the tank sits on top of the 4x4 post's & the posts are level to the floor. All the 2x4's are just supports all the way around the stand. I did build the stand on a level floor in my garage & everything on the stand came out to be level after I was done building the stand. What's funny is that the cracks are only on the right side of the stand not the left.
Some things that cross my mind about this problem is that maybe the wood is just splitting (maybe from the weight, maybe not) ??
that I didn't build the stand the right way to where my 4x4 posts are resting on something else other than all the way down to the bottom of the stand... ??
I wonder if I should drain my tank & just rebuild my stand to a slightly different design, to where the 4x4 posts are not to the bottom of the stand and their notched or something onto a 2x4 at the bottom of the post ??
Maybe I'm totally fine with that way it is and their is nothing to worry about & I can continue with the floor for my sump and the sides and front doors to keep my kid out from under the tank ??
Anyone's thoughts and opinions greatly appreciated.
FishNFun
New member
bjonesjr1:
It looks like you used a different design than what's advocated by the OP of this thread. Your corner uprights look to be setting directly on the floor. The OP's design has the uprights sitting on the bottom frame so that the load is distributed. That's also the reason that the screwing strip doesn't go all the way to the floor. In your design, the corner uprights are supporting all the weight. I'd be worried that it would continue to split and eventually give out.
One thing that I did when I bought my wood for the stand I'm currently building was to let is sit in the house for a while. This lets the wood acclimate to the humidity (or lack thereof) in the house. This can make a big difference.
Good luck.
It looks like you used a different design than what's advocated by the OP of this thread. Your corner uprights look to be setting directly on the floor. The OP's design has the uprights sitting on the bottom frame so that the load is distributed. That's also the reason that the screwing strip doesn't go all the way to the floor. In your design, the corner uprights are supporting all the weight. I'd be worried that it would continue to split and eventually give out.
One thing that I did when I bought my wood for the stand I'm currently building was to let is sit in the house for a while. This lets the wood acclimate to the humidity (or lack thereof) in the house. This can make a big difference.
Good luck.
bjonesjr1
Premium Member
FishNFun:
Thanks for responding to my question, I first wanted to correct one litttle thing in my post about how long the stand has been built with the tank full of water on it, & I have had it in my house about 6 months now...
I started noticing the cracks to start about 2 months after the stand was built, and slowly make their way down the post, but they haven't seemed to get any worse in the last month or so from what I can tell...
It's really the only thing holding me up from adding LR and everything else untell I'm for sure its not going to effect anything. I think I'm going wait and monitor it before I remove all the water & rebuild the stand, in the mean time I'm going to figure out a way to add some more support to the stand to ensure that nothing does give out...
Thanks again for your input FishNFun & if anyone else has any input or thoughts, the help would be appreciated.
Thanks for responding to my question, I first wanted to correct one litttle thing in my post about how long the stand has been built with the tank full of water on it, & I have had it in my house about 6 months now...
I started noticing the cracks to start about 2 months after the stand was built, and slowly make their way down the post, but they haven't seemed to get any worse in the last month or so from what I can tell...
It's really the only thing holding me up from adding LR and everything else untell I'm for sure its not going to effect anything. I think I'm going wait and monitor it before I remove all the water & rebuild the stand, in the mean time I'm going to figure out a way to add some more support to the stand to ensure that nothing does give out...
Thanks again for your input FishNFun & if anyone else has any input or thoughts, the help would be appreciated.
Siffy
New member
You watched it do that for 3 months and haven't done anything?? There's no way I'd use that stand. I'd drain the tank and tear down the stand asap.
It's a perfect example of why not to use 4x4s. It's not the weight (~200lbs per corner/leg) causing the splitting. It's just the nature of that type of "lumber". I've seen 4x4s lay on the ground for 2 years and the warping, bowing, and splitting that occurs with no weight on them is incredible. Granted it's worse outdoors when the wood is allowed to get rained on and dry over and over, and I've seen 8' pieces develop >90 degrees of twist and over a foot of crowning.
It will just get worse over time. Your carpets, flooring and overall water damage repair are worth a lot more than the 30 bucks you have in that stand. It's just not worth the risk, imo.
It's a perfect example of why not to use 4x4s. It's not the weight (~200lbs per corner/leg) causing the splitting. It's just the nature of that type of "lumber". I've seen 4x4s lay on the ground for 2 years and the warping, bowing, and splitting that occurs with no weight on them is incredible. Granted it's worse outdoors when the wood is allowed to get rained on and dry over and over, and I've seen 8' pieces develop >90 degrees of twist and over a foot of crowning.
It will just get worse over time. Your carpets, flooring and overall water damage repair are worth a lot more than the 30 bucks you have in that stand. It's just not worth the risk, imo.
Triadguppies
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12069021#post12069021 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Siffy
Nice job. Finished project or waiting to be stained?
IS that a 120 Gal Tank?
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