cdmorrison01

I just got my 160 gallon set up, and I built my own stand. I did not have to make it pretty because its an in wall tank; however, I had the same concern as you with regards to support. I am no engineer, so I could not even try to imagine what kind of wood to use to feel confortable with it supporting the weight. So, I went the "overkill" route:-)

I have a foot print of 48x25. I bought 8 4x4 that were NOT treated. Melev explained that treated would will change shape over time and could could out of level. I basically have a vertical 4x4 around the front and sides perimiter...about every 10 inches on center. Then I have 4x4s that span across from side-to-side. Those are then bolted down to the vertical supports, countersunk using lag screws. I then put 3/4 plywood base down. I think it could support twice the weight of my tank!

I am sure there are lots of DIY sites for stands. Just make sure you make a post on this site showing the one you plan to you, that way you can get everyones feedback before you start!

2x4s that are glued & screwed together is plenty strong. Remember, your house is built with 2x4s and you LIVE in it. And they merely nail it together. What you need to worry about is 'racking', where the tank can rack back and forth or side to side. To avoid this issue, solid sheets of plywood on the back and sides prevent that problem.

If you look at the stands at the fish stores, you'll be surprised how simple they are, and how little there is to them. We tend to make them industrial strength, primarily out of fear of failure. For example, Turbosek's 160g is sitting on 4x4s. Way overkill. People use 4x4s to support decks adjacent to their homes. My 280g reef is on 2x4 uprights, and I used 2x6 horizontally for the platform, only because I wasn't going to have any legs in the middle. My desire was to build a huge sump I could slide underneath, so a leg was out of the question.

I had a carpenter build my stand with those exact dimensions. Hopefully you can gleam something from the pics.

The center support is put in last and removable to make room for sump installation. Good luck!

Melev: In regards to racking. I will be doing finish work on this stand, as it will not be an in the wall system. Will the finish wood that I use to close in the front, back and sides satisfy the anti-racking configuration you explained?

Thanks for the quick feed back. I plan on building it sometime within the next 2 weeks.


I will def take pics of the build and post them!

i like that stand Jessy, did you stain it or are you gonna skin it with something nice?

Yes, the finish wood will help with the racking. That stand Jessy posted would be more than adequate. It is very well built.

You can check out a stand I recently built for my 210 in the works.

Here are my renderings prior to building it:

210 Stand Design Renderings

Here are pics of the actual build:

The 210 Stand Build

@mledford: Do you have any pics of the tank fully set up? You did such a good job on the stand, I wanna see the fts!

Originally Posted by cdmorrison01

@mledford: Do you have any pics of the tank fully set up? You did such a good job on the stand, I wanna see the fts!

My Stand is still in works. I will be getting my 210 more than likely this weekend or next. I currently have a 100 Oceanic Starphire, so I am not in a huge hurry to get it all done ASAP. I'm taking my time, doing it right. I wanted the frame to be as strong as possible.

Thanks for the comment on the stand, its built like a brick $h!t house. I hate the junky stand I have now.

I will post more pics as I get more completed.

Oh, ok. Also, it looks like 1x6's you used. Am I correct? How long are the screws?

Ooh! I hadn't seen those deep dimension tanks before. I want one of the 150 gal 3' squares.

I like Jessy's stand too.

Originally Posted by cdmorrison01

Oh, ok. Also, it looks like 1x6's you used. Am I correct? How long are the screws?

No, I used 2"X6" framing boards with 2.5" corrosion resistant screws... Everything was pre-drilled and countersunk....

I have a 150 that is 6" shorter than the DD tank you are setting up and I built my stand myself using 2x6 lumber. As is the way, I overbuilt by using 2X6 uprights instead of 2x4 which is more than adequate. I used the stand builder that I found on that other site. I think the key is to have the stand supported by the wood and not the connectors such as screws or bolts. Good luck, building the stand is one of my favorite parts. Be sure to plan ahead, most doorways aren't going to be 36" wide. Your tank will be fine due to the 27" height so its just turned on its side to get into your home. One thing I did that I have been very happy about was make the stand taller than normal, 40" to be exact. No more stooping for me, but I do need a chair to do maintenance now.

Thanks for the info. @austin: I will do all the cutting outside and actually assemble to stand in my den. haha, the wife is gonna love that. Also, I would like to get your opinion about the skimmer choice. Do you think a super reef octopus xp 3000 external will be too much for this set up?

I'm sure there are better people around for skimmer recommendations. I'd say that would be a great choice of skimmer. Much better than what I am running (Octopus NW200). I would rather overskim than underskim. You can always add more fish or supplement some AA or increase feeding or something. Just a question, why do you want an external skimmer instead of one to put in your sump? From what I know, about a 300$ savings.

Well, I am not 100% set on an internal. That is just the one that caught my eye as I was looking through my options. I have read some good stuff about the SRO xp's.