No Ply Wood Diy Stand

[Wickette]

I'm making a 2x4 stand for my new 75 gallon tank. (the one that's all over the web).

My tank is NOT rimless. Almost all of these tutorials put 3/4" - 1" plywood over the top. Full top is necessary for Rimless but do I need it for a normal glass tank with plastic trim?

If its for added flatness I can cut a 2x2' peice of plywood into 3" wide strips to go around the edges.

 

[DarkOne]

I made this last year for an Aqueon 75 gallon with plastic rim. I did add a plywood platform on the bottom shelf to hold a canister filter and stuff.

 

[kallililly1973]

I built those for my 55 and 8.8 and have my 10-20 on cinderblock stands. As long as the plastic rI'm sits nice n even on all the corners you should b all set. Plywood would distribute the weigh more even though I’m sure.

 

[Bryangar]

How would you build one for a bowfront? lol

 

[Lynn78too]

I'm not a carpenter or engineer, I'm just a paranoid homeowner and fish owner. Is there a reason why you wouldn't want to add the extra support? My tanks have rims and they have the plywood in there and I like having the extra support. Then again, my 10 gallon stand has just a support bar and it makes me nervous and it's wrought iron!

 

[Wickette]

I love all of these. I used a bench plane to make the 2x4s for the top totally flush, then I screwed them together with them sitting on a foam pad, the tank sitting on them. So the top frame is 100% flush with the tank. (had to re-plane the bottom after).

I was more worried the plywood is for torsion control. If its just so the tank sits flush I have nothing to worry about.

I made this last year for an Aqueon 75 gallon with plastic rim. I did add a plywood platform on the bottom shelf to hold a canister filter and stuff.

Is that paint or dark wood stain?

I built those for my 55 and 8.8 and have my 10-20 on cinderblock stands. As long as the plastic rI'm sits nice n even on all the corners you should b all set. Plywood would distribute the weigh more even though I’m sure.

Maybe all add strips of 1/2" plywood anyway, $8 for added assurance. with the tank being 49.5" a 48" sheet of plywood wouldnt cover the full top, buying an 8' sheet if 3/4" plywood tripples the cost of the stand (not counting the paint)

How would you build one for a bowfront? lol

I would make a normal rectangle stand, then add a 5th leg in the middle front using a 2x6,2x8,or 2x10 (whatever width reaches the edge of the tank). then use minimum 1" plywood or maybe 2 sheets for my paranoia on top cut the shape of the tank using a jigsaw. bam, done.

 

[jjohnwm]

Plywood gives you that perfect flat surface for your tank, regardless if rimmed or rimless, better than most people will ever get by screwing 2x4's together.

Also...if you look at all those designs, almost none of the them show any kind of diagonal bracing. The brace running from mid-front to mid-back is still at right angles to everything else. If you lay one of these flat on its back and press against it from either end, it's pretty shocking just how little effort it takes to make it wobble out-of-square. Your rectangular stand will easily flex into a trapezoid. Screw a piece of plywood on top and the increase in stability is astonishing. That thing will remain true and square no matter how hard you try to push or twist it. Well worth the slight extra cost and effort, IMHO.

 

[Wickette]

I'm not a carpenter or engineer, I'm just a paranoid homeowner and fish owner. Is there a reason why you wouldn't want to add the extra support? My tanks have rims and they have the plywood in there and I like having the extra support. Then again, my 10 gallon stand has just a support bar and it makes me nervous and it's wrought iron!

aside from the added cost for possibly no benefit, the 2x4 rI'm is planed flat, the 2x4 cross supports are slightly recessed the posts look flush, but might be a hair higher than the outer frame, a full flat plywood sheet would warp a little, or might not with the weight of the tank... but I think I'm taking more of a risk with it than without

(bird eye view of the frame, green beams are recessed 1/8" red might be poking out (under 1/16")

 

[Wickette]

Plywood gives you that perfect flat surface for your tank, regardless if rimmed or rimless, better than most people will ever get by screwing 2x4's together.

Also...if you look at all those designs, almost none of the them show any kind of diagonal bracing. The brace running from mid-front to mid-back is still at right angles to everything else. If you lay one of these flat on its back and press against it from either end, it's pretty shocking just how little effort it takes to make it wobble out-of-square. Your rectangular stand will easily flex into a trapezoid. Screw a piece of plywood on top and the increase in stability is astonishing. That thing will remain true and square no matter how hard you try to push or twist it. Well worth the slight extra cost and effort, IMHO.

This is exactly what I'm afraid of.

 

[jjohnwm]

A full piece of 3/4-inch plywood, screwed to the top of the structure you show or any of the other structures pictured in the link provided, will never warp, and would resist warping that might otherwise occur in the rest of the stand. As long as none of the those cross-pieces or verticals are sticking up above the plane of the surface, plywood has no downside here. If that structure is properly constructed, plywood can only be an asset.

 

[Wickette]

A full piece of 3/4-inch plywood, screwed to the top of the structure you show or any of the other structures pictured in the link provided, will never warp, and would resist warping that might otherwise occur in the rest of the stand. As long as none of the those cross-pieces or verticals are sticking up above the plane of the surface, plywood has no downside here. If that structure is properly constructed, plywood can only be an asset.

Fine, Ill shave down the verticals so its flush/lower.

I know this isn't as good as a single solid sheet for stability but what's your opinion on laying down plywood on top like this. (made out of a 2x4' plywood sheet, cut into 3 pieces). Big improvement to using nothing on top or won't add much?

Aside from cost, getting an 8x4' sheet home will be a nightmare

ps before anyone mentions it, no place local to me cuts the wood for you, the Home Depots here are tiny and weird, lumbar yards aren't too far but meant for large orders and don't customize . I'm not hand sawing in the parking lot, I have the spine of a 100 year old id be crippled for a week if I did that.

 

[MomeWrath]

I'm not trying to poo on anyone's party here, but remember - a house, which weighs considerably more than a fishtank, is set on single 2x4's that are 16" apart. The thing you have to fight is not weight, it's gravity. I'm in my 20th year working in construction offices. Three of those years were spent working in commercial casework. They put 1000 lb. fume hoods worth tens of thousands of dollars on cabinets made of 1x2's and plastic-laminate covered MDF. The strength of your aquarium cabinet comes not from it's weight but from it's ability to transfer the load to the ground evenly. The "skin" of a cabinet is not decoration, it transfers all that sheer force evenly across the structure. A box made of (12) 2x4's (one at each edge) with 1/8" plywood skin will be stronger than an open unbraced (i.e. no triangular bracing) box made of 36 2x4's. Just like the frame of a house gets its strength from the sheathing. Aquarium cabinet manufacturers wouldn't still be making cabinets the way they do if they were constantly dumping fishtanks.

 

[jjohnwm]

Fine, Ill shave down the verticals so its flush/lower.

I know this isn't as good as a single solid sheet for stability but what's your opinion on laying down plywood on top like this. (made out of a 2x4' plywood sheet, cut into 3 pieces). Big improvement to using nothing on top or won't add much?

Aside from cost, getting an 8x4' sheet home will be a nightmare
View attachment 540996
ps before anyone mentions it, no place local to me cuts the wood for you, the Home Depots here are tiny and weird, lumbar yards aren't too far but meant for large orders and don't customize . I'm not hand sawing in the parking lot, I have the spine of a 100 year old id be crippled for a week if I did that.

That will work probably 95% as well as a single piece; those two large pieces will still give the two-dimensional bracing effect, just as Magicpenny75 mentioned as well.

Hand-sawing plywood? I shudder to even think of it!

I'll just add that my house, like many others, is indeed built of 2x4's...and after years has settled and shifted enough to create cracks in drywall and make some floors a tad uneven. With a fish tank we're not just worried about strength to support the weight, but also about absolute stability to maintain a flat level surface. Plenty of threads on here about folks whose tanks have developed leaks, or even catastrophic failures. A box made of glass glued together with silicone, filled with hundreds of pounds of water, is subjected to tremendous uneven twisting forces if it isn't supported perfectly. Supporting the weight is only part of the battle.

Edited to add: Take pains to get those verticals flush...not lower. If they're lower, the weight of the tank is sitting on the screws that hold the top pieces to the verticals. If they're flush, the weight is sitting on a column of solid wood. Big difference.

 

[Wickette]

I'm not trying to poo on anyone's party here, but remember - a house, which weighs considerably more than a fishtank, is set on single 2x4's that are 16" apart. The thing you have to fight is not weight, it's gravity. I'm in my 20th year working in construction offices. Three of those years were spent working in commercial casework. They put 1000 lb. fume hoods worth tens of thousands of dollars on cabinets made of 1x2's and plastic-laminate covered MDF. The strength of your aquarium cabinet comes not from it's weight but from it's ability to transfer the load to the ground evenly. The "skin" of a cabinet is not decoration, it transfers all that sheer force evenly across the structure. A box made of (12) 2x4's (one at each edge) with 1/8" plywood skin will be stronger than an open unbraced (i.e. no triangular bracing) box made of 36 2x4's. Just like the frame of a house gets its strength from the sheathing. Aquarium cabinet manufacturers wouldn't still be making cabinets the way they do if they were constantly dumping fishtanks.

Then wouldnt the cheaper solution then be to add triangle bracing with using a a bunch of 2x2's cut at 45° anges? $3 vs $45 in plywood?

my 2 cents, the 2x4 frames everyone makes should support 9,500lbs. Most of us never made any load bearing structure, using 3 2x4's in each corner ensures that even if we botch it and the load is on 2 corner of each 2x4 surface, it can still evenly distribute all of the weight. a well built frame with a single 2x3 upright in each corner would still be plenty,

 

[Morpheus1967]

Plywood gives you that perfect flat surface for your tank, regardless if rimmed or rimless, better than most people will ever get by screwing 2x4's together.

Also...if you look at all those designs, almost none of the them show any kind of diagonal bracing. The brace running from mid-front to mid-back is still at right angles to everything else. If you lay one of these flat on its back and press against it from either end, it's pretty shocking just how little effort it takes to make it wobble out-of-square. Your rectangular stand will easily flex into a trapezoid. Screw a piece of plywood on top and the increase in stability is astonishing. That thing will remain true and square no matter how hard you try to push or twist it. Well worth the slight extra cost and effort, IMHO.

It's not wobbling anywhere if you glue the heck out of it.

 

[DarkOne]

How would you build one for a bowfront? lol

The base would be the width x depth so the tank sits on the stand. You would probably want a plywood top for bowfronts as the corners would be covered so stuff doesn't drop thru.

I'm not a carpenter or engineer, I'm just a paranoid homeowner and fish owner. Is there a reason why you wouldn't want to add the extra support? My tanks have rims and they have the plywood in there and I like having the extra support. Then again, my 10 gallon stand has just a support bar and it makes me nervous and it's wrought iron!

Each 2x4 leg can hold 600lbs so 4 legs is still overkill for a 75 gallon tank.

I love all of these. I used a bench plane to make the 2x4s for the top totally flush, then I screwed them together with them sitting on a foam pad, the tank sitting on them. So the top frame is 100% flush with the tank. (had to re-plane the bottom after).

I was more worried the plywood is for torsion control. If its just so the tank sits flush I have nothing to worry about.



Is that paint or dark wood stain?


Maybe all add strips of 1/2" plywood anyway, $8 for added assurance. with the tank being 49.5" a 48" sheet of plywood wouldnt cover the full top, buying an 8' sheet if 3/4" plywood tripples the cost of the stand (not counting the paint)



I would make a normal rectangle stand, then add a 5th leg in the middle front using a 2x6,2x8,or 2x10 (whatever width reaches the edge of the tank). then use minimum 1" plywood or maybe 2 sheets for my paranoia on top cut the shape of the tank using a jigsaw. bam, done.

I used project paint that's waterproof.

I think you're overthinking this. A 75 gallon tank will be about 800lbs. You don't need supports in the center for a 4' span. The tank only needs to be supported by the 4 corners. You only need 1 cross bracing to keep it square.

All HD's that sell lumber can make 1 or 2 cuts on plywood free of charge.but I wouldn't recommend putting a plywood top as it's useless for a rimmed tank. You would want one for a rimless and have a leveling mat (I use a 1/4" yoga mat, cut to fit on my 30 gallon rimless).

If you do go with a plywood top, 1/2 or 3/4" is more than enough and you want to use a circular saw, not a jigsaw.


Just remember, all this extra lumber added to the stand adds a lot of extra weight.

 

[DarkOne]

FYI... just corners...

 

[kallililly1973]

Here are my 10-20 gallon cinderblock stands

 

[MomeWrath]

FYI... just corners...

View attachment 541033

I was looking for this picture the other day!

This is the stand that we built for a 90 a few years ago. I can attest to it staying square - the hinged doors never made a sound... And a pic of the filled 90 on top once it was finished. We skinned it with 1/8" red oak veneer plywood.

 

[bitseriously]

FYI... just corners...

View attachment 541033

That just doesn't seem right. Help me sleep at night, at least put a 3rd "leg" of blocks under the middles.


[the smiley face means its friendly not mean/rude]

 

[Wickette]

The base would be the width x depth so the tank sits on the stand. You would probably want a plywood top for bowfronts as the corners would be covered so stuff doesn't drop thru.



Each 2x4 leg can hold 600lbs so 4 legs is still overkill for a 75 gallon tank.


I used project paint that's waterproof.

I think you're overthinking this. A 75 gallon tank will be about 800lbs. You don't need supports in the center for a 4' span. The tank only needs to be supported by the 4 corners. You only need 1 cross bracing to keep it square.

All HD's that sell lumber can make 1 or 2 cuts on plywood free of charge.but I wouldn't recommend putting a plywood top as it's useless for a rimmed tank. You would want one for a rimless and have a leveling mat (I use a 1/4" yoga mat, cut to fit on my 30 gallon rimless).

If you do go with a plywood top, 1/2 or 3/4" is more than enough and you want to use a circular saw, not a jigsaw.


Just remember, all this extra lumber added to the stand adds a lot of extra weight.

Jig saw the and 5th leg was a recommendation for a bow front tank (not my tank) . It would look weird with a rectangle stand.

I'VE got 2x8 scrap, I think cutting them into triangles would make good cross beams
I bought a 2x4 1/2" sheet of plywood and 2 sheets of 1/8" plywood when I got the rest of the supplies, I was wasn't thinking beyond the frame, figured it's useful for something.

You over estimate the home depots by my. Lumber is one side of one aisle. They don't have anything to cut anything with if they wanted to.

(ps 36'' 2x4 Douglas fir larch should support 800+lbs, somewhere 900-950 if you're stand is the typical 28")

 

[DarkOne]

That just doesn't seem right. Help me sleep at night, at least put a 3rd "leg" of blocks under the middles.


[the smiley face means its friendly not mean/rude]

Not mine but it shows that rimmed tanks only need the 4 corners supported. The front and back glass keeps it from bowing and the water is distributed evenly. I wouldn't set up a tank this way but it can be done.

Jig saw the and 5th leg was a recommendation for a bow front tank (not my tank) . It would look weird with a rectangle stand.

I'VE got 2x8 scrap, I think cutting them into triangles would make good cross beams
I bought a 2x4 1/2" sheet of plywood and 2 sheets of 1/8" plywood when I got the rest of the supplies, I was wasn't thinking beyond the frame, figured it's useful for something.

You over estimate the home depots by my. Lumber is one side of one aisle. They don't have anything to cut anything with if they wanted to.

(ps 36'' 2x4 Douglas fir larch should support 800+lbs, somewhere 900-950 if you're stand is the typical 28")

What NYC suburbs are you in? There's about 30 HDs within a 10 mile radius of NYC.

I was talking about 2x4 pine which is what most people use to make stands. It could probably hold a lot more.

 

[Skavatar]

I can't really think of any scenario, except maybe an earthquake where the stand would get any kind of twisting forces. its all downward force from the weight of the aquarium.

i'm planning on doing a concrete block stand when I get at 55G.

 

[Wickette]

Not mine but it shows that rimmed tanks only need the 4 corners supported. The front and back glass keeps it from bowing and the water is distributed evenly. I wouldn't set up a tank this way but it can be done.

Fir was cheaper, supposedly goes b

What NYC suburbs are you in? There's about 30 HDs within a 10 mile radius of NYC.

I was talking about 2x4 pine which is what most people use to make stands. It could probably hold a lot more.

From what I researched , pine is weaker, prone to warping with moisture, and cost more than fir. Fir allegedly dries to its original shape. IDK if the warping thing is an actual issue with pine but better safe than sorry and I saved a whopping $2.80 buying 8 fir 2x4s.. I can almost buy an extra neon tetra with that money (I use the word 'extra' because I don't keep neon tetras, any amount is extra)

 

[Wickette]

I can't really think of any scenario, except maybe an earthquake where the stand would get any kind of twisting force

What about human stupidity, I was adding an HOB breeder box to the back of my 50gal. Tank was 2" from the wall and I needed 8, so I dragged it on one leg, completely full, 6" forward, then the other leg (way too heavy to do both legs at once). If the same issue arises with this tank, I'm probably going to be lazy and do the same thing, even though I know better now.

 

[DarkOne]

Depends where you get it. You usually want to buy kiln dried wood whenever possible.

I don't know what the price difference is, I had a pile of extra 2x4s (pine) which is why I built my stand.

 

[jjohnwm]

What about human stupidity, I was adding an HOB breeder box to the back of my 50gal. Tank was 2" from the wall and I needed 8, so I dragged it on one leg, completely full, 6" forward, then the other leg (way too heavy to do both legs at once). If the same issue arises with this tank, I'm probably going to be lazy and do the same thing, even though I know better now.

God, that was a stupid, stupid thing to do!

I know, because I did the exact same thing literally this morning. A 30 rather than a 50...only an inch rather than 6...but the same idea. Overbuild to compensate for this kind of thing...

 

[Wickette]

Depends where you get it. You usually want to buy kiln dried wood whenever possible.

I don't know what the price difference is, I had a pile of extra 2x4s (pine) which is why I built my stand.

yup, I learned the difference between kiln dried after I started. Both were the same price (I think $2.50) I just thought one was light, one was dark.
My stand is not kiln dried wood, I don't think pine, fir, oak, kiln dried, fresh cut. None of the tutorials mention any of these things, just the annoying plywood top.

I just tried to cut the posts 1/32" to they don't risk lifting the plywood... this is what happens when you eyeball it.

 

[DarkOne]

yup, I learned the difference between kiln dried after I started. Both were the same price (I think $2.50) I just thought one was light, one was dark.
My stand is not kiln dried wood, I don't think pine, fir, oak, kiln dried, fresh cut. None of the tutorials mention any of these things, just the annoying plywood top.

I just tried to cut the posts 1/32" to they don't risk lifting the plywood... this is what happens when you eyeball it.
View attachment 541064

That's a good cut. You don't want that to go above the top plane. There should be another 2x4 between the horizontal 2x4s for load bearing support.

 

[Wickette]

I just remembered, I have a 5' x 4' 1/4" nylon sheet last time I went through the neighbors construction trash, It used to be water proof flooring or something (if you live in the NYC suburbs and see someone going thru your trash, its me).

Its heavier than plywood, and will dip in the middle, but maybe that's a better option for a topper.

EDIT: 'topper' as in on top of the frame

 

[DarkOne]

Or just don't use a topper? You really don't need one for your tank. I don't use one on my stand.

 

[Wickette]

That's a good cut. You don't want that to go above the top plane. There should be another 2x4 between the horizontal 2x4s for load bearing support.

there are three 2x4's in every corner, 2 load bearing posts and 1 guide guide post. (this is before I took it apart and cut the supports flatter thus shorter)

 

[Wickette]

Or just don't use a topper? You really don't need one for your tank. I don't use one on my stand.

EDIT: misread this. either way I want as much stability as possible. The guide posts aren't as tight as Id like, the support posts needed shims to get all 4 corners snug. Its very typical of a 1st attempt. if I can get more stability with the materials I already have, Ill do it.

 

[DarkOne]

Holy overbuilt tank stand!

You're just putting 1 75 gallon tank on top, right?

You mean the topper for the stand so the tank sits on top of it, right? You don't really need it.

 

[Wickette]

Holy overbuilt tank stand!

You're just putting 1 75 gallon tank on top, right?

You mean the topper for the stand so the tank sits on top of it, right? You don't really need it.

That's what this whole thread is about

Id be done by now if I stopped second guessing everything and/or replying to every post in real time.

ps 75 gallon above, 29 gallon sump bellow not that the sump affects the stand in any way

 

[Skavatar]

a set of vertical posts in the middle, front and back will keep it from bowing in the middle.

 

[Wickette]

a set of vertical posts in the middle, front and back will keep it from bowing in the middle.

I don't think this will ever bow, the seals of the tanks might give, but the stand won't bow.

But I was already planing on an extra 2x4 center back post, Not for bowing, though that's a perk, I need it to mount the DIY ATO and sump lights, vertical will use less wood than horizontal. The front is also getting a 7.5" laminated fiberboard panel on each side. Not a ton of support, but adds a little.

I need a 34" gap in the front to get 1 arm and the sump in and out.

 

[Wickette]

good new bad news situation.
Good news, I accidentally bought kiln tried heat treated wood (didnt know the difference when I bought it so hurray)
Bad new, one of the guide posts split in two when I put in a screw (yes I used a pilot hole, but only 2.25"), I guess 7/8" is too close to the edge.

Some tear down and restart required tomorrow..

 

[Wickette]

Youve all been giving great tips and ideas I'm going to keep posting my questions here til your sick of me...

Current plan is to leave a 32" x 14" gap in the bottom of the stand and put the sump on the floor.

Most 4' stands have a center brace or shelf on the bottom, mine wouldn't. Aside from a lot of extra work, sump tank was upgraded, I only have 6" clearance above the sump. .

Opinions, Pros, Cons leaving the middle hollow?


(rough sketch of the stand, not drawn to scale,all 2x4's)

 

[Bryangar]

The base would be the width x depth so the tank sits on the stand. You would probably want a plywood top for bowfronts as the corners would be covered so stuff doesn't drop thru.



Each 2x4 leg can hold 600lbs so 4 legs is still overkill for a 75 gallon tank.


I used project paint that's waterproof.

I think you're overthinking this. A 75 gallon tank will be about 800lbs. You don't need supports in the center for a 4' span. The tank only needs to be supported by the 4 corners. You only need 1 cross bracing to keep it square.

All HD's that sell lumber can make 1 or 2 cuts on plywood free of charge.but I wouldn't recommend putting a plywood top as it's useless for a rimmed tank. You would want one for a rimless and have a leveling mat (I use a 1/4" yoga mat, cut to fit on my 30 gallon rimless).

If you do go with a plywood top, 1/2 or 3/4" is more than enough and you want to use a circular saw, not a jigsaw.


Just remember, all this extra lumber added to the stand adds a lot of extra weight.

Can I message you to ask a few questions on a build?

 

[Wickette]

Added more to the frame, last question still stands, am I done with the front to back braces on the horizontal pieces?

 

[Thor555]

When my 133 gallon tank cracked one night and destroyed all the carpet in my living room...

My insurance paid for it ... but the adjuster insisted on taking "level" measurements of my tank first. Good thing I didn't move the tank after it occurred.

I don't even want to think about what I would have gotten if that stand hadn't been the stand sold for that tank and if, by some chance, I set it up to be even slightly off-level.

That setup on the cinderblocks where only the ends are supported looks TERRIFYING to me ... but if works I guess, go for it.

 

[Wickette]

When my 133 gallon tank cracked one night and destroyed all the carpet in my living room....

How long long was the water sitting in the carpet to destroy it?