Anyone with 80/20 aluminum experience?

[AquaCox]

So long story short I have a new 300dd tank. I have already build a basic 2x4 stand for it and have the tank on the stand, but I'm not the best wood worker and I don't think the stand is 100% level or square although some of it could be my floor (real old house) and im just not really happy with it. It's super sturdy and I'm sure it will hold but still I'm consider building a new stand from 80/20 aluminum, paryou because I would build it with premeasured sizes and just be bolting it together so it would be perfectly level and square, and also I partly just want to build it cuz I think they look great haha. Anyway I'm just lookin for anyone that has experience using the stuff to suggest what sizes or series pieces I should consider using.

 

[MrDJeep123]

Friendly :bump2:

 

[vtecintegra]

I ordered 4 ft pieces and cut most to length. Tank is 4 x 2 x 2 ft. You need a miter saw or order the pieces cut to length from 80/20. Connectors and hardware ended up being way more expensive than the bars, but I over built it. I used 5/16" bolts and inside corner brackets at each corner, as well as some four hole gussets. I made doors and the lift off hinges alone were $106. 18mm acrylic top was $160 and door panels over a hundred. Depends on what you want, simple corner brackets and no doors will save a lot. I used 15 series which is 1 1/2" for the frame and 10 series/1" for the door frames. Made the light hanger out of T-slot while I was at it.

 

[AquaCox]

I ordered 4 ft pieces and cut most to length. Tank is 4 x 2 x 2 ft. You need a miter saw or order the pieces cut to length from 80/20. Connectors and hardware ended up being way more expensive than the bars, but I over built it. I used 5/16" bolts and inside corner brackets at each corner, as well as some four hole gussets. I made doors and the lift off hinges alone were $106. 18mm acrylic top was $160 and door panels over a hundred. Depends on what you want, simple corner brackets and no doors will save a lot. I used 15 series which is 1 1/2" for the frame and 10 series/1" for the door frames. Made the light hanger out of T-slot while I was at it.

Thanks for the info! I have seen your stand before, it looks fantastic!!!

 

[1000_smiles]

I ordered 4 ft pieces and cut most to length. Tank is 4 x 2 x 2 ft. You need a miter saw or order the pieces cut to length from 80/20. Connectors and hardware ended up being way more expensive than the bars, but I over built it. I used 5/16" bolts and inside corner brackets at each corner, as well as some four hole gussets. I made doors and the lift off hinges alone were $106. 18mm acrylic top was $160 and door panels over a hundred. Depends on what you want, simple corner brackets and no doors will save a lot. I used 15 series which is 1 1/2" for the frame and 10 series/1" for the door frames. Made the light hanger out of T-slot while I was at it.

Beautiful stand. Would you happen to have a parts list? Thanks

 

[reefwiser]

You can order 80/20 from a local distributor. Just get the lengths that you need. I have build many things over the past 40 years as a industrial maintenance man.
He is my latest fish tank stand

I use the quickframe 80/20 product. As it is better designed for aquariums.
In Europe it is common to use it for an aquarium stand.

Here is 160 gallon stand made with quickframe.

 

[TJ's Reef]

Even being a long time Woodworkers in furniture and cabinetry I still think these 80/20 stands look amazing. Very impressive pieces ^above^

Cheers, Todd

 

[SeeingGreen]

Check out price engineering in Hartland (Hartford?) they will do cts pieces. And have a design program to help you get your build figured out before you start.

 

[AquaCox]

You can order 80/20 from a local distributor. Just get the lengths that you need. I have build many things over the past 40 years as a industrial maintenance man.
He is my latest fish tank stand

I use the quickframe 80/20 product. As it is better designed for aquariums.
In Europe it is common to use it for an aquarium stand.

Here is 160 gallon stand made with quickframe.

I haven't looked into the quickframe version, for some reason it just doesn't look as sturdy to me but since there are no open tslots you can't tell how thick the walls are...What local distributor do you use? If you're in Louisville I just live about 40 min north of you...Thanks