homemade 75 stand

jbeck

jbeck

Member
Today I got the tank up on the stand i built. The tank is a 75 gallon and the stand is made with 2x4s and a 3/4" plywood top and sides.
There are some places where you can see light under the tank between the tank and the plywood. Basically due to warpage in the wood, etc.. I put some shims between the horizontal 2x4s and the plywood to minimize it but there are still some spots along the tank bottom rim where you can see light.
Should I worry much about this? I have heard i should put something soft on top of the plywood. Any suggestions of what to use?
 
jbeck

jbeck

Member
Its not the light im worried about. Im worried about adding stress to the tank glass. Since the entire frame isnt sitting perfectly flat on the stand there is more stress in certain points.
 
yetex

yetex

Member
I have a home made stand too with the exact same problem. Lets see what some one says. I think it would be alright though.
 
melbournefl

melbournefl

Member
I just set up my 220 on a DIY stand. Although the stand was perfectly level (or too close for my level to tell any difference), I covered the top of my stand with garage carpeting. Really cheap, looks good and is available from Home Depot or Lowes.
HTH
Later,
Paul
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
An old trick with stands is to place 3/4 " (or so) styrofoam between the tank and the stand. It is available in eight by four foot sections for insulating walls. the idea is to make sure the tank and stand are in total contact with each other and to even out any potentional stress points.
that should take card if the small light patched you see. Actually, it should make up for relatively major construction goofs also .
 
jbeck

jbeck

Member
Guy at work had a good idea. Im going to try to use the gray foam stuff that you use for tool box drawer liners.
 
slothy

slothy

Active Member

Originally posted by beaslbob
An old trick with stands is to place 3/4 " (or so) styrofoam between the tank and the stand. It is available in eight by four foot sections for insulating walls. the idea is to make sure the tank and stand are in total contact with each other and to even out any potentional stress points.
that should take card if the small light patched you see. Actually, it should make up for relatively major construction goofs also .

thats what i used on my old tanks and it worked great.. (the stuff they use to insulate paneling comes in sheets) as mentioned
 
jbeck

jbeck

Member
3/4" seems excessive. Like i said the gaps i have between the tank rim and stand are the thickness of 4 sheets of paper. Maybe they have some 1/4" foam
 
pferboy

pferboy

Member
1st of all don't build a stand with a plywood top. common sence tells us that plywood warps easily when it gets wet. but the styrofoam idea is a great one. i have seen it done and it works great. if you use 1/4" i would be worthless you will have to go with 3/4". if you are worried about it showing just cover it with some cheap trim. LOL
 
pferboy

pferboy

Member
1st of all don't build a stand with a plywood top. common sence tells us that plywood warps easily when it gets wet. but the styrofoam idea is a great one. i have seen it done and it works great. if you use 1/4" i would be worthless you will have to go with 3/4". if you are worried about it showing just cover it with some cheap trim. LOL
 
jbeck

jbeck

Member
plywood screwed down to 2x4s every few inches will not warp nearly as much as the cheap particle board and glue that 1/2 the comercial stands are made out of. I still thinlk 3/4" of foam is overkill for a gap as thick as 4 sheets of paper.
 
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