Building a stand for my 125.. questions.

rjpotts · 12/16/2017, 10:42 AM

As the title implies, I'm due for a stand for my 5' 125 that I'm hoping to move into pretty soon.
I have a 71 x 34 space that the tank is going into (tank is 60x18). I am planning to basically make the entire area the stand to give the illusion that it is built into the wall. And to have a healthy ledge to sit on, set water change stuff/maintenance stuff, etc, and for plenty of room for equipment/controllers and stuff underneath.
I'm a metal fabricator, so wood is a little foreign to me, but I got about 50, 16' 2x4's for free. So that is what I'll be building it out of, and reinforcing the floor with in the crawl space.
Here's my issue, I would prefer to not have a vertical support in the front if I can avoid it. They always seem to be in the way when you're fooling around in the sump.
Any recommendations??
Thanks.

Daddi0 · 12/16/2017, 11:35 AM

Since you do metal work, you could fabricate a nice metal "beam" to support the front?
Cheers! Mark

lapin · 12/16/2017, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjpotts

As the title implies, I'm due for a stand for my 5' 125 that I'm hoping to move into pretty soon.
I have a 71 x 34 space that the tank is going into (tank is 60x18).
Here's my issue, I would prefer to not have a vertical support in the front if I can avoid it. They always seem to be in the way when you're fooling around in the sump.
Any recommendations??
Thanks.

I made a stand for my old 125 out of 2x4's without a middle up and down brace. I used 2ea 2x4's across the front and 2ea across the back. Like you make a 4x4 out of them. I ran a brace between the front and back to give the middle some support. I topped it with a piece of pine counter top from the PO. I think is was 3/4 thick. Worked like a charm.

rjpotts · 12/16/2017, 01:22 PM

That's good news.
I thought about cutting some cool looking ornamental arch or beam for extra support on the front on the ole burn table. But, once I had that the logical progression is... why not just make the whole thing out of steel lol.
My original plan, since I have so many 2x4s, and so little experience with their capabilities, was to just make the top out of solid 2x4's laminated together (2x34 effectively) with a piece of 3/4 ply on top and maybe a few extras below the first level. Then basically a vertical support every foot, or less.
The front will probably be a 3/4" plywood vernier, so that should add plenty of extra support.
The best news is, I'm going to pre-assemble, plumb, and water test everything in my shop. So if something fails a broom and squeegee will fix it. I'll just be out a tank and some free wood.

lapin · 12/16/2017, 01:30 PM

Wood is very strong. For legs in the corners I placed 2x4's in an "L". Made a shelf down below to keep the sump off the floor a few inches. Just 2x4's with a piece of plywood. Since everything was in my garage, I didn't need sides or front or back.

12/16/2017, 10:42 AM	#1
rjpotts Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 45	Building a stand for my 125.. questions. As the title implies, I'm due for a stand for my 5' 125 that I'm hoping to move into pretty soon. I have a 71 x 34 space that the tank is going into (tank is 60x18). I am planning to basically make the entire area the stand to give the illusion that it is built into the wall. And to have a healthy ledge to sit on, set water change stuff/maintenance stuff, etc, and for plenty of room for equipment/controllers and stuff underneath. I'm a metal fabricator, so wood is a little foreign to me, but I got about 50, 16' 2x4's for free. So that is what I'll be building it out of, and reinforcing the floor with in the crawl space. Here's my issue, I would prefer to not have a vertical support in the front if I can avoid it. They always seem to be in the way when you're fooling around in the sump. Any recommendations?? Thanks.

12/16/2017, 11:35 AM	#2
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	Since you do metal work, you could fabricate a nice metal "beam" to support the front? Cheers! Mark __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

12/16/2017, 01:22 PM	#4
rjpotts Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 45	That's good news. I thought about cutting some cool looking ornamental arch or beam for extra support on the front on the ole burn table. But, once I had that the logical progression is... why not just make the whole thing out of steel lol. My original plan, since I have so many 2x4s, and so little experience with their capabilities, was to just make the top out of solid 2x4's laminated together (2x34 effectively) with a piece of 3/4 ply on top and maybe a few extras below the first level. Then basically a vertical support every foot, or less. The front will probably be a 3/4" plywood vernier, so that should add plenty of extra support. The best news is, I'm going to pre-assemble, plumb, and water test everything in my shop. So if something fails a broom and squeegee will fix it. I'll just be out a tank and some free wood.

12/16/2017, 01:30 PM	#5
lapin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Austin Posts: 801	Wood is very strong. For legs in the corners I placed 2x4's in an "L". Made a shelf down below to keep the sump off the floor a few inches. Just 2x4's with a piece of plywood. Since everything was in my garage, I didn't need sides or front or back.