New Stand Design - Updated with pictures!

[Mojado]

Stand is pretty much done. Have to wait 24 hours for the polyurethane to be ready but the construction is done. Still want to add a shelf inside but I'm going to hold off on that for now since I want to see what kind of space I'll be working with when the reservoir and sump are both in there. Tomorrow I'm going to move the sump and tank over. Will also plumb the whole thing but since I have to wait 24 hours for the PVC glue, the sump and tank won't be hooked up and running until Friday.

2015-03-11_11-44-18 by vazquez_v1, on Flickr

Nice stand! Looks like you found a hole saw.

[VW_TDI_02]

Thanks! Yea, ended up finding the bit for $7 at Lowe's. When I first went and looked, I found two sections where they had those bits and they were asking between $22 and and $30. I went back yesterday and looked around some more and found a third section and found one for $7 and change.

[VW_TDI_02]

99% done!!!! Only thing left to add is my dual BRS reactors. I needed more saltwater in order to fill up the canisters and flush the fines so I had to wait for the RODI to finish up and now I'm just waiting for the salt to mix really well. I plan on hanging a bulb from the top of the inside of the stand as well. I may end up using that middle section for a refugium but I'm not sure just yet. Unfortunately, I bought the socket, cable, heat shrink, and electrical tape but I forgot the eye hook to actually hang it... When I get that I'll be able to measure out how much cable I will need for the power cable that I'm cannibalizing. Have a rocker switch that I'm going to be tossing in there for easy use. Also wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped!! This stand would have looked far worse if it weren't for everyone here.

 

Stuff Learned

- Cabinet doors suck unless you know how to make doors that won't warp

- If you have a garage/shed, don't take it for granted. Took me a few hours to clear all the dust from my living room where I did everything. If you live with someone else, don't even think about it.

- Wear gloves when staining stuff unless you want "jacobean" colored nails

- Sanding takes forever and if you slack on it, you'll notice if you look close

- The Kreg jig for pocket holes and velcro are your best friends

- I really want to upgrade my tank to a 40 breeder

- I could use a lighting upgrade as well (see below)

- Corals can get really pissed off and discharge a lot of stringy stuff

 

So here are the final pictures. The reactor will be mounted on the back wall between the overflow and the return PVC pipes.

 

It looks like it isn't centered but it definitely is.

2015-03-12_06-59-40 by vazquez_v1, on Flickr

 

The guts

2015-03-12_07-00-09 by vazquez_v1, on Flickr

 

For my freshwater planted people (2xT5HO, E.I. dosing, pressurized CO2, dirted)

2015-03-12_06-58-51 by vazquez_v1, on Flickr

 

And here is the casualty. The Current Orbit Marine comes with a remote and I have partially fried it. I was moving the display tank from the table to the new stand and I knocked the remote off of the table and it landed in one of my buckets of water...Thankfully it didn't sink to the bottom but rather was just floating on top. Some of the buttons work, some don't. Fortunately turning the fixture on just reverts to the saved channel 1 (I think) and that's the one I altered and saved. Not 100% sure but I ended up tossing it in a bag of rice so maybe that will save it. If not, I'm going to hold onto it for a while. Maybe eventually I will turn it into a fuge light or something when I upgrade my display tank and light (40 breeder and a reef breeders panel I think).

2015-03-12_07-00-42 by vazquez_v1, on Flickr

[VW_TDI_02]

Going too revive this thread a bit as I had a question about the stand. Do you guys think this would support a 50 gallon tank? I've been looking at upgrading this tank and I know I have the space to fir a 50 gallon (36*20*16) but I'm concerned about the stand and whether or not it will hold. I would like to upgrade to that shape 50 gallon or a 40 breeder.

[ajmckay]

I think it might support a 40/50g as is but I would make a few modifications to enhance the safety factor.

 

First I would fasten the top to the base. If I recall it's just sitting there held down by the weight of the tank but it's not part of the structure. It would strengthen the front horizontal by keeping it from twisting under load.

 

The other modification I think would be in order is a center brace in the front. It can use pocket holes or brackets in the back to keep it removeable so you can get the sump in/out but I think it would be easy enough to do.

[VW_TDI_02]

I think it might support a 40/50g as is but I would make a few modifications to enhance the safety factor.

 

First I would fasten the top to the base. If I recall it's just sitting there held down by the weight of the tank but it's not part of the structure. It would strengthen the front horizontal by keeping it from twisting under load.

 

The other modification I think would be in order is a center brace in the front. It can use pocket holes or brackets in the back to keep it removeable so you can get the sump in/out but I think it would be easy enough to do.

Yes, for the top I screwed in some L-shaped pieces of wood that fit perfectly into the corners so it stays in the exact position I want. I'm thinking I could use pocket holes and just drill vertically up into the top piece and just do that around the tank.

 

The part I'm not sure about is the front central brace. Right now the bottom has a single 1x3 going across it and nothing else. I agree a center brace would help but I'm not exactly sure how. Would you mean just putting another say 1x3 in between the upper and lower horizontals joists with pocket hole screws?

 

The other thing I was thinking about was additional bracing using metal in the corners. For example, between the lower horizontal joist going from left to right, I could add some tie plates onto the end of them in order to stiffen up the joint with the columns. The same could be done with the upper horizontal joists as well.

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-1-13-16-in-x-5-in-Tie-Plate-TP15/100375260?N=5yc1vZaqzs#specifications

[ajmckay]

My thought on the upper horizontal is that with the additional weight, the upper horizontal will bow in/out and create a dip which would be a weak point in the tank - even with the plates where the runner meets the legs. With floor joists you have to put blocking between each joist. The blocking itself doesn't support any weight but it keeps the floor joist straight up and down because if the joist were to bow at all it's load bearing capabilities would be reduced significantly.

 

So my first thought was to insert a removable support brace in the center. It could possibly help reduce sag over time by having both horizontals supporting the weight and help keep the horizontal from bowing.

 

But another thing that I think would help as much or more is to have a center brace or 2 in the top. This would help keep the piece from bowing and form a more rigid structure.

[VW_TDI_02]

I'm a bit lost about your drawing and what it is supposed to represent. From what I've gathered, you're saying to add 1-2 supports that connect the front and back upper horizontals in order to better distribute the weight between them. So does that mean I wouldn't be adding any sort of vertical support?

[ajmckay]

Yeah I probably did a bad job of explaining. But yes you're right - it's distributing the load between the front and rear pieces.

 

 

It's less of a support though, and more of a blocking or bridging concept.

 

On it's own, the rear horizontal piece is braced by the back panel. But the front isn't braced by anything. Think of what happens when you apply weight to a piece of wood on end. Unless the weight is perfectly centered over the wood it has a tendency to "bow" in or out. But before the board bows along the 4" side it will bow out along the 1" side because that's the weaker side. When wood bows it will create an unsupported low spot in the middle. Maybe this explains? Not the correct application but I think the principle is the same. http://www.renovation-headquarters.com/squeaky-floor.htm#bridging

 

If you have a wood yard stick or something you can see what I mean. Put the stick between 2 tables on edge, like your horizontal support. Now push down on the top of the stick. It should bow out to the front or back before bending down.

 

Hopefully that makes more sense.

[VW_TDI_02]

Yeah I probably did a bad job of explaining. But yes you're right - it's distributing the load between the front and rear pieces.

 

 

It's less of a support though, and more of a blocking or bridging concept.

 

On it's own, the rear horizontal piece is braced by the back panel. But the front isn't braced by anything. Think of what happens when you apply weight to a piece of wood on end. Unless the weight is perfectly centered over the wood it has a tendency to "bow" in or out. But before the board bows along the 4" side it will bow out along the 1" side because that's the weaker side. When wood bows it will create an unsupported low spot in the middle. Maybe this explains? Not the correct application but I think the principle is the same. http://www.renovation-headquarters.com/squeaky-floor.htm#bridging

 

If you have a wood yard stick or something you can see what I mean. Put the stick between 2 tables on edge, like your horizontal support. Now push down on the top of the stick. It should bow out to the front or back before bending down.

 

Hopefully that makes more sense.

Gotcha, that makes a lot more sense. Would I have to do anything for the bottom horizontal piece as well?

[ajmckay]

Gotcha, that makes a lot more sense. Would I have to do anything for the bottom horizontal piece as well?

 

I don't think so - since it doesnt have a load directly on it. even if you do a vertical support I think you would be okay.

 

Man, you should have just set it up for a larger tank from the beginning!

[VW_TDI_02]

 

I don't think so - since it doesnt have a load directly on it. even if you do a vertical support I think you would be okay.

 

Man, you should have just set it up for a larger tank from the beginning!

I thought it was enough for a 40 breeder... After looking at tank dimensions I realized that I would rather have the 50 gallon tank which is slightly taller but the same foot print. I've got a while before I get the new tank and unfortunately I am going to have to move in about 6 months so anyways so the tank will have to be taken down then. I could easily have everything cut before taking it down. Once it's down all I would have to do is toss in a pair of supports holding the two horizontal beams and I'll be good to go. Will have to figure out how I want to attach the lid to the tank as well.