DIY Stands Template and Calculator

[sea-horsea]

yeah I will add plywood for the horizontal support...

will it be a big difference if add it or not???

this is the FIRST TIME EVER that i built my own stand, so...

 

[bpiermat]

Yeah that is what I figured....Here is what I was going to post, so if some one out there is not planning to skin his stand...he can design it properly. Or is deciding which thickness of plywood / brace he/she is going to use...or not use.

Let's do a little rough math...a aquarium 100 gal is roughly 14 ft^3..x64lb/ft^3 --> is roughly 1000lbs so given a moderate seismic zone region (such as Seattle) the lateral force would be about 1000lbs. The worse case of course would be for this to act in the along the width of the tank at mid tank height.

In other words, assuming a 4' stand and a 2' tall tank...the acting moment would be 5' * 1,000 lbs = 5000 lb - ft (5K-ft for short)

Assuming the stand is not nailed down, and there are no cables. Assuming a stand width of 1.5'. So from geometry the diagonal length is 4.3 ft. So the load in the diagonal is roughly 4.3/1.5 * 1000 lbs or 2800 lbs...this is a substantial load (if there is no diagonal). If using plywood please place enough nails to resist this force in shear.

If this force is not resisted on at least three of the four sides of the tank...splash, like I said before. (actually the exact answer is all four sides should have bracing)...so for sides where no bracing/plywood is possible, then a rigid connection should be used. (4 lines of screws should work in a pinch...but a steel connection would be preferable)

And even if the base of the stand is nailed down, this force must be transferred through bracing or plywood...it is just that the numbers maybe a little different (less most likely)

 

[Slakker]

It does make a difference as far as the stand's ability to handle lateral force, as stated above. I would think that 1/2" plywood would be plenty thick, and is what I plan to use on my stand.

 

[bpiermat]

The answer is...it all depends upon the size of the tank...but more importantly dimensions of the stand. There is no general rule of thumb

Even given all of the bracing / plywood suggestions...no matter what size you pick, there is no guarantees, if you are in a high seismic zone. Probably the best bet is to make sure your stand is equally strong as your house. That way if you die, your fishes die too.

 

[crsswift70]

Thanks for these plans! I made my new 75 gallon stand this weekend (and i mean all week end). This is my first shot at "carpentry". The best part is, no matter if the outside falls off, i know the inside will hold

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=248076&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=248075&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=248074&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500

oh, don't mind the pink wood, it was on sale at HD. Oh, and i havent finished it or put the top rail on it yet... work in progress.

 

[Hornet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12571745#post12571745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crsswift70
.The best part is, no matter if the outside falls off, i know the inside will hold

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=248076&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=248075&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=248074&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500

oh, don't mind the pink wood, it was on sale at HD. Oh, and i havent finished it or put the top rail on it yet... work in progress.

The stand looks great I like the molding that you put on the corners. Did you get that from HD too?

Did you order doors for it?

 

[crsswift70]

Thanks, i got everything at HD. A miter saw helps a great deal No, i'm stuck on the doors at the moment. I bought some sanded ply and some edge molding (probably not what it is called) and i'm going to attempt to make some. Doors are kind of expensive and i don't want to wait on them when i can make them myself... hopefully. If i had a table saw i would make them properly.

 

[Hornet]

kwl, good luck I can't wait to see your finished product. I'll probably try to start building my stand this weekend.

 

[sea-horsea]

OK I am stuck with the door too....

also I am not sure if I should sand the stand down and put stain over it or actually put plywood for the outside and stain on top of the plywood...

show your pictures!!!!!! thanks guys

 

[ludnix]

I used the plans in the original post to make a stand for my 120.

There's actually two cross beams in the bottom, under the plywood for extra support for the 40gallon sump.

 

[sea-horsea]

are you going to pu plywood on the outside of the stand or you gonna paint it over it ...thanks..

 

[sea-horsea]

hi everyone...can you tell me how do you level out the stand?
i mean I am afraid that after I set up the tank and start adding water the water level will be off....how do i avoid that? how do I make sure that both the top and bottom of the stand is leveled? what if the floor I am putting it is not leveled? how do I test it? thank you

 

[gguertin]

with a level...

and wood shims... can be picked up at HD or Lowes...

 

[sea-horsea]

are shims the only way? i mean what can i do to the structure of the stand to level it? sand it down?

 

[urville]

I noticed the following picture and was curious because my stand also has these little inconsistincies. if you look at the corner that is closest to you in this picture there is a space showing between the top horizontal support and that corners 2x4 vertical supports. I assume since they are screwed to the strips that they cant settle out once the tank is on there with some water. I guess i wonder how much deflection like this is okay. I planned on firming everything up, sanding to make it level and then putting on the top frame and put the tank on half full let it sit, and then take it off and THEN I was going to sand and if nessacary plane it level. This sound okay?

Maybe i'll have to shim it... I just see a space like that and I think thats not really sitting on those 2x4's... thats sitting on those screws.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11735007#post11735007 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by patel

 

[urville]

Isnt this the best way? Build it and then take care of the almost guaranteed inconsistencies of 2x wood by planing and sanding till the top measures out level.

 

[rocketlily]

Thank you to Rocket Engineer and this thread, for I would not have been able to build a stand without it. Here's a picture of my 90 gal Corner Pentagon and the stand built for it.

 

[zebrafish]

Great thread. thanks for starting it.

 

[msp2673]

Anyone with a flat-back hex tank stand?

 

[Doahh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12600760#post12600760 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by urville
I noticed the following picture and was curious because my stand also has these little inconsistincies. if you look at the corner that is closest to you in this picture there is a space showing between the top horizontal support and that corners 2x4 vertical supports. I assume since they are screwed to the strips that they cant settle out once the tank is on there with some water. I guess i wonder how much deflection like this is okay. I planned on firming everything up, sanding to make it level and then putting on the top frame and put the tank on half full let it sit, and then take it off and THEN I was going to sand and if nessacary plane it level. This sound okay?

Maybe i'll have to shim it... I just see a space like that and I think thats not really sitting on those 2x4's... thats sitting on those screws.

Same here...