DIY Stands Template and Calculator

[emissary43]

Thank you I will use the center post addition to prep my system.

I will look into the joust size. Any suggestions short of having a contractor looking at it for figuring that out. The owner didn't seem to know other than saying it would be fine. I would just go with his assurance if failure didn't place my reef on the first floor. the floor handled 130 gal without so much as a squeak or groan.

thanks again guys

 

[tomasz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14177414#post14177414 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by emissary43
Thank you I will use the center post addition to prep my system.

I will look into the joust size. Any suggestions short of having a contractor looking at it for figuring that out. The owner didn't seem to know other than saying it would be fine. I would just go with his assurance if failure didn't place my reef on the first floor. the floor handled 130 gal without so much as a squeak or groan.

thanks again guys

It would not hurt to bring in a contractor or an engineer.

 

[OCEAN SIZE]

It would not hurt to bring in a contractor or an engineer.

For my 220g, I brought in a structural engineer, then a licensed/bonded/insured general contractor.

Yeah, it set me back a few bucks and months in terms of my new setup, but adding to the joists (even though the new tank spans 7' across many joists on an outside/load bearing wall) was worth it to me.

Mike de Leon - thanks for the link! I'm not a fan of those old style country cabinets (even if the woodworking was very nice!), but their modern ones were pretty clean and more like what I want to do.
I just hope their guy starts using a rebreather when he's using aerosol stain. So he can live to age 62.
Cool link.

 

[tonym10]

I have been reading this thread for a while now. I am planning an in wall 156 g 60"x24"x25" tank in the next week.
I plan to have this stand as part of the wall. So the front will be drywalled and the back will be open for sump access.
So two questions I have are?
Will the stand be strong enough being it will not be skinned with plywood?
I plan to glue a 3/4" piece of plywood to the top of the stand . Is it ok if this piece of plywood is cut an extra 1/2" wide so that it is over the drywall with the tank glass basically flush with the drywall surface? Or should I keep the 3/4 plywood cut the size of the tank/stand so that the glass will be ressesed back 1/2" from being flush with the drywall?
The tank is an oceanic ultimat glass .
One more question. If it is ok to have the 3/4" plywood overhang the drywall and have the tank flush with the wall like this should the stand be made 1/2" narrower to compensate this ?
Thanks

 

[Mike de Leon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14180467#post14180467 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OCEAN SIZE

Mike de Leon - thanks for the link! I'm not a fan of those old style country cabinets (even if the woodworking was very nice!), but their modern ones were pretty clean and more like what I want to do.
I just hope their guy starts using a rebreather when he's using aerosol stain. So he can live to age 62.
Cool link.

I saw that too! I can't believe the working conditions...
I am in the midst of a build and will be putting a simple stand together. My tank will be rimless.

 

[Triadguppies]

Well looks like I will be starting my build this coming week. I have a 125 Gal overflow tank and a 100gal long to build stands for. Going to cheap out and paint them black since the tanks are black. the 100g is a 72" long tank, with that span I could still use 2x4 with a center brace correct? It will be a FW tank so no drilling needed so I can get away with a center leg brace. Will be posting build threads for both stands.

 

[RocketEngineer]

tonym10,

I tend to be concerned when the tank is not directly over the stand frame. I would set it back the half inch and trim out the opening in the drywall. Since it is an in wall installation, why not frame it like the picture into the reef that it is.

RocketEngineer

 

[tonym10]

Thanks Rocket , that is the way I will go.

 

[Mike de Leon]

Thank you for this thread. As much as I am using plywood I got quite an insight in designing and building a stand!
I started tonight. The size of my tank is 60 X 28 X 22 (159 Gallons)

I just found it quite easy taking this route. Mapped out all the dimensions, went to Home Depot and have them cut every piece for the actual box. The cut was very precise to the mm. So when I started the assembly everything lines up so beautifully.
All I need to cut myself is the opening for the door and a couple of round holes for ventilation. I will also have to cut some of the trim, some will be cut at Home Depot as well.

Just a question for you folks who have used clamps and glue. How long should one leave the clamps? How long does the glue completely set? Thanks in advance...
mike

 

[adamblackburn22]

Rocket,

I have a 120g tank that I would like to make a stand for using your template. The dimenions of the tank are 48.5 x 24.5. That's from trim to trim. Would you please let me know the cuts of all the wood I need so I don't screw things up out of the gate?

 

[jpc763]

Well here is mine. The cross members on the bottom are to hold a 75g sump and the middle front leg is to hold the skin for the doors. I will post skinned pics when I finish it!

John

 

[tonym10]

John that stand looks good. I will be giving this a try soon. Did you use glue and screws or just screws? Do you drill pilot holes for the screws or just screw right into the wood?
I have a dumb question, but how do you keep things square when screwing all this together? My fear is it will be wobbly and out of square.

 

[jpc763]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14201370#post14201370 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonym10
John that stand looks good. I will be giving this a try soon. Did you use glue and screws or just screws? Do you drill pilot holes for the screws or just screw right into the wood?
I have a dumb question, but how do you keep things square when screwing all this together? My fear is it will be wobbly and out of square.

I glued with Gorilla Glue and then clamped. I then drilled pilot holes (found this out the hard way) and countersinked the heads (another lesson learned). Finally I used coated deck screws.

Overall, it is very sturdy. Probably the hardest thing was doing the legs since I didn't have enought clamps to do all 4 at the same time. I needed 5 clamps per leg (the way I was doing it) in order to get it tight.

Finally, check the measurements of the actual tank you are using. I built the bottom and then got the measurements of my standard 125g (72 x 18 x 22) and found them to be 72.5 x 18.25 by 22 so the stand would have been too small!

Good luck! John

 

[adamblackburn22]

Can anyone help me with this.....

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14196462#post14196462 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by adamblackburn22
Rocket,

I have a 120g tank that I would like to make a stand for using your template. The dimenions of the tank are 48.5 x 24.5. That's from trim to trim. Would you please let me know the cuts of all the wood I need so I don't screw things up out of the gate?

 

[dogfrog]

adamblackburn22...

Look at the first post that Rocket made about making the stand. He tells you how long each piece needs to be based on the measurements you have.. IE

"(2) Red - Upper Rails: Length = W
These will be sized according to length: 2X4 for 48" or less for smaller tanks (Rule of thumb is 75g-90g); 2X6 up to 72" with 125g-150g being acceptable; For longer spans and larger tanks 2X8s are recommended "


So you would need 2 pieces that are 48 1/2" for the upper rails



"(2) Yellow - Upper Ends: Length = D-3” Theses will be made of the same material as the upper rails."

The 2 for this would be 24 1/2" - 3. or 21 1/2"

And so on....

 

[adamblackburn22]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14203239#post14203239 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dogfrog
adamblackburn22...

Look at the first post that Rocket made about making the stand. He tells you how long each piece needs to be based on the measurements you have.. IE

"(2) Red - Upper Rails: Length = W
These will be sized according to length: 2X4 for 48" or less for smaller tanks (Rule of thumb is 75g-90g); 2X6 up to 72" with 125g-150g being acceptable; For longer spans and larger tanks 2X8s are recommended "


So you would need 2 pieces that are 48 1/2" for the upper rails



"(2) Yellow - Upper Ends: Length = D-3” Theses will be made of the same material as the upper rails."

The 2 for this would be 24 1/2" - 3. or 21 1/2"

And so on....

If I do 21.5 for the yellow 2/4's then when I add the red rails I'll have a total of 25.5 inch. My tank is only 24.5. Make sense? Can someone confirm this please. I don't want to make the wrong cuts.

 

[carb850]

Great thread, thanks for the design!

 

[yankee26th]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14204075#post14204075 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by carb850
Great thread, thanks for the design!

Do you think your design would work for a larger tank. I will be building a stand for a 180G? For the upper rails I would have to use 2x8's, according to RocketEngineer, but I would lay the lower rails on the floor instead of being elevated like yours is.
Thanks --- Chris

 

[marinebarn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14203536#post14203536 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by adamblackburn22
If I do 21.5 for the yellow 2/4's then when I add the red rails I'll have a total of 25.5 inch. My tank is only 24.5. Make sense? Can someone confirm this please. I don't want to make the wrong cuts.

adamblackburn22,

2 x 4 are actually 1-1/2" x 3-1/2", are you thinking they're 2" thick?

 

[adamblackburn22]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14205401#post14205401 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by marinebarn
adamblackburn22,

2 x 4 are actually 1-1/2" x 3-1/2", are you thinking they're 2" thick?

Yeah That's what I thought they were. Ok so it makes sense now. So if I want a 36 inch tall stand what do my cute need to be for the legs? Thanks