Let's talk DIY Plywood stands
- Thread starter kcinnick
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schuby
Valuable Member
By the way, we used a cardboard cut-out of the footprint of my sump (Triton 44 v1), to ensure it could be added and removed, when deciding on how to size the center-post. The sump has about .5-1" wiggle room when sliding it in at an angle. With that consideration, I have no known need to ever remove the center-post.
The stand was built after I received my tank from Custom Aquariums. The holes in the top of the stand were positioned based on the tank's overflow drains and pre-drilled, return bulkheads.
The stand was built after I received my tank from Custom Aquariums. The holes in the top of the stand were positioned based on the tank's overflow drains and pre-drilled, return bulkheads.
38bill
Active Member
Did the same with my cube tank stand as well as a 29G Biocube stand. Gives you more room for the sump and it looks good. My 215 had corner overflows with drains in the bottom so plumbing behind the tank wasn't an issue.
It bowed because the top was not sitting on top of the side. Just the front "beam", and small style hold up the top.
Instead of the weight just pushing down, it was pushing out and down.
Instead of the weight just pushing down, it was pushing out and down.
schuby
Valuable Member
That is very possible. The beam is screwed to the top panel all the way across. It is not screwed or glued to the side panels. I don't understand the dynamics myself.
The top panel is attached to the side panels using the strip of hard-wood with pocket screws and glue. The back of the top panel sits on top of the back panel and is attached to it using the strip of hard-wood with pocket screws and glue.
kcinnick
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How much extra space did ya'll leave when you built your stands? Tank is suppose to be 72 and 1/8" X 30 and 1/8" with trim. I was thinking 72.5" X 30.5" would be plenty of space for the top. I have mostly built racks in the past and I left a little more room than that on aquarium racks though.
schuby
Valuable Member
The 1/8" is likely on both ends so it would be +1/4" to total glass length and width. My stand has a lip surrounding the sides and front. There is less than a 1/8" gap. The stand was made after receiving the tank so actual measurements were used. I wanted the lip for my own peace-of-mind.
I doubt the filled tank could ever slide, but we do have earthquakes here in CA and I'd swear that I saw the slab floor moving during the 1994 Northridge quake. That one was a "roller" (vs a "shaker") where my bed was flopping/swaying around for seemingly 30 seconds to a minute, and I lived 60 miles away from the epicenter.
There is no lip in the back because the top panel extends out 5" in the back to cover the plumbing, drains and returns, and to give me more real estate underneath. The side lip is chiseled out of the side panel (3/4" thick with about 1/4" removed) leaving a slot for the tank. The slot ends just past the back of the tank so it is "notched" in there.
Adding a 1/2" total each way seems safe to me as a minimum size for the top, if you plan to construct the stand before the tank arrives.
I doubt the filled tank could ever slide, but we do have earthquakes here in CA and I'd swear that I saw the slab floor moving during the 1994 Northridge quake. That one was a "roller" (vs a "shaker") where my bed was flopping/swaying around for seemingly 30 seconds to a minute, and I lived 60 miles away from the epicenter.
There is no lip in the back because the top panel extends out 5" in the back to cover the plumbing, drains and returns, and to give me more real estate underneath. The side lip is chiseled out of the side panel (3/4" thick with about 1/4" removed) leaving a slot for the tank. The slot ends just past the back of the tank so it is "notched" in there.
Adding a 1/2" total each way seems safe to me as a minimum size for the top, if you plan to construct the stand before the tank arrives.
schuby
Valuable Member
No problem. What you describe sounds more like a thin moulding instead of frame, with no supportive properties.
My tank has a 1/8" frame all the way around, top and bottom. Actually, the plastic, corner pieces are 1/8" and the aluminum frame is less.
My tank has a 1/8" frame all the way around, top and bottom. Actually, the plastic, corner pieces are 1/8" and the aluminum frame is less.
MONTANTK
Valuable Member
The only thing weight bearing is the plywood sides. The white pieces were just added for decoration. They’re not fixated to the top of the stand or the bottom piece of plywood
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