Building a stand this weekend
 

I was just wondering if anyone can see any issues with the following stand I'm going to attempt to build this weekend. It's for a 400G 84"L X 36"W tank. I plan on extending 3 out of 4 of the top plates (the back and two sides of the stand) using 2X12 instead of 2X6 to give me a platform to stand on around the back and sides of the tank. Thanks for your help.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uTmxG4N_V10

Using a 2x12 and extending it past support on the back/sides laying flat could possibly lead to snapping the 2x12 down the grain

Ya I thought about that so I was planning on adding some posts to support it unless you can recommend anything else?

Make a knee brace for it to support the outside edge down on a angle into the base.

I can go straight down from the outside edge too. Or is a knee brace better because it's tied to the stand structure?

You could support it many different ways. Whatever you find suites you skill set for building and looks the best to you.

My recommendation based on what would look the best and in my opinion give best support for what you require would be to find very straight pieces of wood to make a knee brace out of, go full length with the pieces. Bevel the top end bottom edge of these pieces so they sit flush into the upright supports and to the top plate you intend to extend out. That will support the top plates the full length, give them the rigidness required to support and distribute the different stresses on the top plate you will be subjecting them to as you work.

I would suggest adding 3/4" plywood (or even two sheets!) as well as a third 2" x 6" in the middle.

Using this design you will find that the centre is restricted in terms of adding a sump.

As mentioned, depending on how comfortable you with woodworking, knee bracing will give you a little more room and be almost as strong as posts.

Charles

Thanks guys. Definitely going with plywood on top. It's an in wall tank so I plan on putting one sheet of plywood on top of the stand and then another on top of that connecting it to the outside wall of the house. Then a sheet of styrofoam. I'm not worried about looks or room under the tank for a sump because the fish tank has its own room and the sump is in a different fish room.

One more quick question: If my tank is 84" Long by 36" Wide, based on the stand I'm planning on building in the link, should the edges of the tank sit on the edges of the 4X4 posts or the outside perimeter of the 2X6's? So for example, forget that I'm planning on over extending the edges so I have a platform to walk on, should I build the stand to be the exact same outside dimensions of the tank 84" Long by 36" Wide, or should it be 87" Long by 39" Wide when you take into account that the 2X6's add an additional 1.5" on all sides?

Is this built yet??