invincible569
New member
Who makes great steel stands? Thanks.
How much should one expect to pay? I heard the price of steel keeps rising.
How much should one expect to pay? I heard the price of steel keeps rising.
Steel Stand Recommendation
- Thread starter invincible569
- Start date
invincible569
New member
Thanks for the tip. Im sure I can find someone locally.
I paid about $2500 for my steel stand. That included parts, labor, delivery, several site visits prior to the actual build, and the rubberized coating. My one mistake was not validating the tolerances on the flatness of the top and bottom pieces of the stand upon delivery. It was very close, but not "good enough." Be very clear up front what your expectations are there.
Scuba Dog
New member
Go with regular old carbon mild steel and have it powder coated. Stainless is ausome but at least eight times more expensive.
I just recently built a 6 x 2.5 x 7 parrot aviary, out of half inch square tubing and 1/4" round bar. The cost of my materals and powder coating was like $450 bucks.
The thicker the steel the more expensive. Are you wanting it built out of angle iron or square tubing?
I just recently built a 6 x 2.5 x 7 parrot aviary, out of half inch square tubing and 1/4" round bar. The cost of my materals and powder coating was like $450 bucks.
The thicker the steel the more expensive. Are you wanting it built out of angle iron or square tubing?
I used this as my plan and had it made locally.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=3616245#post3616245
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=3616245#post3616245
The recent prices I received for a 72x24x36 high stand of 2x2 box 3/16th wall thickness was b/w 900 and 1400 from 5 local welders.
Not including powder coat....another 400.00 if I remember correctly.
I ended up making mine myself out of 2x6 wood. 50.00 wood + 50.00 stainless steel screws.
Not including powder coat....another 400.00 if I remember correctly.
I ended up making mine myself out of 2x6 wood. 50.00 wood + 50.00 stainless steel screws.
Getting one built right now for a 300 gal. Material is 1.5. x 1.5 X .125 sq tubing. 10 sticks 20ft. long was $248 I work at a shop so I get free delivery and no tax applied but the welder is charging me $200. I decided to spray it with Rhino-liner for a water proof durable coating which was another $400
Mine also includes the canopy which I built to be removable from the base bolted together with SS hardware. All ends are also capped. Then comes the skins to cover it prices havent been determined yet for that.
If you can find someone to Spray it with Rhino-liner thats just unspeaklable the best thing you could coat a stand with IMO. Ive see it first hand and its just amazing. Will never rust, impervious to rust and scratching and salt creep hardly sticks too it. Best thing is you could just hose it off if you had to move it.
I opt'd for that as soon as I saw it.
Mine also includes the canopy which I built to be removable from the base bolted together with SS hardware. All ends are also capped. Then comes the skins to cover it prices havent been determined yet for that.
If you can find someone to Spray it with Rhino-liner thats just unspeaklable the best thing you could coat a stand with IMO. Ive see it first hand and its just amazing. Will never rust, impervious to rust and scratching and salt creep hardly sticks too it. Best thing is you could just hose it off if you had to move it.
I opt'd for that as soon as I saw it.
invincible569
New member
Good info guys. Im in Houston and need a 72x40.
JE
New member
dang i wish all you guys were in los angeles........im not trying to make money off reefers. since my family business is steel distribution i would give you my prices....
1.5 x 1.5 x .125 x 20'=$18
2 x 2 x 3/16 x 20'=$46
2 x 2 x .125 x 20'=$30
like i said invincible....look for secondary. the excess run on tubing can be split seem. in other words when the tubing is made from a machine during the set-up the heat range might be a bit off. the first few hundred feet the seems will be split or not up to spec. look at the first image to get an idea. you can see the bottom left piece has a weld mark on it. the seem is welded about a 1/4" seem. for structural specs that may not be correct. it will be have about 95% the strength that it should. so they will send these pieces out in bundles like the second picture and basically sell it for scrap. guys like me see that and use it for fences,gates, etc. i actually made a stand for a hundred gallon outta this stuff and it worked great. i know your tank will be heavy once the rock and water is in, but 80% of the stuff they send out in these scrap loads is perfect material......TRY TO FIND THIS....its literally half the price
1.5 x 1.5 x .125 x 20'=$18
2 x 2 x 3/16 x 20'=$46
2 x 2 x .125 x 20'=$30
like i said invincible....look for secondary. the excess run on tubing can be split seem. in other words when the tubing is made from a machine during the set-up the heat range might be a bit off. the first few hundred feet the seems will be split or not up to spec. look at the first image to get an idea. you can see the bottom left piece has a weld mark on it. the seem is welded about a 1/4" seem. for structural specs that may not be correct. it will be have about 95% the strength that it should. so they will send these pieces out in bundles like the second picture and basically sell it for scrap. guys like me see that and use it for fences,gates, etc. i actually made a stand for a hundred gallon outta this stuff and it worked great. i know your tank will be heavy once the rock and water is in, but 80% of the stuff they send out in these scrap loads is perfect material......TRY TO FIND THIS....its literally half the price
invincible569
New member
you guys make it sound so easy! 
thanks jjb for the specifics on what to look for.
thanks jjb for the specifics on what to look for.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8426158#post8426158 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jjb81speed
dang i wish all you guys were in los angeles........im not trying to make money off reefers. since my family business is steel distribution i would give you my prices....
1.5 x 1.5 x .125 x 20'=$18
2 x 2 x 3/16 x 20'=$46
2 x 2 x .125 x 20'=$30
like i said invincible....look for secondary. the excess run on tubing can be split seem. in other words when the tubing is made from a machine during the set-up the heat range might be a bit off. the first few hundred feet the seems will be split or not up to spec. look at the first image to get an idea. you can see the bottom left piece has a weld mark on it. the seem is welded about a 1/4" seem. for structural specs that may not be correct. it will be have about 95% the strength that it should. so they will send these pieces out in bundles like the second picture and basically sell it for scrap. guys like me see that and use it for fences,gates, etc. i actually made a stand for a hundred gallon outta this stuff and it worked great. i know your tank will be heavy once the rock and water is in, but 80% of the stuff they send out in these scrap loads is perfect material......TRY TO FIND THIS....its literally half the price
$18 for 1.5 x 1.5 x 11 ga. thats cheap as H#ll! Im payng $33.76 /20' stick and Im getting it on a discounted bulk order, free delivery, and tax free and Im still paying this much? Im getting raped! This was thru Tamp Bay Steel the largest supplier of metal in Florida too. I demand a recount!!!
Best I could do is $1.24/ft form a secondary supplier in Lakeland.
Carman34L
In Memoriam
Here in MN the going rate is about $.60 a pound for mild steel. $2.65 for stainless.
My family owns a metal fab shop and a machine shop. We pay by the pound for our steel. I am building a stand for my 240 gal. Dims will be 5'x3.5'x3.5' There will be about 70' of 1.5"- 3/16" (wall thickness) square tubing used and will cost me around $150 for the steel. No labor or Powder coating costs for me!
My family owns a metal fab shop and a machine shop. We pay by the pound for our steel. I am building a stand for my 240 gal. Dims will be 5'x3.5'x3.5' There will be about 70' of 1.5"- 3/16" (wall thickness) square tubing used and will cost me around $150 for the steel. No labor or Powder coating costs for me!
