4ft+ tanks with no center leg

[Anonymous]

Who has a tank 4ft or longer with no midspan leg? I would like the stand on my 4.5ft long tank to be as open as possible. I am sure if I went with doubled 2x4's for the legs I would be fine with no center leg. I just need to get comforable with the idea. Maybe I should make a modle and run an FEA on it. Any input?

 

[trido]

Hey Wazzel. I do. Are you going to build it? Did you see my post in Spaulrs' stand build thread regarding center posts. If your building it yourself and are worried, use a 4x6 beam for your horizontal span. Also, I would recommend using 4x4s for your legs. I used metal angle bracket to due to lack of plywood shear strenght. I Guarantee you it will hold two tanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes I am going to build it myself. I use to build houses way back when. I also built the stand for my RIP 60. I was thinking about doing something similar to what you have shown. Insted of using the 4x4 for the leg I was going to use 2 2x4. This way I can tie the legs to the horizontal. For the horizontal I was thinking either a 2x6 or 2 2x4 in an "L" confiuration with the "L" pointing down and in to the center. The tank I am getting is going to have trim so no need for a solid top. Pat of my deal is I am so use to using steel and desiging to AISC codes. If I would follow them my tank stand would be a stout as an oil rig.

 

[trido]

Im sure this is for your custom. I forget your exact dimensions. I think about the equivelant of 150 some odd gallons. :lol: I would think that the "L" design might be a little light duty as far as your warranty is going to be concerned. I can completely relate to you using 2 2x4s for the legs as for better connecting to the header. As an ex builder. You should just do the built in and get it over with. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

I will post my old stand when i have a chance... so busy...

 

[Anonymous]

Im sure this is for your custom. I forget your exact dimensions. I think about the equivelant of 150 some odd gallons. :lol: I would think that the "L" design might be a little light duty as far as your warranty is going to be concerned. I can completely relate to you using 2 2x4s for the legs as for better connecting to the header. As an ex builder. You should just do the built in and get it over with. :wink:

Yup a 150 ish, 54x26 foot print. I will have to talk to the builder about requirement to cover the warrenty. That is a good point and something I did not think of. I considered the built in, but did not want to spend the extra cost of building the tank room, adding the AC, bigger tank :wink: , etc. I have a set budget and the tank will probably end up stretching it as it is now.

 

[trido]

Just wanted to say. Of course you will stretch your budget. Human nature. Keep us posted on your design. I'd like to see more center braceless stands. We can start a trend.

 

[Rob Top]

I have a 55, 2x 75 and a 125T all with out the center. They are in my fishroom so looks aren't important, so I use cinder blocks and glue them together with "Landscape Block Glue". Makes all the soild as 1. If you went this route you could attach a fasle front to it to make it more attractive.

 

[Anonymous]

You could always make the top frame of your stand out of Steel channel.

Then it would really be strong

:lol:

You could scrounge some up from the oil rig and botch it together....




Seriously, something I have seen done before is to take a 2X4 and add a piece of 1 1/2 inch angle along the bottom edge. It gives it a lot more strength.

 

[Anonymous]

I will not try to make a stand using cinder block in California, but IL is pretty solid.

 

[Anonymous]

Here is a pic. The tank is four feet, but I won't have problem with it if it is 6 feet wide if I use longer beam.

 

[Anonymous]

What do you think about this. Main legs are 2x6. All else is 2x4.

 

[Anonymous]

Or how about with double 2x6 for the legs?

 

[trido]

IT should just fine either way. Now. Is that to scale? :lol:
SE, looks just like the back of the commercial stand i was mentioning earlier.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes it is to scale. Done in Autodesk Inventor. I don't get into all that fancy presentation software.

 

[trido]

I was just kidding about to scale. You're the one who has to build it.
I think autodesk IS pretty fancy. I was given a free sample copy of it and just couldnt figure it out (no directions they wanted me to take the $400 dollar course) OK then the blue prints have been finalled. NOW GET TO WORK!! :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

What are you working with? AutoCAD or what?

I want to wait until I get the tank to finilize every thing. Need to verify the actual footprint with the trim and the cut out required for the overflow. The over flow is going to be huge. It will have 2 ea 1.5" drains and 1ea 1" return. I went way overboard with the drains, but the 100% redundancy on the drains will be a good peace of mind.

 

[trido]

Ya. It was AutoCAD. Just as well. I much prefer building over designing. I have a much more simplistic program for light duty blueprints. Nothing capable of any thing I've in the forums. Good enought for city hall is all that matters to me.
When is your tank due to be finished? I understand the patience aspect of this hobby now. It is required right from the design phase.

 

[Anonymous]

I was supposed to head to Trinidad on Sunday and be gone until around the 20th of April. So I requested the tank be ready the last week in April. Seeing that I will not be in the country until then any way. My trip got delayed for a few days.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd go with 2x6 frame and married 2x4 legs.

(this is mine from my 30" tank. Right now I have the legs drawn as 2x3's i think. and the bottom frame is 2x4 because I can, and it will have two 1/2" pieces of ply covering the top)