Lets do this - 225+ reef bar

[ReefEnabler]

I used these
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2053

They're rated for 600lbs each.

They do not come with a nut on the thread to lock it in place better. i suggest picking up some at HD.

 

[mcliffy2]

Thanks guys, I didnt see them on HD's website, but that doesnt mean they dont carry them.

Cbui - why not the swiveling ones? If they are rated for enough weight, wont they work ok? Because of the slope in the floor I was thinking the swiveling would work best.

 

[ReefEnabler]

sorry I was a bit unclear. HD does NOT carry lifting levelers that you can buy. you could fairly easily make your own if you're creative, but I just bought those levelers from rockler. they go on easily and dont require boosting up the low-side very high like most of the units installed from the bottom.

I was merely suggesting you get some nuts from HD to add to the levelers that can seemingly only be gotten online. the ones you posted earlier have nuts and would work fine, but might be a little more difficult to install.

 

[cbui2]

IME i like the one where a wrench is used to adjust it, they are so many different ones out there, try some first then make your final decision. this is JMO as you can do something totally different.

 

[ReefEnabler]

would you have to buy a separate steel plate for the bolt to thread through for that one? I've never fully thought out how to use those kinds. I only chose the ones I did for ease of installation and they can easily hold the weight I'm applying. I have 180 gallons (1530lbs) on 8 levelers, so each one holds ~ 191lbs. For me that is comfortably under the 600lbs limit.

Do the math for your tank before purchasing any levelers.

 

[cbui2]

most of the metal stands are made with a plate w/ thread in the middle, threaded bolt with nut to adjust. this is simply and very easy to used. this is how mine is done. hope this helps

 

[mcliffy2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11707533#post11707533 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cbui2
IME i like the one where a wrench is used to adjust it, they are so many different ones out there, try some first then make your final decision. this is JMO as you can do something totally different.

OK cool, just making sure that if I went that route I wouldnt be compromising the integrity of the stand. Thanks for all your advise. I'm going to give one of those companies a call and order some. Do you think I should go for 4 or 6 per stand (they aren't cheap, looking at about $100 for 8 of them)? If I put one in the middle, does it help, or is all the weight transferred to the corners anyway? Thanks again for all the help guys, its much appreciated.

 

[ReefEnabler]

I'm pretty sure you can juse as many as you like. If you want to see the full benefit, it means you need to take your time when adjusting. I had to visit each of my feet several times, until all of them are snug about the same number of turns from being loose. this is especially true if you have any levelers that are close together (like on either side of a center leg)

after going through the process of making the stand level you should get a good feel for how much force is on each leveller.

 

[cbui2]

on mine i have it every 2 foot sine the stand is 8' L. total of 8pc's (4 on each sides).

 

[mcliffy2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11707572#post11707572 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cbui2
most of the metal stands are made with a plate w/ thread in the middle, threaded bolt with nut to adjust. this is simply and very easy to used. this is how mine is done. hope this helps

looks really nice. hopefully mine comes out as clean as that.

 

[ReefEnabler]

another thing: it really pays to have a buddy around when you're doing the feet adjustments. somebody to watch the level bubble and tell you if its getting better or worse otherwise you'll be laying down and standing up over and over again.....

 

[mcliffy2]

cbui & ryanbrucks - thanks for all the help. I called up the manufacturer of the levelers, and they recommended four 3/8" stell pivoting stud levelers (1.25" wide supports), rated for 2300 lbs each. They suggested the pivoted so that I would only have axis to adjust for (since there is a 1/2" slope in the floor). Here is what I went with:

 

[mcliffy2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11707693#post11707693 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RyanBrucks
another thing: it really pays to have a buddy around when you're doing the feet adjustments. somebody to watch the level bubble and tell you if its getting better or worse otherwise you'll be laying down and standing up over and over again.....

good to now, the girlfriend is going to love this one

 

[cbui2]

great choice and that was sample pic is what the guy sent me, have you decided on how will they be mounted to your wooden stand?
heres mine

 

[ReefEnabler]

"good to now, the girlfriend is going to love this one "

:lol:

my girlfriend is always getting dragged into stuff because of me. I think I almost killed her when she helped me move this:

all subsequent moving of that frame was done with the help of one of my guy friends

I'm also curious as to what you will use to attach those bolts to your wooden stand. did you find a metal plate to match?

Ryan

 

[mcliffy2]

Ha, yours looks even better. I am assuming I'll just drill a hole in the wood and screw them in. That was my reason for going with the 3/8" instead of something heftier. Figured that would be small enough it wouldn't split the 2x4s. Although now that you mention it, an L-shaped plate to go over the corners would be a good idea.

 

[cbui2]

drilling a hole in the wood might not do the job, that over a period of time it will give. if this was me i would attach metal plate w/ thread to match the bolt you have to the bottom and then drill a hole big enough for the 3/8 bolts to go into the wood. you want the metal to be the support instead of the wood itself.

 

[ReefEnabler]

totally agree. you already went the extra step by getting the beefier levelers instead of the easier-to-install ones (like I got), so why not go all the way and get the metal plates?

like cbui2 said, its pretty much guaranteed that the wood will lose its 'bite' on the threaded bolt over time. while the nut attached may help reduce this by distributing some of the weight, if you have to make adjustments in the future, your bolts might not be so stable.

 

[mcliffy2]

That makes complete sense, so I definitely need some metal insert to support it. Ive been looking all over and can't find anything. Any ideas?

I would like to use that lifting leveler as an easy solution, but if its rated at 600 lbs, I just dont think that is enough. I'm figuring my tank w/ rock and water is coming in at over 3000 lbs. I'd like each corner to at least do 1500 lbs to be safe. Why are these things never easy?

 

[ReefEnabler]

yes I agree for your heavier tank load the 600lbs rated ones seem a bit close to the limit.

I have no idea what that metal plate would be called. Believe me, I understand your frustration and nobody from lowes/HD ever has any clue what anything is called unless you're asking for something basic like a screwdriver.

At every step of my build it seems like something tiny is in the way to delay another few days... week etc.

for example, i first installed the whole stand with levelers and bolted it to the wall etc...... only to then find I needed to take the whole thing back down and take the feet off so I could put down a layer of primer and epoxy on the bottom of the legs.