Guest alex wlazlak September 30, 2005 Share September 30, 2005 so in shop class i am building a 120g stand. i drew up the plans myself, and am building it by myself too. ill try to get pictures as it comes along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowardofNOVA September 30, 2005 Share September 30, 2005 So what are you planning to use for sides and frame work? Glue, braces, thicknesses, etc? Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak September 30, 2005 Share September 30, 2005 im framing it with 2x4s put together with lag bolts. then ill put a layer of Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveoutlaw September 30, 2005 Share September 30, 2005 Alex, Just a piece of advice......you're going to have to move this thing. I would use enough 2x4's to support the tank and then just put the plybead over them. If you have to use plywood on the front and sides then I would use 3/8"......1/2" plywood is heavy stuff. Also, I would put a piece of the 1/2" as the table-top for the stand. That way you can anchor hooks or pipe holders into the underside to help keep things tidy underneath. IMO. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak September 30, 2005 Share September 30, 2005 i could care less how much it weighs.. as long as it stays toegher im good, cause i dont think 120g of saltwater all over the house will make my dad to happy . the Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar September 30, 2005 Share September 30, 2005 Alex, Glad to hear you're working your way towards your dream 120g setup, and it sounds like you've been thinking the project out. I built my stand too, and here are some thoughts... When I built my stand, I made the stand a couple inches wider that the tank so there is a small ledge to lean your hands or elbows on when viewing...I like that feature a lot. I also made the inside "floor" by laying plywood on top of the bottom 2x4 frame, which left a 2-1/2" cavity between the floor of the house and the bottom of the stand. I sure wish I had lined it with sound board from HD or foam, because the skimmer pumps vibrate sometimes, and that cavity amplifies the noise. I constructed the bottom of the stand (where everything sits) sort of like a bathtub and sealed it with polyurethane. It's only about an inch deep, but that holds over 5 gallons in case there's a leak or the sump overflows somehow. If your're going to eventually drill the bottom of your tank for an overflow, figure out where that hole is going to be now. You don't want to find out later when you go to drill the hole in the top of the stand that there's a 2x4 directly in your way. Trust me, it's hard to relocate that support after the stand is complete. Good luck, and remember to "measure twice, cut once." Happy reefing, Jon i could care less how much it weighs.. as long as it stays toegher im good, cause i dont think 120g of saltwater all over the house will make my dad to happy . the Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak September 30, 2005 Share September 30, 2005 i would like to have drilled it, but the bottom is tempered. im not sure if the sides are, but im not going to take any chances and ill just get an overflow box.. im trying to think of what size sump im going to get. i was going to go for a 55g, but i think a 29g would do just fine. any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby October 1, 2005 Share October 1, 2005 "the Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak October 1, 2005 Share October 1, 2005 haha. well i already have the Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby October 1, 2005 Share October 1, 2005 You would want a max diameter of 1/2". Much thicher & the structural integrity of the 2x4 will be compromized. I would think for a 120 stand (2) 5/16" x 2 1/2" lag bolts would be ideal if you recess the hole w/ a paddle or fosner bit so that the bolt head is flush w/ the outside of the 2x4. This way the plywood can be flush against the 2x4's. If you don't recess the hole, then 5/16" x 3" should be fine. Another option is to use carriage bolts 5/16" x 3 1/2" w/ nut & flat washer. This way you can assemble & disassemble it easier if needed & you have a through bolt connection. You will want to stagger the bolts at each connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak October 1, 2005 Share October 1, 2005 (edited) ______ how would you use carrage bolts if its like that? l______l Edited October 1, 2005 by alex wlazlak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak October 1, 2005 Share October 1, 2005 i tried to make it look like a square....... wouldnt you have to drill into the side of the one 2x4 that would be butt jointed to the other one? tried to draw a picture of what i ment.... bolt_setup.bmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar October 1, 2005 Share October 1, 2005 Alex, Do you have plans that you could post here? It would help everyone make more specific comments, and might help identify problem points that others have discovered the hard way. No sense in you inventing the wheel all over again. As far as your lag screws go, it depends on how exactly you are putting the frame together. If you're attaching two 2x4s together, I'd want the screw most of the way through the second 2x4. If you're countersinking the lag screws because you want them flush to put the plywood over, then take that depth of your countersink into account too. Happy reefing, Jon haha. well i already have the Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby October 2, 2005 Share October 2, 2005 Alex, No in deed, not like that!!! You should probably use #8 x 3 1/2" deck or drywall screws there. I was referencing the bolts you would use where a vertical 2x4 meets the box frame horizontal members you show in your picture. You might also want to think of using a 2x6 for horizontal members, depending on the foot print of the tank as lumber is not as strong horizontally as it is vertically. If you are having the box frame bearing onto the vertical members, then that changes things... A diagram would help out greatly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveoutlaw October 2, 2005 Share October 2, 2005 Why use lag bolts at all? 4 Deck screws in place of a lag screw will hold just as well if not better. Plus they are easily counter-sunk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikS October 3, 2005 Share October 3, 2005 Do you have plans that you could post here? Concur, first warning that jumps out - size of fastners is irrelevant as no fastners should be holding any load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak October 6, 2005 Share October 6, 2005 thanks guys. ive got lag bolts and i should be putting some of the frame together today. ill try to get pictures soon. ill also try to get some picutres of my plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishface October 6, 2005 Share October 6, 2005 Hi Alex: I'm glad to see that your dream project is becoming a reality! Congratulations General question for all- and not highjacking this thread -I'm interested in upgrading my 75 to a 125. I called Glass cages, and got some information. The last thing mentioned is that the glass tank should be placed on a sheet of styrofoam to to accomodate any unevenness in the stand. Any thoughts or experience anyone? Opinion on thickness? They will supply it free or at minimal charge. This could apply to Alex's next step... (Also, if I buy or make an acrylic tank, would that also be necessary?) Thanks FF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeltwayBandit October 6, 2005 Share October 6, 2005 i would like to have drilled it, but the bottom is tempered. im not sure if the sides are, but im not going to take any chances and ill just get an overflow box.. im trying to think of what size sump im going to get. i was going to go for a 55g, but i think a 29g would do just fine. any thoughts? 40300[/snapback] Your sump should be as big as possible, but still able to get it in and out of the stand without removing the tank. Trust me it will make your life much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak October 6, 2005 Share October 6, 2005 well a little backed up today. i had to countersink the heads and i also needed it to be big enough for the ratchet to fit, and then i had to predrill the holes for the lag bolts. then i ended up making them too small cause i put a side together and it started to crack and then the class was over. so im going to predrill the holes to the rite depthand they werent wide enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak October 11, 2005 Share October 11, 2005 i started to put the top and bottom of the frame together today. im gonna try to get pictures tomowor when i get it to stand up, but im not promising anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folta October 11, 2005 Share October 11, 2005 Alex, here's a few shots of my 180-gallon stand. It's three glue/lam beams as opposed to one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak October 14, 2005 Share October 14, 2005 WAHOO. not much but i have 3 legs on it now and no pic of it... more to come but i only get 40 minutes a day to work on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikS October 14, 2005 Share October 14, 2005 Good to see you making progress (and thanks for the pics). You didn't need the lag bolts for connections, simple screws would have worked......but hey, couldn't hurt. One bit of advice - make sure that the legs are A) between the upper & lower boxes (I'm assuming so) B ) make sure that the legs over lap the joints in the frames, if not it will fail. (note - see how Folta's legs cross the seams) FF - Depends on the tank. Frame supported tanks like AGA & Oceanic need no foam. Glasscages tanks are bottom supported & they say to use foam - the same generally applies to acrylic tanks. I, however, have no foam under an acrylic tank. The foam is there to imperfections from becoming stress points on the tank bottom. My way around this was to use a single sheet of ply that was sanded, painted, sanded, & painted - it's as smooth and level as it gets. (acrylic is a bit more forgiving than glass in this respect - it can deform w/o breaking) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak October 14, 2005 Share October 14, 2005 shoot. i see what you mean. ill have to do that then. yeah now that i have the lag bolts on it i see that ui dont need them. but oh well this thing aint goin no where now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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