Stand issue

MuShu · 06/11/2018, 12:11 PM

I just got a stand for my 180. The 2x4 on the front and back sides comes up just enough that the corners don't touch the stand (to clarify, the 2x4 is bowed up just slightly). We're talking 1/8th of an inch on one side and 3/16 on the other.

The current plan is to get a piece of plywood for between the tank and the top and then shim the bottom of of the stand up along the corners.

Will this work? We do not have a planer, and Georgia is humid, so planing may not have the necessary long-term effect.

mcgyvr · 06/11/2018, 02:01 PM

We really need pictures showing the total construction of said stand to offer anything more than guesses and assumptions..

MuShu · 06/11/2018, 02:10 PM

That's the best I have.

My other thought was putting a piece of oak along each side between the tank and the stand to fill the gap.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MuShu · 06/11/2018, 03:14 PM

Not a member there, and also wanted a little wider range of opinions.

MuShu · 06/11/2018, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ghost of 25

So it's not a custom stand made out of cabinet grade plywood?
Homemade stand with dimensional lumber?

It was built by a professional carpenter, but I'm guessing dimensional lumber.

MuShu · 06/11/2018, 03:55 PM

Any particular type of 3/4 plywood?

MuShu · 06/11/2018, 04:04 PM

No worries. I appreciate the help. The spouse is at the hardware store now.

Lsufan · 06/11/2018, 07:30 PM

U can place a piece of plywood on top & shim it to get it straight. If u go this route I would use liquid nail under the edges of the plywood. It gets really hard when it dries so it will fill any voids inbetween the shims.

That isn’t my only concern with the stand. U want the perimeter of the tank sitting on the frame of the stand. How it looks the entire perimeter of the tank is sitting on top of the trim board that he used around the top. That means that board which is held on by nails or screws will be holding all of the weight from the tank, & not the frame. U want the weight transferred directly to the frame & by the looks of it that is not how it’s designed. Another layer of plywood will help with that but it still isn’t ideal on such a large tank. Personally, I would fix the stand so the tank is sitting on top of the frame. I know that’s the last thing u probably want to hear but I wouldn’t trust it how it is built. Maybe a 30 gallon but not a 180. If u paid a carpenter to do it I would make him redo it. He should understand how the weight should be transferred.

davocean · 06/15/2018, 09:35 AM

Lsufan is correct, that horizontal 2x really needs vertical support posts directly underneath at each corner, otherwise all that weight is on fasteners, which will eventually fail

davocean · 06/15/2018, 09:43 AM

edit function is not working at this time...

After looking more carefully it looks like the base is wrapped in 2x, not baseboard like I first thought, so it should actually be fairly easy to add vertical 2x's on face and sides, and I would make them a 1/16" or shy 1/8" taller than space between base and top rail, slight bevel cut so you can finesse them in, and this may help level out your top.

That horizontal probably has a crown in center, so screw down in center to lock that down, then add corner supports, this should help remove most if not all of that highspot in center

06/11/2018, 12:11 PM	#1
MuShu Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 322	Stand issue I just got a stand for my 180. The 2x4 on the front and back sides comes up just enough that the corners don't touch the stand (to clarify, the 2x4 is bowed up just slightly). We're talking 1/8th of an inch on one side and 3/16 on the other. The current plan is to get a piece of plywood for between the tank and the top and then shim the bottom of of the stand up along the corners. Will this work? We do not have a planer, and Georgia is humid, so planing may not have the necessary long-term effect.

06/11/2018, 02:01 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	We really need pictures showing the total construction of said stand to offer anything more than guesses and assumptions.. __________________ Who me?

06/11/2018, 07:30 PM	#8
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	U can place a piece of plywood on top & shim it to get it straight. If u go this route I would use liquid nail under the edges of the plywood. It gets really hard when it dries so it will fill any voids inbetween the shims. That isn’t my only concern with the stand. U want the perimeter of the tank sitting on the frame of the stand. How it looks the entire perimeter of the tank is sitting on top of the trim board that he used around the top. That means that board which is held on by nails or screws will be holding all of the weight from the tank, & not the frame. U want the weight transferred directly to the frame & by the looks of it that is not how it’s designed. Another layer of plywood will help with that but it still isn’t ideal on such a large tank. Personally, I would fix the stand so the tank is sitting on top of the frame. I know that’s the last thing u probably want to hear but I wouldn’t trust it how it is built. Maybe a 30 gallon but not a 180. If u paid a carpenter to do it I would make him redo it. He should understand how the weight should be transferred. Last edited by Lsufan; 06/11/2018 at 07:48 PM.

06/15/2018, 09:35 AM	#9
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Lsufan is correct, that horizontal 2x really needs vertical support posts directly underneath at each corner, otherwise all that weight is on fasteners, which will eventually fail __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

06/15/2018, 09:43 AM	#10
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	edit function is not working at this time... After looking more carefully it looks like the base is wrapped in 2x, not baseboard like I first thought, so it should actually be fairly easy to add vertical 2x's on face and sides, and I would make them a 1/16" or shy 1/8" taller than space between base and top rail, slight bevel cut so you can finesse them in, and this may help level out your top. That horizontal probably has a crown in center, so screw down in center to lock that down, then add corner supports, this should help remove most if not all of that highspot in center __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

06/11/2018, 02:10 PM	#3
MuShu Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 322	That's the best I have. My other thought was putting a piece of oak along each side between the tank and the stand to fill the gap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/11/2018, 03:14 PM	#4
MuShu Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 322	Not a member there, and also wanted a little wider range of opinions.

06/11/2018, 03:55 PM	#6
MuShu Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 322	Any particular type of 3/4 plywood?

06/11/2018, 04:04 PM	#7
MuShu Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 322	No worries. I appreciate the help. The spouse is at the hardware store now.