markster33139
New member
Thanks guys I will look into all of these suggestions
DIY Stands Template and Calculator
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Newbie Aquarist
Reefing is my middle name
Here is the final version of my stand. Thanks for all the info and help.
I still have to have the stand skinned.
I still have to have the stand skinned.
I have read through about 40 pages of this thread. Lots of good info, but haven't seen an answer to one issue.
The holes in the bottom of my tank for bulkheads are very close to the edge. As has been stated, the tank needs to sit over the base, which means we shouldn't make the stand larger than the tank. How then do you make room for piping since the 2x4 corner leg is at the corner where the piping comes through?
Thanks
The holes in the bottom of my tank for bulkheads are very close to the edge. As has been stated, the tank needs to sit over the base, which means we shouldn't make the stand larger than the tank. How then do you make room for piping since the 2x4 corner leg is at the corner where the piping comes through?
Thanks
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
I would ask your tank builder how many tanks he's built. No offense here but a lot of acrylic tank manufacturers will only warranty their tanks when used with their stands, which are generally made from 2" square tube, so the edge of the nut on the bulkhead would have to be 2" away from the edge, let alone the edge of the hole.
That being said, I have seen more than one acrylic tank with centered overflows and the steel tube is notched to allow the bulkheads. Bad design, but they keep on building them.
Newbie Aquarist
Reefing is my middle name
New Stand After Major Alteration
New Stand After Major Alteration
I made the stand to tall so I had to cut a whole 7 inches around. Now its slightly over 42 inches.
Before:
After:
New Stand After Major Alteration
I made the stand to tall so I had to cut a whole 7 inches around. Now its slightly over 42 inches.
Before:
After:
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
I picked up the following tank/stand that will serve as my propagation tank (54"X36"X18") while I get my big ~450 gallon built and up running next year:
I'm a bit worried about the structural integrity of it right now as all the weight is on the screws and should they sheer off I would be in BAD shape. That being said I've got the following ideas to strengthen it:
1) Eliminate the spacers below which are bearing all the weight:
2) Eliminate metal bracket and add two 2X4s in for vertical support tied to the bottom 2X4 & top 2X6 on each of the four corners:
3) Adding 2X4 bracing across bottom section along with plywood to put a 90 gallon fuge for DSB/rock, refigerator, and supplies.
Below are just a few more shots for reference:
Thanks in advance!
I'm a bit worried about the structural integrity of it right now as all the weight is on the screws and should they sheer off I would be in BAD shape. That being said I've got the following ideas to strengthen it:
1) Eliminate the spacers below which are bearing all the weight:
2) Eliminate metal bracket and add two 2X4s in for vertical support tied to the bottom 2X4 & top 2X6 on each of the four corners:
3) Adding 2X4 bracing across bottom section along with plywood to put a 90 gallon fuge for DSB/rock, refigerator, and supplies.
Below are just a few more shots for reference:
Thanks in advance!
TheFishMan65
New member
Sounds like a plan.
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
You think that sounds more than solid for this tank? Tank is approximately 140 gallons with DT/overflow area....
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
Dustin1300,
The single biggest help would be replacing the metal pieces with wood supports that run between the top and bottom frames. If the wood blocks under the corners are supporting the bottom frame, having them won't hurt anything especially if they are under the new leg pieces. Putting supports under the plywood would definitely help keep the bottom from sagging under the weight of stuff under the tank.
RocketEngineer
The single biggest help would be replacing the metal pieces with wood supports that run between the top and bottom frames. If the wood blocks under the corners are supporting the bottom frame, having them won't hurt anything especially if they are under the new leg pieces. Putting supports under the plywood would definitely help keep the bottom from sagging under the weight of stuff under the tank.
RocketEngineer
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
Sounds good Rocket. I got the unfinished part of the basement floor finished with an epoxy today and moving on to painting the walls with DryLok. Once I get that knocked out in the morning I'll move onto the stand. I'll most likely get some plywood/2X4s to get the bottom shelf in place tomorrow!
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
I ended up not getting the 2X4s needed this weekend because of some delays and no truck at the moment I needed it
I'm planning for a three tier system which will hold a 110 gallon sump on the bottom tier (41"X26"X20.25"), 75 gallon tank on middle tier, and possibly two 40 gallon breeders on the top tier.
With these sizes in mind, I'm wanting to build something that I won't worry about for years to come. I'm thinking total dimensions of the stand are 72"X30"X85" (Assuming I use 2X6 for the 6' stretch). Below are some of my questions and ideas for the design and please feel free to criticize
- Do I need to use Treated wood? (I've got a water sealer/primer followed by exterior latex paint I plan on painting tank with)
- Should I use 2X8s or 2X6s?
- I've not yet drawn up the stand in Sketchup but the following is similar to what I'm thinking.
+ Orange and Blue supports on bottom tier are 2X4s
+ Purple vertical supports are 2X4s
+ Red/Yellow on Tier 2/3 are 2X6s
+ Green boards are vertical 4X4s that span from floor to underside of plywood on top tier
I'm planning for a three tier system which will hold a 110 gallon sump on the bottom tier (41"X26"X20.25"), 75 gallon tank on middle tier, and possibly two 40 gallon breeders on the top tier.
With these sizes in mind, I'm wanting to build something that I won't worry about for years to come. I'm thinking total dimensions of the stand are 72"X30"X85" (Assuming I use 2X6 for the 6' stretch). Below are some of my questions and ideas for the design and please feel free to criticize
- Do I need to use Treated wood? (I've got a water sealer/primer followed by exterior latex paint I plan on painting tank with)
- Should I use 2X8s or 2X6s?
- I've not yet drawn up the stand in Sketchup but the following is similar to what I'm thinking.
+ Orange and Blue supports on bottom tier are 2X4s
+ Purple vertical supports are 2X4s
+ Red/Yellow on Tier 2/3 are 2X6s
+ Green boards are vertical 4X4s that span from floor to underside of plywood on top tier
TheFishMan65
New member
Are they all 18 inch wide tanks. The 110 sounds wider and that means the beams won't line up.
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
Correct. The sump is 26" deep so I was planning on building the stand with extra plywood space in the layout to accommodate future expansions with equipment. The drawing does not emphasize this but was also planning on adding bracing every 10-12 inches as I know the plywood is not that strong.
TheFishMan65
New member
So the sump will stick out the back? What is the front to back distance of the stand?
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
72"X30"X85" as originally outlined.
That will accommodate for extra space in the front and back for all the configurations and no overhangs
TheFishMan65
New member
Well I don't know what formula to run. I worry since the edge of the tanks are not on 2x4s, (are these glass framed tanks?). But plywood works for acrylic so I guess it should work here.
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
The top two tiers would be framed glass tanks but not the bottom sump. I'd likely use a foamboard base on it. What is the worry with the current design?
I'd think that since the bracing put in place will help to distribute the weight to the 2X6s that then the weight would displace to the corners as designed. Would adding additional braces make you not worry?!?
I'd think that since the bracing put in place will help to distribute the weight to the 2X6s that then the weight would displace to the corners as designed. Would adding additional braces make you not worry?!?
jigsaw1982
New member
Thanks for the great idea.
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
Give me a bit and I'll have the design drawn up in Sketchup on my lunch hour
The dimensions you gave for the "110 gallon sump" work out to 94 gallons (FYI)
I think that putting two 40 breeders on a shelf 85" off the on a stand with a 30" wide base is way too top heavy. It helps that there will be other tanks below, but I still wouldn't do it without attaching the top of the stand very firmly to the studs in the wall.
In the design given in this thread, the horizontal cross members (blue) are not load supporting beams. Instead, the load rests directly on top of the four beams around the outside (red and yellow pieces). If you make your stand wider and longer than the tanks they support, as you propose, then 50% - 100% of the weight will be supported by the joints between the blue cross members and the red beams. That breaks the first rule of this stand design, which is to support the weight from below, not from the side.
I think you should design this so that there is a beam running directly under at least the two long edges of each tank, and a leg under each end of each beam. The dimensions for the tanks you want to support are:
I'm assuming that these are all glass tanks. If they are acrylic, then add blue cross members (2x4's) and plywood under the tanks. Secure the cross members very well to the beams (I like to use metal joist holders)
That'll do it. I like to skin it, or add 8"long 45 degree diagonal 2x2's at some of the 90 degree joints, to prevent side to side rocking ("wracking") Now that I think about it, with so much weight so high, wracking will be more of a danger for you, so I think you should definitely reinforce as many of the 90 degree joints as you conveniently can. Adding a 12" wide rectangular strip of plywood on the back, on each side, between the middle and top beams would be enough, and still leave 48" of the back open.
And don't forget to attach the top of this beast to studs in the wall. Even a gentle little earth quake could easily topple this thing over with 900 lbs of water 8' up in the air, and an 18" or even 26" wide base.
I think that putting two 40 breeders on a shelf 85" off the on a stand with a 30" wide base is way too top heavy. It helps that there will be other tanks below, but I still wouldn't do it without attaching the top of the stand very firmly to the studs in the wall.
In the design given in this thread, the horizontal cross members (blue) are not load supporting beams. Instead, the load rests directly on top of the four beams around the outside (red and yellow pieces). If you make your stand wider and longer than the tanks they support, as you propose, then 50% - 100% of the weight will be supported by the joints between the blue cross members and the red beams. That breaks the first rule of this stand design, which is to support the weight from below, not from the side.
I think you should design this so that there is a beam running directly under at least the two long edges of each tank, and a leg under each end of each beam. The dimensions for the tanks you want to support are:
40 gal BR is 36" x 18"x16" (two of them on the top shelf? so 72x18x16)
75 gal is 48"x18"x21" (middle level)
94 gal sump is 41"x26"x20.25" (bottom level)
So build the stand 72x18, except make the base stick out 8" more in the front or back, to accommodate the 26" wide sump. Use 2x4's for the horizontal pieces of the base, including two cross members that are 38" apart, that the ends of the 41" long sump will rest on, so the entire perimeter of the sump will rest on 2x4's which rest on the floor (shim them if the floor isn't flat). On top of that base, build a stand that is 72x18. Use 2x4's for the legs and tacking strips (no need to use 4x4's) Use 2x6's for the horizontal beams (red and yellow) on the top two levels.75 gal is 48"x18"x21" (middle level)
94 gal sump is 41"x26"x20.25" (bottom level)
I'm assuming that these are all glass tanks. If they are acrylic, then add blue cross members (2x4's) and plywood under the tanks. Secure the cross members very well to the beams (I like to use metal joist holders)
That'll do it. I like to skin it, or add 8"long 45 degree diagonal 2x2's at some of the 90 degree joints, to prevent side to side rocking ("wracking") Now that I think about it, with so much weight so high, wracking will be more of a danger for you, so I think you should definitely reinforce as many of the 90 degree joints as you conveniently can. Adding a 12" wide rectangular strip of plywood on the back, on each side, between the middle and top beams would be enough, and still leave 48" of the back open.
And don't forget to attach the top of this beast to studs in the wall. Even a gentle little earth quake could easily topple this thing over with 900 lbs of water 8' up in the air, and an 18" or even 26" wide base.
