HELP! My stand is too big for my fish tank

[sk187]

I had to build a new stand for a tank I bought because the stand itself seemed a bit dangerous (it seemed to have stress cracks in the back). 

 

I built the tank following this blueprint from http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1169964

 

 

I am not sure how it happened but I ended up have the tank 4.5 inches too wide. So 3 of the sides of the tank are directly supported by 2x4 and the front is not. 

 

Tank Stand

http://i.imgur.com/wzqWPRI.jpg

 

Under Tank Stand

http://i.imgur.com/KbraNnJ.jpg

 

I am trying to think of options of how to fix the situation. I was considering just adding 2 more support beams below to support the front side that doesn't directly have a 2x4. I was also thinking adding a 2x4 so its perpendicular to the middle support beam but fully supports the length of the unsupported front.

 

However, both of these would be just supported by kreg screw joints (pocket holes) and not directly transferred to a vertical 2x4. 

I am not sure if that would be a problem given its only the front and all other sides and corners are supported. 

 

I have seen commercial stands with little to no front support but the top is 1 1/8" thick to my 1/2" plywood top (but mine does support the plywood with one, up to three 2x4 supports.)

 

Thoughts?

Edited March 6, 2016 by sk187

[matt]

How big and heavy is this tank? Would it support it as is? Otherwise, perhaps add a horizontal bottom and top framing in line with front edge...then run vertical post between them, overlapping the joints in existing and new horizontals

[sk187]

The tank is a 90 gallon tank. I was thinking that is an option too but it would be 3.5 inches lower than the face frame.

[DaveS]

Time to get a bigger tank!

[matt]

Take the center brace out of the top frame of the stand. Then recreate what is now in the front supporting your stand where the front load of the tank is. Then you can add back a center brace to the new top frame. You would be putting everything I mention right up against the plywood top. Or cut the front off, trim to fit and reattach.

 

Alternatively, I think you could run the 2x4 under your entire top frame perpendicular to the center brace...BUT then creat vertical supports. You just lose some vertical workable space inside the stand this way. The AGA stand I use on my 90 doesn't touch the tank except the sides, ~6" of each side of front and back, and ~3" middle of front and back. I would not run a front header/horizontal without vertical support on the sides.

[Jon Lazar]

I can't see your pictures, but it sounds like the tank overhangs the stand on the front only by 4.5".

 

I would remove the 2 yellow and 2 blue pieces (from Rocketengineer's plan), and replace them with pieces that are longer by 4.5".

 

You could also add multiple layers of the red, orange, and pink 2x4s to build up the front.  But it's easier and cheaper to just go back and fix it right with new blue and yellow pieces.

[Sad Panda]

Looks like you have it held together with screws. Can you just back them out take some of the stand apart and re-cut? That would be safer than laying awake at night worrying that the stand won't hold.

[Der ABT]

Just get a nice piece of wood from home depot....they have some 1/2 higher quality ply.....cut it for a top and now you have a beer ledge.

 

 

Just make sure you cut holes for any overflows

 

Had many stands this way

[Der ABT]

Ps....does the tank have trim ...aka standard 90g

 

 

Or is it rimless....if rimless or there is no trim on the bottom then be sure to pit foam down under it

[John]

 

I built my stand too big too!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited March 13, 2016 by John

[DaveS]

Haha rofl!

[Reefer_Madness]

Hahaha.