Thanks for the comments Matt and everyone else, too.
One thing I'm a little concerned about with using 2x4's is the quality of
the 2x4. I build a large commercial store counter with 2x4 from Home Depot.
I had to search for the best 8' boards (even the A boards had some warp and
twisting to them). Am I shopping at the wrong place, or do I just have to
look hard enough to avoid the warped and twisted ones?
Also, would you cut out the tops of the 4/4 (if I go with those) to rest the
2/4 into as he did, or would you just brace and screw it together?
thanks,
dwhite
Matt In Fenton wrote in message
...
I have built all my tank stands, tanks I used to have: 85 gallon, 55
gallon, 45 gallon, 40 gallon.
Don't use any woods that have been "bonded", stuff like particle board
will swell when soaked with water. So what that guy used for the
bottom of his stand is a no no. And yes you will spill water on it
especially if you have a sump located inside. When the particle board
expands it will throw off any "levelessness" you have.
I would say that plywood is ok as the glue is only exposed on the ends
of the sheet not through out like particle board and that stuff he
used, which I think is called sheathing (someone will correct me, the
name of it is slipping my mind).
He also put treated lumber for the corner posts from the looks of it.
That also isn't necessary. In fact I'd go so far as to say that 4x4s
aren't necessary. The weight of the tank is distributed evenly so
there is just as much weight sitting on those 4x4s as there is on the
2x4s in the centers.
Look at this way at 75 gallons of say salt water that's a total weight
of about 750 lbs. If you used 6 2x4s that's only 125lbs resting on
each 2x4. I'm a fat guy at 260 and I wouldn't have a problem standing
on a 2x4 up ended and fear it's breaking. So long as I could actually
balance on one. Or better yet go to a fish store and look at the
construction of a stand for 75 gallons.
I have always preferred a solid top like a table vs. the open ended
stands.
When you cut the 2x4s that are the supports make sure they are all
even with each other.
I will say his end product is very nice looking and kudos for the DIY
site. Though I personally would have laid the plywood vertically so
the grain was going up and down not side to side.
One more note once you get the sides, back and front (minus the door)
on you will eliminate side to side and front to back movement. So keep
this in mind when you build the frame and it seems shaking it'll be
solid once done.
On the center pieces he has steel T brackets, when I did mine I laid
2x4s flat and simply screwed right through to the vertical 2x4s.
Lastly, 2 measurements are important. One the overall height, nothing
works better on algae removal than a razor blade so once built you
want to make sure you can reach the bottom back of the tank.
Two the internal space. Make sure you have enough room for skimmer
height, sump height and sump tank width and length. It won't matter
much on a 75 or larger but on the tanks that have the same width as a
10 or 20 gallon the sump won't fit. This is the main reason I got rid
of my store bought stand for my 40L the damn sump wouldn't fit inside
the stand.
You may know this but I'll state it anyway for you background on the
tank use black those coral backgrounds and solid blue detract from the
color of the finish and contents.
Good luck. You doing SW or FW? The two coolest things I ever had were
an octopus and a stingray.
And overall cost for a stand that size is probably less than $50. Well
worth the time and effort.
-Matt
On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 21:01:19 -0500, "Dan White"
wrote:
Hi all. I haven't posted here in awhile. I was thinking of making a
tank
stand for a 75 gallon fish tank, which will weigh well over 700 lbs.
What
do you think of this design? Are there any major problems with what this
guy has done?
http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/75g_stand/index.shtml
Thanks for any suggestions,
dwhite