180 Gallon Stand

[Caribbean_Shark]

Nice, thanks

 

[thediscobandit]

Heres a stand i made a while back for a 225, same footprint as your 180. I was going to add more framing but ran out of lumber and decided it was more than capable already.

One thing I'll make a note of when youre building your stand: periodically check to make sure your stand is level throughout your build. You dont want tk be screwing around with shims and wedges after youve got your tank on the stand.

 

[Caribbean_Shark]

That looks great, thanks

 

[davocean]

Heres a stand i made a while back for a 225, same footprint as your 180. I was going to add more framing but ran out of lumber and decided it was more than capable already.

One thing I'll make a note of when youre building your stand: periodically check to make sure your stand is level throughout your build. You dont want tk be screwing around with shims and wedges after youve got your tank on the stand.

Agree, level, and equally important checking for square constantly by diagonal measurements from corner to corner as you build.
I glue everything, and I pin nail together, and then check diagonal measurements before screwing solid while glue is still wet, building in shade helps give more time for that as well.

 

[thediscobandit]

Agree, level, and equally important checking for square constantly by diagonal measurements from corner to corner as you build.
I glue everything, and I pin nail together, and then check diagonal measurements before screwing solid while glue is still wet, building in shade helps give more time for that as well.

Agree on squareness, though i generally accept +/- 1/4" out of square in builds like this. My belt sander can take care of that lol. Now if you were using plywood instead of lumber to support it then yes i agree no deviation at all.

I do not glue for one simple reason. And that is that i frequently repurpose my lumber. As it turns out, i used the stand in the picture for less than a month before i took it apart and used the lumber to make stands for a couple other tanks.

I just use 3" deck screws. But my setups are a little more amateur compared to yours so i can appreciate your meticulousness.

 

[Caribbean_Shark]

One more question, since my tank is rimless, how should the lip around the top be? Part of the 2x6 raised up a certain amount? Or is that not necessary?

 

[thediscobandit]

One more question, since my tank is rimless, how should the lip around the top be? Part of the 2x6 raised up a certain amount? Or is that not necessary?

Make the frame of your stand exactly as long and wide as the tank. Then whatever paneling or trim you add to the exterior will overlap the bottom of the stand and tank. Thats what i do anyways.

 

[davocean]

Agree, focus on a flat level top, you don't need a lip or rim, weight will secure it plenty, but should you want any kind of lip add when skinning, finish detail

 

[Caribbean_Shark]

I talked to the guy who built the stand about my concerns, of course he said it’s more that good enough to hold the weight! He even went as far to say he has worked on sky risers he knows what he is doing. If you guys run into a builder in the SoCal area named Val, avoid him like the plague..

 

[Caribbean_Shark]

Here’s a pieces of a text he sent “Ok so they should know how much weight each 2x4 can hold right? Even the wedges that is use to level the tank and stand together are strong”

I used to do sky rises I worked a lot with concrete so I know how how stong Douglas fit is I use to the work for engineers

All they did is " well that's what is says in the plan" they are smart but they are not always right I delt with them a lot.

Of course he said he can do a frame like what I got from you guys and reuse the current panels for another $250!

 

[ScooterV]

Pure weight bearing I'm sure it probably can support it. Just don't lean on it, push it while trying to move a coral, pray there's no earth quake, and for sure don't get a wave maker or gyre going It's not just a static load, if you get power heads in sync that's a LOT of water weight sloshing back and forth laterally. The top also had little support to prevent the bottom from sagging. I "think" somewhere above you said it was rimless anyway. A tank with a rim would be somewhat better off with that.

 

[davocean]

I'm a licensed general contractor myself, and a carpenter of about 30 years, but just as important keeping tanks since I was 7 and built countless stands for myself and others.

I see lots of people in construction that think they know how to build stands, and kinda do, but they may not understand that weight w/ water or ground movement, or keeping glass from flexing and stand from sagging over a period of time.

Can what we see here hold the weight, yes, most likely, but could it rack w/ any movement or sag over time, probably a yes there as well.
And I'm not even factoring in CA and quakes, that's a big deal w/ even a small shaker on a glass vessel holding water.

 

[Caribbean_Shark]

Here’s a pieces of a text he sent “Ok so they should know how much weight each 2x4 can hold right? Even the wedges that is use to level the tank and stand together are strong”

I used to do sky rises I worked a lot with concrete so I know how how stong Douglas fit is I use to the work for engineers

All they did is " well that's what is says in the plan" they are smart but they are not always right I delt with them a lot.

Of course he said he can do the frame per the drawings you guys help provide for another $250!

 

[vetteguy53081]

You have some pretty good advice here, I would suggest a do over. The structure of the supports and not constructed right. Here is what I suggest

great CAD layout. leads to an organized and clean finish

 

[don_chuwish]

I can't tell from the photos exactly what I'm looking at - is there a vertical 2x4 missing from the back in the first pic? In terms of compressive strength the vertical 2x4s are actually plenty strong and there aren't any long unsupported spans to sag in the middle. But as others have mentioned, racking is the worry. A sheet of 1/2" plywood across the back would fix that.
Still not the way I'd want to build it though! One illustrative shot from my 2' x 4' 120G stand:

 

[Caribbean_Shark]

Thanks. There are 4 vertical 2x4s front and back. First pic is prior to me putting my sump in so 2 2x4s were removed for that. The problem is there are only two 2x4s horizontally for 2x4s #2 and #4. There isn't any 2x4s horizontally across the top or bottom either, its directly attached to 3/4" plywood top and bottom. So you think a sheet of plywood across the back would suffice and make this and safe long term?

 

[ScooterV]

I can't tell from the photos exactly what I'm looking at - is there a vertical 2x4 missing from the back in the first pic? In terms of compressive strength the vertical 2x4s are actually plenty strong and there aren't any long unsupported spans to sag in the middle. But as others have mentioned, racking is the worry. A sheet of 1/2" plywood across the back would fix that.
Still not the way I'd want to build it though!

Besides lateral, he has a flat bottom tank. There is only a single 2x4 near the middle, and that one is flat instead of on its side. Over time I think it will bow and not support the middle of that tank glass. NOT that some things can't be done to make it better, but it would be a Franken-stand. 2x4's could be added and supported for tank support, and like you stated skinning the back for lateral support. But, it seems dangerous to mess with when holding an expensive tank and stock, not to mention personal and home safety

 

[Caribbean_Shark]

I hear you. I am trying to get the frame made per rocket engineers design and also allow for the built in overflow. I plan on reusing the panels from the existing stand.

 

[Caribbean_Shark]

Also I know one recommendation was to use Spax screws. What do you guys recommend for size and type of screws for this design?

 

[ScooterV]

2x6 is more than strong enough, so with that drawing here's what I would do. On the back, since it is directly resting on the upright supports, cut that 2x6 in the middle where your overflow needs to be. But, instead of one 2x4 cross brace, use two, each of them right where the 2x6 ends would be, then add a short piece of 2x4 between them far enough towards the front to allow room for the overflow.

If you can attach the bulkhead fittings without cutting the 2x6, even better, but seems the flange side never wants to fit

With the extra 2x4 though, and 2x6 all around otherwise, I think it would be good. Could still skin the two outside portions in the back, even if some holes cut in it as needed.

@davocean seems on top of this though