Without cross bracing the stand is subject to catastrophic failure if you fell against the end of the stand or a visitor accidentally pushed the tank from either end.
84x12x12
- Thread starter Lepisosteus
- Start date
Without cross bracing the stand is subject to catastrophic failure if you fell against the end of the stand or a visitor accidentally pushed the tank from either end.
The weight of water in that tank is about 425# and the weight of the tank is maybe 75#. A 500# structure at that height on a stand w/out cross bracing will be impossible to save once it starts to go and when it comes down it is more likely to fall to the left or the right, not forward or backward.
My apologies if I appear to be critical of your work. That's definitely not the case. I should point out though that you can make that stand much safer to be around for about five bucks... far less than the cost of a smashed kid or broken tank.
I agree about the diagonal braces; could have sworn that somewhere in the thread you mentioned a plan to wrap the stand in some sort of decorative wood, which would have provided all the bracing necessary.
If that is no longer in the cards, or if I'm mistaken about that, you don't even need to cut any lumber to put in the braces. IKEA, believe it or not, sells pairs of steel rods joined into an X shape with a single screw at the centre, which allows them to be formed to fit almost any piece of furniture to act as braces. They are actually sold for use with one of the generic IKEA neo-Euro-crap modulaar bookcases, but they work for tank stands beautifully. Cost a couple bucks, install in a couple seconds, very low-profile and unobtrusive, add huge stability and three-dimensional support.
Okay, there goes...the first and last time I ever recommend IKEA to anybody.
So...what's the going rate for a smashed kid nowadays?
If that is no longer in the cards, or if I'm mistaken about that, you don't even need to cut any lumber to put in the braces. IKEA, believe it or not, sells pairs of steel rods joined into an X shape with a single screw at the centre, which allows them to be formed to fit almost any piece of furniture to act as braces. They are actually sold for use with one of the generic IKEA neo-Euro-crap modulaar bookcases, but they work for tank stands beautifully. Cost a couple bucks, install in a couple seconds, very low-profile and unobtrusive, add huge stability and three-dimensional support.
Okay, there goes...the first and last time I ever recommend IKEA to anybody.
So...what's the going rate for a smashed kid nowadays?
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I'm not completely certain but five bucks says if you cut 'em up in small enough pieces a peacock bass would like 'em.
Tank doesn’t even wobble when knocked. 10 2x4s for vertical support for a 55 gallon is more than enough. Horizontal braces every 16” from front to back on the top with 3 on the bottom frame. I appreciate the suggestions but the tank and stand is fine and more than enough for this tank. It’s common to over elaborate stands on this forum.
No kids in my house.
No kids in my house.
Leak test went well. All plumbing had no leaks. Small leak came from the eclipse overflow box that was easily fixed by reinstalling the bulkhead.
