Aluminum Stand design

[Mirkus]

I'm looking at building an aluminum stand for a 150-180 gallon glass aquarium. Which design is better and more suited for earthquake prone CA?

One version has a "frame" built on top of the legs while the other has tank sitting on the legs.

version 1


version 2

not my pictures..btw

 

[Dragon52]

I'd rather have the legs for leveling then just laying it on the floor.

 

[Mirkus]

Sorry, I wasn't referring to the leveling legs. Assume both design use leveling legs. It's the difference in how the tank sits on the stand.

 

[Dragon52]

Sorry, I wasn't referring to the leveling legs. Assume both design use leveling legs. It's the difference in how the tank sits on the stand.

Ok, I still prefer #1, much better support to me

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I see specs for the bolts but none for the aluminum thickness?

 

[BZOFIQ]

Can't go wrong with FramingTech, just bought my second stand for water change station/quarantine/settling tank.

The stand here is a great option, although I prefer them tallerr and ordered mine @ 46" tall.

72x24x36 Aquarium Stand (Kit-form)

www.framingtech.com

Top is made from 45x90mm profiles and legs and bottom out of 45x45mm profiles - Plenty strong.

Drawing here has the specs...

 

[BZOFIQ]

BTW, to change specs I worked with Anthony Battaglia on both occasions - I loved their stand so much, I came back for more.

 

[*HOVA*]

Can't go wrong with FramingTech, just bought my second stand for water change station/quarantine/settling tank.

The stand here is a great option, although I prefer them tallerr and ordered mine @ 46" tall.

72x24x36 Aquarium Stand (Kit-form)

www.framingtech.com

Top is made from 45x90mm profiles and legs and bottom out of 45x45mm profiles - Plenty strong.

Drawing here has the specs...

Do you have a list of the parts involved in this? It is a great design but it seems part of the cost is probably for their design and instructions. Wouldn't it be less expensive to purchase the parts individually and assemble yourself?

 

[BZOFIQ]

Do you have a list of the parts involved in this? It is a great design but it seems part of the cost is probably for their design and instructions. Wouldn't it be less expensive to purchase the parts individually and assemble yourself?

You can just buy the parts yourself but it would be a lot of work to use the same fastener method they use on their stand. If you don't use them, connecting hardware can add up very quickly.

They do quick connect fasteners on their stands and so there is machining involved. You can also buy a jig they sell and machine the ends yourself for quick-connect if you have the equipment and proper 14mm bit. That said, if you piece it all together you will see that the price for design/load simulation and machining is negligible.

I have since received the second stand and all is perfect. Couldn't be happier!

I have also built a custom RO filter housing/mounting bracket out of 30x30 profiles and absolutely love working with it. You can use a miter saw with fine blade for perfect cuts, just feed it slowly. All in all, great material to work with and if you spend some time planning and learning about different connectors and fasteners available, you can build amazing stuff out of it. There is so many different attachments to organize cables, RO tubing, and mount stuff - your imagination is the only limit; well, that and your budget.


Additionally, watch Framing Tech for their discounts. I was able to knock $$$ off that way.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Here are screenshots of the 2 I bought...

Don't mind the wacky sizes, that is what I requested. Yours will be built to your specs.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I'm looking at building an aluminum stand for a 150-180 gallon glass aquarium. Which design is better and more suited for earthquake prone CA?

One version has a "frame" built on top of the legs while the other has tank sitting on the legs.

version 1


version 2

not my pictures..btw

I think version 2 is ok for smaller tanks, but 120+ you'd be better off with version1. This is what I came up with for my 180, Anthony & Co. is building it right now. I'd like to add if earthquakes are your concern, add additional angle extrusions for support with regards to racking (side to side motion).

Large Build - Rob's Really Rad 180 Reef Rally

Making good progress on the room, slapping primer on tomorrow! The pic before was from yesterday after my last coat of mud. Did the sanding tonight. Would have taken a pic of that had I been able to see thru the dust lol!

www.reef2reef.com

 

[*HOVA*]

You can just buy the parts yourself but it would be a lot of work to use the same fastener method they use on their stand. If you don't use them, connecting hardware can add up very quickly.

They do quick connect fasteners on their stands and so there is machining involved. You can also buy a jig they sell and machine the ends yourself for quick-connect if you have the equipment and proper 14mm bit. That said, if you piece it all together you will see that the price for design/load simulation and machining is negligible.

I have since received the second stand and all is perfect. Couldn't be happier!

I have also built a custom RO filter housing/mounting bracket out of 30x30 profiles and absolutely love working with it. You can use a miter saw with fine blade for perfect cuts, just feed it slowly. All in all, great material to work with and if you spend some time planning and learning about different connectors and fasteners available, you can build amazing stuff out of it. There is so many different attachments to organize cables, RO tubing, and mount stuff - your imagination is the only limit; well, that and your budget.


Additionally, watch Framing Tech for their discounts. I was able to knock $$$ off that way.

Hey thanks for the insight, appreciate it! I’ll be watching for their discounts

 

[RobB'z Reef]

The hardware on tnutz.com is really inexpensive and you can put together a stand on the cheap for sure. However the internal connection methods using the universal connectors with the counter bores will undeniably result in a stronger stand.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

I didn't like any of the available commercial options and decided to build my own stand for my 220. It's made from 6" aluminum channel. My biggest reason for building my own was no center brace.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I didn't like any of the available commercial options and decided to build my own stand for my 220. It's made from 6" aluminum channel. My biggest reason for building my own was no center brace.

haha, are you a center brace bigot? Most ppl don't have the ability to tig weld at home, but that's a very nice and beefy stand! Also, I like your water containment barrier idea.

 

[BZOFIQ]

The stand looks beefy but we don't have a weight analysis to compare apples to apples and see your actual deflection to see if it would fall within what FramingTech deems acceptable. That said that top member looks very wide and so it's probably overbuilt anyway.

Perhaps we are overthinking (and overbuilding) it with a center brace. I had mine (2) moved closer to the middle so I have large openings to service my 6ft sump. The stand itself is 46" tall (by request) so I have ton of overhead above the huge sump and straight on view of the display.

People build long stands out of particle board and I don't think weight analysis is available for that either, yet these stands are sold by many.

My original idea was to build the stand out of euro-ply which besides the cost-benefit would probably give you most interior space of any stand technology available. That said, I don't regret going with alu-profile type stand and can recommend without reservation.

@Ratherbeflyen What is the cost of the Raw Aluminum Chanel like the one you used?

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

haha, are you a center brace bigot? Most ppl don't have the ability to tig weld at home, but that's a very nice and beefy stand! Also, I like your water containment barrier idea.

I guess I'll wear the center brace bigot title. I hate center braces, and they are usually not needed at all.

For this project I used aluminum wire. These days you can buy a combination mig, tig, and stick welder for ~$650 with everything included but a gas bottle.

UNLIMITED 200 Professional Multi-Process Welder with 120/240V Input

Amazing deals on this Unlimited 200 Pro Multiprocess Welder at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

@Ratherbeflyen What is the cost of the Raw Aluminum Chanel like the one you used?

My cost was less than $300, but it was part of a much bigger order for a commercial project that got a big bulk discount. Usually aluminum costs ~5x more than steel, but aluminum weighs ~1/2 as much. It would have cost me more to use steel and have it powder coated than using aluminum.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Great pics supporting your point.