fish tank stand

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my next project is going to be a stand for 55g tank.  I was wondering what kind of material i should use, what do i need to support that kind of weight?  1g is like ~7 lbs, right?  then you've got gravel and ornament and such.   I plan to put ciclids in there.  Also, any design ideas?   i think i want the bottom of the tank around waist level.
Reply:Just make sure the tank sits flat on the surface of the stand.  Stress on the tank will cause leaks or possibly a break...then WOOOOOSHHHHHHH!  I would look at the welding tables folks are making and see what kind of angle they are using.  Those half inch plate steel tops probably are getting close to that weight.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Back in the late 60's, my father (the original imagineer) had a saltwater fishtank (I'll guess 30 to 40 gal, it was at least 3' long) that looked like it was balanced on a single leg.      Basically the tank was waist high (or face high to me at the time), was about 6" from the wall and the base was an upsidedown pyramid.    What you didn't see was that there were two struts, cris-crossed anchoring the base to the wall behind it.    The base material was a single sheet of stainless that he measured and bent on a sheet break.  Even the part that the tank sat on was part of the sheet.    The struts were all-thread so he could level the tank without putting more holes in the wall.   Because the point of the pyramid was located directly under the middle center of the tank, it was fairly well balanced.   Since it was a saltwater tank, it required special pumps and a reservior tank.   All that was plumped through the point of the pyramid, through a hole in the floor and to a the basement.    It stayed in the living room until my two little brothers got tall enough to go "fishing" in the tank.      Long after it was retired, I cut a piece out of the pyramid for a new guage panel for my 1st car.There are no small projects
Reply:The 55 gal of water will weigh in at 458 # it will weigh 8.33 lbs per gal.
Reply:Your floor type/design will be consideration number one. Ultimately it has to hold everything, stand and tank.  Concrete slab or wood floor??
Reply:ehh, little basic, but what do you guys think?
Reply:I am no engineer, but maybe instead of a single diagonal supports on the back and two sides, use two triangulating from the center of the longest spans (front and back) out to the edges...The sides probably will not need the extra support, but the front and back might.  Just a thought.Last edited by smithboy; 05-08-2006 at 11:16 PM.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:something like this?or this?Last edited by jakkyl; 05-08-2006 at 11:23 PM.
Reply:Dang, that was fast...Yep, the top is the one I was thinking of.  You might also put some feet on the legs to spread the weight.  Maybe just square ends.  Our stand has pretty wide legs (but made of wood).  I just looked at ours and it's made entirely of 2x6's.Last edited by smithboy; 05-08-2006 at 11:29 PM.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Nice design.  I would omit the vertical brace in the middle of the front and back though (in your bottom pix).  It serves no purpose as the weght will be transfered along the diagonals.Just a little factoid from the days when I built radio towers.
Reply:i'm planning on making it out of 1" sq tubing.  Will it be ok to just set the tank on top of that, or should I make a grove or maybe use angle iron or something on the top?I'm going with the design in the third pic
Reply:Originally Posted by scsmith42I would omit the vertical brace in the middle of the front and back though (in your bottom pix).  It serves no purpose as the weght will be transfered along the diagonals.
Reply:Run your diagonal braces the other way, from top outsides to center on lower shelf.-----------Never mind,I was thinking of something else and re-read your post and realized I was wrong. Sorry----Last edited by TEK; 05-10-2006 at 11:23 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by jakkyli'm planning on making it out of 1" sq tubing.  Will it be ok to just set the tank on top of that, or should I make a grove or maybe use angle iron or something on the top?I'm going with the design in the third pic
Reply:like this?**  yea, i got a little carried away...
Reply:Originally Posted by jakkyl**  yea, i got a little carried away...
Reply:would this hold?
Reply:Unless you're planning more support, narrowing the the base is asking for trouble.    I'd  recommend keeping the base as wide as, if not wider than, the tank itself.Also, concider what will happen if the welds at the bottom of the diagonal supports are not as good as you hope.  One or the other, could push out the corner vertical and you'ld be left with a 3 legged table with a very heavy tank about to fall.Nice 3D work, what program are you using?There are no small projects
Reply:Originally Posted by imagineerUnless you're planning more support, narrowing the the base is asking for trouble.    I'd  recommend keeping the base as wide as, if not wider than, the tank itself.Also, concider what will happen if the welds at the bottom of the diagonal supports are not as good as you hope.  One or the other, could push out the corner vertical and you'ld be left with a 3 legged table with a very heavy tank about to fall.
Reply:i still have to finish off a few welds and figure out what to do about shelving, and then paintLast edited by jakkyl; 05-22-2006 at 08:14 PM.
Reply:oh, and here is what i was working from
Reply:Looks like you're getting there. Good work. Got a few pretty complex joints . Using flux core? Be nice if there was some magic clean-up machine that took care of everything past laying the beads.
Reply:thxyea, im using a lincoln 135 flux w/out gasthose joints were a painworking by myself with naught but 3 C clamps...   it's been quite an adventure...
Reply:I like your design.  Here is what I came up with for a 20 gallon tank.  There is a hidden shelf for electrical powerstrip and timer for light and air pump. Attached Images
Reply:Nice pic.  Clean and simple design.  I like the hidden area for the power bar and other misc.  One note for those with kids and grandkids -- they love to climb.  If they grab the lop ledge of the tank in an attempt to get a better look at the fish they could pull these top heavy tanks over onto themselves.   Keep the stand wide, stable and not too tall.  I wouldn't argue with anyone who even wanted to secure it to the wall.torch, what did you use for the shelving?
Reply:I like your idea's.  Trying to get my girlfriend to let me redo the wood stands on our 120 and 90.  But I would have to do a box set-up with gussets, due to Saltwater tanks have to much equipment under them.  Have to close it all up.
Reply:Originally Posted by jakkyltorch, what did you use for the shelving?
Reply:If you do have a problem with the ballance, you could put a couple of ears on the inside of the bottom frame and screw it into the floor, once you fill it, you will not be moving it anyway...I think it looks great, though.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Your use of the 3D can sure help in preventing wasted time in fabrication.  That is something that I am going to start using.I know that my designs in the future will get better being able to share thoughts before all the effort and expense of production.Last edited by Hottorch; 05-25-2006 at 11:20 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by HottorchYour use of the 3D can sure help in preventing wasted time in fabrication.  That is something that I am going to start using.I know that my designs in the future will get better being able to share thoughts before all the effort and expense of production.
Reply:need some color ideas...Last edited by jakkyl; 05-27-2006 at 08:36 PM.
Reply:I personally don't see an issue with the narrowness of the bottom of the stand, there is no way in **** its going to tip over that way. However, if I were to design something like that I'd make it deeper at the bottom, and angle the front back to meet the tank. If its going to fall, its going to fall forward and a little extra depth here is not going to ruin the asthetics whatsoever.
Reply:Nice design. How difficult is Blender to use? I am limping along with Autodesk 10.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:so, i finally got around to taking a picyes, there are fish in there.   Originally Posted by MicroZoneNice design. How difficult is Blender to use? I am limping along with Autodesk 10.
Reply:nice job blub blub blub...my cats would love it! ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsternice job blub blub blub...my cats would love it! ...zap!
Reply:Jakkyl,Is that Blender program easy to use, or do you have to be a savvy computer guy, which I am not?
Reply:Originally Posted by jakkylso, i finally got around to taking a picyes, there are fish in there.  there is a bit of a learning curve, but once you get used to it, it's pretty easy
Reply:Originally Posted by andreasJakkyl,Is that Blender program easy to use, or do you have to be a savvy computer guy, which I am not?
Reply:nice stand
Reply:yes nice stand
Reply:Originally Posted by jakkylit's certainly not easy, but i taught my non-computer savvy friend how to do basic stuff.  so, there is hope!  thanks for all the comments guys!
Reply:My lil woman has this about 20 gallon tank setting 30 inches up on some cheap piece of knock down particle board stand that came with it. Wobbles real easy. I tell her one of these days we're going to get one of our little California shakers and there's going to be guppies everywhere.Oh well.
Reply:Awesome work!It's great to see someone else using GPL software too...a little sketchy on the documentation side but the programs are almost as good as stuff that costs hundreds of dollars !-IanMulti-brand O/A setupCasting furnace in the works!
Reply:Originally Posted by partagasZap.   I have two fish tanks.  A 30 gal and a 120.  I also have 5 cats, and they never evan look at the tanks.
Reply:Very nice design...If stability is a problem due to the narrowed base, an easy cure is to add flat bar feet extending to or past the top dimensions. Cool set up!!Miller TrailBlazer 251Miller HF-250-1Miller MaxStar 150 STLHyperTherm PowerMax 380 plasmaLincoln PowerMig 180Millermatic 252Miller Diversion 180