Help with stand design

[A1t2o]

I'm building a custom stand for a braceless 75 that is drilled on the bottom. The tank was custom drilled when I bought it and the problem I see is that the hole seems to be really close to the edge. So close that I'm worried about the 2x4 frame getting in the way of the bulkhead. The stand it was sitting on before was more of a table style with a hole for the overflows. I want to build a stand that is more fit to the size of the tank and have the trim sit directly on the 2x4s.

There is plenty of room for 1 2x4 but I don't think I can fit a second. I was going to go with the design I saw on this site where they have the frame supported by 2 2x4s on each corner and a 3rd to tie the 2 verticals to the horizontal frame. If I can't fit the 3rd 2x4, which would make it 2 boards deep, what can I do to hold everything in place.

The guy helping me suggested galvanized brackets, but we are not sure that would hold up with the salt splash. Another option was to put the bracket on the outer edge, but router a notch so it sits flush with the 2x4s. I'm a little concerned that this would compromise the strength though. I will have a hardwood on the exterior to hide it and provide additional support. Would that work?

Any other ideas that would work for this corner?

[rickztahone]

Couldn't you just make the stand longer on the back side so that the bottom hole lines up cleanly with the stand and not on a 2x4?

[A1t2o]

How do you support the back edge/corners of the tank then? I was trying to avoid putting any surface under the tank. I don't like the idea that moisture could build up under the tank, so I was going to sit it directly on the 2x4s.

[RocketEngineer]

Pocket screws between the legs and frame would do the job quite nicely and not get in the way of the bulkheads.

[dkeller_nc]

It's a little hard to picture your dilemma from your description. But if you mean that you cannot add the center supports in the front and back where two doors would close because your tank has a center overflow, then you can leave the back one out.

I wouldn't recommend that deletion if you had a considerably longer/heavier tank, but a 75g just doesn't weigh enough to deflect the back rail sufficiently to cause issues. Keep in mind that a lot of commercial, cheap-as-dirt wooden stands for 55, 65 and 75 gallon tanks are a frame of single 2x4's (held together by screws), with 2 uprights on each end.

No one would argue that tank stands like that are desirable, but they do hold the tanks off of the floor quite well.

[A1t2o]

It's a little hard to picture your dilemma from your description. But if you mean that you cannot add the center supports in the front and back where two doors would close because your tank has a center overflow, then you can leave the back one out.

I wouldn't recommend that deletion if you had a considerably longer/heavier tank, but a 75g just doesn't weigh enough to deflect the back rail sufficiently to cause issues. Keep in mind that a lot of commercial, cheap-as-dirt wooden stands for 55, 65 and 75 gallon tanks are a frame of single 2x4's (held together by screws), with 2 uprights on each end.

No one would argue that tank stands like that are desirable, but they do hold the tanks off of the floor quite well.

Sorry, it is a corner overflow with 2 holes drilled in the bottom. The one closest to the corner is about 2 inches away from each edge. That gives me enough room to set the trim on the 2x4 but not to have a second 2x4 that would attach the vertical supports to the horizontal frame and provide some support against twisting.

I might go with the pocket screw idea and count on the hardwood exterior to provide the additional support that the missing vertical 2x4 would have provided. We had just thought of the metal bracket plan and were wondering if galvanized steel would hold up against salt creep.

[RocketEngineer]

Sorry, it is a corner overflow with 2 holes drilled in the bottom. The one closest to the corner is about 2 inches away from each edge. That gives me enough room to set the trim on the 2x4 but not to have a second 2x4 that would attach the vertical supports to the horizontal frame and provide some support against twisting.

I might go with the pocket screw idea and count on the hardwood exterior to provide the additional support that the missing vertical 2x4 would have provided. We had just thought of the metal bracket plan and were wondering if galvanized steel would hold up against salt creep.

The inside piece was for convenience but is not required if a different joining method is used between the pieces.

The main resistance to "twisting" comes from having the two 2X4s in the corner in an L shape and connecting them to the top and bottom frame. All of this can be done with pocket screws quite easily.

The metal brackets tend to rust around salt air. Where I live you can see the damage salty air does to metals no matter what they are coated with.

[dkeller_nc]

Ahh - Now I get it. I concur with Rocket's advice. A Kreg pocket screw jig can be had for about $40, and would be useful for many other things around the house.

My thought on the pocket screws is to suggest one modification. Either buy a box of 316 SS deck screws and use those instead of the screws supplied with the jig, or buy the hardwood plugs that are specifically designed to go in pocket screw holes. The screws supplied with the jig will rust very quickly in the presence of salt, and that's not a mechanical fastener that you want to suddenly give way after a few months.