My 75 Gallon Stand

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Well, I am planning to set up a 75G tank soon. As usual, I could not find any stands I liked for sale. They are all:

 

1) TOO SHORT. I hate that! I am too old to stoop down to see my aquarium. Mine will be about 40" tall.

2) Too weak. Pressboard, etc. Bah.

3) Too expensive. Hundreds of dollars for a weak, junky, short stand. Double bah.

 

So, I looked at a bunch of plans online. I mostly used this one from RC, although I made several mods to make it better: LINK

 

 

I know this is overbuilt. That is the way I roll.

 

 

STEP 1: Basic frame. Notice cross bracing at top and bottom, and doubled up top.

 

 

 

 

STEP 2: I decided to add a removable center brace to the back. Definitely not needed, but it doesn't hurt anything. No glue here, just the angle brackets. I'll leave the screws exposed in case I want to remove it later.

 

 

 

 

STEP 3: I added a couple layers of thin ply for the floor. I had this leftover in my scrap pile.

 

 

 

 

STEP 4: Time to start skinning it. I bought a single sheet of very nice plywood from Lowe's ($38, ouch). I had them cut the front and 2 sides for me. I also have all the leftover pieces, all of which I will use (see later). These are raised slightly from the bottom of the stand. I don't want the weight resting on them. I want it resting on the frame.

 

 

 

 

STEP 5: I need to cut out the hole for the front opening. I want to use my router, but need to make a frame inside for the router to follow. I have some pre-made doors, so I made this frame to fit those doors. I will attach it inside the frame to use as a router guide.

 

 

 

 

STEP 6: Well, the frame didn't fit inside. Bah. I had to cut it down some with the table saw.

 

 

 

 

STEP 7: This is what the frame/router guide looks like on the inside when attached. This will also be what I screw the doors into.

 

 

 

 

STEP 8: Time to cut out the front hole. I think this pic captures my best side.

 

 

 

 

STEP 9: Hole cut out. I also added some putty to some screw holes I will sand later. Notice I didn't putty a bunch of holes...I realized they would be covered by other parts later.

 

 

 

 

STEP 10: Detail shot of the front opening. This shows the inner frame, and the outer plywood I routed off. It has been glued and screwed, and the angle brackets removed.

 

 

 

 

STEP 11: Now I used the scrap pieces of plywood to build up a "frame" around the outer skin to give the stand more depth. Lots of gluing/clamping here. Some places I couldn't get clamps, had to use weight. This step also hid many screws. If I did it again, I would design it so this step hid all the screws.

 

 

 

 

STEP 12: After glue is dried. Starting to take shape.

 

 

 

 

STEP 13: Painting the premade, solid oak doors I bought. I hung them from their hardware so I could paint both sides at once.

 

 

 

 

STEP 14: Got some paint on the stand. This pic turned out ugly, looks nicer in person.

 

 

 

 

STEP 15: Here is the handle I am going to attach to the doors.

 

 

 

 

 

All that is left is to put another coat of paint on, screw doors on, attach door pulls...and then heave this thing upstairs somehow. It is super heavy.

Edited August 16, 2010 by extreme_tooth_decay

[bbyatv]

Wow the stand looks beautiful.

I built a similar stand for my 90g.

I did add one other feature for leveling the tank so I could get equal flow to my overflows.

I added a second frame of 2x4s to the top of the stand. This second frame is a floating frame that is not attached to but is contained by the outside decorative siding. The floating frame sits on 4 large screws. I can adjust the level by turning the a screw and holding a nut with a wrench.

 

Here is a picture of one if the corners from underneath the tank. As you can see this paticular corner is up about 1/8"

 

 

Bruce

[Chad]

looks very nice! I like the door pulls

[Jan]

Way cool!

 

Well, I am planning to set up a 75G tank soon. As usual, I could not find any stands I liked for sale. They are all:

 

1) TOO SHORT. I hate that! I am too old to stoop down to see my aquarium. Mine will be about 40" tall.

2) Too weak. Pressboard, etc. Bah.

3) Too expensive. Hundreds of dollars for a weak, junky, short stand. Double bah.

 

So, I looked at a bunch of plans online. I mostly used this one from RC, although I made several mods to make it better: LINK

 

 

I know this is overbuilt. That is the way I roll.

 

 

STEP 1: Basic frame. Notice cross bracing at top and bottom, and doubled up top.

 

 

 

 

STEP 2: I decided to add a removable center brace to the back. Definitely not needed, but it doesn't hurt anything. No glue here, just the angle brackets. I'll leave the screws exposed in case I want to remove it later.

 

 

 

 

STEP 3: I added a couple layers of thin ply for the floor. I had this leftover in my scrap pile.

 

 

 

 

STEP 4: Time to start skinning it. I bought a single sheet of very nice plywood from Lowe's ($38, ouch). I had them cut the front and 2 sides for me. I also have all the leftover pieces, all of which I will use (see later). These are raised slightly from the bottom of the stand. I don't want the weight resting on them. I want it resting on the frame.

 

 

 

 

STEP 5: I need to cut out the hole for the front opening. I want to use my router, but need to make a frame inside for the router to follow. I have some pre-made doors, so I made this frame to fit those doors. I will attach it inside the frame to use as a router guide.

 

 

 

 

STEP 6: Well, the frame didn't fit inside. Bah. I had to cut it down some with the table saw.

 

 

 

 

STEP 7: This is what the frame/router guide looks like on the inside when attached. This will also be what I screw the doors into.

 

 

 

 

STEP 8: Time to cut out the front hole. I think this pic captures my best side.

 

 

 

 

STEP 9: Hole cut out. I also added some putty to some screw holes I will sand later. Notice I didn't putty a bunch of holes...I realized they would be covered by other parts later.

 

 

 

 

STEP 10: Detail shot of the front opening. This shows the inner frame, and the outer plywood I routed off. It has been glued and screwed, and the angle brackets removed.

 

 

 

 

STEP 11: Now I used the scrap pieces of plywood to build up a "frame" around the outer skin to give the stand more depth. Lots of gluing/clamping here. Some places I couldn't get clamps, had to use weight. This step also hid many screws. If I did it again, I would design it so this step hid all the screws.

 

 

 

 

STEP 12: After glue is dried. Starting to take shape.

 

 

 

 

STEP 13: Painting the premade, solid oak doors I bought. I hung them from their hardware so I could paint both sides at once.

 

 

 

 

STEP 14: Got some paint on the stand. This pic turned out ugly, looks nicer in person.

 

 

 

 

STEP 15: Here is the handle I am going to attach to the doors.

 

 

 

 

 

All that is left is to put another coat of paint on, screw doors on, attach door pulls...and then heave this thing upstairs somehow. It is super heavy.

[jason the filter freak]

you going to trim the stand with molding at all or just as is?

[Dragon Eye]

We've just finished the framing for our 75..... where do your overflows sit? I ask because with our stand only the 2x4 on edge will clear the stand- two around the top would require drilling or removing pieces to manage the plumbing.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

you going to trim the stand with molding at all or just as is?

 

No molding, I'm leaving it as-is.

 

I prefer a simpler look. If I wanted to use molding, I would have used it instead of the extra layer of plywood.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

We've just finished the framing for our 75..... where do your overflows sit? I ask because with our stand only the 2x4 on edge will clear the stand- two around the top would require drilling or removing pieces to manage the plumbing.

 

I don't have any overflows, but:

 

1) I am considering using an overflow box and using a sump. I'm not sure if I want a sump yet. I have, however, designed the stand to be able to fit a very large variety of sumps (clear up to a 40 BR, if I removed the removable center back brace). I think a 29 would be about right. It was thinking about sumps that made me not put in a front center brace. If I could find a tidepool sump or any other sump with integrated bio-wheel for a good price I would use it (sshhhh...this is not going to be a salt water tank)

 

2) I wouldn't have any reservations about drilling some holes through some of the upper framing if I wanted to. It is hugely overbuilt. That second layer of wood around the top is glued through it's entire length, so taking a chunk out of it wouldn't take too much out of it, but the whole thing isn't even needed.

Edited August 16, 2010 by extreme_tooth_decay

[Integral9]

Nice stand. I like the leveling system. I'd drill it if you can.

 

I wouldn't do the overflow box if you didn't have to. I have them in my tanks and my biggest peeve, besides the room it occupies in the tank and the shadow is generates below it, is the dead spot behind it that no snail or fish can reach.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Nice stand. I like the leveling system. I'd drill it if you can.

 

I wouldn't do the overflow box if you didn't have to. I have them in my tanks and my biggest peeve, besides the room it occupies in the tank and the shadow is generates below it, is the dead spot behind it that no snail or fish can reach.

 

 

Note the leveling system is bbyatv's stand, not mine. I actually would have some concerns about using something like that, due to weakening of the 2x4 to fit the screw, and point load on the screw (right where the 2x4 is weakened) instead of uniform load on the frame, but I'm a but of a structure freak, as you can tell by this stand. To each their own.

 

 

Overflow boxes...I've used them a few times and I think they are great. Personal preference I guess. I won't have any snails in my new tank. If I think something needs to get behind it, I can just slide it over (I always use flexible connectors), but that has never been an issue for me. A few inches of space at the top of the tank never seemed like much lost real estate to me. I guess some people pack it more tightly than others.

[bbyatv]

Note the leveling system is bbyatv's stand, not mine. I actually would have some concerns about using something like that, due to weakening of the 2x4 to fit the screw, and point load on the screw (right where the 2x4 is weakened) instead of uniform load on the frame, but I'm a but of a structure freak, as you can tell by this stand. To each their own.

 

I am a mechanical engineer who graduated in 1990. I have been working in the field since. I do not throw stands together hoping to overbuild enough to handle the load. I create free body diagrams and calculate loads. My stand and design easily handle the load with plenty of safety factor. My leveling design is solid for my 90g tank.

 

Bruce

[extreme_tooth_decay]

I didn't say the stand couldn't handle the load or wasn't solid. I said I would be concerned enough to not want to use it myself.

 

I also wouldn't use most of the stands on the market, as I mentioned before (pressboard, etc). And they are known to be able to handle the load, designed by real engineers, etc.

 

They just aren't for me.

 

"To each their own"

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Got another coat of paint on...going to try to install the doors and move/set it up today or tomorrow.

 

I hope the tank fits on it.

[Integral9]

Oops. I guess, I got confused with all the images. My bad. Nice leveling system BBY.

[treesprite]

Coming along nicely. Since I still haven't put my door handles on, it isn't too late yet for you to give yours to me.... those are awesome.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Coming along nicely. Since I still haven't put my door handles on, it isn't too late yet for you to give yours to me.... those are awesome.

 

I bought them at Lowe's, you can get your own. They have 2 sizes: small (1 hole) and large (2 hole).

[extreme_tooth_decay]

OK, more progress!

 

We heaved the stand upstairs, put down the new carpet, put the stand on the carpet, installed the 3/4" foam padding, and put the tank on:

 

 

 

Carpet runner from Lowe's:

 

 

 

 

Stand on carpet:

 

 

 

 

Tank on foam, on stand:

 

 

 

 

Tight fit! It will be interesting to see how much, if any, the tank settles into the foam. Right now it is about flush.

 

 

 

 

Without any effort to level it...

 

 

 

 

 

Just have to screw on the doors and pulls now.

[Biscuit]

looks awesome so far. nice work!

[extreme_tooth_decay]

OK, I had some time to put the doors and handles on. The stand is now complete. I don't seem to be able to take a nice pic of this to save my life...with or without flash the pics come out too dark without flash, or I get weird shiny reflections with the flash. Ah well. It looks nicer in person.

 

 

I decided to go with bigger handles. The 1-screw handles pictured above were too small so I returned them and got larger 2-screw handles. Of course, the 2-screw are much harder to install...you need to drill the holes just exactly right...so I made this jig to help:

 

 

 

Here is what they look like installed:

 

 

 

The finished product:

 

 

 

I am happy with it, but I learned some lessons that will make the next one easier.

[Chad]

Looks nice, I like the taller stand and "fishy pulls" as a feature of interest.

What will the full height be?

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Looks nice, I like the taller stand and "fishy pulls" as a feature of interest.

What will the full height be?

 

The stand is 40" tall, but the tank is recessed about 2" into it to hide the trim, which seems extra thick on this tank, so the aquarium bottom is 38" off the ground. I considered making it even taller to suit me (I am over 6' tall), but decided this was a good height for everyone. If I want it taller I can always put a 90G tank on it.

[Chad]

I am a mechanical engineer who graduated in 1990. I have been working in the field since. I do not throw stands together hoping to overbuild enough to handle the load. I create free body diagrams and calculate loads. My stand and design easily handle the load with plenty of safety factor. My leveling design is solid for my 90g tank.

 

Bruce

 

Not to hijack the thread, but just out of curiosity from a fellow engineer: What safety factor do you use and what standard do you use to determine constants for your building materials?

 

Professionally, I am used to dealing with safety factors of 5 or 10 (can you guess what kind of engineer I am based on that?), so I have no issue overbuilding stuff like Extreme does, but am aware that waaaay less material is actually needed to be confidantly safe.

 

I ask because I am sure the stands I have built have been overbuilt, but I am curious to what extent, perhaps I need way less material to be at my standard 5 or 10 SF

 

Besides, what happens to static safety factors in the design basis seismic event? hehe

[extreme_tooth_decay]

I installed a few power strips...this pic was before I moved a cord to make a drip loop, but you get the idea

 

 

 

I got a pic of the finished stand I like better...I still need to clean up trash laying around.

 

[Jon Lazar]

You'll get the right flash illumination without the glare and shadows if you bounce a flash off the ceiling.

 

If your flash is built in or a pop-up, you can try putting a diffuser over it or partly shield it with a white piece of paper.

 

 

I don't seem to be able to take a nice pic of this to save my life...with or without flash the pics come out too dark without flash, or I get weird shiny reflections with the flash. Ah well. It looks nicer in person.

 

[L8 2 RISE]

what paint did you use?