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Thanks but doesn't really answer my question.What size square tube for tank stand?
So i am building stand for a 108" Long x 30" deep x 24" tall tank and im trying to determine what wall thickness tube i should use. Im planning on using 2" x 2" but not sure on the wall size. 1/4"? 1/8"? Thoughts or experience please...
Is the tank framed? If so all the load goes to the ends regardless of the size of the tubes around the perimeter at the top. This can kinda be demonstrated by looking at the relative stiffness of the wood vs glass panes in a wooden stand - even with something enormous like a 2x12 the wood would take a trivial portion of the load compared to the glass.
Consider leg levelers. They allow you to wipe spills underneath your tank too.
I wouldn’t advise 1” tube even at .125 wall… I’d go 2” sq tube myself 1/8” wall… 1” might hold but such a small weld joint and thin wall tends to warp and twist… it would be all racked outta square and cause you more of a head ache than anything.. I build large frames for a living.I'm going to piggy-back on this thread, as I have a very similar question. I have looked at the very nice analysis that was done in the mentioned thread in 2011. However, based on those findings, I believe 2x2 to be excessive overkill.
I am getting a 220 gallon, 84x24x24 outside dims. I would like to use 1x1 14 (0.08) or 11(0.12) gauge steel. The 14 is about 30% cheaper than the 11. Below is the plan I thought would work best. I need the front to be mostly open for the sump, it can't go in thru the side. If corner gussets make more sense, I'll do that instead of the long diagonal crossbars in the back.
You’re talking to one lol… I don’t have a degree in it but 30 years of hands on experience.. if you want a piece of mind go with the 2x2 and it will last you a life time… go cheap and it might work it might not… def do not use 1x1 that’s a disaster waiting to happen… 1x2 would be okay but if it were mine I’d use 2x2… you can use them calculators all you want and it’s not so much about the material like I said before 1” sq tube can hold that weight it’s the weld joints “or lack of there of” that’s the problem.
2x2 .120 wall is going to be on the overbuilt side. Consider going down to .095 wall or even .083 to save on cost. Maybe go with .120 wall for the upper perimeter frame that the tank is going to sit on, and .083 wall for everything else, this would be the best of both worlds.
Top and bottom look good.. lose the diagonals and just put a center brace in the middle on front and back.. nothing needed on the ends either. Powder coating is amazing as is rhino liner.. pick your poison lol.. lumber isn’t cheap any more either lol..
I put some on a wood stand recently. They were what put my stand out of level. Without it, it was fine. But the wiping underthings is what makes it a game.chamger.
Id pass on it myself… we’re talking over a thousand pounds sitting on it. I don’t like that thin wall material myself for anything structural but people do use it…. It reminds me of a person standing on a beer can! You can take a 200 pound person and stand on top of a beer can but the first time you move a hair or flick the can it will crumble under your foot. If it was a low boy frag tank or something sure but a large display like you’re talking is risky.
Respectfully, that is not at all the case. The entire perimeter carries the distributed load from the tank. If only the ends of the tank are supported then the front and back glass and silicone must carry and distribute that load to the ends. This puts extreme stress on the joints as well as creates significant torsional forces in the vertical panels. Think of joist blocking, without it joists under load twist.
That is not how force works. The only way a center support would cause a detrimental force would be if the It was ridged compared to sagging side.
The top framing’s primary purpose is to transfer the distributed load to the legs where they carry it in compression.
