ADA STYLE STAND

BlackTopKing · 03-29-2008, 1:37 AM

Well as everyone knows by now I want to set up an ADA Style tank.I knida been holding off because I been planing it so much and there alot of things that I have not settled 100% on. That an I am determind to finish a couple of other projects 1st. So April will be my ADA month. Threw out this month My goal is to start actually putting things together for my new tank. So that April 1st I fill my tank.

=)

Now with any ADA Style Tank we got to have an ADA Style Stand, =) I personaly like the soild look and clean see nuthing lines of the stands. As well as the modern look they may have. I do have some ideals that I will add to the Style that are my own and so far I have never seen, but I have to keep my secret intill I actually do it....Sorry.

To get started with the ideal though, I wanted to make a ADA Style stand that I may or may not use. Dont know yet. But I wanted to build one, So I did.

This is how it went,

Now I cut all my own wood, so that it is square and I know its right. But you can get it pre cut if you dont have the tools.

1st, I cut a peice that is 26"l x 29"h x 3/4"d. This will be my back wall, and altho alot of ADA Stands are short. For this project I wanted to go a stander hight of 29"H. Simple because this will not be actaully my ADA Style stand-I may use it for another style tank.

1a.I used 1"x3" which is really a 3/4" x 2 1/2" to make my floor and tank suport frames. I mounted the floor frame flush with the bottom after making sure it was square. This will give me a wider bottom suport base and makes it more soild with the weight of a tank. ( you can jump next to the tank and it wont move)

1b.Now the frames are set up so that the back wall is a 23"l peice that will butt and meet the 12 1/4" long sides and a full 24 1/2" front. Creating a box that will allow me to mount from the inside out and mount in multiple directions. Predrill the wholes for the screws and bore the tops a little will allow the screws to sit flush, so that when the frame is mounted, the screws dont create gaps. Also use high grade wood glue for everything.

Now note that the cuts are measured so that the stand will be completely flush, so centering is important and measeure out side in on both sides them mount.

1c. Now I mounted the bottom frame in the pictures to show how it will fit together. Mount the walls to each side. this will give you the most room to do so from the insde.

1d.The bottom is flush with the walls that were cut 14 1/2". Leaving the 3/4" sapce towards the front so it interlocks with the back wall. Also the tank suport frame is droped 1 1/2" so that the black frame is sunkin into the stand.

1e.Once the two are placed together they should fit very well on their own. Interlocking like this. This is the corners and is a great way to equal the pressues.

This is the full look. Mount the 2peices together. In this case 2 screws from the back at top and bottom will be used to further lock together. Then putty will be used to hide.
Before

After, note no gaps-tight fit.

1f. Cut a 4" peice at 26"l to run as a full front bottom facial. mounting again insde-out.

1g.Then cut a 5" front top facial to aslo run the full 26"l. Mounting again inside-out

1h. I then cut the doors, in this case two seperate doors at 13"x20"( just under these measurements)

1j. I used basic hinges, for this project-best to use inside hiden hinges, but I used standers.

1k. Then I Added flooring, mounting to the frame with micro pins and wood glue- The flooring is 1/4"think flooring panels- interlocking to make very clean look. I also used a peice of the flooring cut away to make a slight stop for the doors. Then will add magnets at the top to hold doors tight.

OHHHH NICE

Finaly for this session I am done. This weekend end will finish sanding and probly will paint CityGrey with 188pms. Which is a nice silverish/grey color.

1l. Clean up for the day...LOL

Tilapia Buttikoferi · 03-29-2008, 1:41 AM

is that a 20 gal stand made out of mdf?

Jim96Sc2 · 03-29-2008, 5:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tilapia Buttikoferi

is that a 20 gal stand made out of mdf?

Looks that way. Any moisture that gets into it is going to cause problems. I'd say its not the best choice for aquarium anything.

Militis · 03-29-2008, 5:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim96Sc2

Looks that way. Any moisture that gets into it is going to cause problems. I'd say its not the best choice for aquarium anything.

LOL i hope you guys are wrong or he is going to be pissed putting all that work into it

.

mosthated · 03-29-2008, 9:59 AM

looks very good! mdf or not

amehel0 · 03-29-2008, 10:15 AM

as long as he coasts it in 2pac paint or a polyeurethene he wont run into any moisture problems it is 1/2" thick so it should hol but id personally add some 2x4's too add ridgidity

kumdoalan · 03-29-2008, 11:10 AM

Just to make sure it can take the weight I think a test would be in order...

Im not a guy who knows much about building stuff out of wood, but I have done a little search of this forum about aquarium stands.
from what I have been reading it seems that the best advice is to always overbuild the tank's supports so that there is never any chance of it going to fail on you in the unknown future.

Designs like this one here- http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...ight=gal+stand
have the main weight of the water pushing down on 4x4s that run all the way to the floor.

Perhaps a good way to test a DIY aquarium stand to see if it's strong enough to handle the job would be to set something else thats just as heavy on top of it and see if you can wiggle it?
If it moves you can see where more supports need to be added...

BlackTopKing · 03-29-2008, 11:22 AM

Hey guys thanks for the replys.

Yes it is MDF and it is 3/4" Think, I also will coat it with a 3 step Pant system to include a polyeurethene coat and seal coat. I have used MDF with Stands and canopys before its a shame how it is under estamated it is. MDF Sub Flooring a Prime flooring is 25.95 for a 48"x96" sheet. And It is better then the Lowes or HD sold grades because they are used for other projects.
Personaly for the price and flexablity of the MDF it is better then a Grade A Plywood. All you got to do is proof it. Which in MHO should be done with all woods, no wood is completely water proof. Also The TitebondII glues used is the same grade that is used to make Plywood floorings, its a water resistant and extreamly strong glue, you can say its like welding wood because it will cure as a soild...Its how Plywood is made. =)

Of course I did test it. LOL it will hold fine and I felt the 2x4" would be an over kill, I wanted it to be very soild and flush. I even used the jump test. And it didnt wiggle a bit. So I know if racing kids were to go by the stand there wouldnt be a problem.

All in all, I guess I should of wrote more detail about what i was doing, sorry I was not really trying to make an artical, just showing some tricks- of course you could do the same with any wood. If someone wanted to do the same all you would have to do is change what type of wood you are using.

Thanks for the replys again

kumdoalan · 03-29-2008, 11:38 AM

From what I have learned from my reading about how to build a good stand, the idea that many go with is to have a solid 2x4 or better yet, a 4x4 to run from the bottom of the tank all the way to the floor.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/blog.php?b=38

Im not sure of the unknowns of future, so overbuilding now would seem the aim of what a person would want to go with first.

A bit of over-kill now might be handly a few years down the line.
Never can tell, who knows you may over-fill the tank a few times and really soak the wood of your stand.
Or the room may flood itself, or ....etc.

If I were to need to make my own aquarium stand I would build a frame of 2x4 or 4x4s and they would carry the weight of the water into the floor.

I would never allow the plywood or MDF (or whatever type of skirting you have around the outer skin) to carry the weight of the aquarium.
The plywood sides can help hold the 2x4 frame in position fine, but I would not let them do the heavy lifting.'

Danyal · 03-29-2008, 11:52 AM

this stand is more solidly built than any of the standard stands that hold up the majority of aquariums, not going to be a problem with a tank this small as long as it's properly protected against moisture(and it looks like it's going to be)