will this stand work?

[mandm25254]

ok so i have been building a stand and i was wondering what you guys think about it.

This is under the tank all the joints have jiosts now.

This is what under side of where the desplay tank sits apon these pilled. each piller is constructed of 3 2x4's in a "L" shape.

Now the question is do you still think it will be safe if i take out one of the pilles so my plumbing will be alot more excessable?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

At a glance, that looks extremely overbuilt. It shouldn't be a problem.

I can't exactly picture which of the posts you are trying to remove? As long as it's not a corner, it should be fine.

 

[mandm25254]

the inner one right near the plumbing

thats a pic of it with out the pillers then there are four inner pillers direcly under the tank for saport.

Here os a quick paint to get my point across. all the paint is new pillers and i want to take out the black one.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Those pictures raise some questions.

Is that the intended display tank on the top of the stand, or will the "real" display tank reach all the way to the edges of the stand?

What size tank are we talking about here?

 

[mandm25254]

Thats how it will be set up as seen in the picture minus a 1/2 thick peice of maple under the main tank. There are a 'L" piller direcly under each corner of the main tank (im wondering if i can take out one). and then there is four pillers on each corner of the stand.

here is another pic hoping its better with the piller i would like to take out.

 

[mandm25254]

Also its a 40g breeder.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I have no structural engineering degree, so take this with a grain of salt - but IMHO you don't want to remove any one of the four posts directly below the corners of the display tank. That stand is beefy enough that it will certainly not fail catastrophically, but IMHO it's questionable if the stand will deflect to the point of putting stress on the tank if one of the corners is not directly supported.

But what are the dimensions of that display? If it's small enough, the 2x4 joists and plywood top you have may be stiff enough after all.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Ok, I guess I should have guessed the relative size looking at other objects in the photo. A 40g breeder is pretty small. You'd probably be just fine taking that post out.

I can't quite tell, but it looks like there is a joist directly under that end of the tank, that is supported by another post (which you are planning on leaving in place?) If that's true, it should be fine.

 

[mandm25254]

It's a three way visable tank so if your looking at the "front" it would be the back left. Yes, all joints have joist's and three out of the four corners have a piller direcly under it. there is a space in the back where all the plumbing will go also. Also the entire main tank has 2x4's framing it out and all thise joints have joist's.

Sorry for all the usless info but im just trying to give the best description. thank you so much for this help also.

 

[thegrun]

I would use joist hangers (Simpson Hangers) to support your 2x4's, which are available at any hardware store. You will need to pull up the plywood to install them correctly, but you can leave the 2x4's nailed together.

 

[mandm25254]

it already has joist hangers on there.

 

[stricknine]

For 40Gal I think you are okay without the extra 4, but my advice would be to support the outside of your top frame (box the joists are in ) from below, not inside. With all that wood, your support comes down to the screws or nails connecting the top frame to the posts. Take the 2x4 from inside the corner posts and or from the extra 4 posts, and I would put those on the outside of the posts where your bottom plywood cut didnt fill. (just my opinion, and I overbuild everything as well.)

 

[mandm25254]

why under build when you can over build?