DIY Stands Template and Calculator

[Thornbreaker]

I'm doing an in-wall soon. My wife and I are building a house, so I intend to have the builders go ahead and construct the stand.

Going for a 5'x2'x2' glass with a 30-35 gal sump. (Probably SCA)
Will want the base of the tank at 40 to 42" from the floor.

Anyway, I know little about wood working. Can anyone help on what I need to provide my builders with so they'll have accurate info?

I want the tank to sit in the wall similar to what JoneZ is showing with the front pane sitting flush with the opening. I'm just not sure how to incorporate the open stand design Rocket is showing, and relay correct information. Are 2'x4' studs in the wall still fine so long as the rails on the stand are 2'x6' for a 5'x2' tank?

Also, what plywood thickness is recommended (or is it necessary?)

Thank y'all for your help. Any other tips would be appreciated too, since I have the opportunity to put what I want in.

 

[nogascans]

Has anyone come across a stand build for a 155 bowfront?

Following. Need to build a replacement for my 90 corner bow front. Factory stand needs replacing and no room for much storage or possible sump.

My thoughts were to utilize a standard rectangular design with the 3/4" top deck sitting with the bow as an over hang. Skin it with front door/doors.

Sincerely,

David

 

[wesamazmy]

My 120g stand, still not fully completed

https://youtu.be/l0cN3fqwg94

 

[Saltine]

Base stand for my 180, haven't added trim or anything yet.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JonezNReef]

Very nice Saltine!!! That thing looks solid

 

[notenoughtanks]

DIY Stands Template and Calculator

Made this for my 40 breeder with Rocket's design and skinned it with poplar/etc and painted with Rustoleum Top Coat. Matching doors on both sides. It's 36x24x36 so allows for upgrade to a 65 or 90.

View attachment 367206

 

[blazie151]

I was wondering if you could calculate the weight capacity of a stand for me. Top would be sandwiched 1x4s with a channel in each to make rabbit ears for the 1x4 legs to go in, down to the bottom which would be made nearly identical to the top. All wood would be premium pine (which is why I'm doing 1x4 instead of 2x4, the good pine and oak aren't made in 2x4s). Anyway, the design would be quite similar to this one. The plan is 48.5x18.5x32 for a 90 gallon glass aquarium and 40 gallon sump, no center legs. Display weight will be 160 for the tank, 90 in substrate, 60 in rocks and decorations, and 750 in water weight. Sump will be an additional 60, plus 40 in substrate and media, 330 in water, and 30 in rocks and decorations. So the stand needs to support about 1100lbs on the top, and 500 pounds inside on a 3/4in plywood bottom. I made a 30 gallon stand using your template and now want to make something a little more ornate for the living room display.

 

[stelliofleondis]

This is the stand I built using re design 48x18x41tallView attachment 367919

 

[riksworld]

Hi all,

I would just like to double my stand with you all before I decided to built it as I am unsure to use either 2x6 or 2x8.

The tank will measure L 60 x W 30 x H 24, total volume would be 187.01G.

Should I be using the 2x6 or 2x8?

Red - Upper Rails: 2x6 or 2x8

Purple - Uprights: 2x6 or 2x8


Many thanks to all who reply's.

 

[JonezNReef]

If you don't want a middle leg in the front go with 2x8 and if your putting a leg in the front middle then 2x6

 

[RocketEngineer]

Hi all,

I would just like to double my stand with you all before I decided to built it as I am unsure to use either 2x6 or 2x8.

The tank will measure L 60 x W 30 x H 24, total volume would be 187.01G.

Should I be using the 2x6 or 2x8?

Red - Upper Rails: 2x6 or 2x8

Purple - Uprights: 2x6 or 2x8


Many thanks to all who reply's.

2X6 Top rails.

Everything else 2X4. Going bigger just wastes space and money.

 

[Salty150]

What about a 210 gallon 72" x 24" x 30"...?

 

[RocketEngineer]

I was wondering if you could calculate the weight capacity of a stand for me. Top would be sandwiched 1x4s with a channel in each to make rabbit ears for the 1x4 legs to go in, down to the bottom which would be made nearly identical to the top. All wood would be premium pine (which is why I'm doing 1x4 instead of 2x4, the good pine and oak aren't made in 2x4s). Anyway, the design would be quite similar to this one. The plan is 48.5x18.5x32 for a 90 gallon glass aquarium and 40 gallon sump, no center legs. Display weight will be 160 for the tank, 90 in substrate, 60 in rocks and decorations, and 750 in water weight. Sump will be an additional 60, plus 40 in substrate and media, 330 in water, and 30 in rocks and decorations. So the stand needs to support about 1100lbs on the top, and 500 pounds inside on a 3/4in plywood bottom. I made a 30 gallon stand using your template and now want to make something a little more ornate for the living room display.

Your weight calculations are off because you don't account for the water displaced by the sand and rocks. "Decorations" are for freshwater tanks :crazy1:. I use 10 pounds per gallon for the weight of the display and everything in it.

Based on a 1X4 which is actually 0.75" X 3.5" you are iffy for a 90g display. I would recommend you do what I did for my stand and build the frame out of 5/4 X 4 (yup, an actual lumber size). This is slightly thicker at a true 1" board width. I wouldn't do "rabbit ears" but instead recommend you use pocket screws to join the pieces together. This will ensure the weight of the display goes straight to the floor. The sump can be supported by a couple stringers hidden under the plywood.

 

[RocketEngineer]

What about a 210 gallon 72" x 24" x 30"...?

2X8 top with 2X4 for the rest, same as the original post states. :beer:

 

[BrettDS]

What about a 210 gallon 72" x 24" x 30"...?

I used 2x8's for the top frame and 2x4's for everything else on the stand I built for my 220 (with the same dimensions as your 210). It has no center legs and has been holding the tank for just under a year at this point.

 

[blazie151]

Your weight calculations are off because you don't account for the water displaced by the sand and rocks. "Decorations" are for freshwater tanks :crazy1:. I use 10 pounds per gallon for the weight of the display and everything in it.

Based on a 1X4 which is actually 0.75" X 3.5" you are iffy for a 90g display. I would recommend you do what I did for my stand and build the frame out of 5/4 X 4 (yup, an actual lumber size). This is slightly thicker at a true 1" board width. I wouldn't do "rabbit ears" but instead recommend you use pocket screws to join the pieces together. This will ensure the weight of the display goes straight to the floor. The sump can be supported by a couple stringers hidden under the plywood.

Ok, that should work. My local Lowe's doesn't have 5/4x4 but the local lumber yard might. I was going to double up the 1x4s on the top and bottom (effectively gluing and biscuit joining the 1x4s to make 2x4s) and cut a channel in them similar to rabbit ears so I could hide the cut marks on the legs and skin panels since I'm building with a circular instead of a miter saw. The channels would be for aesthetics not supports, only about 1/4 inch deep, and I was also planning on gluing everything with titebond 3 and using pocket screws for the legs. If I'm joining 1x4s on the top and bottom to make 2x4s should I still bump up to potentially much more expensive 5/4x4s?

 

[blazie151]

Also, you're right about my initial assumptions of weight, I didn't calculate the offset but guessed instead, but I was really close. The 90g tank empty is 160lbs. 90g holds 12 cubic feet. 2 bags of sand will be 1 cubic foot for a 2" sand bed and weigh 100lbs, 1 cubic foot of limestone will be 150lbs, the remaining 10 cubic feet of water at 62.43lbs per cubic foot will be another 624lbs of water. Any other decorations will be lightweight and offset the water weight just about equally. That puts me at 1034lbs before the sump, which should be roughly 1/2 the weight of the display. The large amount of limestone and the use of the word "decorations" is because this is for a freshwater cichlid tank. A great stand template is great regardless of its use! Your work is much appreciated!

 

[Grimreaperz]

Hey @rocketengineer
I am about to build a custom 6'2" stand for a wall in my house...for now it will have a 4ft 75g and a 2ft 20g Display Fuge beside it

Eventually maybe I would like to be able to put a 6ft tank there but that's going to take convincing the wife over many years lol...

Here is my very rough stand design.....I was wondering the following...

1. would I need a support beam for a stand that long?
2. Do I need to use all 2x6 ?

Any info you could give me to aid in my success would be greatly appreciated!!!

36g BF DT/29g DIY Sump/Fuge

 

[blazie151]

Hey @rocketengineer
I am about to build a custom 6'2" stand for a wall in my house...for now it will have a 4ft 75g and a 2ft 20g Display Fuge beside it

Eventually maybe I would like to be able to put a 6ft tank there but that's going to take convincing the wife over many years lol...

Here is my very rough stand design.....I was wondering the following...

1. would I need a support beam for a stand that long?
2. Do I need to use all 2x6 ?

Any info you could give me to aid in my success would be greatly appreciated!!!

36g BF DT/29g DIY Sump/Fuge

For a 6" span with a center leg use 2x6, without a center center leg use 2x8. He goes over that in post #3 I believe. Personally, if I was you, I would do a 6' 1/2" stand and skin the top to handle a 125 or 150 with or without a plastic trim since you want to upgrade to larger tank later (might as well keep your tank options open). Also, if you need more room now, you could add extra bracing to support different tank size andskin the top with 3/4" or 1" plywood, and add 1" of overhang.

 

[Philly777]

Quick question regarding exact dimensions... I've read through 30 or so pages and couldn't find the answer. I'm building a stand for a 120 gal RR. Most refer to the footprint as being 48" x 24". If you look at the specs from marineland, it's actually 48-3/8 x 24-3/8. Are you guys building the frames to exactly this dimension or adding an inch so the plastic frame centers on the 2x4?

So basically... What length and width should I use when planning the build out for a 120 RR?