DIY Stands Template and Calculator
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Rhodophyta
New member
I made the front of my 520 gallon tank stand removable. I was going to sink magnets into it for attachment, but temporarily made a wing at each end out of 1" X 3" pine bridging. They didn't hang on anything, just made a counterweight to snug the panel against the stand. It worked so well I never installed the planned magnets.
I am getting ready to build a stand for our new 125g tank. It is 72" long and I was planning to rip a 2x8 down to 2x6 to make sure I have flat surfaces to put the tank on. I was wondering if 2x4 legs would handle the weight or if I would need to bring those up to 2x6? Also we are debating between a 55g and a 75g sump. The 75g sump may require me to make the stand a bit deeper. If I were to double or triple up on the back side top rail to extend the stand a few inches would that be ok so long as my legs are wide enough to bridge both(all three) top rails.
Also to verify what I have read, a standard 2x6 is enough to bridge the entire 72" without need of a center support so ripping down a 2x8 should be fine to cover the span. Is that correct?
I'll see if I can sketch up something for those of us that are more visual and those that maybe don't speak knucklehead which I am fluent.
Thanks
Also to verify what I have read, a standard 2x6 is enough to bridge the entire 72" without need of a center support so ripping down a 2x8 should be fine to cover the span. Is that correct?
I'll see if I can sketch up something for those of us that are more visual and those that maybe don't speak knucklehead which I am fluent.
Thanks
I can't speak to your other questions, but I can say that 2x4 legs will be no problem for your 125. I have my 220 on 2x4 legs with no center brace and a 2x8 for the top span. If the 2x4 legs can support my 220 then they'll do fine for your 125.
Additional informaion and picuter for 125g stand.
Additional informaion and picuter for 125g stand.
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/bfoleyiii/embed/slideshow/Tank%20Stuff"></iframe>IMG]
The tank will rest on the yellow rails. The green rail is there to add depth to the stand to try and fit a 75g for the sump. The goal is to have enough space between the pink legs (front to back) to allow the 75g tank to fit between them slide next to the blue legs. this just gives a couple more inches in the stand for other things.
So the main questions is with this design are the blue legs enough to support the weight of the tank with the rear pink legs taking ZERO load. Also that the yellow rails are able to handle the load without a center brace. Per the previous message they would be 2x8s ripped down to 2x6 to make sure I get flat surfaces.
Thank you again.
Additional informaion and picuter for 125g stand.
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/bfoleyiii/embed/slideshow/Tank%20Stuff"></iframe>IMG]
The tank will rest on the yellow rails. The green rail is there to add depth to the stand to try and fit a 75g for the sump. The goal is to have enough space between the pink legs (front to back) to allow the 75g tank to fit between them slide next to the blue legs. this just gives a couple more inches in the stand for other things.
So the main questions is with this design are the blue legs enough to support the weight of the tank with the rear pink legs taking ZERO load. Also that the yellow rails are able to handle the load without a center brace. Per the previous message they would be 2x8s ripped down to 2x6 to make sure I get flat surfaces.
Thank you again.
davocean
Active member
Oak will always have hair grain showing unless you went ridiculous on coats and sanding, I would not waste money on maple if you are going to paint, use less expensive paint grade material like birch, poplar or something like that
Salty150
New member
Am I going to get the same strength as oak with birch or poplar?
Is oak the cheapest I take it?
FoothillCorals
Premium Member
Hi Rocket, For a 60x34x20tall Acylic tank (aprox 175G). What would you use, 2x4s for the top frame with a center brace or 2x6s with out a center brace?
Thanks
Thanks
I'm not rocket, but I'll answer your question anyway
. Having had a brace on my manufactured 75G stand and upgrading to no brace on my new DIY 220G stand, I can say that no brace is much better for access under the tank. On the 75G tank I was unable to remove the sump without removing the tank, and when I wanted to upgrade the sump after the tank had been set up for a while I discovered that it was impossible. Even if you never have to change out your sump, just having unhindered access to the bottom of the tank makes life much easier. For my 220G stand I designed a removable frame with four doors. For day to day access I simply use the doors, but if I need to do a lot of work under the stand I can pull off the whole frame and get access to everything with no brace or anything in the way.Now, that said, if you're planning a separate fish room or something and won't have a sump under the tank, then you can ignore all of the above. If the stand will just be for storage then I don't think a brace would be a problem at all... But if you are planning on putting a sump under there, skip the brace.
Salty150
New member
Then do I use 2 costs of Kilz and then 2-3 coats of an oil based satin paint to get that nice smooth finish?
davocean
Active member
I don't think 2 coats of kilz or any other type of primer is needed, just one, then sand, 220, and I've listed latex as my preference but that is a personal preference thing.
Oils do take longer flash off or dry, that can do a couple things, runs can be more common if not careful, but if on a flat surface it can also settle more easily and brush strokes lay down better, so yeah it can give a smoother finish in that manner.
2 coats of finish w/ sanding 220 between them and tack cloth clean, if doing outdoors I prefer early morning before winds, and a plastic drop making a overhead dust cover to keep things landing on it helps, and not in direct heat/sun.
Oils do take longer flash off or dry, that can do a couple things, runs can be more common if not careful, but if on a flat surface it can also settle more easily and brush strokes lay down better, so yeah it can give a smoother finish in that manner.
2 coats of finish w/ sanding 220 between them and tack cloth clean, if doing outdoors I prefer early morning before winds, and a plastic drop making a overhead dust cover to keep things landing on it helps, and not in direct heat/sun.
For what it's worth, my 220 (72x24x30) is on a stand built from these plans and I have had no problems. I used 2x8's for the top and 2x4's for the rest
I'm not rocket, but I'll answer your question anyway
Now, that said, if you're planning a separate fish room or something and won't have a sump under the tank, then you can ignore all of the above. If the stand will just be for storage then I don't think a brace would be a problem at all... But if you are planning on putting a sump under there, skip the brace.
Hi Brett, Can you share some pictures of the removable frame and the doors. Thanks.
ReyR
New member
Maybe this has been discussed. Back in November I made a stand for a 55 gallon. Well I recently acquired a 90 gallon. I'm planning the upgrade. Has anyone converted a stand build to something larger. The 90 gallon is the same length as the 55 gallon. I would need to expand on the width. Doable with out undermining the stability of the tank? Any advice or tips welcome.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
There are some pics in my build thread here... https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...share_tid=2563684&share_fid=1489&share_type=t
I think I posted some back a bit in this thread as well, but if you want more feel free to send me a pm
BigJohnny
Active member
Quick question,
I prefer rockets design in that the 8 supports are positioned so that the front of the stand is 3" more open, but wouldn't putting the supports like this be more structurally sound? Id prefer to do it rockets way (to have more space below), but I have seen a lot of people do it this way instead and it looks like overlapping them like this "connects" everything together more. Again, the downside is the screw strips have to face the other way and the mouth of the stand from the front and back is 3" smaller. Thoughts?
THANKS!
I prefer rockets design in that the 8 supports are positioned so that the front of the stand is 3" more open, but wouldn't putting the supports like this be more structurally sound? Id prefer to do it rockets way (to have more space below), but I have seen a lot of people do it this way instead and it looks like overlapping them like this "connects" everything together more. Again, the downside is the screw strips have to face the other way and the mouth of the stand from the front and back is 3" smaller. Thoughts?
THANKS!
