DIY Stands Template and Calculator
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Sonicboom
Addicted to salt
I think he means Kregs pocket hole maker
KeepNitReel
New member
The stand that came with my tank was 44" tall & was built using this design. I don't know how much 4 additional inches make.
Got rid of the stand because they used 3- 2x8 back top rail glued & lag bolted together. Made the stand way to heavy!
I built my stand this weekend and it is pretty sturdy. It did not come out perfectly the way I wanted but it turned out ok with what tools I have.
The tank is a deep blue 80 48x24x16. I want to just use the base as I have it now as the stand but I have a couple of concerns. I have read that if the tank is not supported properly, it can crack the glass on the bottom.
1) Does it have to be skinned?
2) the stand did not come out perfectly so it probably is not perfectly flush all around. I was thinking of putting plywood on top but the tank has corner overflows so if i cut the plywood corner, one side would not be resting on it.
3) Should I use any coating on the base? latex base paint?
The tank is a deep blue 80 48x24x16. I want to just use the base as I have it now as the stand but I have a couple of concerns. I have read that if the tank is not supported properly, it can crack the glass on the bottom.
1) Does it have to be skinned?
2) the stand did not come out perfectly so it probably is not perfectly flush all around. I was thinking of putting plywood on top but the tank has corner overflows so if i cut the plywood corner, one side would not be resting on it.
3) Should I use any coating on the base? latex base paint?
KeepNitReel
New member
1)Stand doesn't have to be skinned
2) put the tank on the stand to see what needs adjusting. Since it's not skinned you can still take screws out & shim (unless you bought crooked wood)
If you put plywood on top, do a plunge cut in the plywood for plumbing
3) I wood go for an oil based paint
I stand corrected.. :thumbsup:
tatuaje08
New member
'Stand' corrected....get it? :lolspin:
tatuaje08
New member
Any thoughts?
yup! :lol2:
moondoggy4
Team RC
thoughts
thoughts
Since your tank does not have plastic trim all the weight will evenly spread out and carried down by three sides because the back will not be supported by the 1 /4''. I think it should be OK my 40 breeder will have an external overflow so my stand is supported by all four cross members
thoughts
Since your tank does not have plastic trim all the weight will evenly spread out and carried down by three sides because the back will not be supported by the 1 /4''. I think it should be OK my 40 breeder will have an external overflow so my stand is supported by all four cross members
anarchyx914
New member
I just finished my stand 96x24x48 tall with this build strategy. It has some serious wobble on each of the ends.. I would imagine this is because of the boards being bowed.
The upright cuts are all exactly the same length, they were all cut perfectly, but the corners on the stand rock back and forth.
Any clue what would be causing this? perhaps the first two horizontal sections that I cut were just too bowed?
Maybe i'll make a video to show how it rocks, this is on a poured concrete foundation floor so it should be pretty darn level from gravity.
Do you think the weight of the tank will cause the stand to settle properly on all four corners?? Tank is 240 gallon 96x24x24, so it will probably weight over 3000lbs with water,rock,sand, and tank weight.
The upright cuts are all exactly the same length, they were all cut perfectly, but the corners on the stand rock back and forth.
Any clue what would be causing this? perhaps the first two horizontal sections that I cut were just too bowed?
Maybe i'll make a video to show how it rocks, this is on a poured concrete foundation floor so it should be pretty darn level from gravity.
Do you think the weight of the tank will cause the stand to settle properly on all four corners?? Tank is 240 gallon 96x24x24, so it will probably weight over 3000lbs with water,rock,sand, and tank weight.
nemosworld
Active member
you can make some wood triangles (gussets) and put them in the corners to stop this.
anarchyx914
New member
Hmm I will have to try it, but I dont know how it would help when the frame seems to be twisted or something , I cant explain it...
Perhaps if I could have some damn people help me stand on each side I could weigh it down and then screw the gussets in.
Do you think I should maybe take out all of the support braces in the lower and upper panel, that would allow everything to twist a bit, then rescrew them in once its flush?
Last edited:
anarchyx914
New member
Heres what it is doing, I put up a video, hopefully you can see it 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGL30foXMB4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGL30foXMB4
anarchyx914
New member
What I dont understand is how it got to this point... When the two panels (top and bottom) were laying on the cement they were flush, they wobbled a little bit (maybe 1/8 -1/4 an inch) if I stepped on each side, its just due to bowed wood I guess.
When I screwed the two together with uprights it just seemed to amplify everything, I am not quite sure what to do to fix it.
When I screwed the two together with uprights it just seemed to amplify everything, I am not quite sure what to do to fix it.
Sonicboom
Addicted to salt
are those cross beams on the floor glued as well? maybe undo the screws and let it settle with some paint buckets or weights on top. It seems like the screwing was off just a fraction and as it traveled the length of the stand it got worse... if that makes any sense at all.
anarchyx914
New member
They aren't glued, thankfully. I didnt know if I should glue or not, Will take them all out and hopefully that helps a bit.
