So I am getting ready to build a tank stand, which for now will only house an external sump plumbed into my 29G BioCube.
In the future this stand will be used to house a 90 or so gallon tank. I am figuring total weight of the whole live setup (with rock, water, sump, equipment) will not exceed 850-900lbs.
Anyway, I found an example of a stand I really like and posted a question on how to build it on a woodworking forum. Man, what a mistake. Heh.
I got suggestions from "build this thing entirely out of 3/4 ply" to "you must use 2x6 or bigger".
The stand that I would like to copy seems to be built entirely out of 1x3 and 3/4 plywood and uses rabbet joints. I have made a few SketchUp models, but everything seems either a 2x4 overload or does not seem like it would be stable enough.
Would anyone be able to help me with designing something like this?
My own designs are a "regular" stand made out of 2x4's like outlined here: http://freshwatercichlids.com/do-it-...aquarium-stand
But it got rejected by woodworking nerds as "too unstable, will crack and twist" even though thousands of people use this basic design with no ill effects.
you can't see the supporting 2x4's between top and bottom behind the trim, but its there.
After this design got rejected, i made another one, following a suggestion to use rabbet joints everywhere.
Teal = 2x4. Not sure if that T-joint 2x4 is needed there... of if i should another one. Or if I need another 2x4 along the bottom connecting legs.
Yellow = 2x2 (pine) for extra support
Orange = 1x3 (pine. in reality 3/4 x 3 1/2)
This also got rejected, and I was told to only use 2x6 and nothing else. Argh.
Guys, many of you have more experience with fish tank stands than anyone else. Please tell me if they are crazy.
Entire thing will be wrapped in some birch plywood, which will give some extra structural stability.
I am figuring that if my second design is not stable enough, I will add another 2x4 along the bottom, have 2 2x4 cross braces across the top and bottom and change the rabbet joint on 2x4 cross braces to overlap horizontally,
it will make this 2nd design simply bulletproof.
Thanks!