Another Proposal... Two-tier Rack... Made Of Wood!

[BrownBullhead]

OK... so I looked into metal shelving at Wearing Williams... the corner posts cmoe to maximum of 6'0" in the E-Z-Rect line of shelving... I need 6'7" corner posts... and I don't want to get into cutting them... further to that, it was going to cost over $225 (CA$,or $175 US$) for the setup... so I think I will go with wood so I can customize the heights however I want.

Please remember from my previous post that my space the rack is to go into is 79" high, 53" wide, and 28" deep front-to-back. It's a former clothes closet with the doors removed, on a cement sub-floor in the basement of the house. A 150-gallon currently sits on the spot where i intend to slot my finished rack.

So for starters, I was drawing the basic shelf template each tank will sit upon. You can see the measurements, all in inches... and the orange lines are 2.5" wood screws.

I intend to use all "2x4" pieces which are accurately measured 1.5" x 3.5". I intend to use 8 of the 2x4 for the sides of the rack, and fasten the shelves to those sides. Below the bottom shelf, front-and-back, and between shelves, behind each tank, will be an additional post to distribute the load.

Please comment on this shelf design for now and let me know if you think this shelf will stay together as is or if I need to start from scratch right again. Please let me know.

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[Tolak]

I wouldn't notch the horizontal pieces so deeply. You effectively have a 1 1/2" x1 1/2" over the uprights. You really don't need to notch them at all.

I'm also trying to understand why you have all those horizontal pieces on the sides. The lower tank, which I'm assuming from your previous post, is a 70 gallon, has to fit in from the sides, or the front. With the center upright you won't be able to fit it in from either side.

Make sure you leave enough distance from the floor to the bottom tank to syphon it easily. I've built a few racks, treated 2x4's can get soaked without worrying about warping or rotting. I would use those instead of untreated 2x4's.

Here's a couple pics of one of my racks, 55 on the bottom, 20 high x 2 on the top. Just working racks, 13" x 52" framed mounted on uprights, with room underneath for milkcrates full of assorted fishroom stuff. The 55 slides in from the side, the rack will hold 2 55's, 4 20 talls, or a combination of the 2;

Tolak

 

[BrownBullhead]

This is revision 2-a to my plans for a wood aquarium rack. Please note, as some of you haev been suggesting, I CANNOT place the 2x4's "on edge" with the 1.5" edge facing sky, as opposed to my current "flat" design with the 3.5" flat side facing sky. If I do this, my cabinet shelve space will be too minimal to hold the 70-gallon (48 x 19 x 21) tanks I plan to place inside.

I am now using 2x6 for the corner posts!

Please see my design and let me know what you think. The schemes for shelf, side posts, front, and back of rack are now shown.

PLEASE... let me know your thoughts.

SHELF


SIDE POSTS


BACK


FRONT

 

[BrownBullhead]

Tolak: In my original drawing I think you were looking at that as if it was the front (viewing) of the rack... when in fact that was one of the shelves, viewed from above, that the aquarium would sit upon.

Please see my revised documents for further explanation.

My inspiration for the notching from shelves into corner posts comes from here... http/www.winnipegfishforum.info/phpBB/vi...&highlight=rack

Previously I had not implemented notching between the beams and corner posts. This notching will enable transfer of weight from the shelf beams directly into the corner posts, instead of relying on the screws / wood glue alone.

I have reviewed these concepts further... about how my 2x4 are laid "flat" ni my shelf concept, thus resulting in a given shelf being 1.5" thick.

It has been pointed out to me by multiple persons that having the 2x4 "on edge" instead of "flat" would result in greater strenght... but would result in each shelf becoming 2.0" thicker... and 3 shelves total (2 for tanks, plus top shelf acting like canopy) would result in net addition of 6.0" to total height, which messes me up...

However, if I could come up with hinge lids that are say, 6" / 12" split for 19" flat glass hinge lid, instead of the standard 9" / 9" split, that would save me 3.0" on each aquarium level, which equals the 6.0" that were added above...

However, this involves making my own lids... I wonder how feasible this is!?

 

[BrownBullhead]

Here's the diagrams for Revision v3.b...

Notice the 2x4 all "on edge". Anyway... how do you think 2 x 70-gallon would do on this rack?

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Here's the images...

Aquarium Shelf Module | Additional Vertical Supports | Rack Floor Base | Rack Top Canopy | Rear View | Front View

 

[Tolak]

It looks good, my only concern would be the 4 foot stretch across the front being unsupported. If you double up the front 2x4's it should keep it from bowing. Or you could use a 4x4.

If you look at the pics of my 55 & 20 gallon setup, you will see the center vertical support beneath the 55. There is one in the back also. This keeps it from bowing. The shelf on the top with the two 20 gallon tanks has a bow of around 3/16" from the weight of the tanks. This doesn't worry me with a couple of 20's, but if I were to put a 55 up there I would cut a couple 2x4's to reach from the bottom support to the top to keep that from happening. If 40 gallons causes a 3/16" bow, 70 gallons could cause around double that. Modern tanks are supported around the perimeter, this could cause a problem with a larger tank.

BTW, I like your drafting program. I'm old school in that respect, pencil & paper. 1/4" = 1 foot, scribbled out on paper. I've done everything from aquatics projects to entire finished basements that way. I have no problem visualizing what I scribble, others seem to have a hard time figuring it out.

Tolak

 

[BrownBullhead]

For what it's worth, I now found out that the sales associate I spoke to at Wearing Williams misunderstood what I was asking about... and it turns out that the "EZ-Rect" Shelving does not stop at a maximum of six foot high corner posts. In fact, it appears quite modular in design. What the heck was this guy talking about?

 

[Tolak]

WOW! Way serious racks. Wonder how much weight the whole system can take. I think I have a new fishroom upgrade to show the wife.

Tolak

 

[BrownBullhead]

To those who send me private message asking "How's the stand coming" and such forth, I've decided to hold off for now.

Long term, I may still sell the 150-gallon that is in the space where the "rack" was going to go, but if I do any more aquairum related stuff, I was thinking I would like to get a 72", 135-gallon, to go along a side wall instead.

On a side note... I actually DECREASED the amount of Tropheus I am keeping, one colony is gone (the Kiriza) so no need to press ahead for now. Also, trying to pay down some other debt before I worry about a new aquarium.

Thanks for all the feedback nonetheless.