DIY Stands Template and Calculator

[nogascans]

I believe the reason the green strips should be shorter than the legs is because you don't want then to take the load of the tank and transfer it to the floor (at four points instead of the whole base).

That is solely the responsibility of the top > legs > base > floor.

Someone correct me if wrong.

Sincerely,

David

 

[Clancaster23]

I had a few questions regarding a different kind of build I want to do. I am picking up my 180 tomorrow and I want to build an in-wall setup. I did a quick sketch below to give a general idea of what I want to finish with. I am no stranger of building my own stands as I have done three so far in the past but this is a first on this large a scale and in-wall. Now facing the whole setup, it will be in a corner so on the right side is a wall, on the left probably a couple inches will be a window. Unlike most stands that are built here, I am making all this permanent, I'll be fastening everything to the floor.

Question #1: I'm going to build from cabinets on the right out so I'll frame that all up but what I'm wondering is for the bottom of the stand itself, can I lay the bottom 2x4's flat so I can easily fasten them to the floor or would it be recommended that I stand them up like in the drawing?

#2: This is your typical 6'x2'x2' 180 gallon tank with the plastic frame. I'm reading I should use 2"x8"'s all the way around the top frame. I plan on putting one center brace on the front for two reasons. One, because I will have two large doors on the bottom and I think it'll look better with a brace there. Two, it'd put my mind at ease although I trust you say it's not needed. I still don't know what I want to skin this whole thing with, plywood of one-by's which I have done on my most recent stand. I don't want to use plywood on the back of this considering all the plumbing and wires and all that will be going on back there so should I maybe add some braces in the back and across the top from front to back? Also not sure if I'm going to put a sheet of plywood on the top beneath the tank since it's said I won't need it but I'd want to put some cross beams along the top of the stand so I can fasten the plywood down.

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[DivingTheWorld]

I believe the reason the green strips should be shorter than the legs is because you don't want then to take the load of the tank and transfer it to the floor (at four points instead of the whole base).

That is solely the responsibility of the top > legs > base > floor.

Someone correct me if wrong.

Sincerely,

David

That makes sense. If they aren't perfect there is the possibility of them taking load. Would it matter if you rotated them? In other words, have the long width from left to right vs front to back?

I'm building a stand for a tank which is 40 x 24 and I'd like to fit a 30" sump underneath and still have a little room for possibly an ATO container. I'm not as worried about depth as much as maximizing length. If I rotated the green ones, it would give me another 3" of length for a total est. of 36.5".

 

[asudavew]

All, thank you to everyone that has contributed to this extremely helpful thread. I went back about 20 pages but was unable to find an answer to my question.

I am planning on building a stand for a 40 breeder using pocket screws and 1x4s. I would like to be able to fit a narrow ato reservoir down below next to my 20L sump (30 inches wide) so I would like to widen the stand.

If the 40b is 36 inches wide, and I frame my stand to be a total width of 39 inches, only the front and back frame of my DT will be directly over the frame, but not the sides . Is this fine if I use a 3/4" ply or prefab pine board top? Or would I instead have to build more cross supports?

Such a long question for an extra measly 3 inches, but thank-you!

If you use the 3/4 top you will be just fine.

 

[Terefel]

Thanks! The gap between the outside of the tank frame and the stand frame is really negligible. Once I constructed the frame I felt even better about it.

 

[C-Rad]

I believe the reason the green strips should be shorter than the legs is because you don't want then to take the load of the tank and transfer it to the floor (at four points instead of the whole base)...Someone correct me if wrong.

You are right that you don't want the green strips to support any of the load, but the reason is that you don't want to shear off (or loosen) the fasteners that hold the green stip to the two vertical pieces that comprise each corner leg.

The strength of this stand design is that, because the vertical legs are directly under the top horizontal pieces (directly under the load), the weight of the tank is trying to compress a vertical stack of wood, and wood can easily withstand a lot of compression without failing. The green strips are NOT directly under the load. Instead, they are fastened to the side surface of the load bearing pieces. So if a green strip extends beyond the bottom of the corner leg it's attached to, then the end of the green strip touches the floor, but the ends of the leg pieces do not. The tank weight is pushing down on the leg and the floor is "pushing up" on the green strip, so all of the weight is trying to shear off (or pull out) the fasteners holding the green strip to the legs. Wood can handle lots of compression, but it doesn't hold fasteners nearly as well, especially after it gets wet. If the fasteners break or get loose, the green strip isn't doing its job, and the leg it should be holding together becomes subject to wracking (folding over sideways).

...at four points instead of the whole base)...

Having the weight supported on four points is fine on most floors (like a concrete slab floor). If the top horizontal beams are wide enough to not sag when supported only at each end, then four points is okay with the stand (those points should NOT be the green strips of course). One advantage of having the weight on four points is that if the floor is uneven, or slanted, you can shim up one or more legs, or use sufficiently strong adjustable feet, to level it. With this stand design, the horizontal pieces on the floor, while they do distribute the weight, which can be an advantage, are primarily there to keep the bottoms of the legs from moving sideways (i.e.: to keep the legs perfectly vertical). I generally use 2x2's as the horizontal bottom pieces, because they are sufficient for this purpose, and they reduce the stand weight.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Ok, crazy question...what software program does everyone seem to be using in this thread to design the stands? I'd like to draw something up and post it to see what people think.

I searched back through the thread and every time someone asks what it is, it is either ignored or people just respond that they're drawing free hand with graph paper.

Seriously, there must be something we can easily use to draw this stuff up on a computer right? I'd like to use the same program which was used at the beginning of the thread so it will look similar and be color coded.

I'm making an attempt at one in MS Paint. It's looking a little sad...lol!

 

[C-Rad]

I assume that you won't be altering or removing any of the studs in the existing wall, and are just going to attach this stand/cabinet to the wall.

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...can I lay the bottom 2x4's flat so I can easily fasten them to the floor or would it be recommended that I stand them up like in the drawing?

Standing them up on edge would cause them to resist flexing (bowing) much better than if they were flat, but do you need that? It's the floor's job to resist flexing, so you need to decide if the floor needs help or not. A concrete slab floor for sure needs no help. If floor joists run parallel to the long dimension of the tank, then I would think they need no help (they are already probably 2x12's). If the floor joists run perpendicular to the long dimension of the tank, then laying the bottom 2x4's on edge would distribute the weight more evenly to all of the floor joists, which might be good. However, if the wall you are building against is a load bearing wall (strongly supported under the wall) then you would be so close to the supported ends of the floor joists that I think it would be fine to lay the bottom 2x4's flat. In short, unless there is a reason to think the floor under the legs might sag, lay them flat.

This is your typical 6'x2'x2' 180 gallon tank ... I'm reading I should use 2"x8"'s all the way around the top frame. I plan on putting one center brace on the front

According to the formula for deflection, if you put vertical supports under each corner of the tank (not the, larger, cabinet, but actually under tank's corners) deflection, using 2x8 beams, is 0.045" (no problem). If you add a center support under the center of the tank in the front AND in the back, and use 2x4's instead of 2x8's for the top horizontal beams, then deflection will be only 0.013". 2x4's with front AND BACK center legs is much stiffer, but 2x8's with no center supports is still more than sufficient.

I still don't know what I want to skin this whole thing with, plywood of one-by's ... I don't want to use plywood on the back of this considering all the plumbing and wires and all that will be going on back there so should I maybe add some braces in the back and across the top from front to back? Also not sure if I'm going to put a sheet of plywood on the top beneath the tank since it's said I won't need it but I'd want to put some cross beams along the top of the stand so I can fasten the plywood down.

If you attach the back frame of your tank to the wall, then the wall is the skin on the back, so no plywood is needed. If not...
The structural function of a skin is to prevent wracking (hold the frame pieces rigidly at 90 degree angles to each other so the frame doesn't wobble or fold). With the design given in this thread, skinning is merely cosmetic (optional) because the tacking strips (green in the picture) combined with the two piece legs, hold the frame pieces rigidly at 90 degrees to each other (not AS rigidly as a skin would, but still more than sufficient). Plus, you'll be fastening the frame to the walls, so wracking couldn't be a problem anyway. IMO a plywood top and horizontal cross pieces don't help, not even a little. They would only add expense, complexity, and time to the project.

 

[KeepNitReel]

If that's in answer to my question, the first post says:

*The green pieces are screw strips. These provide limited load strength but serve to make assembly easier and help keep the stand square.

This doesn't answer my question. It doesn't explain why they are shorter and if there is a problem not reducing their height.

Also, does anyone know what software everyone seems to be using to draw up the diagrams? Is it freeware?

They are shorter so the tank doesn't rest on them, as they provide no real support.

 

[KeepNitReel]

bmanzie
Registered Member

Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Plantation,FL
Posts: 724
I need some advice please.
I am thinking of building a stand for a 96l x 42h x 36d acrylic tank.
How and who could help me with drawings for this?
Many thanks for your help.

You don't really need a special drawing for what your planning on building. The drawing on the first page is universal, just cut your wood to the appropriate size for your tank & build what you see in the picture.

 

[Clancaster23]

This room used to be an enclosed outside porch. I enclosed it and basically made it another room of the house. So basically it's an elevated floor, probably four feet off the ground. The room is held up by what looks like 2x4's on the sides and there's a string of three 4x4 posts down the center for support (I'm going to get under there tomorrow and find out for sure). I'm more concerned about the walls than the middle so I'm going to add some 4x4's to the side I'm putting the tank on just to be safe.

The joists in the floor run opposite the wall so I'm in good shape there.

If I use 2x6's for the top all around and still put in 2x4 center supports on front and back, would that be ok?

Thanks for all your help on the other topics.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Ok, here's my first design attempt on a stand using MS Paint. This is just for the framework and does not include skin. I plan top and bottom of 1/2" plywood with sides skinned by 1/2" nice stain-able wood. I also need to consider some type of foam or Styrofoam under the tank since it will be rimless.

All wood in this drawing is 2x4's.

The finished stand should be 40.5" x 24.5" with 1/4" on each side. Too much, too little?

For reference, my tank will be 40x24x22H with a rear center internal overflow with 4 pipes going through the bottom of the tank to the sump.

The only notable changes in my design from RocketEngineer's are:

1. I rotated the green screw strips to provide more length.
2. I swapped the top center support for two supports allowing room in the center for the drain/return pipes.

Please feel free to critique!

View attachment 252012

 

[KeepNitReel]

Ok, here's my first design attempt on a stand using MS Paint. This is just for the framework and does not include skin. I plan top and bottom of 1/2" plywood with sides skinned by 1/2" nice stain-able wood. I also need to consider some type of foam or Styrofoam under the tank since it will be rimless.

All wood in this drawing is 2x4's.

The finished stand should be 40.5" x 24.5" with 1/4" on each side. Too much, too little?

For reference, my tank will be 40x24x22H with a rear center internal overflow with 4 pipes going through the bottom of the tank to the sump.

The only notable changes in my design from RocketEngineer's are:

1. I rotated the green screw strips to provide more length.
2. I swapped the top center support for two supports allowing room in the center for the drain/return pipes.

Please feel free to critique!

View attachment 252012

Have you measured the tank yourself or are you going off of written tank dimensions from the builder?
Seen plenty of people in this thread build a stand off of written dimensions and when the tank arrived it was not long and or wide enough.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Have you measured the tank yourself or are you going off of written tank dimensions from the builder?
Seen plenty of people in this thread build a stand off of written dimensions and when the tank arrived it was not long and or wide enough.

Good question. It's being built by Leemar. I was told by the lfs that there is up to a 1/8" allowance. So I figured leaving 1/4" on each side should be ok?

 

[KeepNitReel]

Good question. It's being built by Leemar. I was told by the lfs that there is up to a 1/8" allowance. So I figured leaving 1/4" on each side should be ok?

My tank is not Rimless like yours but I went .5" more than the trim & I'm glad I did. My stand is 85x19x36 with 1/2" plywood on top

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Ok, I have a question for the furniture building experts out there. It looks like I will be skinning my stand with Cherry and staining it dark, almost walnut colored to match the other furniture in our family room.

But I want to trim the stand nicely on the edges and top and bottom and maybe build some doors. When I look around at all the lumber yards, for trim they just have Oak and Pine and maybe one or two in Alder. It doesn't look like I'll be able to find Cherry trim.

What would be the best trim wood to use to match Cherry?

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Here's a couple pictures of the furniture I'm trying to make the stand look similar to. Any woodworking experts out there who can make a stab at what kind of wood it is?

 

[Redman88]

That's the bones love the Rocketengeiner design

 

[reefermad619]

Hey everyone. I'm planning on starting my stand this week. I was originally planning on metal, but my dude says he can't get to me for month or two. Yeah riiiiiiight. I'm not waiting. So I'm going to make it from wood. I've built several stands with rocket's plans. My tank is 84"x30"x24"H. Rocket already told me I can use all 2x4s as long as I use two braces in the front and back. Which will yield ~ 22-24" openings in between the braces depending on how long I go. I want to make the stand 32" deep. They way I want to place the legs will give me a 25" wide opening on the sides of the stand. Since this is less than a 48" span, I'm guessing it will be ok, but I know my tank is not standard dimension so I want to be safe. So what does everyone think? 25" going to be ok? Also, I was thinking of maybe doing using 2x6 for the top frame and running one center leg front and back. Would that be safe to do with a tank this large? Or is a 2x8 necessary? If I wanted to do NO center leg, what dimension of wood would I need? Thanks guys for the help. It's much appreciated.

 

[flamron]

I am in process of setting up a 60 gallon Marineland RR cube I picked up (24" X 24" X 24" framed tank). I intend to make this my primary D/T in Dining Room (against exterior wall). My current tank for reference is a sump-less 90 gallon corner bow front tank.

I need some help with stand design. I have looked thru the thread and found a ton of useful information, but have a specific question based on my needs.

I would like to utilize a 20 long glass tank as a sump (or possibly a 30B if I could find such) . The 20L has dimensions of 30" x 12" x 12" (w x d x h)( 30" x 18" X 12" for 30B), and I would like to build a stand with the dimensions to house this in compartment below. Would this make a good sized sump?

The information presented in this thread reinforces the use of the stand to support the tank at the perimeter all the way to the floor (24" X 24" tank above).

What I was envisioning a stand with an overall width and depth of 31" X 31", with someway to support the load above of the 24" x 24" tank. How would I be able to build a stand that meets this demand? Possibly build a stand within a stand and connect as one? for reference, tank is framed version, not frameless. Am I over thinking, as is usual for me, this design?

Unsure on overall height of tank/stand height as yet, but certainly would like adequate inside working height for installation of a nice skimmer as well as room for B/P and GFO reactors.

I would appreciate any input.

Sincerely,

David

I'm planning to build a 36"x24" stand for my 60g rimless cube. I'm pretty confident it'll hold. I have a stand currently like this and it's done fine for four years. It has a 1" top on it though. I'm going with a 3/4" top on the new one.