DIY stand advice

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I'm planning on constructing a DIY stand for two 40 gallon breeders, much like the one on the GARF website and the one at [url=http://www.reefs.org/library/farmertodd]http://www.reefs.org/library/farmertodd
[/url].

My first question is extra support toward the middle of the tank length. I worry about the weight of the tanks bowing the 3 foot long 2X4s at the center and stressing the tanks. Since 40 gallon tanks weigh only about 350-400 lbs when full, I don't think this is too much of a problem, but if you were building this type of stand, would you put an extra support toward the center?

My second question what to put the tank on. The GARF site recommends 3/4" plywood under the tank, but I have seen stands in which the tank rests directly on the pine 2X4s. Is the plywood needed? Doesn't plywood have more of a tendency to warp with moisture than a solid pine 2X4?

My last question is how to orient the 2X4s that will run the length of the tank and support the weight. Wouldn't the whole thing be stronger and less likely to warp if the 2X4 was arranges so the 4inch side ran top to bottom? I haven't seen anyone do it this way, but it seems logical. What do you think about doing it with the longer side running top to bottom?


Any other tips on DIY stands would be great.

Thanks!

 

[hdtran]

Manny,

You're correct. A 2x4 oriented with the 4" vertically will be 4x stiffer vertically than with the 2" vertical.

You do want plywood between the frame and tank to help distribute the load (no pressure points on tank), especially if your 2x4's aren't perfectly straight. For glass tanks, you want perimeter support, because of the glass tank frame. For acrylic tanks, you need a flat surface under the entire tank.

A woodworking trick to avoid cheap warped 2x4"s is to build up a 2x4 by gluing together 2 1x4"s. It costs a bit more, but you have a much less warped 2x4 (especially if you look at the grain patterns on your 1x4"s and glue back-to-back or front-to-front).

If you finish your frame, moisture won't make it warp as much as leaving it unfinished.

If you enclose your frame (e.g. screw plywood panels to the front & sides to make it look like a cabinet, as opposed to a frame stand), you don't need a center support. The skin will greatly stiffen the frame. It will also help against your frame collapsing diagonally on you.

Regards,

 

[Anonymous]

I have been thinking about the plywood under the tank...They are glass tanks, so the support must be on the perimeter. Doesn't plywood have a tendancy to disintegrate after some time being wet? Hopefully, these tanks will be in place for a few years...if so, wouldn't the innevitable salt creep and water spills start to "rot" the plywood and thus create pressure points by removing support from sections of the tank frame?


Also, is it better to build a frame in the ground and fix the stand legs onto that frame, or is it better for the four legs to sit directly on the floor?

I'm thinking sitting the legs on a frame is better because you can more easily level the stand with shims if needed and it will distribute the weight over a wider area...


Thanks for any input.

 

[hdtran]

Manny,

Any wood, when wet, will rot on you. That's why you want to finish the wood before putting your tank on it. If you're obsessive, you finish your stand using spar varnish or other stuff like that. If you're lazy, you use Watco danish oil. (I personally recommend something in between, such as a water-cleanup urethane finish, just because I hate the smell of solvent cleanup finishes. Unfortunately, the water-cleanup finishes require a bit more sanding, as the first coat or two tend to raise your grain).

Fixing in ground: Pro, stand won't move. Con, stand won't move. I would personally put the stand on the floor, and not embed. That way, if you decide (or your spouse decides) that your tank actually needs to be 2 inches left, you can move the stand two inches left (hopefully, before you fill the tank with water )

 

[dkonstrukt]

I am by no means a carpenter, but I just finished building a stand for my 29 gallon tank. My tank is made of glass so I didn't worry about putting plywood underneath where the tank sits. I built my stand out of 2 X 4's, but laid the 2 X 4's vertically so that they would provide more support... I also used Gorilla Glue to reinforce the joints of the 2 X 4's.

I didn't use the plywood on the bottom of the where the tank sits because I figured that I would be better off with 2 X 4's soley as the tanks support rather than an imperfectly cut piece of plywood (that would absorb more water). Anyway, everything seems to be working out so far.

 

[Anonymous]

I built the stands, which are to hold 40 gallon breeder tanks.

2x4s with the 4 inch side vertical, which turned out great.


I noticed a little wobble when I sat on the stand though, so I braced the left and right side of each tank with another 2x4 that runs from the back leg to the front leg...that helped.

But here's the problem: Once I put a 40 gallon on it and filled the sucker (bout 450 pounds), the stand has a little play to it, like if I nudge it, I can see the water level move on the tank....a slight wobble I would call it. A friend said not to worry about it, that the stand would never collapse, that it was level, and that the tank was well supported....but I don't like ANY wobble. :?

Is this normal for a stand made of 2x4s? Will a little bit of play on the stand cause stress to the tank? Should I brace it more or just leave it? If yes, should I brace it with metal bracket type braces from the legs to the base frame and the top frame, or should I just add a couple of more 2x4s to brace the legs together?


Thanks,

 

[jandree22]

I noticed a little wobble when I sat on the stand though, so I braced the left and right side of each tank with another 2x4 that runs from the back leg to the front leg...that helped.

But here's the problem: Once I put a 40 gallon on it and filled the sucker (bout 450 pounds), the stand has a little play to it, like if I nudge it, I can see the water level move on the tank....a slight wobble I would call it. A friend said not to worry about it, that the stand would never collapse, that it was level, and that the tank was well supported....but I don't like ANY wobble. :?

Is this normal for a stand made of 2x4s? Will a little bit of play on the stand cause stress to the tank? Should I brace it more or just leave it? If yes, should I brace it with metal bracket type braces from the legs to the base frame and the top frame, or should I just add a couple of more 2x4s to brace the legs together?


Thanks

bump... I'm about to build a stand for my 75gal. and would also be interested to know the answer to Manny's concerns

 

[ChrisRD]

Here's a design I've used with open frame 2X4 stands for 50 and 75 gallon glass tanks (ie. edge supported - no plywood top). I generally screw and glue the stand together, and with good tight notching, it makes for an extremely rigid stand. I've also done the same thing with 2X6 lumber (overkill but had it lying around).

Might give you some ideas...

 

[ChrisRD]

Here's another variation of the same idea - I enclosed this frame with cabinet grade plywood, trimmed it out, put some doors on, etc. Here I combined two 2X4s screwed & glued together in each corner (basically a 4X4). IMO this makes for an overbuilt stand, but again, extremely rigid.

 

[jandree22]

cool, thanks for your help Chris

 

[Anonymous]

Hey...no one ever answered me! :lol:


Well the stands are still up. I did brace them with metal bracket type braces AND with 2x4s at the mid point between the legs.

They STILL wobble a lot. :lol: If you bump the tank it becomes a wave tank. 8O


But it's over a year later and both tanks are still up and running just fine. No leaks, no problems.

So what the hell, a little wobble doesn't hurt.

 

[Anonymous]

Screw a sheet of plywood on the back of the stand. It will help it so it won't 'shift' diagonally. Glue and screw it to the 2x4's.

Make sure it's square when you screw it down, or you'll have problems later.

My stand is 2x4's (or 2x3's) with a 1/4" oak ply skin. Rock solid.
Frame:

Covering:

After the second pic, a hole was cut for a door on the front, and the whole thing was trimmed out, stained, and sealed, an you get something like this:

 

[Anonymous]

The plywood sounds like a good idea.

I made some very large chinchilla cages and they were all wobbly...didn't care because they don't hold weight like a tank stand. But when I screwed the plywood back onto them, they became rock solid.

 

[Anonymous]

Gluing is the key since all fasteners, screws included, can allow some movement between the wood parts - particularly over time. Sheets of plywood glued onto the back and sides will prevent any wiggle. You can cut openings through the plywood without significantly impacting its bracing value.

 

[Anonymous]

Gluing is the key since all fasteners, screws included, can allow some movement between the wood parts - particularly over time. Sheets of plywood glued onto the back and sides will prevent any wiggle. You can cut openings through the plywood without significantly impacting its bracing value.

If you go with 3/4 " ply, there isn't any reason for a frame for smaller tanks!

 

[Anonymous]

Here's the stand I just built for my 40 breeder.

I just made a simple frame and then doubled up the 2x4's so the weight of the tank was on a vertical 2x4 and not the screws. Really simple stuff. Then I skinned it with 1/4" oak ply which is nice since it's easy to cut.

Here it is. The pic with the tank on it was for fit and it still needed some finish nails on the ply. It's done now and I'll post pics with all the molding in place.

 

[SnowManSnow]

To answer the wobble question...

u think its doin that just cause it isnt perfectly level? or your FLOOR isn't?

Try a few shimms underneath to stop the wiggle.

B.