I built a 2x4 stand , once I put the tank on it there where spots the frame of the tank wasn't touching the wood. Will using foam on top of stand work for that or should I sand the high spots to level it . I have heard using foam is a no no and some say to always use it
built own stand , using foam on top ?
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Metal stands do not contact the aquariums along its entire length.
Your stand looks great, very robust.
Three things,
1.) Are those dry wall screws? I hope not. If they are, I would replace them with decking screws.
2.) Put a 3/4" thick piece of plywood on top.
3.) I would put a 2x4 "stud" in the middle of the front and back.
Other than that I like it.
Your stand looks great, very robust.
Three things,
1.) Are those dry wall screws? I hope not. If they are, I would replace them with decking screws.
2.) Put a 3/4" thick piece of plywood on top.
3.) I would put a 2x4 "stud" in the middle of the front and back.
Other than that I like it.
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At first I thought there might have been a problem also but then I looked closer. If you had not added the second upright 2X4 under the ring, the weight of the tank resting on the ring at the top would have been supported only by the strength of the screws. Dry wall screw are not made of as good metal and not as thick as deck screws. If they had been the sole support, they might snap and let the whole thing down. But with the second 2X, the weight is on the upright wood rather than the screws. Black heads are the giveaway on type?
For the surface, I would not sweat the little things if the stand is reaonably true at the corners. Tanks are like box beams with really strong but brittle sides. The sides may crack if they are twisted by one corner being high or low. But as long as it is not twisted, it is nearly impossible for a tank side glass to droop when it is standing on edge. Like a 1X6, on it's flat side you would break a 8 foot board just walking on it but laid upright on edge, you can't bend it at all. If you have the four tank corners level, the middle is not going to droop.
For the surface, I would not sweat the little things if the stand is reaonably true at the corners. Tanks are like box beams with really strong but brittle sides. The sides may crack if they are twisted by one corner being high or low. But as long as it is not twisted, it is nearly impossible for a tank side glass to droop when it is standing on edge. Like a 1X6, on it's flat side you would break a 8 foot board just walking on it but laid upright on edge, you can't bend it at all. If you have the four tank corners level, the middle is not going to droop.
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Like PlantedRich said, since you have wood directly supporting the weight of the tank, the screws aren't too important. I tend to use screws mostly to clamp the wood together while the glue sets.
And skinning it with plywood (even 1/4" or so) will add a lot of stability to the stand. It will prevent the stand from racking or twisting.
As to the top, I'd just sand/rasp/plane/whatever any major gaps/steps/uneven spots, and stick some foam on top. The foam sorta acts like a gasket, and helps prevent spread stress points out.
And skinning it with plywood (even 1/4" or so) will add a lot of stability to the stand. It will prevent the stand from racking or twisting.
As to the top, I'd just sand/rasp/plane/whatever any major gaps/steps/uneven spots, and stick some foam on top. The foam sorta acts like a gasket, and helps prevent spread stress points out.
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I may be a gambler on this point but when I think of all the tanks we see and hear about, there are really pretty few which fail while being used. It is my feeling, but not anything that I can lay facts on, that most tanks that fail are stressed while moving, setting up , etc. and then a few weeks later they start leaking. There are certainly going to be some that fail due to bad stands but when I look at lots of the really flimsy stands and think of the crooked floors around, I'm really surprised that more don't fail.
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Sometimes when we look at something it may look over built. But then an odd thing comes up where "overbuilt" is just right. Today one of those came up in my fishroom. I wanted to move a 75 gallon tank and stand from one wall to another. But since I had "overbuilt" my stand, I had a plan that worked. I drained it down half way, pried the ends up, stuck a 1 1/2 pipe under in several spots and rolled it over to the other wall.
So maybe it is "overbuilt" or maybe not?
So maybe it is "overbuilt" or maybe not?
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Curiosity compells me to ask...did/can you check to see if the corners under the stand
have gaps under to the raised corners?
have gaps under to the raised corners?
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