T-slot stand. Will 3030 be enough?

[themindfields]

Hello, i'm going to build stand for new 60g tank. I consider using 3030 t-slots bars. They're 30x30mm (about 1.18") but my only concern is would it be solid and robust enough to support the weight of about 400kg (880lbs) load.
Tank is around 35x20x20" (90x50x50cm). The stand would be little bit weider because of external waterflow box - 43x20x34" (110x50x86cm).
Maybe anybody has 3030 stand for similar tank? Any hints would be appreciated

 

[Quietman]

Oh yeah...that'll do. For that weight you could even go 1" (25mm), or even the "Ready Tube" (8020) or similar. 1000 lbs isn't much for industrial support. Most aquarium hobbyists go way overboard on design simply because we're not usually aware of the strength of materials and people default to "well, I'll go big because I want to be sure". But big costs, is unnecessary and takes up room. So good choice on the 30 mm.

I would look into the options on hardware. Some sizes are more popular so have better accessories.

Nice looking design. You may want to allow for raising/hinging the top for access. Annoying to bang into light but if you move it, you can't see in tank so something to consider. Last suggestion...casters. I have them on my RSR170 (see build thread) and won't have a tank without them. I don't move tank often, but when you need to, there's nothing like having them there.

Good luck.

 

[rtparty]

The connectors are far more important so the stand doesn’t fold on itself. 3030 should be plenty but make sure the connections are super sturdy

 

[Reign1]

Ok, starting to do preliminary research for a stand for my aquarium and ran into your thread. Not wanting to hijack it but was almost about to start my own thread.
I have a 30x30x30 never seen water cube from GC (got it cheap) but has wood stand that is not open. Really contemplating doing this 8020 stand. What are the costs in making your stand?

 

[Quietman]

Just ball parking it from running some design costs you're looking from 3x cost minimum over wood. For a simple 30x30x32H - you'd be looking at approx $300-$400 depending on profile and that's without bottom or top, skin, doors, casters or feet. A 3/4 plywood stand that you can paint/formica - you should be able to do for half of just the 8020 frame and have it fairly open.

That's also not counting the charge for design work (if you go with 3rd party). For a simple stand you can probably do that yourself if you handy with basic drawings or can find freeware design tools.

My next stand will be 8020 even with the cost as I think it's worth it for being more open for access by removing panels, stronger and lighter but if cost is primary concern then wood wins out every time.

 

[themindfields]

@Reign1 Unfortunately it won't be an easy task for me to answer your question 'cause i'm from EU so prices are much different but i'll try my best.
For my stand I assume I will need around 14000mm (~550") of 3030 T-Slot profile. In Poland it will cost me around 225$ + costs of all accessories like screws, plates, corner bracket and ofc it's without any covering with wood or sth.
Is it much? I would say yes, comparing it to costs of living, but still it's 2/3 of price I paid for high quality 60g display tank, so not so much comparing to other reef accessories.
Companies which I'm going to buy profiles from offer profiles of 6063 t66 aluminium. It’s not best but not bad either. Different aluminium types are characterized with different flow stress coefficient and that's an important factor of how much weight a single bar can hold without additional supporting pillar.
If you'd like to design your stand by yourself I could help you with really basic and simple calculations for maximum load.

 

[Reign1]

@Reign1 Unfortunately it won't be an easy task for me to answer your question 'cause i'm from EU so prices are much different but i'll try my best.
For my stand I assume I will need around 14000mm (~550") of 3030 T-Slot profile. In Poland it will cost me around 225$ + costs of all accessories like screws, plates, corner bracket and ofc it's without any covering with wood or sth.
Is it much? I would say yes, comparing it to costs of living, but still it's 2/3 of price I paid for high quality 60g display tank, so not so much comparing to other reef accessories.
Companies which I'm going to buy profiles from offer profiles of 6063 t66 aluminium. It’s not best but not bad either. Different aluminium types are characterized with different flow stress coefficient and that's an important factor of how much weight a single bar can hold without additional supporting pillar.
If you'd like to design your stand by yourself I could help you with really basic and simple calculations for maximum load.

Appreciate that. I mean I have a stand but it will not allow much (if any access) and I have always been a fan of open sump. I dont really have much into the tank ($350 for a 117gal. cube). I think due to the square shape of tank it isnt going to need to much support.

 

[themindfields]

Appreciate that. I mean I have a stand but it will not allow much (if any access) and I have always been a fan of open sump. I dont really have much into the tank ($350 for a 117gal. cube). I think due to the square shape of tank it isnt going to need to much support.

So 4 legs and imho main question would be 4040 vs 6030 for it.

 

[Quietman]

Didn't realize you were in the EU. You have a 1" aluminum tube product over there that has metal plastic covered connectors different brand names. Here the connectors are simply solid molded plastic which I don't trust not to deform over time. That would also work very well...I've seen a build or two on here using it for some very large tanks.

 

[Reign1]

Didn't realize you were in the EU. You have a 1" aluminum tube product over there that has metal plastic covered connectors different brand names. Here the connectors are simply solid molded plastic which I don't trust not to deform over time. That would also work very well...I've seen a build or two on here using it for some very large tanks.

Tidal Gardens comes to mind w/ 500 gallons on these stands

 

[Quietman]

Tidal Gardens comes to mind w/ 500 gallons on these stands

They used T-slot profile and if I remember a fairly large profile. I was referring to the "tube" type aluminum. I think 8020 calls it Quick Frame. Again, I wouldn't use it with the standard connectors because they're plastic and I haven't seen any information on how they hold up under load. But in the EU you can find metal core connectors for that profile that are naturally much stronger and resistant to deformation. However, back to our perception...looking at 6 or 7 foot 300 gallon tank on 1 in tube every 24" just looks....scary. Even though it can be fine if designed correctly.

 

[TheAgileSlug]

I hope I'm not hijacking this thread.

I've been considering building a DIY T-slot stand (~24"x24"x36") for my aquarium and trying to weigh the pros and cons of doing it myself versus purchasing from companies like FramingTech, Alufab, etc. While FramingTech's stands seem to be on the pricier side, their construction appears to be quite robust. Based on their descriptions, it looks like they're using 45mm (possibly 4545) extrusions.

I've seen some people mention that using 3030 profiles should be more than enough for a stand, so I'm curious as to why FramingTech opts for the 45mm profiles.

If I decide to build a DIY stand with 3030 profiles, should I be concerned about its structural integrity? Is it worth spending the extra money on a pre-built stand from a company like FramingTech, or would a DIY stand with 3030 profiles suffice? I'd appreciate any input or advice!

 

[Quietman]

I hope I'm not hijacking this thread.

I've been considering building a DIY T-slot stand (~24"x24"x36") for my aquarium and trying to weigh the pros and cons of doing it myself versus purchasing from companies like FramingTech, Alufab, etc. While FramingTech's stands seem to be on the pricier side, their construction appears to be quite robust. Based on their descriptions, it looks like they're using 45mm (possibly 4545) extrusions.

I've seen some people mention that using 3030 profiles should be more than enough for a stand, so I'm curious as to why FramingTech opts for the 45mm profiles.

If I decide to build a DIY stand with 3030 profiles, should I be concerned about its structural integrity? Is it worth spending the extra money on a pre-built stand from a company like FramingTech, or would a DIY stand with 3030 profiles suffice? I'd appreciate any input or advice!

You could design your own and just use a simple box design (12 piece cube) and not worry about fancy machining. From a vertical load standpoint for that size tank even a 1" profile will be fine. But as I said before...the human eye equates strength with mass so most go with thicker just because your eye doesn't trust it. If you're going to show off the aluminum then there's ascetics to consider which can also lead you to higher dimension profiles. But vertical load alone it's not necessary.

The other consideration is torsion stress (someone bumping into the stand, or if you have it on casters). I'd recommend a few (not every joint) triangle corner braces (not machined profiles) or one or two diagonal machined pieces or just attach a backing and top of plywood using brackets from profile to wood. You don't need to protect it against a truck hitting it, just a guest from the accidental bump.

If all that makes you go "I don't know if I can do that", then go with a pro. Peace of mind can be worth quite a bit of investment.

 

[OnePuffMan]

A little late to the party, but check out Angle Lock They have a pretty unique system that handles stress well. I personally have not used it, but I would if that was my build.