You can build the whole thing out of 2x4's - no cinderblocks or plywood needed.
It would really be quite simple. You will need to build 4 upright sections (2
ends and 2 to fit in between the tanks. Each upright should consist of three
vertical members,equally spaced, which are as high as the bottom of the top tier
of tanks. THe three vertical members will be tied by two cross-pieces: one at
the top and one at the level of the lower tanks. This will suffice for the two
ends, but the two middle upright sections will need crosspieces on BOTH sides of
the assembly to hold the tanks. In other words, these cross-pieces will support
the long sides of the tanks. Now, the four uprights assemblies should be held
together by two long horizontal members on each side, which will tie the whole
thing together. These horizontal members should be placed at the same level as
the cross-pieces on your upright assemblies. As you can see, they will stick
out from the front and back of the stand, so your uprights will need to be 3"
narrower than the length of your tanks. The horizontal timbers will not
actually support the tanks very much (they won't need support along the short
ends) but serve to tie the structure together and give it rigidity. I strongly
recommend that you use screws instead of nails.
Shop lights can be easily suspended above the bottom row of tanks, but if you
want lights on the top level too, then you need to make your uprights high
enough so that you can hang the lights above.
Anyway, that's the quick and dirty way to do it. Not elegant, but if you have
limited tools and skills it will get the job done.
> Do any of you have any suggestions on an easy way to support 6 thirty
> gallon tanks. I was looking at a web page that showed a simple stand made
> from cinder blocks and 2 x 4s and plywood... but it was only 16 inches from
> to back... like a cinder block... and held 7 10 gall tanks (so only 70
> gallons total, I wanted to mount three thirties side by side so that I was
> looking at the ends (not the front/back). But that would obviously be 90
> gallons and need to be 36 inches deep (with another row of the same on top).
>
> I could obviously just use more cinder blocks... but if this is going to be
> 72 inches wide and 36 inches deep, I was wondering if anyone had an idea as
> to whether the 2 x 4s would hole the weight... or do you have another idea?
--Irate
Charter member, DNRC
"Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; if it dies there, no constitution,
no law, no court can save it."
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