My dual tank design. Input please

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H

honda237

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Mar 28, 2009
2,322
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kalamazoo, Michigan
the stand is going to be 54"x20"x30". on the top there is going to be a tank that measures 52"x18x18. then on the bottom i don't know whats going down there but as smaller tank like a 55 or so. i will add plywood for underneath the tanks. What do you guys think?
What size screws should i use?
how would i shim it? i know my floor isn't level?
ALso everything will be made with 2x4s

stand complete.jpg
 
you need to plan out a few more details before worrying about screws:

If you have a 54" tank on top and are planning on putting a 48" (55g) tank on the bottom where will your upright bracing go? Draw this out a few different ways. I'd start with what is required to support the 54" tank....now work backwards with the room you realistically have below.

Also, where is your filtration going? Is this going in a "living" area of your home? How finished does it need to look?

As water evaporates from the bottom tank it may rot the wood above it supporting your larger tank so you need to treat that wood as well .

Don't know how handy you are but pre-drill your screw holes, use decking screws that are long enough to penetrate attached wood by 1.5" to 2", shim with a level and standard shims you can get ant any hardware store.

Also, do a search for stand builds. You really want the tank weight supported by the wood...not the screws. You'll see what I mean once you search a bit.
 
2x4's will work fine but you got to change your design a bit. Your vertical 2x4's need to be right under the horizontal 2x4's for maxim support. Right now your design is set up for what's called "sheer" weight distribution. Basically the fish tank weight is held up by the screws not the wood. Sorry this is hard for me to describe but look at some other DIY stands and you will start to see a pattern.
Building stores (Home Depo) sells L brackets for this and they are very easy to use. The brackets hold the 2x4 in place and the weight is distributed straight down the wood, no sheer. Or you can buy a KREG jig to http://www.kregtool.com/index.php to hold your 2X4's togeather. This jig is cheaper in the long run and I use mine all the time, I'm building my third stand now :)

Any 1 1/4 drywall screw will hold this stand together with the L brackets or use the screws with the Kreg system if you go that rout.

Also you should skin at least the back wall of your stand with 1/2 plywood to keep the stand from rocking.
 
ok, let me redesign and i will post again. give me a few minutes, im doing this on a touch pad. its going in my bedroom and i don't care what the stand looks like. I can treat the wood.
 
here are two designs. i hope their better. I was going to use the L brackets for the vertical supports but its going to cost me around $45 for the amount i need. i already have the wook but is there a cheaper thing besides those brackets? i would need 32 right? Which one is better? also i decided to make it 54"x24"x 34". could i lose some wood?

stand 1.jpg

stand 2.jpg
 
the second one is the best design, because there is no shear acting on the screws, and you wouldn't need any brackets. Basically, you have a 2x4 box sitting on top of 2x4 posts, so theres no need for any brackets.

the only thing I would suggest is doubling up the two back corners with a piece on the inside that goes up to the top of the box part, to help with side to side sway, and as something more sturdy to anchor the top into.
 
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