# Need advice on rack for 4 - 75 gallon tanks



## Steak Taco (May 18, 2008)

I'm thinking about building a rack to hold 4 75 gallon tanks in my new fish room in the garage. I have 102" of space on the wall I would like to use. I can go out from the wall as far as necessary. The rack doesn't need to look show room quality but I don't want it to look like @#&$ either. Anybody have some ideas or plans of something they have built in the past? I've got the room finished except for the floor and just need some help from you guys to get it all rolling. Here is a pic of the wall before the tanks go in. Pay no attention to the tank in the pic it is being sold.


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## slimbolen99 (Apr 28, 2006)

I think you're going to be cutting it pretty close as far as fitting a stand that holds two 4' long tanks...the tank length is going to be about 98 inches and that only leaves you four inches (two inches on the left, and two inches on the right) on either side...it's going to be a tight squeeze, tht's for sure. I think you can get 'er done -- have fun!


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## Steak Taco (May 18, 2008)

The more I think about it the more I think it won't work. The tanks will fit for sure but I don't think I would be able to use any kind of filter except a HOB due to no extra room in stand. I have a couple canisters I would like to use but have no idea where they could fit.


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## blueinfinity (Jul 17, 2003)

then why not do like many of the pet stores?
have them step out, over lap halfs of each, then they can sit nearly on top of one another

maybe even weezle in 4 tanks sideways under the stand for sumps?


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## bell (Dec 12, 2005)

what is the max room you can leave behind them? measure the width of your shoulders and shoot for that amount, then all the sump stuff can go behind on one side and leave yourself enough room under one side on the bottom to slide under


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

The external dimensions of my 75 gals is 48.5â€


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

[email protected] the double posts! got me again!!!


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## Stickzula (Sep 14, 2007)

Why not use the existing studs in the walls? You could run a 2x4 ledger board from front to back of the space and lag bolt it into the studs. Then build your rectangular frame and set it on the ledgers. I know it is not "wood on wood", but it WILL work. This method is used all the time in construction, mostly for decks, but also in roof and floor systems. To be extra safe you could remove the drywall where the ledgers would go to eliminate any excess shear and twisting of the ledger, but it is probably not necessary. If you are really wirried about the weight on the ledger, just increase the size to 2x4, 6, 8....whatever floats your boat. You could use 1 lag per stud with a 2x4, 2 lags with a 2x6 and 2x8, or 3 lags with a 2x10.

I know this is not the perferred method, but given the space, this is what I would do.


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## dogofwar (Apr 5, 2004)

How about orienting them perpendicular to the wall?

You'll have plenty of room that way...


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2008)

Stickzula said:


> Why not use the existing studs in the walls? You could run a 2x4 ledger board from front to back of the space and lag bolt it into the studs. Then build your rectangular frame and set it on the ledgers. I know it is not "wood on wood", but it WILL work. This method is used all the time in construction, mostly for decks, but also in roof and floor systems. To be extra safe you could remove the drywall where the ledgers would go to eliminate any excess shear and twisting of the ledger, but it is probably not necessary. If you are really wirried about the weight on the ledger, just increase the size to 2x4, 6, 8....whatever floats your boat. You could use 1 lag per stud with a 2x4, 2 lags with a 2x6 and 2x8, or 3 lags with a 2x10.
> 
> I know this is not the perferred method, but given the space, this is what I would do.


Are you sure that the wood bolted into the wall beams will be strong enough to support more then 2,000lbs in water weight?

~Ed


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## Stickzula (Sep 14, 2007)

Marduk said:


> Stickzula said:
> 
> 
> > Why not use the existing studs in the walls? You could run a 2x4 ledger board from front to back of the space and lag bolt it into the studs. Then build your rectangular frame and set it on the ledgers. I know it is not "wood on wood", but it WILL work. This method is used all the time in construction, mostly for decks, but also in roof and floor systems. To be extra safe you could remove the drywall where the ledgers would go to eliminate any excess shear and twisting of the ledger, but it is probably not necessary. If you are really wirried about the weight on the ledger, just increase the size to 2x4, 6, 8....whatever floats your boat. You could use 1 lag per stud with a 2x4, 2 lags with a 2x6 and 2x8, or 3 lags with a 2x10.
> ...


If I understand your question, you are asking if the studs can handle the weight? In short, yes!

This is how. Ok, here we have 4 - 75 gal tanks. The water weight per tank is 600#. If we double that to conservativly account for self weight of tank, weight of sand, rocks, canopy, etc. we end up with 1200# per tank. There would be 2 tanks per tier and 2 tiers giving us about 4800# total weight. Since the weight would be fairly evenly distributed between the 2 walls we can say each wall is supporting 2400#. Lets assume that we would bolt the ledger into 2 studs per wall, we could say each stud is carrying 1200#. It is generally accepted that an interior wall with normal floor loading is worth 2800-3000# of compressive load. That is easily double the requirements. I would try to lag the ledger to 3 studs if possible, but 2 wouold work.

If the concern is the strength of the ledger, I THINK a 2x4 would work, but I KNOW that a 2x8 will. I would use a 2x8 just to be safe. I would also use 1/2"x3" to 3 1/2" lags. 2 per stud per ledger.


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## sweede (Oct 26, 2004)

> Are you sure that the wood bolted into the wall beams will be strong enough to support more then 2,000lbs in water weight?
> 
> ~Ed


well i'm sure that he's not going to run beams from wall to wall and not put any type of legging or center beam to floor bracing...

what you could do, although it would require.. some work.

tear out the drywall where the tanks will go, place a 2x6 or 2x8 between the two walls, and temporarly nail it to the wall studs.

Take a 2x4 and place it over the 2x6(8) supports and bolt together with lag bolts or regular machine bolds

ascii art ftw

| |
|||
|||
| |
|||
|||
| |
| |
| \----------- 2nd Support stud (sits flush to floor does not need to extend up.
| \------------- 2x6 cross members
\----------------- original wall stud


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Marduk said:


> Stickzula said:
> 
> 
> > Why not use the existing studs in the walls? You could run a 2x4 ledger board from front to back of the space and lag bolt it into the studs. Then build your rectangular frame and set it on the ledgers. I know it is not "wood on wood", but it WILL work. This method is used all the time in construction, mostly for decks, but also in roof and floor systems. To be extra safe you could remove the drywall where the ledgers would go to eliminate any excess shear and twisting of the ledger, but it is probably not necessary. If you are really wirried about the weight on the ledger, just increase the size to 2x4, 6, 8....whatever floats your boat. You could use 1 lag per stud with a 2x4, 2 lags with a 2x6 and 2x8, or 3 lags with a 2x10.
> ...


If the wall is 2 by 4 studs on 16" centers, ledger boards will work for more weight than this. On the side walls you will only pick up one or two studs. What I did in that situation was set a sheet of plywood flush against the wall under that ledger to give it a lip to rest on.

Especially if if it's hollow core cement block or poured concrete, lagging rectangular steel tubing would be an alternative material for a ledger. Whether wood or steel, there is no reason for center posts on an eight foot span. Two, two by sixes with an half inch plywood panel sandwiched between them would not deflect at all with that load. Don't forget to paint the stand.

As to filtration, use either DIY undergravel filters ( not wimpy commercial ones) or Mattenfilters in each tank. Or wait a month until they go on season-end clearance at your local home store, and buy pond filters for ponds between 200 and 1000 gallons. Pond filters are rated differently since no one loads a pond with fish the way a tank is loaded. I have five of these rated for a 400 gallon pond:

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/11664/product.web

Four of them filter 75 gallon tanks, and the fifth one aerates a 400 gallon pond in the back yard. Four of them I bought off season, but the one for the pond I picked up new at a Medina fish club auction and I am not sure just how I got it, bidding or the raffle. The fountain is fine outside but resist the temptation to use it indoors just because it came free with the filter.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

hiccup


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

loving the maths here.

48 + 48 = 96 (and so 48.5 * 2 would be 97)

so 5" to play around with

as far as the racking is concerned, 3 sets of verticals, with notches cut out for the cross beams ply backing to keep it rigid.

this also happens to leave the centre between the tanks free, and therefore able to take piping. therefore if set high enough you can fit the filters beneath ( I looked up the FX5, and that can have a maximum head of 5foot (1.5m) above the lid of the canister, the other Fluval canisters could only go to 1.4m, but that was including canisters hight as well.

I noticed it hasn't been said what sort of fish you intend to keep in here. the reason I mention this is that a centralised filtration system may be useful, using 1.5" pipe for overflows (thinking along the lines of the PVC pretzel) with the piping fitted in the gaps down the side of the tanks (against the walls) and the return line/manifold through the centre. possibly having it in a sort of race way system (so the tank above drains into the tank below, which then goes to the sump and pumped back through again)


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn said:


> loving the maths here.
> 
> 48 + 48 = 96 (and so 48.5 * 2 would be 97)
> 
> so 5" to play around with


  Yea, like I said... 5"...

(Thanks Psy)


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## Steak Taco (May 18, 2008)

Thanks for all the ideas guys but I have decided to just put my existing stand with my 2 - 75 gallon tanks in the room. The room is part of my garage that I just framed up in the last couple of weeks. I couldn't make the room any bigger because my wife still had to be able to park her car in there and I needed to be able to have my workbench and tool area. So the room is a little on the small size but should work great as a man cave once I get the TV hanging on the opposite wall and get some beers in the mini fridge. I will get some pictures up when it is complete.


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## drawls07 (Jul 24, 2006)

could do somehting like i did . old pictures
















let me know if they showed up


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## drawls07 (Jul 24, 2006)

uses about the sameroom as if you put one on top of another


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## nick a (Apr 9, 2004)

I'm gonna do it the long way to avoid mistakes :lol: 
48.5*2=97
1.625*3=4.875
97+4.875=101.875"

If your 102" is correct then 1.5 or 1.625 heavy wall tubing or unistrut will be a perfect fit. This was designed for the upper/lower rows of 36" tanks--but you get the idea with the 2 75's in the middle:










Without a 3rd row yours could have plenty of room for filtration without being too high up.....


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## slichlid (Aug 9, 2004)

Okay, I'm going to revive this and butt in. Unistrut, nick a? After reading your post I went web surfing and I found the commercial website for this stuff. It looks great. Is that what you used in that photo? Do you know who sells it and if its available in smallish quantities to the general public?

Thanks.

Slichlid


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Now that you mention it, I have seen Unistrut type fish stands. I wondered where the connectors came from at the time. Colorado could be different but it looks like near me it would have to be installed by union carpenters if bought new. What I saw was probably salvaged from somewhere. I did see there were about 79 ebay auctions for unistrut parts.


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## Hoosier Tank (May 8, 2007)

Now you a talkin my language... Industrial Maintenance! At work I order slotted strut (unistrut is a brandname like "kleenex" is a tissue) and various fittings for it from *Grainger* http://www.grainger.com and *Fastenal* http://www.fastenal.com. Both have a local branch in most major cities nation wide. Here is Graingers current catalog page for the Thomas-Betts brand SUPERSTRUT and Fastenal's selection is HERE


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## slichlid (Aug 9, 2004)

Great! Thanks, folks. Looks like there is a Grainger branch here in Denver. I'll try them this week to see if they sell small quantities to the general public.

I'm looking at the 1 5/8 x 1 5/8" solid strut. Comes in 10 foot sections. Can I cut this stuff with a hack saw or metal-cutting jig saw blade, or is it more "substantial" than that? Also, as for design, I'm thinking sort of a H shape, with a the top closed as well, for the legs, with single beams (front and back) for the horizontal at each level of tanks (does that make sense). Do you think that would work? Do you think the folks at Grainger will have ideas for the extra parts I'll need to fasten everything together?

Thanks for the help guys!

Slichlid

P.S. - If it doesn't look like this can happen, I have sketched out some plans for a wood stand based on McD's article. Thanks McD - that was very helpful and really gave a good sense of the critical aspects of good stand design when constructing with wood.


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## nick a (Apr 9, 2004)

Sorry, i missed this update.

Check this out for inspiration

http://homepage.mac.com/pamchin/PhotoAlbum9.html


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## Hoosier Tank (May 8, 2007)

Wow slichlid, I missed it too! Did your Grainger help you out? Hope you weren't waiting for a reply to your questions...If still needed, let me know what parts you are trying to find to fasten it all together.


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