Quick about Rocket Engineer Stand

[uncleof6]

You are going to want direct vertical support along the front and back of the tank, every 3 foot, (2 foot is better,) along the length of a stand. However, that works out for your particular build. All wood (dimensioned or otherwise) will deflect down, unless it is supported to the floor. You want to minimize this deflection to keep the top absolutely flat. The vertical member(s) can be removable to facilitate sump insertion/removal. Just don't do it with the tank full of water...

I am a bit tired, but it sounds like the holes you suggest should not be a problem...

 

[Eud]

Here is one that I made which has been solid for a year. Entirely plywood and biscuit joints, no 2x lumber. The joints arent all that important, though. They just hold the box together, and dont provide any support for the aquarium.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2269811

 

[Paul B]

I don't like that stand pictured at all. (yes I have built plenty of stands and office buildings, furnature etc. and my stand is 35 years old)
I especially don't like two pieces of wood put together because as soon as a little water gets in between that wood, it will stay there forever and warp that wood. I also hope the screws are stainless or at least deck screws. There is no lateral support but I know the plywood will serve for that. Another bad Idea IMO. The frame should provide the stability, not the surfacing material. That bottom tray of plywood will be the first to feel the affects of a water leak. That stand is fine if you are only planning on ten years or so, but that is not even the lifespan of a hermit crab.
It looks nice though. Good luck

 

[Cu455]

Since you are going to be working underneath the stand you would want it to be sturdy if you bump into it. If you want the extra room just make the stand an extra two inches wider. The stand doesn't have to be the same size as the tank. also make the stand wider so you don't have tanks hanging out the side. You can build the stand at whatever height. Then build to taller boxes and add them to the sides. This will give you more room to work. Can you upload a picture of the design.

Oh my gosh, some people crack me up!!!

Has no one ever seen a manufactured aquarium stand? See any 2x4's anywhere? Lol

I had one made from particle board for 10 years already. If I was to redo this I would make it a little more sturdy. It will show how strong wood is. As you can see my wood working skills aren't the greatest. This holds 400 gallons of water. Because of the force pushing outward it has to be much stronger then a stand.

 

[SGT_York]

That is plywood not particle board, particle board is of no use structurally. It snaps apart.

If done well a plywood tank is sufficient, Most store bought stands are not designed for Salt Water, do not have adequate space for a sump, and do not withstand "modifications" very well. You certainly can get along with a skimpy stand but a good 2x4 or solid plywood tank will last your lifetime not just a few years. When the cost difference is so minimal, and the risk is so catestrophic NEVER recommend shorting the stand design.

 

[Reefer54]

You should never ever use a 4x4 for a tank stand.

Do tell.....the only issue i see is the inconsistencies in how straight they were milled.....but with a good sight, 3 ft pieces can be perfectly straight

 

[Cu455]

That is plywood not particle board, particle board is of no use structurally. It snaps apart.

If done well a plywood tank is sufficient, Most store bought stands are not designed for Salt Water, do not have adequate space for a sump, and do not withstand "modifications" very well. You certainly can get along with a skimpy stand but a good 2x4 or solid plywood tank will last your lifetime not just a few years. When the cost difference is so minimal, and the risk is so catestrophic NEVER recommend shorting the stand design.

I was talking about the manufacturers stands. The floor of my build is made from particle board. It does have plywood supports though.

 

[pmangels17]

Have you considered a steel stand with a wood skin to cover the outside? They're pricey but you'll likely have more flexibility with the openings on the sides.

 

[Reefvet]

Well that would be for keeping cost and shipping weight down, I have also seen many of those fail.

I did a few searches here and couldn't find a single thread about a stand failing.

Perhaps you could point to a thread that supports your contention ?

 

[woodnaquanut]

Do tell.....the only issue i see is the inconsistencies in how straight they were milled.....but with a good sight, 3 ft pieces can be perfectly straight

The problem with 4x4's is they are usually from the center of the tree. Look at the end grain. It will look like a bulls eye target, one circle within another. This is some very reactive wood prone to warping and twisting.

Another issue is they are very often not dry. When they finally do dry they will warp and twist.

The best, most stable wood is quarter sawn. When you look at the end grain of a 2x4 the grain should be going from one long side to the other at a 90 degree angle.

Next best is rift sawn. Grain runs at about a 45 degree angle.

Worst is what is typical in a pile of lumber, flat sawn. Grain runs parallel to the long sides.

 

[Nortamzzo]

Started putting a design into Sketchup, have to leave work, but got the extension on the left side done. No detail yet, just white blocks.

The extension on the left, and the right one, will have a lift up door for the top. Filter bags and skimmer will be underneath, for super easy access to change.

 

[SGT_York]

Stand's don't fail, tanks crack or leak. Those really are the same thing. I have seen three store bought tank stands fail.

two 2x4's in an L shape are cheaper, stronger, and last longer than a 4x4. There is no reason to use a 4x4 other than the look in an aquarium stand.

 

[davocean]

I did a few searches here and couldn't find a single thread about a stand failing.

Perhaps you could point to a thread that supports your contention ?

I don't exactly save those to prove my point or anything, I'm just telling you what I have seen on here or other reef sites, you can search out your own proof if you need it, but the main thing that backs my comment are the number of people that have asked me to repair or help them w/ their stands that have failed, and yes, I have seen some outright crack and fail in person.
I'm a carpenter by trade, so I do have people approach me for help occasionally, so my experience on this has been more direct than just what I read.

 

[davocean]

two 2x4's in an L shape are cheaper, stronger, and last longer than a 4x4. There is no reason to use a 4x4 other than the look in an aquarium stand.

Agree, and will add it is also easier to connect 2x's and you get a better connection running a 3" screw through the 1.5" side and into the long side of the opposing 2x.
4x is a little tougher to connect w/out going overkill w/ lags or brackets, and they may twist on you.

 

[sleepydoc]

4x is a little tougher to connect w/out going overkill w/ lags or brackets, and they may twist on you.

...they Will twist on you (at least for pine lumber.) I have a neighbor who owns a deck building company. They quit using pine 4x4s for anything that needed to stay straight because they had so many problems with them splitting & warping. Now they use cedar - more expensive, but more stable.

 

[DavidinGA]

I believe 2x's are the "best" choice for us average Joe non-professional builders as it provides extra insurance against novice beginner errors.

 

[uncleof6]

I believe 2x's are the "best" choice for us average Joe non-professional builders as it provides extra insurance against novice beginner errors.

I disagree, if for no other reason than a novice has no idea how to deal with twist, bow, and crook, and probably doesn't even know what these things are. It is really hard to mess up butting two pieces of plywood together with some glue in between and spinning some screws in to act as clamps.

*************End of reply***********************

This whole topic is so blown out of proportion, that it is almost silly. RE's design is a very solid design. I have a hard time finding anything that it won't hold up. However, that is not the whole story either.

I have read the 'tales' of manufactured stand failures, mostly anecdotal third party reports of some other stand that failed, (never their own.) Seldom have I seen any reports that contain a history of the stand (how much abuse did it suffer before it supposedly 'just failed,' cracked, fell apart; wavemakers are one source of such abuse) These stands are required by most tank manufacturers. Why? Because the top is dead flat, and they are strong enough to support the load. We would certainly be hearing of more lawsuits concerning failed stands, if they were truly the 'death traps' they are purported to be.

That being said, the pulse of the hobby is not entirely contained within forums and online informaton. This is a rather small segment of the hobby. There are literally thousands of manufactured stands, and diy lumber stands, and plywood box stands in use right now. A conclusion cannot really be drawn, simply because it has not been seen on the world wide web.

If we are to use the forums to take the 'temperature' of stand construction, the postings concerning manufactured stand failures are overshadowed, by orders of magnitude, by problems with DIY lumber stands, Why? The three things mentioned above, plus the tendency for dimensional changes in cut lumber, that can easily occur in the hour between cutting and assembly.

I had a manufactured standback in 84. It was well built using dimensioned lumber, bench jointed from 2 x 4, or perhaps 2 x 6. Dead flat, square and plumb. Nice wicker panels that matched the decor in the bar/pool room. After a while, the floor inside the stand started coming apart (water damage->read abuse) and after several moves, was getting a bit rickety (read->more abuse.) The tank ultimately failed, but it was a really easy task to undue the abuse to the stand and tighten it up. Angle bracket here, couple of screws and some glue both here and there. The stand never did fail, though it did end up in a dumpster after the tank failed. Oh, why...did the tank fail? Ahhh ummmm, acrylic tank on an open top stand? Having been in the hobby for so long, I have had a lot more time to do more stupid sh**, than most others....

 

[Lavoisier]

The best, most stable wood is quarter sawn. When you look at the end grain of a 2x4 the grain should be going from one long side to the other at a 90 degree angle.

Next best is rift sawn. Grain runs at about a 45 degree angle.

Worst is what is typical in a pile of lumber, flat sawn. Grain runs parallel to the long sides.

Thanks, John. I did not know this.

 

[uncleof6]

The best, most stable wood is quarter sawn. When you look at the end grain of a 2x4 the grain should be going from one long side to the other at a 90 degree angle.

Next best is rift sawn. Grain runs at about a 45 degree angle.

Worst is what is typical in a pile of lumber, flat sawn. Grain runs parallel to the long sides.

I had to read this carefully so I would not shove another foot down my throat... end grain end grain...

Quarter sawn is also the best tone wood...

 

[davocean]

This really is key, picking right lumber.