240g cube stand build

[B.rian]

does anyone have any blueprints laying around on how to build a stand for a 4'x4'x2' tank? i want the stand to be 36" tall. i was thinking about using 4x4's, but the wood would have to sit for a few weeks to dry out, which isn't an option. so i think i am going to try 2x4's doubled up. any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[wrassefan]

http://www.cnidarianreef.com/

click on the stand/canopy tab on left

 

[NateHanson]

Do you mean it would have to dry out because it's PT?

I'd think you can get 4x4 KD posts from a lumberyard. I'm not sure. Worth a call anyways.

You might contact calciumbuf. I believe he recently built a 4x4' stand for another member. Maybe he could tell you how he decided to do it.

 

[Jim Tansey]

First of all, you don't need 4x4's for a small stand like that, I think one thing that this site could use is some detailed instructions on how to construct a solid stand with good jointing techniques, and not so much brute force. I will take some blame for that as I could contribute more in the DIY and be a bit more helpful.

Jim

 

[Dave McReeferson]

I think Jim is right, nearly all of the stands you see are way overbuilt (mine included ). If you think about it, even though the total water weight of that tank would be substantial (almost two thousand pounds), it is well spread out. Any given 12"x12" area would only need to support about 120 pounds. Plus people tend to underestimate the strength of the materials used, using my stand as an example, just one of the twenty vertical legs in the stand is capable of supporting the entire weight of the tank without coming anywhere close to failure.

 

[slickvicetc]

how bout this calculater just enter the sizes your looking for and it will give a materials list and step by step instructions
http://idahoreefs.org/Tank/BuildLargeStand_2.asp

 

[B.rian]

i don't know if i would use the idaho reef calculator. it didn't give me any sort of center support when i put in my dimensions. i actually saw a 4'x4' tank stand today and it was built out of 2x4's, so i think that is what i am going to shoot for. i just need to figure out how to design this.