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Unread 03/20/2018, 09:52 AM   #1
Boochika
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Lightbulb Questions While Building My Own Stand

Ok so I started building my stand for my 80 gallon tank and I have a few curiosities about trying to make it as bullet proof as possible:

1. Should I seal the inside of the stand? I haven't seen a lot of people with the inside of the tank unsealed and raw wood and I wasn't sure why, is there an issue with contamination of the sump with water from condensation dripping back down if there is sealant on the top surface of the inside and support beams? I've also seen people with the inside top surface of their stands totally rotting and I don't want that either.

2. Venting; should I cut some vent holes in the top of the stand around the tank (i have some extra room around the tank where i could make some openings) or slots) or should I leave an open slot at the back of the tank? I was just concerned about moisture getting trapped inside stand and then against wall that could rot out either.

3. A lot of people have told me to put Styrofoam or something similar under the tank to help distribute the load of the tank evenly when setting it up, has anyone done this and what thickness Styrofoam? I'm a little nervous to do so because I feel like the padding underneath the tank could put unnecessary upward pressure on the glass and overstress it.

I know kind of long but just some questions I have thanks for any responses




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Unread 03/20/2018, 10:01 AM   #2
RobZilla04
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boochika View Post
Ok so I started building my stand for my 80 gallon tank and I have a few curiosities about trying to make it as bullet proof as possible:

1. Should I seal the inside of the stand? I haven't seen a lot of people with the inside of the tank unsealed and raw wood and I wasn't sure why, is there an issue with contamination of the sump with water from condensation dripping back down if there is sealant on the top surface of the inside and support beams? I've also seen people with the inside top surface of their stands totally rotting and I don't want that either. You can seal the bottom of the stand. This will prevent water that spills over during cleaning from soaking into the wood. As for the top and beams above the sump level, there is really no point. Those shouldn't get wet much less soaked to the point they rot years later.

2. Venting; should I cut some vent holes in the top of the stand around the tank (i have some extra room around the tank where i could make some openings) or slots) or should I leave an open slot at the back of the tank? I was just concerned about moisture getting trapped inside stand and then against wall that could rot out either. Do you mean the top of your stand has a full sheet of plywood which the tank is going to rest on? Or is the stand width/length larger than the footprint of the tank? I still wouldn't put holes between the plywood under the base of the tank.

3. A lot of people have told me to put Styrofoam or something similar under the tank to help distribute the load of the tank evenly when setting it up, has anyone done this and what thickness Styrofoam? I'm a little nervous to do so because I feel like the padding underneath the tank could put unnecessary upward pressure on the glass and overstress it. Lots of folks have used Styrofoam but it is not entirely necessary. As long as the frame and top plywood is level and equal in height it will be fine. The tank is designed to be supported by its frame sitting on a flat surface.

I know kind of long but just some questions I have thanks for any responses




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Unread 03/20/2018, 11:09 AM   #3
nereefpat
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Originally Posted by Boochika View Post
3. A lot of people have told me to put Styrofoam or something similar under the tank to help distribute the load of the tank evenly when setting it up, has anyone done this and what thickness Styrofoam? I'm a little nervous to do so because I feel like the padding underneath the tank could put unnecessary upward pressure on the glass and overstress it.
It depends.

Rimmed tanks: No. You are correct that it puts pressure on the bottom panel. Rimmed tanks have "floating" bottoms.

Rimless: Yes. Most manufacturers will recommend this to even out the imperfections of the stand.


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Unread 03/20/2018, 12:06 PM   #4
mcgyvr
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There can be considerable moisture levels inside the stand due to the sump/lack of ventilation/salt creep/splashing,etc.... It would be "best" to paint and or seal everything inside the stand.. A few coats of regular latext paint is just fine.. Many even use shower pan liner or similar to create a "trough" inside so if the sump should start to leak it catches all or most of the water keeping it from spilling all over your floor..

If not leaving the back open then you certainly want to include some vents in the side and even use fans to blow dry air into the stand.. (note the use of fans also requires vent holes to let air out in addition to the holes for the fans themselves..

I would not use anything under the stand unless required by the tank manufacturer to retain the warranty,etc... They will recommend an exact material/thickness to use..
A trimmed tank will not require it..
And yes the wrong material choice there can cause more problems than it solves due to material compression,etc... over time..


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Unread 03/20/2018, 12:48 PM   #5
Boochika
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I was planning on putting a back on the stand but leaving the upper third of the back completely open to allow ventilation. I was only a little worried about my wall soaking in the exhaust from my system.

I've heard about.tubs for the inside of the stand and I'll explore this.


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Unread 03/20/2018, 08:08 PM   #6
Dsekula
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Originally Posted by Boochika View Post
I was planning on putting a back on the stand but leaving the upper third of the back completely open to allow ventilation. I was only a little worried about my wall soaking in the exhaust from my system.

I've heard about.tubs for the inside of the stand and I'll explore this.
Ive used clear drylok on the inside of stands and wood in my bathroom. It's masonry sealent btw so I don't know if there's any negative to this but it workes well for me. I've seen people build inserts with sheet plastic too but never done this personally..
In my experience most acrylic or flat bottom glass tanks recommend or require a leveling surface but not those with frames. I've used a foam insulation sheet to help level surfaces in olderhomes with seasonal setteling.

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Unread 03/22/2018, 03:39 PM   #7
ctripi
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I paint the inside of stand with white appliance paint from home depot. Waterproof and enhanced viability


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Unread 03/22/2018, 10:50 PM   #8
malfist
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My partner and I build a stand for our 220 tank. We used no styrofom and vented the canopy. We did poly coat the outside and the inside floor of the stand to protect it. Saltwater isn't the best on wood.


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Unread 03/28/2018, 10:39 AM   #9
Boochika
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I've stained my stand with waterproof stain. Do I also need to coat it in a polyurethane coat as well? Seems like overkill but I want to be safe.


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Unread 03/29/2018, 03:09 AM   #10
Louis Z
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Instead of using pine for stand , I used outdoor cedar 2x4 and 4x4 to try and ward off rot . Time will tell if I have to rebuild it. i have a previous pine top canopy that is constantly splashed and wet. It is mildewed and dislike the mess . So upgrading with a new tank and stand. I am going to use thin acrylic sheet under the new top to avoid moisture drips back into the sump ( Home Depot) I am using a plywood top over the cedar that the tank will sit on. I fiberglassed to avoid moisture and drip problems of the plywood. Will also use the flexible shower pan material to line the bottom of the stand. I want to catch the salt creep and splashes . The back is totally open to allow for circulation and using a thin acrylic sheet on the back wall to avoid moisture getting on the painted sheet rock . My canopy is yet to be built but my design is to use a aluminum inner frame with 1/4 acrylic sides that will be veneered on the outside with wood ( matching the stand oak plywood veneer). The top of the canopy will be open or vented in the back I overbuilt and overthought the stand but I just didn’t like the idea of using plywood to hold up the tank. I see a lot of new stands built that way and didn’t like it.


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Unread 04/16/2018, 09:17 AM   #11
Boochika
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So i had a slight issue in on corner of my stand where my aquarium in one corner wasn't contacting the surface of the stand.

The tank manufacturer stated it shouldn't be an issue as long as the corners are supported and to shim under the corner. I didn't want it to look like it was shimmed so what I did instead was shim under the entire top of my stand between the frame and top with door shims to make it fit better and it's perfect contact not with the aquarium bottom.

Since this is a framed tank I don't see this as being a huge deal, it's still level as well. Has anyone else dealt with something like this?


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Unread 04/16/2018, 09:32 AM   #12
mcgyvr
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boochika View Post
So i had a slight issue in on corner of my stand where my aquarium in one corner wasn't contacting the surface of the stand.

The tank manufacturer stated it shouldn't be an issue as long as the corners are supported and to shim under the corner. I didn't want it to look like it was shimmed so what I did instead was shim under the entire top of my stand between the frame and top with door shims to make it fit better and it's perfect contact not with the aquarium bottom.

Since this is a framed tank I don't see this as being a huge deal, it's still level as well. Has anyone else dealt with something like this?
What you did is the "better" way to solve the problem..
All good..


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Unread 04/16/2018, 11:10 AM   #13
Boochika
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What you did is the "better" way to solve the problem..
All good..
Will this be a long-term concern going forward for my tank however?


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Unread 04/16/2018, 12:07 PM   #14
mcgyvr
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Will this be a long-term concern going forward for my tank however?
No.. Having to shim an uneven stand/tank is fairly common..


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