Plans for a 125 gal. Tank Stand

[Muuurgh]

I want to build a 125/150 tank stand. Does anyone have any plans floating
about, or know where I can get plans that I might use?
Perhaps a book I could check out at the library?

Thanks,
Muuurgh

--
"He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes
wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it."
-Douglas Adams

[John Hancock]

Try this.
http://defcon200.bizland.com/aquariust/id2.html


"Muuurgh" > wrote in message
reenews.net...
>I want to build a 125/150 tank stand. Does anyone have any plans floating
>about, or know where I can get plans that I might use?
> Perhaps a book I could check out at the library?
>
> Thanks,
> Muuurgh
>
> --
> "He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes
> wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it."
> -Douglas Adams
>

[George Patterson]

Muuurgh wrote:
> I want to build a 125/150 tank stand. Does anyone have any plans floating
> about, or know where I can get plans that I might use?

I don't have plans, but I built mine for a 125. I made a frame of 2x4s the same
size as the tank. I placed short 2x4s across this every 18", so that the whole
thing looked sort of like a ladder. The general idea was to make it flat and
stiff - if I were to do it over again, I would build it out of plywood strips.

I then made another frame of 2x4s the same size to go on the floor. I did not
put spacers every 18" in this one. The general idea was to spread the weight of
the tank out.

I then made six legs from doubled up 2x4s. The inside 2x4 of each leg was cut to
fit between the top and bottom frame and the outside 2x4 was cut to fit from the
top of the stand to the floor. I then put the whole thing together.

After assembly, I reinforced the two top back corners with 2x4s on a 45 degree
angle between the top frame and the back legs. I cut two end panels from 3/4"
fir plywood about 6" wider than the top frame and nailed them to the ends. This
puts the tank 6" from the wall. I ripped the front edge of the plywood at a 45
degree angle to make a seamless joint with the cabinet front.

I built the cabinet front from strips of 3/4" fir plywood and cut two doors from
the same sheet. I routed a 3/8" lip in the doors to let them overlap the front
frame.

The top was 3/8" plywood scavenged from a construction site. I covered the joint
with 1" clamshell moulding.

If I were building one today, I would build the top as a torsion box out of
plywood and use laminated plywood construction instead of 2x4s, but I had a
circular saw to work with back then and a full woodworking shop now.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

[wolf]

"George Patterson" > wrote in message
news:jA8Mf.2583$XE6.219@trnddc07...
> Muuurgh wrote:
>> I want to build a 125/150 tank stand. Does anyone have any plans floating
>> about, or know where I can get plans that I might use?
>
> I don't have plans, but I built mine for a 125. I made a frame of 2x4s the
> same size as the tank. I placed short 2x4s across this every 18", so that
> the whole thing looked sort of like a ladder. The general idea was to make
> it flat and stiff - if I were to do it over again, I would build it out of
> plywood strips.
>
> I then made another frame of 2x4s the same size to go on the floor. I did
> not put spacers every 18" in this one. The general idea was to spread the
> weight of the tank out.
>
> I then made six legs from doubled up 2x4s. The inside 2x4 of each leg was
> cut to fit between the top and bottom frame and the outside 2x4 was cut to
> fit from the top of the stand to the floor. I then put the whole thing
> together.
>
> After assembly, I reinforced the two top back corners with 2x4s on a 45
> degree angle between the top frame and the back legs. I cut two end panels
> from 3/4" fir plywood about 6" wider than the top frame and nailed them to
> the ends. This puts the tank 6" from the wall. I ripped the front edge of
> the plywood at a 45 degree angle to make a seamless joint with the cabinet
> front.
>
> I built the cabinet front from strips of 3/4" fir plywood and cut two
> doors from the same sheet. I routed a 3/8" lip in the doors to let them
> overlap the front frame.
>
> The top was 3/8" plywood scavenged from a construction site. I covered the
> joint with 1" clamshell moulding.
>
> If I were building one today, I would build the top as a torsion box out
> of plywood and use laminated plywood construction instead of 2x4s, but I
> had a circular saw to work with back then and a full woodworking shop now.
>
> George Patterson
> Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
> your slightly older self.

What I did was used the keywords ("DIY" fish tank stand) to find a good
article, but after searching many, I found one I liked. I don't feel like
digging up the link, but can tell you how I built it.



2x4 stock, kiln dried.



For 60 gal tank, what is that, 48x16x16?



Built 2 boxes 48-1/2 by 16-1/2 in. One of which was the table top. 2
braces inside the top box for tank support, only one brace (center) in
bottom box, leaves room for refugium to sit on floor. Then you connect
the two boxes with 6 studs. 2 on each edge, and 2 in the middle.



For a hundred gallon, it would be 2 boxes with 3 braces on top, and 2 or 3
on bottom, and maybe 8 studs to connect both.



Get it?



To make the boxes place studs on their sides, and cut the 16-1/2 inch sides
to 16-1/2 inch, cut the 48-1/2 sides to about 45". Then place the studs on
their sides on a flat slab of concrete and pre drill them, and screw them
with fat(#6?) drywall screws. Then put in the braces.



Then screw the studs to the base, and then put the top on by screwing the
top onto the studs. The studs should come flush with the top of the
tabletop. I didn't use any plywood on the table top, maybe probably
could/should have. 1/4 plywood would have been enough.



Be sure to USE A LEVEL and a SQUARE the entire way, can you imagine the
stress on the silicon of a glass tank if the table top wasn't level for a
hundred twenty five gallon tank? Don't even want to know.



HTH,

Have fun