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steel stand help

Brando457

Brando457

I am in the process of setting up a 135 gallon tank and this is the picture of it on the stand



I am wondering should I place a piece of plywood over the top of the stand? The edges are flat and do not have a lip to place the tank into.

Also underneath you can see the metal bars that run across from front to back. They seem flimsy so I'd like to put a piece of plywood over it to add some strength.

What size plywood and sealer/coater should I use on it?
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
If the stand was commercially produced, I’ve got to believe they did the engineering on this to support the weight of the stand. I have a 125 gallon, six foot long tank that sits on a steel stand as well. It has six legs…a pair of legs in the middle of the tank. Assuming your stand was commercially produced, my only suggestion is to use something under each leg to distribute the weight. (My legs are just angle iron which really cut into carpet if you don’t put something under them.) Doesn’t have to be big…I first used furniture discs for a couch…about four inches in diameter. I now have that tank on a concrete porch and no longer use these.

As far as plywood under the tank, not sure. I don’t use it under mine.
 
radiata

radiata

NJRC Member
I've used Fletco Ferrothane paint on angle iron stands. It lasts a good 5 years before rust starts to develop. If I was a real finatic, I would consider using a real two-part epoxy paint. On the last two I setup, I used an inch of foam (Home Depot insulation foam, I recollect) between the tanks and stand. Not pretty, but the foam evens out any irregularities where the tank and stand meet. I wouldn't worry about adding extra bracing to a commercial angle iron stand.
 
panmanmatt

panmanmatt

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Glass tanks are made to have the edges support the weight of the tank not the bottom glass. Having the bottom glass resting on anything can cause stress points thus causing the glass to fail. Putting plywood under the tank will not do anything for the weight because the plastic trim is what rests on the stand and transfers the weight. That is why all commercially made stands don't normally have solid top surfaces, they simply aren't needed.

Now putting foam under a glass tank can have issues as the tank settles into the foam over time. This will then transfer the weight of the tank from the outer edges to the bottom pane of glass causing it to do a job it was not designed for, supporting the tank.



Acrylic tanks are totally different and must have the bottom fully supported.
 
N

njhcnwk

If putting a piece of plywood down gives you piece of mind then go for it. I did. I used 3/4. Like I said, if all it's doing is giving you piece of mind then it's worth doing.
 
Brando457

Brando457

Thanks for the replies eeryone how about underneath where the bars seem flimsy?

Also someone mentioned furniture blocks under each leg so it won't dig into the carpet?
 
9supratt4

9supratt4

I think he is more worried about the beams go lengthwise down the tank. He feels that they are flimsy.

I know my stand has very little supprt in the front & back and most of it is in the corners and sides. He did buy the tank from a reputable LFS.

I'm not sure what he should do. What does everyone think about the supports in the front & back?
 
Nickjr000

Nickjr000

That stand doesn't look that strong, looks like the frame is very thin. I'd put some vertical pieces on that stand from the top bar to the bottom bar. Or maybe go around it with plywood and make 2 doors in the front. How long is the tank? If it's over 4' i'd put 2 more legs in the middle to give it more support. You could put like 5"x5" pieces of 3/4 plywood under the legs.
 
Brando457

Brando457

Nickjr000 said:
That stand doesn't look that strong, looks like the frame is very thin. I'd put some vertical pieces on that stand from the top bar to the bottom bar. Or maybe go around it with plywood and make 2 doors in the front. How long is the tank? If it's over 4' i'd put 2 more legs in the middle to give it more support. You could put like 5"x5" pieces of 3/4 plywood under the legs.
Click to expand...

The stand is made out of about 1/4" - 1/2" steel or iron(not sure which) There is a center brace right across the middle of the tank that is not visible. I purchased the stand from reef encounters over in Hackensack.

5 inch by 5 inch IS VERY thick wood.

I think the stand will hold fine my only concern is the underneath rack where there are circular beams running left to right and from front to back. If I place my sump there I do not want them to bend although they seem strong.
 
panmanmatt

panmanmatt

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Brando457 said:
5 inch by 5 inch IS VERY thick wood.
Click to expand...

He means 5x5 inch squares of 3/4" thick plywood for under the legs.

Put some weight on the bottom shelf where your sump will go and see if it bends or not. Worse case is you will have to put some braces, such as pieces of 2x4, under the shelf to help support the sump's weight.
 
Nickjr000

Nickjr000

5 inch by 5 inch IS VERY thick wood.

No , you cut a piece 5"x5" or however big you decide to go out of 3/4" plywwod. It will only be 3/4" thick

I think the stand will hold fine my only concern is the underneath rack where there are circular beams running left to right and from front to back. If I place my sump there I do not want them to bend although they seem strong.

Just plywood the bottom of the stand then


[/quote]
 
N

njhcnwk

Check Home Depot or Lowes and see what they have for that application. Perhaps just a coat of varnish or some kind of poly would do the trick.
 
Nickjr000

Nickjr000

Yup, about 3 coats of poly all sides and edges. You can poly the stell frame too, it works great and lasts forever. My friend ownes a metal company and he taught me that trick, poly great for metal too
 
Brando457

Brando457

So I sat floor level and saw that there is about a 1/2 inch gap or so in the front of the stand from the tank edging. I called reef encounters and they're exchanging the stand for me.
 
Nickjr000

Nickjr000

Brando457 said:
So I sat floor level and saw that there is about a 1/2 inch gap or so in the front of the stand from the tank edging. I called reef encounters and they're exchanging the stand for me.
Click to expand...

That much? Where in center? Nice that they'll exchange it for ya
 
Brando457

Brando457

I'm not sure what you mean by where in the center, but it is like right in the middle and slowly dwindles down as it reaches the edges.
 
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