36"x24"x40"tall stand

OCDiver · Feb 26, 2013

Hey guys just letting you know that I will be building a custom stand starting this weekend so if anyone wants to follow along feel free. I will be doing a step by step with pictures and also may include some video. I'm a noob when it comes to wood working so I have a co-worker giving me a hand.

Thanks,

Corey

revsgirl · Feb 26, 2013

Cool! Good luck!

Tonya

redfishbluefish · Feb 27, 2013

Following along.

Love those tall stands. Could never understand 32 inch stands. Had to bend down to look into the tank. The 40 inches will make viewing easier and give you plenty of height to fit the skimmer and other equipment.

OCDiver · Mar 2, 2013

Lumber is purchased and ready to start the stand.

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OCDiver · Mar 2, 2013

Coming along.

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Dave3112 · Mar 2, 2013

This looks like it's going to be nice and clean!

firefightered · Mar 2, 2013

keep going..... I'm going to start 1 next week that is 48L x 24D x 44H. It's for a frag tank. Also building a hanging fixture for the LEDs....

OCDiver · Mar 2, 2013

Was on breakfast break. Getting back to it now.

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OCDiver · Mar 2, 2013

Center bracing coming up

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Alex27 · Mar 2, 2013

It's looking good. What's your reasoning for the 4x4 for the corners?

OCDiver · Mar 2, 2013

I like to overbuild for one and the other thing I dont want to take a chance because a 95 Gal tank will be going on top (Glass) with water alone not including rocks will weight about 800-900lbs.

ReeferBob · Mar 2, 2013

That is not proper construction for an aquarium stand. The bolts are in what is called "sheer". Your stand should get ALL of its support from wood on wood. Screws/Nails are there for one reason - to hold everything together.

I strongly suggest you rebuild the stand. Typical (proper) construction is making the top and bottom frame, usually screwed together, then fitting legs between the top and bottom frame. You can use a nailer board to attach the legs. Then add lateral support like plywood sides.

Here is a 120g that I just built.

OCDiver · Mar 2, 2013

1155lbs tested. All the weight distributed to the 4x4's

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Poseidon · Mar 2, 2013

I would be concerned with "wracking". Are you going to put something on the back/sides? Also, having that ply on top helps put the weight out to the 4x4's, where will the corners of the tank be?

In this picture, there are no screws, or glue holding the stand together:

All the pieces fit together to transfer the weight to the floor.

OCDiver · Mar 2, 2013

Yes 3/4" cherry ply for sheer all the way around except 1/4 or 1/8 for the back.

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Poseidon · Mar 2, 2013

Same foot print as yours, just not the same height.

This was before the move, I now have a sump on the bottom shelf.

ReeferBob · Mar 3, 2013

You could take 4 2x2s and rest a 1/2" plywood top on it with no connectors at all and it would take the weight in your picture. Regardless, it is still not proper aquarium stand construction. Will it ever fail? Probably not with that sized tank. Poseidon's tank is proper construction for a tank with wood supporting the tank to the floor. If you are going to do something, do it right. If that means redoing something, so be it.

Dave3112 · Mar 3, 2013

ReeferBob said:
You could take 4 2x2s and rest a 1/2" plywood top on it with no connectors at all and it would take the weight in your picture. Regardless, it is still not proper aquarium stand construction. Will it ever fail? Probably not with that sized tank. Poseidon's tank is proper construction for a tank with wood supporting the tank to the floor. If you are going to do something, do it right. If that means redoing something, so be it.

A little harsh don't you think? The stand he is building will be fine. Have you ever seen any "commercially" built stands? Those I would worry about but they have engineers design them so they won't fail. The 4x4's are carrying the load to the floor. The other boards are supporting the 4x4's and the ply on top will evenly distribute weight across them. If he skins it then it will just add more stability. Everyone has their own opinion in this hobby. Some are right and some are wrong. But this stand will be perfectly fine for his application.

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