thoughts on building a stand

[Reefscape]

Hello people,

I have been given yet another tank...53" long x 15" wide x 24.5" tall

I am currently drawing out scematics to build a stand for it..The only thing i am not really sure of is the thickness off the upright's...

Do i use 4" x 4" or could i get away with using 2" x 4"...

Added a picture to gibe you an idea of what i am planning..I have purposely made the stand bigger than the tank..more about that later though..

Thoughts anybody?

Niko

 

[fsn77]

To give you an idea, our 90g tank (48" L x 24" H x 18" D) sits on a manufactured stand that is made of mostly 1" thick wood (looks like pine), with 2" supports in the corners, two 1" x 2"s spaced across the front to support the center, and a 1" x 6" that supports the center in the back. The tank and stand are well over 10 years old, with more than 5 years of that being used as a reef, and no sagging or structural problems to date (knock on wood!!!).

 

[Reefscape]

Thanks alot fsn..

Your comments are great appreciated..In comparison then, i think that i should be able to make the actual frame of the stand in 2 x 4 ...which is going to give a total of 6 supports..

Niko

 

[rbell219]

2x4's will be fine, but the corners of the tank need to rest on top of them. It's hard to tell in the drawing if the horizontal top pieces are to be on top of the 2x4's. Excuse the crude MSPaint drawing, but this is what I mean. Otherwise, the screws or nails are your only real support.
edit: actually--a closer look at your drawing--I think you've got it!

 

[Reefscape]

Hiya RBell, thanks for the comments and i understood your drawing easily enough......

Well, i have been looking into this a little more now..I need to have the stand wider than what my tank is, so i can get a sump inside the stand through the end which will have an access door made when i put on the casing..So, to that extent, no, the tank wont be sitting directly on the 4 corners of the stand..there will be a gap between each side of stand and the tank itself..

So, my next thing to think about is how to build the stand with enough strength to support the tank without using the main 4 upright posts of the stand..

Niko

 

[rbell219]

Put cross braces and vertical supports where the rim of the tank will be. OR--what I would do--build the support portion of the stand first, then you can add on to the sides to accomodate the under tank space needed. This add on material can be lighter---doesn't need to be 2x4's because it isn't supporting anything.

 

[Reefscape]

mate, the second idea of adding onto the stand after building the support for the tank is a crackin idea....Sounds like a plan to me..

Thanks for all your input..

Could you please also review my other thread about sump and plumbing and give feedback if possible..

Niko