Stand Build Help!

[jtgordon20]

I'm in the market for a stand for my upgrade to a 40 breeder and my girlfriend wants a 5" ledge in the front and the left and right side.
I'm not sure how to build one to hold the tank and allow a 20 long sump underneath.

Can anyone steer me the right way.
Pictures would be awesome too.

Thank you!!

 

[dedubya]

copy pasted this from another site not my original idea but this is what i use for all mine and trust me theese are solid and cost under 30$ i could park a truck on mine

DIY Stands Template and Calculator

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The reason for starting this thread is to provide a template for a relatively simple DIY stand design. This design is a compilation of several designs into one place and includes the calculations needed to generate a cut list for any custom design.

The basic principle of the design is two box frames connected by four legs. The upper one supports the tank and transfers the load to the legs. The legs are made of several pieces of 2X4 to assist in construction and sheething the stand in plywood for strength and cosmetics. The bottom frame transmits the load of the tank into the floor.


Design notes:
*The plan for this stand consists of 21 pieces. Like color pieces are the same length and of the same board size.
*The box frames are screwed together first, then the legs are built off the bottom frame, the top frame is then placed on top and secured to the legs.
*The green pieces are screw strips. These provide limited load strength but serve to make assembly easier and help keep the stand square.
*The blue piece between the upper rails (red) works to keep the upper rails from twisting.

Ok, now to the cut list:
First off: The calculations below are based off of a stand that is "W" inches wide X "D" inches front-to-back X "H" inches high.

(2) Red - Upper Rails: Length = W
These will be sized according to length: 2X4 for 48" or less for smaller tanks (Rule of thumb is 75g-90g); 2X6 up to 72" with 125g-150g being acceptable; For longer spans and larger tanks 2X8s are recommended.

(2) Yellow - Upper Ends: Length = D-3"
Theses will be made of the same material as the upper rails.

(4) Green - Screw Strips: Length = H-2"
These 2X4s are shorter then the tank is tall.

(8) Purple - Uprights: Length varies:
- 2X4 Upper Rails: Length = H -7"
- 2X6 Upper Rails: Length = H-9"
- 2X8 Upper Rails: Length = H-10.75"
These 2X4s support the weight of the tank. The ones on the short sides of the stand provide a flat surface for attaching a plywood facing and while they do provide some strength, they are optional.

(2) Orange - Bottom Rails: Length = W
These 2X4s act to spread the weight of the tank over a larger area.

(3) Blue - Bottom Ends: Length = D-3"

Covering the sides of the stand with plywood will help to stiffen the stand against twisting and shifting. Doors can be mounted to the legs as desired.

So there it is. 21 pieces in 6 lenghts equals a tank stand that should fit the bill for most people. There are other plans out there but this is a simple design using simple tools and common wood sizes. It may not suit everyone's application but it should fit the bill for most common size tanks.

Should someone wish to have me calculate beam strengths for a specific application, PM me with the tank dimensions and I will be happy to run the numbers.

Happy building.

 

[jtgordon20]

I know of that one from that other site ;) but how could I ensure it will hold the top tank and allow a ledge around?

 

[dedubya]

i put a piece of plywood on top of mine just cut it to the size you want leaving the 5" on the sides/front extra

 

[Alex27]

What is the 5" ledge for?

 

[jtgordon20]

The ledge is merely for looks and for putting a drink on while staring at the tank.

 

[h0ndap0w3r]

the best part of tank keep, staring at it for hours...haha

 

[jtgordon20]

Of course!!! Hahaha

 

[rjcranor]

You could also use the above structure and 45 cut 2×8's laying flat and screw it down for your ledge. You can add extra trim depending how fancy or detailed you want it

 

[jtgordon20]

That's a good idea
There's no way to build the whole stand 5 inches extra on the front and sides?

 

[Alex27]

if the plan is for placing objects on the stand, then just make a 3/4" plywood top and have it be the extra 5" all around. Since it won't be for heavy objects it will be fine. I made a stand with 6" ledge all around and supported it with framing. the purpose of this ledge was to be able to stand on it for tank maintenance. It worked out great.

90% of the stands I've built have had the illustrated framing as the foundation. I then covered them with plywood or some other product. The other 10% has beed 3/4" plywood framing, these stands have been for smaller tanks. If you want I can post a few pics of a frame I made recently for a 45 cube.

 

[Dana]

That's a good idea
There's no way to build the whole stand 5 inches extra on the front and sides?

Seems like a better idea would be having and overhang. Just makes more sense. Imagine if they built bars right up the the edge of the top, how would you sit there? Your knees wouldn't have anywhere to go....

 

[ReeferBob]

You could build a stand where the entire stand is 5" wider around the front and sides. However, proper structure for a tank is for all sidewalls of the tank to have (non sheer) support all the way from directly under the edges to the floor. Using a stand that is wider then your tank does not do this. A 40 gallon tank weighs around 500lbs fully loaded. So even if you did not follow the support from the edges to the floor recomendation, you would "probably" be ok. I still would not do it. You can build the tank with an inner support around the sides of the tank and still extend it out for your ledge.

 

[jtgordon20]

Pics would be great Alex
Also, how did you go about building the stand that allowed you to stand on the ledge? could it scale down to my size and fit my sump?

With that design, how much smaller of wood could I go with? 2x3's? Anything smaller? I need to fit my 20L and would love it if I could put it in from the front

Maybe a ledge from the plywood would work.

 

[Alex27]

Pics would be great Alex
Also, how did you go about building the stand that allowed you to stand on the ledge? could it scale down to my size and fit my sump?

With that design, how much smaller of wood could I go with? 2x3's? Anything smaller? I need to fit my 20L and would love it if I could put it in from the front

Maybe a ledge from the plywood would work.

The stand that I built with the stand on ledge was made from 2 x 6 frame all around. I don't have a pic of that one however, I do have a pic of my current stand that I finished, which also has a 6" ledge. I can stand on it if I want to because it was made for a deeper tank but I went with a shallow tank instead. Like stated it was made with the intention of being able to perform tank maintenance without having to use a ladder or stool. For your purposes I would go with 2x4 lumber. Then to provide for a ledge just place a piece of plywood on the top of the frame with the added 5".

 

[Alex27]

This is my current build the person on the stand is 190lbs. The stand is made from 2x6 framing and skinned with 1/2" plywood and topped with 3/4" plywood. The stand has 6" on the left and right and 3" front and back.

 

[gar732]

You can build the stand the overall size you want with an inner structure the size of your 40 breeder and you should still have plenty of room for your sump. I built mine out of 2x4s and I'm pretty sure you can park a small car on it, lol. I've seen a build thread where a stand was built for a 90 gallon tank with only 3/4" ply. I also talked to a carpenter that agreed that ply is plenty strong enough to support the tank. If you take a good look at how some commercial stand are made you'd see that we way overbuild ours, I guess it's just peace of mind.

Here is a pic of the stand that I made, maybe it'll give you some ideas.

And here is he build thread.
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member-tanks/32359-gabes-piece-ocean.html

 

[Alex27]

You can build the stand the overall size you want with an inner structure the size of your 40 breeder and you should still have plenty of room for your sump. I built mine out of 2x4s and I'm pretty sure you can park a small car on it, lol. I've seen a build thread where a stand was built for a 90 gallon tank with only 3/4" ply. I also talked to a carpenter that agreed that ply is plenty strong enough to support the tank. If you take a good look at how some commercial stand are made you'd see that we way overbuild ours, I guess it's just peace of mind.

Here is a pic of the stand that I made, maybe it'll give you some ideas.

And here is he build thread.
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member-tanks/32359-gabes-piece-ocean.html

Very nice build, you have some amazing wood working skills

 

[jtgordon20]

that looks great Alex! Now how is the inner structure? Can I do 2x4's and have space for my 20L sump right?

Looks good gar732. Definitely gives me more ideas.

 

[Alex27]

that looks great Alex! Now how is the inner structure? Can I do 2x4's and have space for my 20L sump right?

Looks good gar732. Definitely gives me more ideas.

The inner structure is made from a 2 x 6 frame. I'll post a couple of pics.