Weight And Bracing

[Matthew5664]

Thought to myself the other day about a new project for the living room, already have a 120l comm. tank in there. So I got thinking......... came up with the idea of a marine look tank but was swayed off the idea by a few on the forum. So next went onto a full marine FO system but not to sure on that.......... I then arrived at o stony Cichlid tank with a sand bed. So far so good got the ideas now’s time for the fun buying bit!! Or so I thought! The gap in the living room I have is 106cm x 68cm can I find a tank to fit snug without going custom? Can I fudge!! Nearest I got was a 36"x12" with 18" height could work, that would be the same as my other tank witch I have the other side of the chimney Brest, I think it will look ok. Next was a cabinet, Now the one on my other tank came with it so I could go down that route or custom, I fancy myself as a bit of a builder so that’s the way I want to go. Need some help with the weight does anyone know of a cal. on the interweb for getting the weight of systems? I was going to use 4x2 as support batons fixed to the outer wall and the inner wall of the chimney and then run 4x2 joists across them, about 4. This will all be covered with a MDF board and the Polystyrene. Has anyone made this type of construction before would like you input.


Ok so went to the site mentioned by Jules H-T now my 36x12x18 will hold 127l witch is 127kgs. (mmmmmm... What’s the calculation for it I wonder) I'm going to make that 135kgs to overcompensate for the wood now how do I find out if my construction idea will hold the weight. Trial and error are out of the question!!!


To attatch the batons to the wall will i need wral plugs or chem-sets?
Is MDF a good idea or should I go for marine Ply? 12,18 or 24mm thickness??

 

[windsor-aquatic]

Forget the mdf and use marine ply, 15mm or 19mm. This will eliminate the possibility of it swelling when it gets wet (and it will!)

 

[mifty12]

Don't forget to check your wall construction. If you live in a fairly modern house the chances are you will have lightweight 'thermalite' blocks in which case once you start to fill your tank the fixings could drag out of the wall cos of the downward force. If however you've got solid brick walls you should be okay.With regard to fixings I personally would play heavily on the over cautious side and go with sleeve anchors, not quite as heavy weight as rawlbolts but better than plugs you can get these from most diy stores. Were you trying to avoid haveing any direct support down to the floor?

 

[Matthew5664]

It's an old vicotian sytly prop with 4 floors and my livingroom is on the first floor. With the age of the building(1886) the floors arnt level and i would be a very difficult job to plain wood to fit floor mounts. Opting for the wall mounts is easyer for me. Went to look at fixings and was told about Thunderbolts that screw into brick! Do you know of these? as for the MDF it works out at £3.99 for marine ply its £32 mmmmmmmm....???


ME thinks MDF and a coat of yacht vanish.

 

[mifty12]

Go to your nearest timber merchant like travis perkins and ask for far eastern ply not marine, its basically the same stuff except the marine is double the price. As for thunderbolts i think i know wht you are talking about, basically a bolt that with the right size hole will wind stright in to masonry, had its advantages in so much as you don't get any expansion in the masonry possibly causing cracking .See here- Screwfix

 

[Lateral Line]

MDF when it gets wet has the strength of a dunked digestive biscuit, it really is not suited to conditions where water is a possibility, marine grade ply is a million percent better material - as always, you get what you pay for. You are for warned, your choice of course!

 

[Matthew5664]

Go to your nearest timber merchant like travis perkins and ask for far eastern ply not marine, its basically the same stuff except the marine is double the price. As for thunderbolts i think i know wht you are talking about, basically a bolt that with the right size hole will wind stright in to masonry, had its advantages in so much as you don't get any expansion in the masonry possibly causing cracking .See here- Screwfix



Thats the thing, seen some in Buildcenter guy behind the counter said that it would do the job and never perish like rwal plugs can thin is i'm no covinsed the these will hold the weight. I have drawn up more plans for the stan and have added a cross member under the 4 main joists for support. These in turn will have front and back legs to support the weight in the middle. As for the sides i have planed to take a 2" notch out of each joist to fitt onto the support battons. This way I have upward support and lataral support from these butts?? I think i right??? does anyone understand me? now i'm typing to mys....................



AAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!



Anyway got the mesurments now and will soon be posting plans and pic of the building any other sugestions would be greatful

 

[mifty12]

they would be more than adequate, i have seen them used to hold 6" steel pipe onto a concrete ceiling so they do hold a lot of weight,particularly in shear stress which is where most of yours will be.Keep us posted on your progress and let's see some pics during construction.Good luck

 

[Matthew5664]

Thanks mifty 12

 

[Matthew5664]

So I've been shopping this weekend and bought the 2x4 and the rawl bolts. Foun a tank that will fit and will give 9cm gap for pipe if nessesary. Then (and its a bit then) my girlfriend says to me it would look nice if we get a tank and stank 'set' to match the one we already have! AAAAGGGGGHHHHH. Why didn't she say that befor! I've spen the past cople of houres trying to covince her that my way is best because the floor isn't level and it will work out cheeper, however she seems to think that it wont match the rest of the room! Oak is the wood theam I've tryed pointing out to her that I can get some Oak/Oak lam. cupord doors and arcitraving for the outside and the 2x4 green pine won't be on show be she's no having it!!!

Anyone got round a spouse befor if so how did you do it?

 

[Matthew5664]

So the girlfriend finaly gave-up and the constructions starts! as for the tank degsin I've posted on the Marine chit chat for thoes who are interested?? this is as much my tank as it is yours, any suggestion will be considered and maybe implemented?