Hi, I'm thinking of building a rack to hold 2 aquariums, using 1.5" 1/8"
angle. Overall dimensions are 24w 60l 44h only supported on the 4
corners. This rack would be holding 2 tanks of 600lbs each. Is this an
ok steel selection? I'd also like to make some to hold 3 tanks at 250lbs
each but only 12w 24l 80h could I use the same steel? Could I go down to
a 1.25" or even 1"?

Thanks Chris

"Ignoramus29580" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Dec 2005 14:24:38 -0500, Chris wrote:
Hi, I'm thinking of building a rack to hold 2 aquariums, using 1.5" 1/8"
angle. Overall dimensions are 24w 60l 44h only supported on the 4
corners. This rack would be holding 2 tanks of 600lbs each. Is this an

Is that for water aquariums?

A water aquarium of dimensions 24 by 60 by 35 inches (not filled to
top 44 inches but only to 35 inches) is 0.787 cubic meters, or 787
kilograms (without taking rocks and weight of the tank itself).
Assuming a 200 lbs tank with rocks included in 200 lbs, it would be
787*2.2+200 = 1900 lbs. Maybe a little bit less if you take smaller
interior dimensions into consideration and the fact that rocks
displace water, but not much less. Maybe 1700 lbs. That still is a lot
higher than your 600 lbs number, hence my question.

Am I missing something? Is that for lizards etc?

Thanks

i

you're missing that the dimensions are for the size of the stand, not for
the 2 tanks.

Its not sufficient to hold that weight without a center support. I
have a stand I was given made out of 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle that was made
to support 3, 10 gal tanks (20" long each for total of 60" OAL) and
the center bowed quite significantly.


--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

Roy wrote:
Its not sufficient to hold that weight without a center support. I
have a stand I was given made out of 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle that was made
to support 3, 10 gal tanks (20" long each for total of 60" OAL) and
the center bowed quite significantly.




really? so i would be better off using 1" tube? it's only 30 cents more
a foot lol but when your counting in the hundreds of feet it makes a diff...

Charles Spitzer wrote:
"Ignoramus29580" wrote in message
...

On Tue, 13 Dec 2005 14:24:38 -0500, Chris wrote:

Hi, I'm thinking of building a rack to hold 2 aquariums, using 1.5" 1/8"
angle. Overall dimensions are 24w 60l 44h only supported on the 4
corners. This rack would be holding 2 tanks of 600lbs each. Is this an

Is that for water aquariums?

A water aquarium of dimensions 24 by 60 by 35 inches (not filled to
top 44 inches but only to 35 inches) is 0.787 cubic meters, or 787
kilograms (without taking rocks and weight of the tank itself).
Assuming a 200 lbs tank with rocks included in 200 lbs, it would be
787*2.2+200 = 1900 lbs. Maybe a little bit less if you take smaller
interior dimensions into consideration and the fact that rocks
displace water, but not much less. Maybe 1700 lbs. That still is a lot
higher than your 600 lbs number, hence my question.

Am I missing something? Is that for lizards etc?

Thanks

i


you're missing that the dimensions are for the size of the stand, not for
the 2 tanks.


yep each tank is only 8" high

I may be wrong, but I don;t think the tube will be any better than the
angle will, except it will deflect or roll a bit less when it gets
weight on it.......I still do not think it will be sufficieint for
what your looking to do, but if I am wrong I am sure someone will
point it out in short order.

On Tue, 13 Dec 2005 17:14:33 -0500, Chris
wrote:
Roy wrote:
Its not sufficient to hold that weight without a center support. I
have a stand I was given made out of 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle that was made
to support 3, 10 gal tanks (20" long each for total of 60" OAL) and
the center bowed quite significantly.




really? so i would be better off using 1" tube? it's only 30 cents
more
a foot lol but when your counting in the hundreds of feet it makes a
diff...

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

Chris wrote in
:

Hi, I'm thinking of building a rack to hold 2 aquariums, using 1.5"
1/8" angle. Overall dimensions are 24w 60l 44h only supported on the 4
corners. This rack would be holding 2 tanks of 600lbs each. Is this an
ok steel selection? I'd also like to make some to hold 3 tanks at
250lbs each but only 12w 24l 80h could I use the same steel? Could I
go down to a 1.25" or even 1"?

Thanks Chris

That is not sufficient to hold the weight. If you step up to 1/4"
thick, you would probably be ok on the 1-1/2" angle, provided you welded
a piece of 3/4"x 1/4" flat bar edge-wise to the bottom of the angle L,
about midway across the flat should be fine. The flat in the middle of
the L will significantly increase bending strength of the angle across
the long 60" span. See sad ASCII attempt below:

|_
|


--
Anthony

You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just make
better idiots.

Remove sp to reply via email

I may be wrong, but I don;t think the tube will be any better than the
angle will, except it will deflect or roll a bit less when it gets
weight on it.......I still do not think it will be sufficieint for
what your looking to do, but if I am wrong I am sure someone will
point it out in short order.

On Tue, 13 Dec 2005 17:14:33 -0500, Chris
wrote:
Roy wrote:
Its not sufficient to hold that weight without a center support. I
have a stand I was given made out of 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle that was made
to support 3, 10 gal tanks (20" long each for total of 60" OAL) and
the center bowed quite significantly.




really? so i would be better off using 1" tube? it's only 30 cents
more
a foot lol but when your counting in the hundreds of feet it makes a
diff...

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

But if the 10 gallon tanks were side by side on a 60" span this would
not be uniform weight distribution, Whereas a single 60" tank would be
unifor weight distribution to the ends and less in the center, actually
you could suspend said tank on a set of cinderblocks on the edges with
just a 1/4" ply spanning the top and would see no center deflection


Chris

Roy wrote:
I may be wrong, but I don;t think the tube will be any better than the
angle will, except it will deflect or roll a bit less when it gets
weight on it.......I still do not think it will be sufficieint for
what your looking to do, but if I am wrong I am sure someone will
point it out in short order.

On Tue, 13 Dec 2005 17:14:33 -0500, Chris
wrote:
Roy wrote:

Its not sufficient to hold that weight without a center support. I
have a stand I was given made out of 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle that was made
to support 3, 10 gal tanks (20" long each for total of 60" OAL) and
the center bowed quite significantly.





really? so i would be better off using 1" tube? it's only 30 cents
more
a foot lol but when your counting in the hundreds of feet it makes a
diff...

This is true, but your not talking about suspending a tank..your
talking about "supporting" the weight on a frame. An aquarium needs
firm support, and if it is positioned so it spans a bowed section and
not firmly seated on a frame support it puts additional stress on the
siliconed seals. Suspending, your only talking about deflection of
suspended weight not the load applied, if its at the 4 corners, where
its suspended at, then those 4 corners do the load holding,,,,,,not
the same as supporting it with 4 legs and loading it up. Its your ball
game though, so use what you think is gonna work, but IMHO I for one
sure wold not trust the size material to "Support" the load your
talking about. Still supporting it at the 4 corners and having a span
of 60"s the frame will still bow with 2 individual tanks setting on
it.........Suspending with one tank end to end on the 60's inches will
transfer part of the load and weight to the tank itself, if the tank
itself is part of the frame.....the height of the tank becomes part of
the framework, not the case if the tank is just setting on the frame.

On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 00:25:37 -0500, Chris
wrote:
But if the 10 gallon tanks were side by side on a 60" span this would
not be uniform weight distribution, Whereas a single 60" tank would be

unifor weight distribution to the ends and less in the center,
actually
you could suspend said tank on a set of cinderblocks on the edges with

just a 1/4" ply spanning the top and would see no center deflection


Chris

Roy wrote:
I may be wrong, but I don;t think the tube will be any better than the
angle will, except it will deflect or roll a bit less when it gets
weight on it.......I still do not think it will be sufficieint for
what your looking to do, but if I am wrong I am sure someone will
point it out in short order.

On Tue, 13 Dec 2005 17:14:33 -0500, Chris
wrote:
Roy wrote:

Its not sufficient to hold that weight without a center support. I
have a stand I was given made out of 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle that was made
to support 3, 10 gal tanks (20" long each for total of 60" OAL) and
the center bowed quite significantly.





really? so i would be better off using 1" tube? it's only 30 cents
more
a foot lol but when your counting in the hundreds of feet it makes a
diff...


--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....