Stand, Strong Enough?

This is the stand that i want to build, out of 2x4´s and ½ in plywood, It is going to stand 51" of the ground and support a tank that is about 55" x 23" x 16" High (about 89 gallons US / 336 liters). I am wurried about the stand, beeing that tall that the 2x4´s would bend from the weight. This will be my first stand so any comments suggestions tips are wery much appreciated.
Thx.

Looks pretty flimsy to me...



Might hold a 5 gallon... just dont use any stone.


EDIT: alright alright, i decided id stop being a wise ass and show you my current work in progress.

72G Bowfront, Drilled.

Yes, its upside down that's just how i had left it

That sump is only half the situation, theres a refugium to match just not in photo but this isn't about that.




That ONE rectangular hole was enough reason to get the misses to let me get a new dewalt jigsaw! huzzah!

Alright on to the stand itself.

Everything is in 2x4 using those magnificent steel hangers / braces. made putting it together a breeze.




The only problem with these hangers was the screw heads, they stick out and make it so that you cannot mount anything flush to the front. And since i have all 3/4ths inch solid oak going on i had to remedy the situation. Using simple spacers over the screw areas to mount the panels on.





These show some interior bracing which ill actually be using to mount various lights for the refugium and even a drawer for some things. If i think on it too long soon ill add a coffee maker, jet engine, and flux capacitor.




Originally to mount the top i was going to use camber lock / pins for keeping the top in place but then i did the math for the weight that will actually be on and well. lol. just the pins will suffice. There are 5 pins total these are the pins that came with the camber locks but the extra many many hours of work needed to properly drill the holes for the turn keys would be totally unnecessary.




And last but not least the overflow hole. Some of you may have been standing there scratching your heads wondering why i cut that section of 2x4 out of the back and did all the extra bracing work. well, i wanted a 2 inch "lip" if you will around the whole tank so that i could use some edging or whatever i choose to hide the foam sheet the tank will be sitting on. But either way, the bulkheads JUST clear the piece of 2x4 but the union valves i have attached to those, wont fit, so away it went! now i have PLENTY of workable space.




The design you chose is even more over engineered than mine. It will work out just fine mate. Just take your time flush everything and you should be set, and remember screws, never nails.


-Chairman Wood

Why aren't either of you using triangular supports? Your making all the pressure travel in a vertical placement to the floor which can cause the 2x4 to bend under long periods of stress even with cross-bracing you need to give triangual bracing so that the weight is distributed in a diagonal pressure aswell leading to a 3d distribution along 3 axis; horizontal, vertical and diagonal.

You could of countersunk the entire brace using a router or more easily use a drill with a large bit and make a small hole on the inside of the panels that come in contact with the braces/screws so that you don't need spacers.

Do you meen something like this ( [URL="http/www.byoswingset.com/smaltrianbra.html"]http/www.byoswingset.com/smaltrianbra.html[/URL] ) i can put a few of these into the design.
It would look like this . How many would i need to put in the frame, on every corner or more?
I was thinking about using those iron praces that have a 90 degree bend, would that not be enough?

Its hard to explain. This is a bridge but notice the triangular structure through cross-braces makes for a much stronger structure



Also a dove tail joints whereever possible or mortise joints strengthened with a bolt aswell as metal bracers.
http/www.ripsdiy.co.za/woodjoins.shtml

It is just so completely not needed for our fish tanks.

Your right, triangular braces are the way to go, and if i was building a bridge, or a stand for something much larger (200gal+) i would have done some triangular. But those triangular braces will end up getting in the way of my sump and refugium and i wouldn't have a drawer and the list goes on.

Long story short, we are building tank stands not bridges, and its a learning experience

I dont own a router
Countersinking into steel is a *****.
My stand is going to work just fine and look DAMN nice when its done.


-Chairman Wood

You ould still do triangular bracers on 3 of the four sides so that you are still able to have a drawer and with dgts design he can put a triangualr brace between the back and the front central vertical struts which will aloow him to have a drawer or cupboard ect and greatly improve it.

I've built plenty of stands & racks, tending towards overbuilding. That design is fine without triangular bracing.

Why do you guys seem so objectionable to triangular bracing? For little cost and effort it greatly improves the structure and I would rather have a faultless base then one that is good but could be stronger.

No objection here to triangular bracing, when needed. If it is going to be skinned in plywood or another covering, this will provide the same support as triangular bracing.

You would need either type of bracing more because rectangles fold & collapse so neatly, the triangulation or skinning would prevent this. Since it is being skinned, the skin ends up being structural as well as decorative.

As stated I do believe in overbuilding, but at some point it is enough. The load on a tank stand is static, or nearly so in comparison with a bridge, which may have dozens of tons shifting the load across the surface, with wind & other natural elements being involved.

With the bridge pictured, why did they X brace only the center panels? Why didn't they use the obviously larger gauge of steel used for the top rails? Probably a bit overbuilt as it is, and they decided that's where enough is enough.

I'm no engineer, not even close, but from seeing enough commercially made stands that are scarily built, but designed to hold the weight of the tank they are designed for, either of the two stands pictured above could hold double the weight they are designed for.

I've got a 72 bow, with a commercially made stand, freebie. I would never try building a stand with 1x3's & 1x4's, that tank & stand stay in the basement. I build my own racks & stands for economy, and for the simple fact that commercially made stands seem under built to me.

that design will def hold up, as long as there skinned or braced so they are supported so there is no movement your fine, my only thought is its going to be some top heavy. my 77 gal stand only has 6 upward 2x4s at 30 inches tall. if you have concerns why not use 2x6. to explane how much a 2x6 will support, i have a garage that is two feet off the ground so i built a ramp with six 2x6s that were 16 feet long, three on each side of the ramp and the ramp is covered by 3/4 plywood. these six 2x6s easilly suppot the weight of my 3000 pound car and once again they are 16ft

Something else to keep in mind is that screws going into end grain will have about zip holding power. If you need to attach a support, such as your middle braces, drill a hole 3/4" across and jam in a dowel with some glue. Drill the hole for the support so that the screw will go through the dowel, and it will greatly increase the holding power. Better still would be to drill a hole, but instead of using a wood dowell, use a piece of 3/8" hollow round stock. Drill the metal and then you can slide a nut into the tube and bolt everything together. Another bennie is that if the metal rod is exposed, you just get a dowel of contrasting color and insert it into the the rod and sand it all flush. Looks like a silver ring with a contrasting wood insert.

Im sure you lot suffer from overkillitis !!! LOL

A SINGLE 4x2 would support a CAR, end-on, provided that it is straight grained and not bowed etc.... I build ALL my stands from el-cheapo CLS from the DIY sheds... this is a rubbish 3x2 mystery wood intended for stud work in housing... and I would not hesitate to use this again.

I use a good glue (Gorilla, nonails etc... but branded, not pound shop !) and 4" screws.... no fancy joints - just thrown together... BUT and theres always one... YOU MUST ENSURE THE TOP IS LEVEL, AND ERRR LEVEL !!! I mean it must be absolutely FLAT... with a plate top, and "plumb" (spirit level)
As long as theres no gaps between the uprights and the floor/top it WILL be safe....
I would suggest at least one pair of uprights for every 2 feet in length.
Also, I would recommend that you ALWAYS secure it to the wall if possible, I use slots (an inch or so) through the back "legs" with a long screw in each into wall-plugs.... so its impossible to tip over.
The whole shebang is topped with polystyrene tiles... single layer, maybe 5mm is all you need.

Get to it, this aint a boat yard !

I am finding that the suggested height of the stand makes no sense in terms of maintenance. It will let you look right into the tank while standing up but you will need a ladder to do anything more than feed the fish.
The simple 2x4 boards will be more than enough support as long as the plywood face is attached to it properly to prevent the stand from racking. The 2x4 on end it a very strong piece of wood so it will hold enormous weight. When I design a stand with as much surface cover as that one has, I tend to use 2x2 lumber for the uprights and even then the stands are over-engineered. The metal corner braces would make a big difference if the plywood was not present but will be in the way of making a good strong joint with the face material.

I am finding that the suggested height of the stand makes no sense in terms of maintenance. It will let you look right into the tank while standing up but you will need a ladder to do anything more than feed the fish.
The simple 2x4 boards will be more than enough support as long as the plywood face is attached to it properly to prevent the stand from racking. The 2x4 on end it a very strong piece of wood so it will hold enormous weight. When I design a stand with as much surface cover as that one has, I tend to use 2x2 lumber for the uprights and even then the stands are over-engineered. The metal corner braces would make a big difference if the plywood was not present but will be in the way of making a good strong joint with the face material. A better design would be to pinch the vertical legs between the top and the bottom boards so that the fasteners would not be needed to hold any weight in the vertical direction. That way the horizontal boards could be built as a single frame that sits atop the legs and the legs would be under direct compression.

Not sure if it is any help but this is the stand i built to hold a 42" X 22" x 22" marine tank.



The tank also sits high up and I do need a ladder to feed & maintain the tank, but it is worth it as the tank is on eye level.