Home Made Stand For 30x20x24"

[chris_1127]

In the middle of making a stand for a new tank at the moment, the tank itself is 30" length, 20" front-back and 24" high so pretty heavy when full. So far we have a 2"x2" mitred frame on top with 6 2"x2"legs (in corners and centre of lengths) with struts tying them together at the bottom. Bit of debate at the moment between my dad and myself - he thinks that 1/2" ply will be fine for the top of the stand for the tank to sit on, but given the 20" depth front-back I am not sure if it will need to be thicker to prevent any flex at all in the centre. any thoughts?

 

[Matthew5664]

I used 24mm ply for a 1010x460x400 tank on 50x101 joists

Sorry all in mm

 

[chris_1127]

cheers for that, the ply works out to near enough 1" which was what id thought was probably more appropriate than half inch. Hope that the 2x2 frame is gonna be strong enough if you've used 4x2...

 

[littleimp]

Use the ply but put an extra brace down the middle

 

[Tolak]

It depends on the construction of the tank. All newer glass tanks that I can think of are suported by the edges, the middle of the bottom is raised slightly. Look at the bottom of the tank to see if this is the case. If it is, you don't need any plywood if you will be using a substrate of some sort.

If the middle is even with the edges, the center support going across is the best idea. The only glass tanks I've seen like that are some old 10 gallons.

Tolak

 

[mifty12]

I'm not sure how your finishing the construction but make sure it is either braced diagonally or fix ply to all the outside faces otherwise you'll find that it might suddenly start to collapse sideways

 

[chris_1127]

cheers everyone, we are gonna clad the back and sides with sheets of mdf to hold it together, and put a couple of doors on the front so hopefully that should tie it all in together. Have cut another brace for the centre of the top surface just to be sure.

 

[simonbrown403]

Tolak is right the frame of the stand will suport the weight is its sturdy, you could use 6/12mm ply if you wanted, as it only realy there to stop the frame from twisting.

Remember to use a presure pad under the tank to absorb any iregualitys.

have you any pics yet.

 

[chris_1127]

stand is coming on well, frame is all made up now and top/tank base is on, picked up a pair of doors yesterday out the paper that fit perfectly so just got to clad the sides and back - gonna use ply for the back and tounge and groove the sides so think that an extra diagonal brace each side might be an idea to aid rigidity. Pics to follow soon...

 

[Ginge]

Yeah i used ply on my stand with MDF on the back for support, frame out of 2x2 with 2x4 inside for extra support.


Yeah i used ply on my stand with MDF on the back for support, frame out of 2x2 with 2x4 inside for extra support.

There are pics available in the Aquarium Pic section i couldn't post them here.

 

[kamel_007]

hi

for advise...-----> look at Simon Brown topic, he's a carpenter

 

[chris_1127]

well i finally got the stand pretty much finished, just need to adjust the right hand door a bit and put some handles on but i think its turned out really well. I just set it up yesterday so its got some extra filtration in at the moment, but eventually this will just be cut down to a cannister in the cupboard.

In the middle of making a new lid at the moment too, to match it - the one pictured is an old plywood one that came with the tank but in the process of making up a pine one to match. Pics to follow...

 

[Rooster]

Nice job Sir !