new tank update+the stand

[wuelfman]

well the tank has been odered )last week)
i decided that it was better to go with the tank made through the lfs. this way i know its safe and will work it will cost more but the piece of mind will be worth it

72x30x24 (225 gallons)
just finished up the stand for it too. all ihave to do is skin it and stain it
its made out of 4x4 post noched out to hold 2x6 on top with a 2x6 beams every 14 inchs
2x4 brace the bottom
all held geather with lag screws
this sucker is rock solid
total cost so far less then $100
this cost will double as i know get the nice wood
the stand is 38 inchs high also
i also now have to move my two other tanks to make way for the new king of the tanks

 

[KenH]

That is the same size as I setup a couple of months ago. It is a great dimension for a tank. The extra 6" front to back over the 180 adds greatly to the aquascaping potential. I set mine up so that I could view both sides as well as the front and it gives me 11 feet of viewing area if you do not have overflows in the corners.

Good luck with your new tank.
--- Ken

 

[wuelfman]

thanks ken
i already have your site bookmarked

 

[JohnD]

wuelfman -

It sounds like you are a carpenter extraordinaire. If you have the chance, can you send me a sketch or picture of the stand? I am very curious to see how you built it.

Good luck on that monster!

 

[wuelfman]

i have a rough sketch of the stand

i wish john just some basic cuts really
all we used was a table saw and a miter saw
got some nice red oak for the outside
will post some pics as soon as i can

 

[SPC]

I thought the 225 was 30" high, not wide.
Steve

 

[wuelfman]

it is usally
the tank is custom built
72long 30wide and 24 high

 

[wuelfman]

i got the oak from hd also
lets see cost for the 4x4 and such
$85.00
oak $160.00
that does not include the doors
i will be using the oak plywood for that real oak for the trim on the doors

 

[McReef1]

Hey New65Reefer,

I don't mean to be argumentative, just informative, but 3/4 oak plywood with a veneer core is arguably much "stronger" for this application that solid Oak. It will most certainly stand up to the moisture better if only lightly treated. The solid oak, in the hands of someone who is not intimately familiar with wood movement and finishing, will end up warping and possibly rendering the wood/stand useless.

Good luck, wuelfman! I would recommend oak plywood with solid oak or veneer edge banding for the doors. They will never warp!

McReef

 

[SPC]

I will agree 100% with McReef about the solid oak, it will warp. The people who build with solid oak must make sure the moister content is just right and then seal it immediately. I know from experience having worked with 1x oak boards how it can look in a year or two. When you spend a great deal of time to get all the joints jam up and then to see the results of what happens when this wood moves, well all I can say is I will stick with oak plywood from now on.
Steve

 

[C. Alan]

weufman,
I was looking at your drawing, For holding the weight of the tank up, It looks great. However, you are in California. That means earthquake country.

If I were you, I would sheet the two shorter sides with 1/2 plywood. This will give it some resistance to colapsing in the event of a sudden weight shift from front to back (like and earthquake!). you could then put your oak over the plywood. You would want to make sure the plywood is nailed about every 6" along the outer edge, with good nails.

 

[New65Reefer]

I built a stand for my 65H since I couldn't find one of good quality and a nice looking finish.

I made a frame out of a half dozen 2x4s and put a water proof floor in it. Cost me about 20 bucks.

I wrapped it completely in red oak from HD, built a pair of oak doors and constructed a canopy completely out of oak. Then I stained it match all the trim in my house. Turned out to fit in really nice into the decor. But then I used used to build custom kitchens for a living....

The only problem is the cost of the oak to cover the frame and contruct the canopy. It ended up costing an additional 190 bucks. I would hate to see the oak bill for a 180

Use as much of the oak plywood as you can since it is much cheaper than the boards. The boards do make a much stronger canopy though.....

 

[wuelfman]

thanks for the advice
any help i can get would be great
the stand has 2x6 braces front to back every 14 inches or so just like a floor of a house
plus 1/2 plywood on the top and bottom
all held to geather by lag screws
the above drawing was made out of regular wood
the oak will not have to support any weight at all
just for show
i will use the oak plywood for the top (u dont hardly see it )with oak trim
and for the doors with oak trim
stained and topped of with the following finish (gloss)
McMloskey
man o war
marine spar varnish