# 75g DIY Stand Plans, Please evaluate!



## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Hi all,

Although I can't actually move up to a larger tank right now, I am obsessively planning for it. First step, DIY stand! I think this tank will be unique in that it is likely to double as a tank stand and will also house the cat's litter box.

Here is the plan I have currently, it is inspired by this stand, but since I may have this tank on a joisted floor I have tried to trim a bit of weight where possible: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... 0d7d5ec26c










To briefly explain the above:
It is a 1x4 frame measuring 49"x19", with 6 2x4 vertical supports inset, doubled up with vertical 1x4s over the frame (and an extra 1x4 in each corner). 1x4s wil run horizontally on either side of the 2x4s. The front will also have two more vertical 1x4's inset and most likely attached with plate brackets or something (they are really just for the doors to attach to). The tank will rest on a 3/4" pine plywood sheet measuring the full 49"x19". The inside "floor" and "shelf" as well as the back panels (to keep the cat contained) will be 1/4" pine plywood. The sides and front will be 1/4" oak plywood, with a 1/2" lip at the top. I'll then finish the top and bottom with some sort of oak moulding, but haven't really thought about that.

So my questions:
1) I know there is debate over 2x4s and 1x4s, but seriously, isn't 6 2x4s enough? (and I mean, they are all backed up, the thing should be **** solid)
2) I've gone with 1/4" ply to cut weight and cost, is that ok? I could do 1/2" but I don't really see much benefit.
3) Obviously I'll stain and polyurethane the **** out of the exterior, do any of you take steps to "waterproof" the interior, or is that not a concern?
4) Would you sleep easy with 75G of water sitting on this thing in _your_ living room? This will be my first DIY stand.

Thanks!


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## CRich2084 (Nov 15, 2007)

Just out of curiosity, why do you want so many 1x4's for the frame if you're going to just cover it with paneling? If you build several frames of 2x4's and then attach them to form a box, you don't need a plywood top for the tank to sit on. If you look at the framing of the tank, the glass never touches the surface the tank rests on, just the black frame along the bottom (unless you have a custom tank design that doesn't have framing). This way, you could leave the top of the stand the tank will be on open (to cut down of the material needed for the stand), and just have it rest on the top 2x4 frame. Then, once you have the frame, you can just finish it with whatever wood you want (all the way around to provide lateral stability to the frame) and stain it. I personally would also put a piece of plywood in the bottom of the stand to have a shelf, but that depends what you want. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about what I was trying to explain. I think I have a build project floating around on here as well if that would help to see pictures. 2x4's are cheap, the expense comes from the wood you want to cover it with because its usually higher quality.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Thanks CRich, I hadn't seen your build...I think I like that design better. It looks cheaper and easier for a beginner. Quick question, on your build are the frames only attached to one another by wood screws on the "inside"? Do you have a plan or something I could get?


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## redblufffishguy (Jul 16, 2009)

Comic,

Check out this link. You can really scale back your build. 2x4's and 1x's together is massive overkill.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=212468

I know it is a 40 gallon tank, but my 80 gallon is built almost exactly the same way.

RBFG


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## cheesoid (May 31, 2009)

Hi comic, I've built a few stands and IMO the biggest problem with your design is that there isn't any diagonal support. It's probably not an issue with a tank this size once you attach the ply to the outside but would be easy to include diagonal structure to back and sides. I'd go on the side of overkill if I were you. Most of the weight of your tank/stand will be water anyway. pm if you want. good luck.

Not sure if I understood last post completely but you DO need a flat surface to sit the tank on :thumb:


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## CRich2084 (Nov 15, 2007)

Yes, the screws are on the inside, but they are on the side of overkill for size. All of the holes were pre-drilled to allow for the long screws without splitting the wood.

I hope it didn't come across that you don't need a flat surface for the tank to sit on. It most certainly needs to be level, and with my design I made sure it was perfectly level. I did it using a carpenter's square and grips to get all of the frames perfectly square (sometimes it took some bending if the wood was slightly warped, but try to pick out straight pieces from the store, but all of the corners on mine are 90 degrees exactly). If you take your time and get the frame perfectly level (both before and after you get the tank on it), you don't need a plywood top for the tank to site on, it can just sit on the 2x4 frame. Look closely at the tank, if its designed like mine (and most tanks) the bottom glass on the tank never touches the surface the tank is on, just the framing of the tank does. So if you have a 75 gallon, you can kind of use the style frame that i did and you'll be fine (with a support under the center brace on the bottom of the tank). Just make sure they all line up; tank frame, top frame and bottom frame. I'll try to get a picture of the underside of the stand with the tank on it if you don't know what I'm trying to explain.

cheesoid is right, you need diagonal support so you eliminate the wobble. You can do that with a single piece of 1/4 inch ply screwed in to all of the vertical supports along the back of the tank. It was impressive how such a small piece of wood steadied the whole stand.


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## cheesoid (May 31, 2009)

As well as being level you absolutely do need a flat (and continuous) surface to support the tank. This means having a piece of plywood (or similar) on top of your stand to support the base of the tank. If not you put pressure on the unsupported parts and risk a flood if you're rough with a rock during cleaning etc.. A piece of styrofoam between tank and stand is also a necessity if you want to sleep easy. :zz:


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## CRich2084 (Nov 15, 2007)

Comic, your design is going to depend on the kind of tank you have. Do you have an all acrylic tank with no no plastic framing, or an all glass tank (or acrylic side and glass bottom) with tempered glass and a plastic frame? If you have the former, you need a solid, continuous surface because the acrylic will need support. If you have the latter, you don't need a sheet of plywood because that bottom glass will never touch the surface of the stand. If it does, you have a flood because tempered glass is designed to hold more weight than you could put in the tank without giving. Those are the physics behind both designs, but in the end, just do whatever will make you sleep easier.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Thanks for all the help! Tank will be glass with a tempered bottom, for sure.

So ****, could it be this simple?

49"x19" 2x4 frames with middle supports, a sheet of 1/2" ply for a floor and vertical 2x4s pocket holed into the base and top? Another sheet of 1/2" ply for the tank to rest on and skin the hole thing? I'd have solid 1/2" ply panels on one side and the back for lateral support, the other side and front being cut as necessary for openings.


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(I've doubled up the 2x4s at the front to move the doors in and have something solid to screw the hinges to, the back corners cause why the **** not? Piece of mind! Actually, would it be ok without the second back corners?)


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Anyone have an opinion on the above design?


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## redblufffishguy (Jul 16, 2009)

It is still over kill, but yes that should work just fine!


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## CRich2084 (Nov 15, 2007)

Agreed, but it should work! Just remember to add lateral stability. Also, if you didn't want the extra 2x4s on the front to attach the door to, you could finish the front with 1x's (they come all the way up to 12 or 18 inches...something like that) and you could put the hinge right into that. Good luck!


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## jeff000 (Jun 1, 2010)

CRich2084 said:


> Agreed, but it should work! Just remember to add lateral stability. Also, if you didn't want the extra 2x4s on the front to attach the door to, you could finish the front with 1x's (they come all the way up to 12 or 18 inches...something like that) and you could put the hinge right into that. Good luck!


Why do you keep saying lateral support, he is skinning it with plywood thats all the support you need.

You don't need any center support. all the weight can be supported at the ends with a tempered glass tank. 
If you look at a stand from a fish store even the 400 gallon tank stands are simply 3/4 plywood on the ends, and then 2 or 3 small 3/4 plywood supports in the middle depending on how many doors the stand has. No 2x4 or steel extra supports.

I am building a 3/4" plywood stand right now, its overkill still, but less then everyones 2x4 or 4x4 post stands.


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## CRich2084 (Nov 15, 2007)

jeff, I think we're saying the same thing. That skinning with plywood is what gives it lateral support (i.e. takes away the wobble from the stand frame of 2x4s). You're right, thats all he needs, and thats what I said he needs earlier in the post


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

OK,

SO a little further (semi-obsessive) thought...I'd like to be able to cut down on cost, and weight.

My idea is this:


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- 2 simple rectangular frames. I have these drawn as 2x4s simply for cost. They aren't structural, but as a beginner, will give me something to screw the plywood too. I'll likely replace these with 1x4s or 1x3s.

- 2 1/2" plywood sides, bearing the load on edge, topped with a 1/2" plywood sheet.

- A 3rd 1/2" plywood vertical, notch cut out for the frame, serving as a divider and a shelf.

- The bottom 18" of the back will be covered with 1/2" ply for lateral strength, and the front will be skinned with doors, etc. as desired.

- Obviously, all joints will be glued.

I'd really like feedback on this design, I'd really like to reduce cost and weight (I figure this design has 1 1/2 sheets of ply plus a few bucks for frame, glue and screws, and it should be much lighter than a serious 2x4 frame) but this is my first DIY stand and I really don't want to have to worry about strength. It seems 1/2" should be enough? My concern is that one side will have a approx. 6"x6" hole cut out of it...


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

I should add I don't have the means to rabbet the joints, they'd have to be flush and glued.


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## jeff000 (Jun 1, 2010)

Hi,

I have pictures oh my build up now in my thread
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=215009

It is just all glued, the few L brackets are because I couldn't figure out how to clamp a could of parts, mostly because I was building as I went and had a couple after thoughts, lol.

Anyways, I will be at 1.5 sheets of plywood with doors and a canopy. Building a simple design I can easily see a sheet or less. I went with 3/4" because well its only like 3 bucks more then 1/2" and is way easier to router a design into. Also 3/4 will be easier to find without any kind of warping at the store.

Its light enough that I can load it into my jeep on my own, and I am not a very big guy.

I wouldn't work about doing a rabbet joint, I was going to as I have the tools but its not necessary.

What cad program are you using? 
Take some pictures of the build too.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Thanks Jeff.

Hmmm, sounds like that might be the way to go, although I'm not sure how I'll fit it all on one sheet if its 49" long. Ah well.

Clamps are something I do not really have a surplus of, which was part of my thinking of building a partial frame...How did you attach the l-brackets? 1/2" wood screws?

Thanks!

(And I was using Google Sketchup - it's free!)


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## jeff000 (Jun 1, 2010)

Comic Sans said:


> Thanks Jeff.
> 
> Hmmm, sounds like that might be the way to go, although I'm not sure how I'll fit it all on one sheet if its 49" long. Ah well.
> 
> ...


Yes 1/2" wood screws.
Its 48 3/8 x 18 3/8 right? the sheet of plywood isn't wide enough, but it is long enough, so you use 49" of board, but have a 10 in strip left, cut the 10" strip off the full length first thing, and then rip it into two 5" pieces and then cut them in half to have four 5x48 pieces. This will give you the top and bottom sheets, and the top and bottom horizontal pieces for the front and back. You can cut the sides from what is left. This will give you the basic shell. Any decorative parts will be from the cut offs and the half sheet. I did this with my first try, but tried to router it like that, and it just looked silly after the routering. So I started over.

I used a metric 3000mm x 1250mm sheet of plywood the second time around. about 112"x49 1/2". Made things way easier. Not sure how easy that is to get in the states.

Sketchup is cool, I'll try and build my stand in it. Thanks.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

My plan currently has the bottom open (to save on materials). The frame will keep the side panels from playing but all the weight goes through the side edges...is this a problem? Should the frame essentially be a box?


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