Rocket Engineer Question - Making it wider than the tank

[vcnt]

So I want to make a stand for my 125 gallon (72ishX18ish), but i want to be able to fit a 40B under, so i would need to make it a bit wider.

Would this be an issue?

Would I need to modify the design plan at all, or just make it 21 or something inches wide

 

[UncommonSense]

So I want to make a stand for my 125 gallon (72ishX18ish), but i want to be able to fit a 40B under, so i would need to make it a bit wider.

Would this be an issue?

Would I need to modify the design plan at all, or just make it 21 or something inches wide

Why not just have the 40B sit on top of the bottom framing, vs. inside it?

Then the stand framing only needs to be 18” wide, and you can skin the framing to have your cabinet doors stand proud of the framing/sump!

 

[vcnt]

Why not just have the 40B sit on top of the bottom framing, vs. inside it?

Then the stand framing only needs to be 18” wide, and you can skin the framing to have your cabinet doors stand proud of the framing/sump!

Are you saying have the 40 breeder sitting ontop the two bottom red, rather than between them (Yellow Vs White)

 

[mfinn]

So I want to make a stand for my 125 gallon (72ishX18ish), but i want to be able to fit a 40B under, so i would need to make it a bit wider.

Would this be an issue?

Would I need to modify the design plan at all, or just make it 21 or something inches wide

Why would there be a issue?
If you are making it,,, just make it wider to fit the equipment.

 

[vcnt]

Why would there be a issue?
If you are making it,,, just make it wider to fit the equipment.

was not sure if it would be an issue having the stand corners not line up w the tank corners

 

[Fish Fan]

was not sure if it would be an issue having the stand corners not line up w the tank corners

I get your concern, I think

Why not just have the 40B sit on top of the bottom framing, vs. inside it?

Then the stand framing only needs to be 18” wide, and you can skin the framing to have your cabinet doors stand proud of the framing/sump!

Brother, I love you, but don't follow you here

The front to back footprint of a standard 125 and a 40B is the same ~18". How can the footprint of the 125 be fully supported by the vertical 2x4 frame if the width of the 40B is the same as the 125? What am I missing in your design plan here? I'm sure it's just me

Now, I'm not saying that the 125 *needs* to be fully supported, I believe you could *build this out* a bit more, and use some front-to-back 2x4 supports, 3/4" plywood top, etc. to make this safe for the 125, and allow for the 40B underneath, is what I'd do

 

[JayM]

was not sure if it would be an issue having the stand corners not line up w the tank corners

It won’t be a problem. I built my stand 100% out of plywood and it’s about 6” bigger than the width of the tank. I wanted to be able to put the stand against the wall, yet it needed extra width to account for the overflow.

 

[Fish Fan]

It won’t be a problem. I built my stand 100% out of plywood and it’s about 6” bigger than the width of the tank. I wanted to be able to put the stand against the wall, yet it needed extra width to account for the overflow.

This is what I'd do, and now that I think about it, likely what @UncommonSense was advising above, but I just know realized that

Carry on.....

 

[UncommonSense]

Are you saying have the 40 breeder sitting ontop the two bottom red, rather than between them (Yellow Vs White)

That is precisely what I’m saying! Box in that bottom framing and clad the top of said framing in plywood to make a cabinet bottom!

I get your concern, I think


Brother, I love you, but don't follow you here

The front to back footprint of a standard 125 and a 40B is the same ~18". How can the footprint of the 125 be fully supported by the vertical 2x4 frame if the width of the 40B is the same as the 125? What am I missing in your design plan here? I'm sure it's just me

Now, I'm not saying that the 125 *needs* to be fully supported, I believe you could *build this out* a bit more, and use some front-to-back 2x4 supports, 3/4" plywood top, etc. to make this safe for the 125, and allow for the 40B underneath, is what I'd do

Ah! I see what you mean there!

If a front/rear center support was used in this design, the 40B definitely would not fit! However, 2x6-2x8 are sufficient to support a 6ft span without center supports!

Granted, this inevitably makes the stand taller, so it really comes down to how much space you’d have between 40B’s top rim and the stand’s top framing to fit a skimmer/etc in…

 

[Fish Fan]

That is precisely what I’m saying! Box in that bottom framing and clad the top of said framing in plywood to make a cabinet bottom!


Ah! I see what you mean there!

If a front/rear center support was used in this design, the 40B definitely would not fit! However, 2x6-2x8 are sufficient to support a 6ft span without center supports!

Granted, this inevitably makes the stand taller, so it really comes down to how much space you’d have between 40B’s top rim and the stand’s top framing to fit a skimmer/etc in…

Yep! I gotcha now, and building it out a little further to fit the 40B sump would be exactly my plan too

 

[vcnt]

That is precisely what I’m saying! Box in that bottom framing and clad the top of said framing in plywood to make a cabinet bottom!

Alright figured such… was just making sure

Granted, this inevitably makes the stand taller, so it really comes down to how much space you’d have between 40B’s top rim and the stand’s top framing to fit a skimmer/etc in…

Yeah was considering that

Part of the reason for the tank upgrade (tall 110 to a long 125) is the shorter height, I’m 5 8 and I don’t want to have to stand o na chair and get elbow deep to grab a fallen coral, and my 125 I can easily reach the bottom

 

[UncommonSense]

Alright figured such… was just making sure

Yeah was considering that

Part of the reason for the tank upgrade (tall 110 to a long 125) is the shorter height, I’m 5 8 and I don’t want to have to stand o na chair and get elbow deep to grab a fallen coral, and my 125 I can easily reach the bottom

So the decision at this point is target stand height:

— you can go with pretty much any height if you are planning to use a stepstool/ladder, or mini scaffold to do your work on the tank every time it’s needed… though that’s exactly what it sounds like; extra maintenance steps!

— you can plan your stand height so you can comfortably reach in while standing in front of it! This is as simple as standing up straight and measuring from ground to armpit, this is right around your max tank rim height to ensure that you aren’t getting on tip-toe or using a stepstool to get arm(s) in the tank… (this does mean your stand’s cabinet height is reduced, thus you could end up in a situation where a skimmer or other bulky equipment doesn’t physically fit in the sump once installed!)

(measure carefully before executing to make sure you aren’t building yourself into a corner, basically!)