getting a 240 gallon tank, need stand help

[Rob Top]

Ok the tank is ordered and next Sunday I will be picking up my 240 gallon tank. (also getting a 115) At any rate I have 1 week to get my stand together. The stand only has to hold the tank, not look pretty as this tank is behind a cut out in my wall. The stand you will see inside my fishroom, but not from the living room. So it can be ugly. I have had great results using 2x4 and cinder blocks to build a rack that holds 5 29 gallon tanks. I have a 46, 55, and 75 gallon tanks all on stands built this way. Do you thing it would work for a 240? I was thinking 6 legs(stacks of blocks) and using 2x6 in stead of 2x4. The studs go on end of course so that the tank sits on the 2" side.
Or I can use 4x4 and make the legs out of that.
Home Depot sells heavy duty shelfing, the type that is made out of I-beam steal, and holds 3,000 lbs per shelf. Only problem with useing this is the two sides would not be supported only the front and back.

Help me decide!

Once the tank is in place I'll post some pics. of the fishroom. It has taken nearly 11 months to complete (in my defence I also remodeled the rest of the basement in that time)

 

[Anonymous]

I'll offer advice, but its worth what you paid for it

240 gallons is a lot of water, like 2000 lbs.

Your stand should be built extra heavy, with braces so it can't shift. I would go with 4x4 posts if it was me. Prolly doesn't need to be said, but it needs to be level and planar. I would also use bolts to hold joints together instead of screws. I have seen the stainless screws that home depot sells rust around salt water

Bryan

ps, remember to have fun

 

[Entacmaea]

Hi there, I am just trying to figure out what exactly you are saying about the cinder block/beam contruction you mentioned- are you saying that you would stack cinder blacks as legs, then just lay 2x6's across the top and set the tank on that? If so, I would definitely NOT do that for such a huge stand. In that case, the only thing keeping everything together is the weight of the tank, and it will be very hard to get it perfectly level, etc.

Have a stand built or DIYing one is best. Knucklhead is right to use caution with untreated screws, but there are coated 3-4" screws("deck" screws I think they are called) that will not rust, and it is a good idea to seal/paint the stand, so no water will be getting near joints anyway...

 

[Anonymous]

here is a good website for building stands

http://www.garf.org/howtodoinformation.htm

Have fun, and if you can wiggle your stand without the weight of the stand on it, and it wiggles back and forth, You need to do some more DIY'ing

Bryan

Since the directions are for building a 135 gallon, I would go with some heavier materials.

I envy you, I wish I could get a 240 or better yet a 500, maybe someday

Bryan

 

[Anonymous]

here is another

http://article.dphnet.com/cat-02/tankstand.shtml

Bryan

 

[Mogo]

I built a stand for my 140 out of 2x4's spaced a foot apart. I also have a fish room and don't need pretty nor alot of access space underneath. 3/4" marine plywood top. Heavily braced and anchored. If you do a weight calc (tank x water x live rock x sand = 8O) why not consider 100% cinder block construction? seeing as you are considering that material anyway.

 

[fuzed]

try here... v nice stand and tank to top it off

http://www.cnidarianreef.com/

 

[Robin Goodfellow]

hi.
Welcome to RDO, fuzed! That is a nice web site, and the tank is great. Are you Joe?

 

[fuzed]

hi and thanks for the welcome, i'm not joe no, I wish with a tank like that... I just came across it when I asked for a few ideas about stands myself... and was very impresed by the tank.

Mines a measly 36 UK gallons... yep i'm a uk reefer

getting there slowly...

 

[-JB]

That's my tank. Any questions on the stand just let me know.