# Stand for a 240 gallon tank with a 125 under it



## frschul (Mar 10, 2004)

Any ideas on how to make a stand for an 8 foot long 240 gallon tank .... and under it
a 125 gallon 6 foot long ...... without a center brace is this possible.... ??????
Any ideas, The use of cinder block or all lumber .......
2x4 , 4x4 6x6 ??????? 
:-? :-?


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## SupeDM (Jan 26, 2009)

Stack the cinder blocks on the ends and build a floor across them with 4x4s and a 3/4 inch piece of plywood. I would use 4 4x4s for strength. make sure you dont use green treated ones as they will leach toxins. I would also put a piece of styrofoam insulation on top of the plywood just to relieve any stress from unevenness. If it feels wobbly before you put the top on you could mortar the cinder blocks together.


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## frschul (Mar 10, 2004)

I guess the question here is not how to make the rack.... but having the 240 gallon on the
top row .... can a 4x4 support a 8 foot tank without a center brace ?
would the 8 foot tank be too much and cause the 4x4 to bow in the middle....
Don't want to use a center brace because that would come right down the middle of the 
125 below.... Then I guess 2 6x6 pressure treated sections would work ???


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

frschul said:


> I guess the question here is not how to make the rack.... but having the 240 gallon on the
> top row .... can a 4x4 support a 8 foot tank without a center brace ?
> would the 8 foot tank be too much and cause the 4x4 to bow in the middle....
> Don't want to use a center brace because that would come right down the middle of the
> 125 below.... Then I guess 2 6x6 pressure treated sections would work ???


 You don't want to use pressure treated wood indoors. It can harm houseplants and pets. Plus because the wood was soaked, it is more likely to twist and bend than untreated wood. You want to create a manufactured wood beam, 2 by 4's with half inch plywood screwed and glued between each board. It is stronger than a 4 by 4 and in the direction where you can see the edge of the plywood, it deflects about the same as three 2 by 4's. For the legs, I would use 2 by 6's with plywood inserts.










http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_stand2.php


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## fishEH (Sep 15, 2008)

I think I 'd be using 2 x 6's on end to span the 8 feet. 3/4" plywood and styro on top of that. Throw the 125 on a piece of styro on the floor.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

fishEH said:


> I think I 'd be using 2 x 6's on end to span the 8 feet. 3/4" plywood and styro on top of that. Throw the 125 on a piece of styro on the floor.


 You could, but 2 by 4's made into a manufactured beam will span the 8 feet with acceptable deflection. With my 275 pounds in the center of the stand concentrated on one beam, a laser level did not register the deflection.

If you want to beef it up in any way, making two beams from three 2 by 4's and two layers of half inch plywood would do about as much as the 2 by 6's without having to compromise the access space above the bottom tank, or setting a tank on the floor. You lose the rigidity the bottom shelf gives to the stand, plus it becomes difficult to service and change water on a floor tank. If the floor is concrete, it is a great heat sink and even covering it with styrofoam will not stop the heat sink effect entirely.


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## johnmonroney (Mar 17, 2009)

Duct tape


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## frschul (Mar 10, 2004)

Thanks,
Based on your comments.... 
I will used 3 sets(of 2 cinder block turned on the side 8 h x 16 l) of cinder block on the concrete floor, with 3 4x4 & (3/4 plywood and styrofoam) spanning the 3 columns of cinder block.
Then I will use 2 sets of cinder block (3 cinder block and 1 or 2 ( 2 h 16 l inch cinder block) 
Then use 3 6 X 6 spanning the two columns of cinder block. The 6x6 beams would also be covered with 3/4 plywood & styrofoam. If this won't work please advise.
Once again 
thanks
Frank


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

Have you considered how you will access both of these tanks? You will need to build the satnd fairly tall in order to accomodate a 125 underneath the 240. Also consider that if you want easy access to the 125 you need to factor in the stack height of the 2x6's on edge... The for access to the 240 remember that a standard 240 is two feet tall so unless you have a step ladder to get in the 240 for maintenance it's going to be difficult... Even then I wouldn't trust the ladder to be too stable while you're leaning into the tank mucking around.

I've had 'stacking' set-ups in the past and they are more hassle then they are worth IMO. Unless the 125 is a sump that you won't need to access frequently and you can basically use do some of your maintenance on the 240 through it, or if it was little grow out tanks or whatever I wouldn't do a stacking set-up again.

Just giving you the heads up.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

frschul said:


> Thanks,
> Based on your comments....
> ... If this won't work please advise.
> Once again
> ...


 Agreed. It won't work. It will take up too much room to allow access to the tanks. It is likely for lumber this size to bend, twist, bow, or all-of-the-above. What are the dimensions of your tanks? Some 125's are not as deep as some 240's and 300's. You could have center posts if you wanted, straddling the bottom tank. In this case the bottom tank will have to be lowered into the stand before the top tank is installed. Shallower tanks if you have not yet picked up the tanks, would give more access without having a tank near the ceiling.


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

Mcdaphnia said:


> You could have center posts if you wanted, straddling the bottom tank. In this case the bottom tank will have to be lowered into the stand before the top tank is installed.


Provided you have the room at either end of the stand, and provided the 125 is slim enough you could slide it in under the top tank from one end. This may be difficult due to the weight of a 125 glass aquarium... I've seen this done with a 55g sump under a 135g tank - a 55 is much more managable at such an awkward height.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

illy-d said:


> Provided you have the room at either end of the stand, and provided the 125 is slim enough you could slide it in under the top tank from one end. This may be difficult due to the weight of a 125 glass aquarium... I've seen this done with a 55g sump under a 135g tank - a 55 is much more managable at such an awkward height.


what I was suggesting is to lower it in place before the top tank is set on top. That was how my 250 was lowered inside the stand before the 520 was set on top.

You could slide a tank from one end, but you would have to design the stand with a gap for that on the end which I would not like structurally. You would not need room at the end of the stand. If you wanted to slide the tank in the end for some reason, you could turn the stand at an angle, slide the tank in and then move the combination back in place before putting the big tank on top.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Here is a photo of a stand with manufactured beams of half inch plywood and 2 by 4's (except 2 by 6's on the legs which have notches for the shelf units). this photo is before the 1/2" plywood shelving is inserted or the 3/4" back bracing put on. It gives you a view of the structure, and can easily hold 8 foot long tanks when completed. You could use 3/4" anywhere you want to. It just changes the measurements to allow for the extra thickness.


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## nazrac (Oct 1, 2006)

i have a 265 and the whole bottom is open but i had to drop the stand over my sumps. That imho is a better way to do it. But the center braces are one the outer rim so it doesnt come into the middle of my sumps. They are all but touching since they are both 3ft tanks and after the framework I only had 2.5 inches to work in the plubing between the two. Here are some pics during the build. And current.


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

Mcdaphnia said:


> You would not need room at the end of the stand. If you wanted to slide the tank in the end for some reason, you could turn the stand at an angle, slide the tank in and then move the combination back in place before putting the big tank on top.


Good point... :lol: I think we are both in agreement that sumps under tanks are okay, but stacking 'show' tanks or what have you can be awkward for maintenance/


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

illy-d said:


> ...I think we are both in agreement that sumps under tanks are okay, but stacking 'show' tanks or what have you can be awkward for maintenance/


"Show" tanks don't look as impressive stacked unless they are in a "wall" display where each tank looks like a framed picture on a false wall that conceals the rest of the aquarium, and its noise and equipment. If they are breeding or growout tanks, you have to compromise with available space. and of course we see that compromise in pet shops all the time where speading out into more retail units would raise the monthly rent.


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