building a new stand for a 75 (never built a stand in my life)

[bill109]

hello i want to buy a stand from the lfs but money wont allow it so i as wondering if i can build one it willl be a 75 gallon tank rectange not bow so would it be a bad idea to build one since ive never built one and the fact that it will be holding a TON of weight? it would be a shame to break it and have water all over the place! any advice?
Thanx1
bill109

 

[aj565]

if you look at the stands at the lfs its amazing how it holds all that weight and there is nothing to them. i built one with 2x4s and after i got it done i realized i was a little on the over kill side with the bracing.

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by AJ565
if you look at the stands at the lfs its amazing how it holds all that weight and there is nothing to them. i built one with 2x4s and after i got it done i realized i was a little on the over kill side with the bracing.
nice.. my parents were like you nned to be a carpenter.. and im like nooo you dont and they didnt like the ide so im gonna buy the tank 150.$ for a 75 gallon tank and meausre the tank...
what did you ise for bracing?ill look at my stand here but what did you do
i have pieces of woodhere at the house that have been outside for awhile but they are like planks so it isnt a danger for them being week but idk how to build one!!!!!! it would be nice to save money
any suggestions?

 

[aj565]

this may be hard to understand with out a picture but i made 2 rectangle frames with 2x4s laying on there side with 45* cuts on the ends like a picture frame, then i have 4 2x4 legs screwed between the frames, then i have 2 more 2x4s running length wise perpendicluar to the top frame screwed to the top frame and the legs so it kinda looks like this. the top image is looking down on the frame and the lower is from the front.

no i have a 45g tank on the one i built, for a 75 i would try and add a brace in the middle of the front and back using 2x2. remember there is no such thing as overkill

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now i built my stand into a wall so i covered it with drywall but you can make a real good looking stand of you move the 2x4's in to the insted edge of the frame and cover the front and sides with a good looking piece of thin plywood and stain it. don't forget to add doors.

 

[scsinet]

Originally Posted by bill109
nice.. my parents were like you nned to be a carpenter.. and im like nooo you dont and they didnt like the ide so im gonna buy the tank 150.$ for a 75 gallon tank and meausre the tank...
what did you ise for bracing?ill look at my stand here but what did you do
i have pieces of woodhere at the house that have been outside for awhile but they are like planks so it isnt a danger for them being week but idk how to build one!!!!!! it would be nice to save money
any suggestions?
Most people build DIY stands using a 2x4, 2x6, etc frame to take the load of the tank and a plywood and/or decorative "skin." I've built half a dozen this way and haven't had any problems. I documented one I built using this method and put it on my web site, so you can look at it if you want. It's at www.davestanks.com under "DIY" (it's the trapezoid stand). I'm also working on a new stand for a 55, but don't have the pictures put up yet. If this thread is still alive when I get it up I'll post a link.
My suggestion is NOT to use wood that's been sitting outside for a while.
The thing about stands is that the wood has to be very true and not warped in any way. Wood that's been outside for even a week is going to be warped. The tank stand has to be perfectly level and very rigid, without any flex. It's not difficult to do this if you use new wood, and you measure and cut very carefully. Also, use glue on all your joints. It helps prevent slight flexing.
Finally, for the 2x4s, use the high-end wood at Lowes or Home Depot. I know Lowe's calls it "top choice." Almost all stores sell two grades... the cheap stuff and the good stuff. The good stuff is worth the extra money. Even then, when you go the store, be picky. Lay each piece flat on the floor in the asile and make sure it doesn't wobble. Do this on each side of the board. When you get dirty looks from the employees for making a mess, give them a dirty look right back. It's your money.

 

[majakarot]

Just a couple more tips...
--USE A LEVEL--if it is even a little bit out of level the water line will show it(the top band hides it a little)
--LEAVE THE BOTTOM AS OPEN AS POSSIBLE--even if you don't use a sump now you will probably want one in the future
--USE SCREWS OR BOLTS--they hold much better than nails
your planks may work fine for facing, but you really should use 2x4s for verticals and 2x6 or 2x8 for horizontals so you can get away with a large opening
if you make the frame a touch (1/8 or so) larger than the tank then you can run the facing up past the banding... do the same with the canopy and you will hide all of the plastic on the tank... it's a great look
best of luck

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by majakarot
Just a couple more tips...
--USE A LEVEL--if it is even a little bit out of level the water line will show it(the top band hides it a little)
--LEAVE THE BOTTOM AS OPEN AS POSSIBLE--even if you don't use a sump now you will probably want one in the future
--USE SCREWS OR BOLTS--they hold much better than nails
your planks may work fine for facing, but you really should use 2x4s for verticals and 2x6 or 2x8 for horizontals so you can get away with a large opening
if you make the frame a touch (1/8 or so) larger than the tank then you can run the facing up past the banding... do the same with the canopy and you will hide all of the plastic on the tank... it's a great look
best of luck
ok its a good plan but i think i will buy and build the canopy because ig i spend lets say 80-100 $ on wood and screw it up thn im out of luck cus iil have to take it apart to im buy the tank
stand and tank for 299$ its a 75 gal..
but for the cnopy it can be the wood that i ave cus it just sit on top of the tank... right? around the corners and iw ill do no top on it cus i will have a light with legs and so it can keep cool w.o out a chiller i will try to post a pic of my idea
hey btw how in the world did yo u get that smiley??!!! its soo cool

 

[aj565]

Originally Posted by bill109
hey btw how in the world did yo u get that smiley??!!! its soo cool
from another message board, i have so many more its not even funny.

 

[bill109]

ok i cant resize them so tht sux
it would be a box with a lip inside of it in the middle section
i will use screws and screw pieces of wood inside it so there will be room for a light in there
so it would sit on the lip inside of the canopy
any ideas .suggestions?
im soory for chnging the subject but my parent wont all my to build on cus they dont want water all over the ground!

 

[chilwil84]

screws are easier to install but not stronger than 10 or 12d nails the shear value of the nails is far greater than screws (take a hammer and bend a screw up than donw and most will break. Use galvinized nails or decking screws (coated) not bright 1/2" plywood under and decorative skin will add a lot of structural strength (nail every 6") and will keep the stand from racking on a 48" tank if you are using 2 X 4s on there side use one verticle in the middle to support it also sheeth the top with some type of plywood so you have a more even surface to support all edges of the tank

 

[hemicj]

being a carpenter I cant belive that stands for tanks as large as 180 gal. can be made with 1x. building your own stand will save you $ or you can spend same amount and get hardwood from cabinit supply store. nails or screws will work just fine i do recommend screws if yoyu daont have a nail gun its hard to keep things square when hand nailing. also check stant for square b-4 you put plywood over your 2x4 or 1x4 frame by measureing from oppiste corners you shold have same # when measureing from say btm right-top left and fromr btm left -top right. good luck and have fun i really enjoyed making stands and canopies for mine and friends tanks

 

[chilwil84]

1X pine no less

 

[chilwil84]

i build custom homes on LBI to 110 huricane standards so i have a tendency for overkill

 

[aj565]

i'm also surprised they they build the things with staples no less. that would be like us building it with paneling nails

 

[scsinet]

It's funny this thread has come to this right now as I was just talking to my fiance about the crappy stand quality at PetSmart yesterday. We were looking at one and how they are put together.
Obviously, they are sold knocked down in a box, but the one I saw (a 55g) went together with no screws or fasteners. There was a bottom piece, the side panels were attached with a two small hinges that let them fold out, whcih then sat on the bottom panel, and the top sat on top. I lifted the top off and the front/side just wiggled around... and it wasn't like the store skipped the screws, there was no place for screws. Just little wood blocks to keep things from moving once the tank was set on.
I wouldn't trust 400 pounds of water on any of that store built junk for anything.

 

[dadszx7]

I built one exactly as stated. 2x4's for the frame, just a big rectangle. Then faced with top choice "lowes" pine. Bought pine kitchen cabinet doors on ----, for about 60.00 for a pair. Then built the stand facing around the doors. Put crown molding on the bottom and top of the stand. Stained in light cherry, with stainless hinges. Looks awesome. The canapy was a bit tricky, but worked out.
But I've got most tools. Tablesaw, nailguns, compound miter saw, jigsaw's, sanders etc. This took me about 10 hours start to finish. But that doesn't include the time it to put the "finish" on. I post a pick later tonight for you. Cost about 200.00

 

[acrylic51]

Lay each piece flat on the floor in the asile and make sure it doesn't wobble. Do this on each side of the board. When you get dirty looks from the employees for making a mess, give them a dirty look right back. It's your money.
Hey SCSINet.....maybe you and I should go to Lowes with me sometime......They just love it when I do that.......I hate picking through the junk wood they just throw back on top......You think they'd get the hint and cut it up like HD does for scrap........

 

[scsinet]

I am a pretty loyal Lowe's shopper. I prefer to shop there because generally speaking, things are more often in the right place, items are more clearly marked, the aisles are wider and they don't pile impulse buy stands everywhere that you have to navigate around with the giant cart I almost always inevitably have.
But they opened a Home Depot that is much closer to me... and I have to say that I almost never shop for wood at Lowe's anymore. Home Depot has much better wood. Plus, since I don't have any lumberyards near me, it's a good place to get the high grade stuff for stand building... Red Oak, Poplar, Maple, etc. It's also nice that they sell it by the foot, so you can buy pieces that cut into the final sized pieces with very little scrap.
You're right about the crap wood at Lowes. It seems like the longer wood has been there the worse it gets cuz more and more people have picked through it. Once I went in there and asked them to cut the metal bands on a new "thing" of it and they told me no becuase there was already plenty of wood sitting out. WHen I told them why, they sitll wouldn't do it. That was more or less the last time I went there for wood.

 

[threed240]

Where I live there is a Lowes right next to a Home Depot. The lowes has been there for years, and the Home depot was just opened a few months ago. I still shop at lowes because of customer service there. I had bought a fiberglass shower for a bathroom renovation, and when we opened the box to install it, it was cracked. We took it back up to Lowes and they told us that it wasn't out fault. He said that one of the employees was drunk and busted it while he was loading it. He turned to that employee and said "Isn't that right?", the guy replied "Yep!". So they went and got us another shower. Of course the guy wasn't drunk, but It was a pretty funny moment. Sorry to thread jack. Here is my stand made of Birch, & pine from Lowes!

 

[windmill]

Snazzy set-ups. I'm gonna go home and take some crappy phone pics to post too.
I built mine out of 2"x4" for the frame, some 1" thick 3'x5' pine planks for the base and top and a shelf (stupid 55g is like 24 1/2" x 48 3/4" or some crap so I had to chop up those 3'x5') Then some 1/4" plywood, which was a friggin pain the a@@ to cut, for the exterior.
Lessons learned: 2" x 4" are plenty chunky for a 55g; 1/4" plywood is too thin to cut easily and without a bunch of splintering; without primer wood absorbs massive amounts of paint - especially black; carpentry equipment seems so much more usefull when you don't have it; you CAN cut yourself with a normal handsaw and fingernails are similar in density and cut-ability as wood. (that was an unpleasant experience - the first and last time I'll cut myself with a woodworking utensil)