Stand Build Project

[07FocusST]

Hey everyone,

This is my first time using any carpentry skills and wanted to share my project with everyone.

My friend and I are building a Stand for my 180G Acrylic tank. It consists of 2x4's for the skeletal structure and 2-2x4's fastened together for the vertical support. I am shooting for 1000% overkill on stability of the stand since it is my first build and because its such a large and heavy tank.

2x4's are Premium Fir from Home Depot, will be looking at 3/4" thick 8'x4's for making a floor inside the stand for the 100G to sit on, and same as the table top. The exterior faces will consist of a higher quality plywood that I can either Stain or Paint as desired.

Here are the dimensions that I am using to build the stand:

180G Tank = 72"x24"

Stand = 73"x25", Standing 42" Tall from floor to table top (where tank sits)

I am making that stand so high because I intend on using my 100G aquarium as my sump and need enough height to get it in the stand and have atleast 6" of room vertically to move stuff around.

There will be a door on each end of the stand, 3 in the front, and a sealed back. There will be more Vertical Supports added, most likely at least 2 more on the front and rear. There will also be smaller supports added width wise on the base and under the tank itself. Looking at adding atleast 3 supoprt cross braces per top and bottom.

There will be a canopy build immediatly following completion of the stand build.

FYI, There are 2x 180G tanks under the blue skimmer, and the black cabinet is actually a shorter Stand & Canopy for the 180G. I need to sell one of these setups!

Pictures to follow when progress is made. Here is something to start of with.

 

[thatguy559]

you are going to need to add 2x4s all the way around where i marked with red. the way it sits now you are relying on the sheer strength of the screws you used. the plywood will help with the stability and not making that rectangle into a parallelogram

 

[cptbjorn]

Its always better to make the weight of the tank help hold the stand together, and as you have it if the tank goes all the way to the edges it will be trying to tear the stand apart...

So +1 on adding the braces shown, so that the force is transferred from tank to wood to floor without going through any screws.

 

[07FocusST]

Thayguy559: It is in the works to add a 2x4 in that location on each corner. I just ran out of long enough 2x4's before I could add it to the corner.

cptbjorn: The stand itself will be about 1.5"-2" longer & wider than the tank itself for the reason of weight distribution.

I plan on getting a little more done today with the short amount of time I have before the wofe goes to work.

 

[DonW]

I suggest you post photos frequently to this thread. As it stands right now even with your last comment there are some serious design flaws and material waste. We wouldn't want to see your 180 come crashing down.

Don

 

[07FocusST]

I suggest you post photos frequently to this thread. As it stands right now even with your last comment there are some serious design flaws and material waste. We wouldn't want to see your 180 come crashing down.

Don

I understand, but that photo is only after day 1. I ran out of 2x4's and have alot more structure to build.

 

[DonW]

I understand, but that photo is only after day 1. I ran out of 2x4's and have alot more structure to build.

Thats what I mean by material waste. Besides unless you intend to shorten the legs by 3.5" and get a brace on top of them you will still have the same issues. When you build a stand out of wall construction lumber, your just stacking the lumber from floor to top.

Keep up the work and post pics as you go. Its just 2x4's so you can easily change things.

Don

 

[07FocusST]

No work today... I didn't even have time to run to the store and get more 2x4's. Very disappointed but the wife has to work, so..... yeah. She's also working tomorrow too so I will try and atleast get some material before she leaves.

If you are asking yourself why I can't do anything after the wife leaves it's because we have a set of 4 month old twins that need to be looked after.

 

[DonW]

No work today... I didn't even have time to run to the store and get more 2x4's. Very disappointed but the wife has to work, so..... yeah. She's also working tomorrow too so I will try and atleast get some material before she leaves.

If you are asking yourself why I can't do anything after the wife leaves it's because we have a set of 4 month old twins that need to be looked after.

You've got your priorities in line the stand can wait.

Don

 

[mcoomer]

I've attached a picture below that is a solid template for a completely overbuilt 2 X 4 stand. For a 180, that I'm assuming is 6' long, I'd add purple braces in the center of the stand, front and back. That will provide all the support you need for a 6' tank. Paint the whole thing with Kilz latex primer and you've to a stand that will support an old Cadillac and provides plenty of room to attach the skin and trim of your choice.

Another question. Are you using screws or nails? Nails can become loose over time. I'd recommend wood screws like this with either a torx or square drive head. It looks like you put 4 X 4's in the corners so I'd use at least a 4" screw to attach your 2 X 4's. Also, when you put the purple 2 X 4's in place, put a few in at the top and bottom and also a few in the middle to pull the legs together and prevent any bowing.

Mike

 

[Krish]

No work today... I didn't even have time to run to the store and get more 2x4's. Very disappointed but the wife has to work, so..... yeah. She's also working tomorrow too so I will try and atleast get some material before she leaves.

If you are asking yourself why I can't do anything after the wife leaves it's because we have a set of 4 month old twins that need to be looked after.

I know the feeling! I have a 4 year old and an almost 10 month old and life revolves around them. The stand will be done in due time. Family first!!

Good luck with the build! Should go pretty smoothly especially with the help of the members here. I love the fact that members here genuinely love to help out another reefer.

 

[07FocusST]

DonW: I have no problem putting off the stand build. It is very fun but my children are the most important thing in my life, and considering that I am only 26, I think that I have it pretty good. Wife never complains when I do anything Aquarium related, she even makes the 1 hour drive with me to Barrier Reef occasionally.

mcoomer Your diagram is about the same as I have planned. The long Red & Orange beams on your diagram will look like that on my design. I only have mine there temporarily to hold the structure together. As for the 4x4's, they're actually 2-2x4's that are glued and screwed together. The reason I used the 2x4 instead of the 4x4 is just in case I wanted to notch the ends of the vertical supports later on.

I agree with you 100% on the purple board setup and screw locations. Where the Ble Cross member boards are on your diagram, I will have atleast a total of 5 of them on the top and bottom frame each. The 2 ends, a center, and what I call the Quater boards which are literally a Quarter of the total distance between the 2 end boards. I am debating about adding a 3 long Red & Orange beam in the middle of the top and bottom frame. There will be either 3/4" plywood of 2x4's making the flat table top for the tank to sit on. I haven't decided yet.

Again, I ran out of 2x4's and this being my 1st project I am going by the trail-n-error method. The error part being where I would change up the structure if I dont like it. Not the tank collapsing.

The tank is 6'x2'x2', I am using 3" Deck screws where they can fit without protruding thru the wood. I also have 2" deck screws for shallower fastening. The glue is there to provide insulation, vibration resistance and a little adhesion.

Krish75: I totally agree with you about this website. I have been a member to many websites and this one tops them all. There is only one other site that is barely comparable to this site.

For everyone following this build, I am unsure if I would like to stain the exterior or paint it. I would love to stain the whole thing but I am afraid of the moisture of the sump will somehow become contaminated and get into my tank water. Thats is my biggest fear right now. Although I also have the fear of the wood starting to rot after a few years because of moisture saturation. Latex paint seems like the best choice for sealing the wood inside but that would look funny with a stained exterior.... See me dilema!?

 

[mcoomer]

No sweat. I painted the interior of my stand with several coats of Kilz latex primer and stained the skin of my stand with Minwax Mahogany gel. I put stain and polyurethane on the inside of the stand as well so I'm not worried about water intrusion. If you decide to paint your stand, I've seen some ebony colored stands that are simply amazing.

Mikee

 

[King_Neptune]

Here is a super solid one I built.
Thats a 72" length, and approximately 44" in height inside(plenty of room to work around. Extremely solid.

Here it is with a 55g sump down below

The inside is sealed water tight, will hold the water if the sump shatters. And will hold the excess spill off from the tank draining down as well.

 

[King_Neptune]

I pre drilled all the holes for the wood screws and also used gorilla glue on every seam.
And I coated it with polyurethane morning and night every day for a week. I wont ever have to worry about rot.

 

[Frankie]

Don must be choking on his coffee today

King Nep, that stand looks like it will survive a hurricane with all those braces.
That glue you used is good glue for fine wood work but not construction. In time it will dry and crack from movement in the 2x4's.
No matter, your stand looks very solid so glue was not necessary anyhow.
How do you like that Hitachi drill? I returned mine. The chuck kept slipping.

 

[King_Neptune]

Drill works fine for me.
Got several various sized drills by Hitachi.

As for the glue, I know it has no real strength...especially compared with the screws and fine pre-drilled holes. I figured since I was going to be doing excess with the stand, I might as well do the extra %.001

I figured it would seal it all together while the screws and wood settled in.
The stand could hold a car, Im sure of it.

 

[Frankie]

If we ever get out of this hobby we can become elephant trainers and use our stands for them to sit on
I used PL premium construction adhesive for my recent stand build. Since were using construction materials for these stands it only makes sense.
Don is right though, were just stacking lumber here in our builds. Were just very good at stacking.
My next build will be out of cabinet grade materials with a lot of PM's to Don. Were very fortunate to have this man among us.

 

[Krish]

My next build will be out of cabinet grade materials with a lot of PM's to Don. Were very fortunate to have this man among us.

And the good thing is he isn't "cocky" about his knowledge either He's always one willing to help.

 

[King_Neptune]

I am however, a little worried about the one in a million earthquake.
I think Ill fasten it to the wall just to be safe. There was one in Wa a few days ago.

4.somethin