2x4, 2x6, 2x8 lumber for large tank stand???

chiroken

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 3, 2012
93
1
0
Vancouver Island, BC Canada
Looking for advice please. 8'x2'x32" 300g tank with 6'x22" 120g sump. This stand will be a furniture piece with matching 3 foot bookshelves on either end.

For design I am thinking of the top to be lumber on edge to create a rectangle with several front to back cross braces on edge. Topped with 3/4" or 1" ply. Base to be the same construction design (wood on edge) with probably just 1/2" as the deck. Base will be built more narrow front to back to fit inside the legs so the legs go right to the floor.

I am wanting to have the top sit directly on the legs so load goes straight down to the floor. I am unsure how to make the connection between the top and the legs as the top is essentially "sitting balanced" on the legs. I will have 8 legs total, 4 corners obviously, as well as 2 evenly spaced legs along the front and back. This will create 3 "openings" that will be doors for access underneath.

With a sump I need to maximize space underneath the stand. I plan the stand to have a 3 1/2-4" bottom trim (like some bookcases that have a "base" to them) so the sump needs to be raised up this same amount. This takes away from the height in the sump area.

Need help with:

1) attaching the top to the legs. I have only thought of running lumber or ply on the inside joint to cross the joint and provide strength. I can't run this inner piece right to the floor due to the oddball width of the sump.

2) lumbar to use for the top frame: 2x4 or 2x6 or 2x8? 2x4 gives me additional space underneath...huge plus.

3) lumbar to use for legs: 2x4 or 2x6?

Thanks
 

chiroken

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 3, 2012
93
1
0
Vancouver Island, BC Canada
thanks for the link, I have previously watched this vid. It won't work for my setup (from what I see) due to my comments about the size of the sump.

The legs cannot fit INSIDE the bottom frame, there is not enough room for the sump. The top needs to be 25 1/2" front to back, take away 2 x 1 1/2" for the legs leaves 22 1/2" inside the legs. The sump is just over 22" front to back. The top would need to be 22 1/2" + (4 x 1 1/2") = 28 1/2" and then Ive got extra top deck. This dimension pushes the front of the tank even further away from the wall. And I still need to accommodate the overflow piping.

This design also doesn't work because I can't enclose the ends. Joey's design does this with his end blocking. I need to be able to slide out the sump if it ever needs to be repaired or changed.

In a perfect world I would have an 18" front to back sump but the world isn't perfect. A 6 foot tank would be costly and a 90g might be doable but not easy to find in these parts. I also hesitate in giving up water volume.
 
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