diy tank stand

[bglegs]

I need to build a stand for a inwall mount. I't will be for a standard 125 gal. My first question is ; do you have to have the legs under each corner of the tank.Why I asked this is because I would like to make the stand 6' long by 24 wide so that I could place a 55 gal under for a sump.I plan on using 2x6 on their sides.Thanks in advance

 

[1990jpyj]

you really need to have legs under each corner. they should be like 4x4's in the corners and like 2x6 in the middle. and the top frame should be 2x6's covered with 3/4" plywood. even with that i would think you could fit the 55g under there. you might be able to cut out one of the middle posts to fit the 55, but i wouldnt cut out both. a 125g tank is very heavy. so i really wouldnt push it be skipping out on the stand. you dont want to coem home one day to find your fish tank on the floor fish flopping around. not a whole lot of fun

 

[chris17]

Take a look at my 125G Reef Tank Build! thread. You have to have the legs on the corners, that is where all the weight is transferred. My stand is 24" wide, 72" long, although not an in-wall, it will hold fine. Almost all of the weight is transferred to the corners of your tank, then to the stands corner " legs" A span of 72" made with 2x6 will be fine without a center "leg" If you take a look at stands they sell at LFS's they will hold the same size tank with half the wood. Most ppl overbuild stands simply because they don't " look " strong enough.

 

[wattsupdoc]

While not exactly what you are looking for, look at this thread here. I have one very similar to this. In fact it was a modified version of my 135 bench stand. You can clearly see that the stand does not need to be 4X$'s or anything like that. The corners are important to sustain the weight. But making the top frame so it runs the perimiter of the tank will do the job...It is important that it be sturdy, LEVEL and dont rely on s c r e w s to hold the weight....
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=302092

 

[bglegs]

Thanks chris & Doc..
Chris osb plywood is good enough for the top? Also on using the styrofoam does it matter if it's on top of the plywood?Because the tank has to sit on the framed out area in the wall,which is 2x4 studs.That's why I'm confused about how to build the stand.So I know it won't be perfectly plane.The styrofoam should even it out?

 

[usirchchris]

There are sites that have "free" plans for making stands. Just do a little research on google or something about DIY stands and you should be able to find them. If you make that stand out of 4x4 and 2x material it will be extremely heavy and overdone. I have a 125 gallon that was built on a stand made out of 1x very easy to move. The weight is distributed out over the entire tank, thus the reason you do not need the heavier materials. If anything definately don't use 4x4's or 2x6 material for a 125...way overkill. I made a stand for my 75 out of 2x4's just to keep it "cheap"...wish I hadn't...it's too heavy.

 

[usirchchris]

Originally Posted by bglegs
http:///forum/post/2897432
Thanks chris & Doc..
Chris osb plywood is good enough for the top? Also on using the styrofoam does it matter if it's on top of the plywood?Because the tank has to sit on the framed out area in the wall,which is 2x4 studs.That's why I'm confused about how to build the stand.So I know it won't be perfectly plane.The styrofoam should even it out?

I used dow blue board and put this on the top (between the stand and glass)...you are trying to keep pressure points off of the glass. If you put it under the stand you could still have pressure points in contact with the glass. You could put OSB on the top, but if you are putting the stryrofoam there you will not need the plywood also. One or the other IMO and I would use the foam.

 

[bglegs]

Sorry if I'm being a pain in the butt, I guess I'm gonna go without plywood on top.I will go with a sheet of styrofoam.As long as it's level will the styrofoam compensate for the imperfections meaning [the plane].Because when I put the level on the wall frame it doesn't sit perfectly flat.

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by bglegs
http:///forum/post/2897753
Sorry if I'm being a pain in the butt, I guess I'm gonna go without plywood on top.I will go with a sheet of styrofoam.As long as it's level will the styrofoam compensate for the imperfections meaning [the plane].Because when I put the level on the wall frame it doesn't sit perfectly flat.
You're going to be a lot happier and have a lot better luck if you take the time to level out the imperfections, rather than using styrofoam, the styrofoam trick is really only to compensate for minor inperfections in the boards not for imperfections in height or level. Personal opinion; I wouldn't put a sheet of styrofoam under the whole tank, if you do, its possible the styrofoam itself will push up the bottom glass and rupture your seals (tanks are designed for pressure from the inside - where the water is, not from the outside). Reality on tanks is that all the weight is on the plastic edges and almost all of it transfers to the ends. Nothing comes in contact with the middle of the tank, thus putting plywood or styrofoam there IMO is a waste of expensive building materials. As others have said, most people tend to overbuild their stands - but on a 72" span, if you are not going to use middle supports I personally would go 2x6 minimum. 2X4 legs are adequete provided that you put them under the frame as Doc said so the weight is not sitting on the s c r e w s.