A stand plan and a tricky little corner

[SallyWho]

Great Caesar's ghost, this is giving me headaches! Now, this is my very first try with any sort of 3D modeling software, so not everything is flush and beautiful and to scale, but it's close(ish). I wanted you guys to take a look at it and see if what I've been planning is stupid. The tank will be a 4x2x2 120, and the stand will be 6' long, 30" wide, and 36" tall. I'm building the stand bigger because I want extra room in the sump area, a place to set stuff down while cleaning and feeding, and a longer stand is sort of the look I want for my living room. Most of the frame will be 2x4s, with the top frame being 2x6s- clarifying because I think I forgot that part while I was trying to figure out how to model the dang thing on my computer, so all the lumber looks to be about the same size. The boards on which the weight of the tank will be resting are colored brown- those three "joists" in the top frame, and the two vertical supports underneath them on the back. The red colored board is the part that I can't figure out. Right now, that red board is supporting the front of the tank, and if I'm not mistaken, all that weight is going to sit on the screws holding that red board to its neighbors. Again, if I'm not mistaken, I want every tank-weight-bearing board supported all the way to the floor so that I'm not depending on just screws to hold the weight. Right? But see? My angles are weird. The red board is 90° against the frame. How do I support that red board without sticking a space-eating column smack dab through the edges of my sump space, or blocking the areas where I want to put my electrical cabinet, etc? I was thinking perhaps a triangle shaped piece of wood joining the red board to the frame board, which might transfer some of the weight across and down? I'm not a terribly experienced carpenter (though I really want to try to do this myself!), so I might be thinking through this the wrong way. What are your thoughts? Do I even need to support the ends of the red board? How would you go about doing it? Are there any other obvious concerns you see? Thanks so much, guys!

Note: I'm a dingus. I forgot to include the boards that will help support the top frame. Basically, under each of the four corners, there will be a piece of 2x4 that will fit neatly in the space created by the overhang of the top frame and the butt of the bottom frame. Those four corners, plus the center support in the front and the two supports in the back should keep it from collapsing.

 

[P-Dub]

Looking at that, your support is woefully inadequate at the front? of the tank. The brown "joists" are not at all supported at the front where attached to the Red beam. You are going to have to run the joists the complete length, front to back and then place that red "beam" Under the joists and have the red beam supported with posts running vertically at both ends of the tank under the beam. Additionally, the back ends of the joists are not properly supported. Ideally, you will have posts running vertically, directly under the back of the joists. The face joints alone will not be adequate even with strong ties, that will rust anyway. The face joints to the rear cross beam are like attaching joists to a ledger board but in a deck, for example, you would be using lumber ties, which will not work well for a tank. In a nutshell, build the top frame and the bottom frame and support under the frame at all joints vertically where the tank will be sitting. I don't have 3D auto cad but I could draw it up for you. I like the concept of the overhang a lot.

 

[GnarleyMarley]

^+1 I did the same thing with my 120, I built an 8' stand. You definitely need to need up your support directly under the tank. When building a stand you want to transfer the weight directly to the floor through upright supports, you do not want all the weight to be held up by screws or nails.

Here is a link to my build thread, feel free to steal any ideas that help

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/gnarleys-120-build-thread.268929/

 

[P-Dub]

^^Nice!^^ Yup, that's the way to do it!

 

[SallyWho]

See? THAT'S why I wanted experienced builders to look at this! I hadn't considered the lack of support along the front for those brown boards. So would I be better off just building a regular-sized stand for a 120, and then just tacking on extra framing around the perimeter to make the extra room? I was rather hoping to have all sorts of open space underneath, but I guess having supports coming down 1' in from each side won't be as bad as dropping a beam right down the middle. @GnarleyMarley that is a sweet looking stand you built there!

 

[GnarleyMarley]

Yea I was not a fan of having to put the supports in either, but I'd rather loose a little space than loose the whole tank lol. I kinda built a 4x2 stand then added 5.5" around for a tabletop, then added 2 cabinets on either side. It works, I'm sure I overbuilt it, just keep in mind the width of your door. My 1st stand I built 36x36.....couldnt get it in a door lol

 

[SallyWho]

Yea I was not a fan of having to put the supports in either, but I'd rather loose a little space than loose the whole tank lol. I kinda built a 4x2 stand then added 5.5" around for a tabletop, then added 2 cabinets on either side. It works, I'm sure I overbuilt it, just keep in mind the width of your door. My 1st stand I built 36x36.....couldnt get it in a door lol

Hahaha! I figure I'll max it out at 30" wide so I can get it through my door!

 

[Mandelstam]

If you want a better way to support those three short joists going under the tank, here's a way you could do it instead. I just made a quick sketch in SketchUp to show the principle.

If the outer frame is say 2x4 you can make the shorter supports out of 2x2's (they are shorter and there are a few of them to share the load). Instead of screwing into the end wood (which is never good) you put another 2x2 along the inside of the outer frame that the joists will rest on. Then you can just spam this with screws all along the frame. You will fit a lot more screws in to share the load AND they will be oriented the right way to the grain of the wood for maximum strength.

This principle can be scaled to other dimensions of lumber as well.

 

[George Lopez]

You can always disaster the red beam. Glue and screw

 

[George Lopez]

Sister*

 

[Brew12]

Hahaha! I figure I'll max it out at 30" wide so I can get it through my door!

I have a 30" wide tank and had to build my stand with no trim, along with pulling doors off of hinges, to get it in my office.

Some day I'll make the trim for it....

 

[P-Dub]

Yea I was not a fan of having to put the supports in either, but I'd rather loose a little space than loose the whole tank lol. I kinda built a 4x2 stand then added 5.5" around for a tabletop, then added 2 cabinets on either side. It works, I'm sure I overbuilt it, just keep in mind the width of your door. My 1st stand I built 36x36.....couldnt get it in a door lol

You did not overbuild it. It is just right. Looks good and well thought out.

 

[P-Dub]

See? THAT'S why I wanted experienced builders to look at this! I hadn't considered the lack of support along the front for those brown boards. So would I be better off just building a regular-sized stand for a 120, and then just tacking on extra framing around the perimeter to make the extra room? I was rather hoping to have all sorts of open space underneath, but I guess having supports coming down 1' in from each side won't be as bad as dropping a beam right down the middle. @GnarleyMarley that is a sweet looking stand you built there!

I would incorporate some of the dimensional lumber, say the joist, into the overall stand for added support. But, yes you could just build the stand and add on to it. Remember though, the outer skin of the stand will be providing the bulk of the lateral and torsional support to the overall stand so build accordingly.

 

[P-Dub]

Just to clarify what I mean... Sorry for the crude and incomplete drawing. You can also bolster support by inserting 2x2's in the corners as shown on the left side of the drawing. You can tack on additional overhangs on both sides of the tank as well just support properly for whatever your intended use is.

 

[P-Dub]

Also, I would coat all the lumber with epoxy for protection. Then when you think it's enough, add one more coat for good measure. I also used west systems epoxy mixed with Colloidal Silica when I applied the skin to the frame in addition to proper stainless fasteners when I built mine. It will never come apart, warp or get water damage to the wood.

 

[SallyWho]

Sister*

I'm still a bit new to woodworking terminology, so when I hear "sister" I think "slapping two boards together to make one board sandwich"- like taking two 2x4s and making a 4x4. Is that what you mean? If so, which board would I be sistering the red beam to?

I have a 30" wide tank and had to build my stand with no trim, along with pulling doors off of hinges, to get it in my office.

Some day I'll make the trim for it....

I'll be skinning it and making it pretty AFTER I get it in the house! Since I live alone, I'm going to leave it as a skeleton to make it light enough for me to move from the back porch (the most convenient place to build it), through the garage to the front of the house, and then through the front door, all on my own. Though I still have to figure out how to scoot it into place without scratching my floors. I feel like a big old bedsheet will have to come into play...

Just to clarify what I mean... Sorry for the crude and incomplete drawing. You can also bolster support by inserting 2x2's in the corners as shown on the left side of the drawing. You can tack on additional overhangs on both sides of the tank as well just support properly for whatever your intended use is.

That 2x2 idea isn't half bad. I'll see if I can incorporate that into Stand Plan #6,478. Seriously, I can't count the number of variations I've tried to sketch out, and what's posted above is my first attempt at digital modeling. I'll just have to try again! I really like @GnarleyMarley 's stand plans, and will likely base my next evolution off that, with a few modifications.

 

[Brew12]

Though I still have to figure out how to scoot it into place without scratching my floors. I feel like a big old bedsheet will have to come into play...

I used one of these, worked fantastic and was cheap compared to the hardwood floors I rolled the tank and stand over.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Milwaukee-1-000-lb-Capacity-Wood-Dolly/4765247

 

[George Lopez]

Yes sister is what you think and I mean to the front you'll have a plenty strong beam running across the front of your stand. That is if you need the top and bottom to be flush or you can make any overhang as others suggested.

 

[George Lopez]

this is what I did because I needed the extra depth for my dj power strip

 

[SallyWho]

this is what I did because I needed the extra depth for my dj power strip

Ahhhh, I see what you mean, now. Thanks!

I used one of these, worked fantastic and was cheap compared to the hardwood floors I rolled the tank and stand over.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Milwaukee-1-000-lb-Capacity-Wood-Dolly/4765247

Oh, $20 ain't bad! Think I'll need one for each corner, or will two suffice for the stand? I'll 100% be getting help from a few strong friends to move the actual tank- I don't trust myself to move it solo.