DIY stand not flat on top...

[Anonymous]

hi.
I DIYed a wooden stand, but the problem is that it is very difficult to make the top perfectly flat. Do I need to sand it flat, or use a styrofoam sheet to make it less damaging when I put a 100 gal acrylic tank on it?

BTW, the top is just 4 pieces of 1X3 clear wood mitered at 45 degree. Trick/Hints are greatly appreciated.

 

[Bishop1]

To help take up the inconsistant surface of the stand, use a sheet of foam between the tank and the stand.

The pink insulation foam sold at most home supply stores works well.

 

[FishGeeek]

I use carpet padding.

Brian

 

[Scottis24]

I would probably sand it to get it realitivley flush and then use the foam or carpet pad to help level it.

 

[M.E.Milz]

Maybe I am not following this correctly. Are you saying that you have 1x3's placed on edge, and that the outside edge of the tank will sit on the edges of the 1x3's? If so, then I assume that the interior of the stand is open.

If I were you, I would attach a sheet of 3/4" plywood to the top of the 1x3's (resting on top). You can attach the plywood using some very dense glue (the kind sold in tubes for caluking guns). The glue should fill in any gaps between the bottom of the plywood and the top edges of teh 1x3's, giving you a flat surface on which you can rest the tank.

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
Milz, you understood my description correctly. The problem with using plywood is that I need to cut it so that the middle is open. At 25 cents per cut, the people at Home Depot can't do it without leaving me with four loose pieces.

BTW, I am restoring a damaged stand, and by using some of the old wood pieces, I ended up with this problem! I learned that it is not worth it to save a couple $$ by reusing old wood

I guess I will either cut the plywood myself, or get the styrofoam as other suggested. Thanx everyone!

 

[dattack]

Just remember with an acrylic tank, plywood is recommended for the base. That's because you might see significant amount of bowing and possibly a catastrophe if certain amount of rocks/sand/water bulge in the middle.
Can you just rent/buy/borrow a jigsaw to make the opening.
Or you have a friend with a handy table saw that can make the cut for you?

 

[billzie]

Why does the center need to be open? Overflow? Where, what size opening? Everything I've ever heard about acrylic tanks, even smaller sizes (55g), need to have the entire span of the bottom supported with a flat surface, like plywood as the previous posted stated. HTH, Bill.

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
Update: I used a plane to make the top flat. I also added a cross in the middle of the stand, so that it is supported better. I will add foam this weekend.

 

[smokie]

I built my stand as well and after it was assembled i went to home depot and purchased
one of those long contractors levels with a straight edge(it was costly) then i went to work with my plane and leveled out the top of my stand so once it had the 125 gallons of water in it it wouldnt flex and crack after i planed the edges flat all the way around i put a piece of plywood on top and then did minor sanding on the edges of it to insure it was flat where the tank would rest.
Worked out great when i was done i had my wife take the contractors level back to Home Depot with the story that she was supposed to get a smaller one.

 

[reefatic]

Honesty, such a lonely word.

 

[Anonymous]

Did you cheat on your wife while she was at Home Depot returning the level? That would be even more cool than ripping off HD.

 

[Anonymous]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by cwa46:
<strong>Did you cheat on your wife while she was at Home Depot returning the level? That would be even more cool than ripping off HD.</strong><hr></blockquote>

lol

Glad I ventured over here for the first time. I will be back. Thanks for the laugh.

[ March 03, 2002: Message edited by: tangirl ]</p>

 

[ReefMon]

In all honesty I did the same thing with a 6' level when setting my 180 up... used it for 15 minutes and returned it, saying it was too big!
Cheapest rental tool department I've found yet!

(But they more than made up for it with ALL the extra plumbing parts and other stuff I've got to have, but never use...)