I priced out materials in this area which was the reason I am leaning away from it. It would be different if this was something i was going to keep for years, but i want to be out of this tank ASAP. Realistically i can see it being used at most 2 years, probably more like 1 and some change. They were talking close to 800 dollars for the steel and then i would have to hire on a welder to do the work which wasnt cheap either. I personally dont have the equipment or the skills to do it so your talking 1000+ just to build a stand that i will use less than 2 years. Im good with wood, so its more in my comfort level and its significantly cheaper. I can support the tank no problem with wood its just keeping it open underneath that makes me nervous, but i feel like with hardcore bracing around the edges and lots of beans running vertical underneath with plywood on top that should be fine. I just wanted to hear it from someone else first
Aquarium Stand question for monster tank!
- Thread starter Michael Populus
- Start date
What I would do is gave a 2x2x1/4wall frame built to set onto of your wood stand to support your tank.
What do you think of that idea
jsodwi
Tit would work but the op is trying to save by not using the steel. If you don’t want to have any middle support to leave room for filtration , use 2x6s and double them up for your spanners across on the top section of the stand. At 4’ doubled up they aren’t going to bowWhat I would do is gave a 2x2x1/4wall frame built to set onto of your wood stand to support your tank.
What do you think of that idea
I'd even consider going 2x8 for a 4' unsupported span with a 4' high tank on top, thats a hell of a lot of weight. If it's only a temporary/grow-out they why go 4' high? Height adds huge cost to tanks as it greatly increases the thickness of the glass/acrylic required. If you dropped it to 3' or 30" you'd save a heap on the construction of the tank, and the stand too (to a degree).
Seems like a lot of cost/effort for a temporary set up, have you got some big really big fish to hold until then?
Seems like a lot of cost/effort for a temporary set up, have you got some big really big fish to hold until then?
Do you really need a 300 gallon sump? That is the first question I would ask. Obviously, it depends on stocking, etc.
Also, if I was you, I would put the sump behind the stand, not underneath it. That is what I did with my 300 gallon.. The sump is roughly the size of a 75 gallon tank. Sumps need to be cleaned out. When the sump is behind the tank, it is just so much easier. I have plenty of room to put a shop vac in, vaccum out all the biofilm that falls off the bioballs, etc.
Also, having the sump behind the tank lets you make the stand shorter.
Think about it.. A 300 gallon is about 30" high. Your tank is 48" high.. And in clearance between the top of the sump and tank.. Let's say that is a foot (although you might need more).. Now you are at 30 + 48 + 12 = 90 inches high.. so do you really want the top of your tank to be 7.5 feet off the ground.. that will be a pain to feed, gravel wash, or do any kind of setup or maintenance.
Wkth a 4 foot high tank, you want a short stand.
Also, if I was you, I would put the sump behind the stand, not underneath it. That is what I did with my 300 gallon.. The sump is roughly the size of a 75 gallon tank. Sumps need to be cleaned out. When the sump is behind the tank, it is just so much easier. I have plenty of room to put a shop vac in, vaccum out all the biofilm that falls off the bioballs, etc.
Also, having the sump behind the tank lets you make the stand shorter.
Think about it.. A 300 gallon is about 30" high. Your tank is 48" high.. And in clearance between the top of the sump and tank.. Let's say that is a foot (although you might need more).. Now you are at 30 + 48 + 12 = 90 inches high.. so do you really want the top of your tank to be 7.5 feet off the ground.. that will be a pain to feed, gravel wash, or do any kind of setup or maintenance.
Wkth a 4 foot high tank, you want a short stand.
Sorry, I havent really checked on the responses as I decided to just go with Ultimas since I couldnt get the steel at a price that was reasonable and im just gonna sell the 300.
IN REGARDS TO THE REPLYS!
Why 300 Gallon Sump
I have a 300 gallon tank thats holding them now, so it was more to repurpose and In the end i will be building a 15x15x4 so i would then be able to use that sump on that tank. Im thinking future here. I was planning on putting almost the whole thing as mechanical ( 3 rows of 3 filter socks ) filter floss, sponges, then biomedia and then putting closed loop ultimas for extra bio past the mechanical of the sump. All of this would be able to be used on the final setup.
Why Sump not behind or on side
In our current location the space requires the sump go underneath the tank, so putting it behind or on the side isnt possible. im building this to the exact space its going and at the end would be trashing the wood so Im trying to save money. I dont want to spend more than i need to as its a growout. I also dont need a foot of space under it. Right now i have around 6 under my 300 and its more than enough to pull out filter socks and change filter floss. When maintenance is needed everything can be moved out from under the tank and done in the open which is maybe once a year
Why 4 foot high
Im doing 4 foot BECAUSE the final tank will be 4 foot, so instead of buying multiple acrylic pieces ( 1 now and then 1 later ) I can buy for the final now and just move it over once we build our house, again, thinking future, I understand is not necessary now. Basically killing 2 birds
Cleaning at the hight
I keep bare bottom tanks, and would have been running 3 seperate outflows from 3 snapper darts so i was going to have almost 10 times turnover with filtration then i have quite a few pp20s. So cleaning the inside isnt really necessary. Water changes would all be done through a hard plumbed ball valve at the mid point on the tank. So theres very little need for me to get into this tank.
Reason for the grow out so large ( what fish )
I currently have my 300 overstocked in terms of fish in the space but have very heavy filtration ( 200 gallon sump )
Most of these fish are getting large and need a bigger home, but reason for the size im going as big as i am is because im being gifted an arapaima from a local keeper that is getting out of the hobby. He has 3 and im getting 1 of them.
( I have 2 gar, 3 arowana, 3 bass, 2 stingrays, 6 black bars, 10 red hooks, 2 datnoids, and 1 fire eel. So its definetly in need up an upgrade so i was trying to do it as cheap as possible since within 2 years they will be in their forever home. We just have to finish saving for the house. Its going to be build into the actually home so it will need to be finished at the same time as the home and inspected and cleared so it cant be a lengthy project. Because of this, i need to have at least 40000 ready to go when we start building.
IN REGARDS TO THE REPLYS!
Why 300 Gallon Sump
I have a 300 gallon tank thats holding them now, so it was more to repurpose and In the end i will be building a 15x15x4 so i would then be able to use that sump on that tank. Im thinking future here. I was planning on putting almost the whole thing as mechanical ( 3 rows of 3 filter socks ) filter floss, sponges, then biomedia and then putting closed loop ultimas for extra bio past the mechanical of the sump. All of this would be able to be used on the final setup.
Why Sump not behind or on side
In our current location the space requires the sump go underneath the tank, so putting it behind or on the side isnt possible. im building this to the exact space its going and at the end would be trashing the wood so Im trying to save money. I dont want to spend more than i need to as its a growout. I also dont need a foot of space under it. Right now i have around 6 under my 300 and its more than enough to pull out filter socks and change filter floss. When maintenance is needed everything can be moved out from under the tank and done in the open which is maybe once a year
Why 4 foot high
Im doing 4 foot BECAUSE the final tank will be 4 foot, so instead of buying multiple acrylic pieces ( 1 now and then 1 later ) I can buy for the final now and just move it over once we build our house, again, thinking future, I understand is not necessary now. Basically killing 2 birds
Cleaning at the hight
I keep bare bottom tanks, and would have been running 3 seperate outflows from 3 snapper darts so i was going to have almost 10 times turnover with filtration then i have quite a few pp20s. So cleaning the inside isnt really necessary. Water changes would all be done through a hard plumbed ball valve at the mid point on the tank. So theres very little need for me to get into this tank.
Reason for the grow out so large ( what fish )
I currently have my 300 overstocked in terms of fish in the space but have very heavy filtration ( 200 gallon sump )
Most of these fish are getting large and need a bigger home, but reason for the size im going as big as i am is because im being gifted an arapaima from a local keeper that is getting out of the hobby. He has 3 and im getting 1 of them.
( I have 2 gar, 3 arowana, 3 bass, 2 stingrays, 6 black bars, 10 red hooks, 2 datnoids, and 1 fire eel. So its definetly in need up an upgrade so i was trying to do it as cheap as possible since within 2 years they will be in their forever home. We just have to finish saving for the house. Its going to be build into the actually home so it will need to be finished at the same time as the home and inspected and cleared so it cant be a lengthy project. Because of this, i need to have at least 40000 ready to go when we start building.
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