8 foot of glass, i see the glass bowing out at mid span for the sides and bottom.

 

Bowing won't be an issue with 1/2" glass. There will be some cross bracing on the glass and with it being only 10" high, there won't be any issues.

Thanks for looking.

 

Why so shallow, what's going in them?

 

Small pieces of coral (frags) for sale. These tanks will be for grow out

 

Looks like a good design to me. I think the solid stock is a little overkill though, especially from a cost effect aspect. I would look into some 2"x2"x1/4" angle iron. With a couple straps of 2"x1/4" welded in from front to back on the bottom and 1 vertical brace in the center front and back you would be good to go. You don't need any x bracing as the three tier angle frames act as bracing together. I would build the three frames individually then join then them with the legs seal welded top and bottom. JMO

 

Looks like a good design to me. I think the solid stock is a little overkill though, especially from a cost effect aspect. I would look into some 2"x2"x1/4" angle iron.

Sorry... I should of stated 3" x 2" x 1/8" stock. I want to stay away from areas with salt water could get trapped.

With a couple straps of 2"x1/4" welded in from front to back on the bottom and 1 vertical brace in the center front and back you would be good to go.

I am not sure if I fully understatnd about the bottom, but I just updated the pic to show a 'shelf' made from 1" x 1" x 1/8" stock. I will tomorrow add some cross bracing on the vertical riser at the same elevation as each shelf.

I would build the three frames individually then join then them with the legs seal welded top and bottom. JMO

That is exactly how I planned on doing it... Was thinking a plywood jig to tack them in place.

I would use 4x4 plate at the feet to displace some of the load. Check your flooring, you have 2 tons there.

I was thinking of 3" x 3" x 1/2" with some 3/4" (or bigger) running thread to level it out. I don't think I will have to worry about weith really... will be in my garage with a 6" slab

Below is with a 'shelf' on the bottom... thought it might stiffin up the bottom a bit. Any one feel that 1/8" stock would be good... overkill? The footpads are not the sizes as stated above... but the idea is there.

 

I would use 4x4 plate at the feet to displace some of the load. Check your flooring, you have 2 tons there.

 

Also you might want to either put some cross bracing on the bottom of each tank perpendicular to the 8 foot run. Just make sure you don't have the glass resting on the steel, there will need to be a cushion or you risk the glass cracking from any bumps from the welds.

As someone said you're putting 2 tons over 4 pads of roughly 6 in^2. That's 500lbs per foot.

Being me I'd probably throw some 6"x6"x3/16" gussets at every load bearing corner above the cross members. But I like overkill.

 

Plan>B, The set up you have on the bottom shelf is what you need on every shelf. You will also need 1/4 to 1/2 plywood under each tank. You could get away with 1/4 and use a foam board to help level out the load. That will help the tanks from sagging. You could also get away with using 2" square tubing with 1" angle on top of that to help keep the tanks from moving. My only concern is the 8' span and the wight load on it.

As for the tank set up are you going with a closed loop from top to bottom. Or are you setting each tank on it's on water system?

As for your height of 10" are you going to grow softies, are SPS? Because you could get away with a shorter tank for softies( mushrooms, brains, BTA's) Plus what are you going to use lighting. Are you going T-5 or Hal.

Please keep us up to date, as you can tell I am also a Saltwater finatic ( pun / not typo).

 

I will be using 1/2" plywood with 1/2" foam under each tank.

As for the tanks... open loop with 4x turn over (125 gal tank each) from a VFD MAIN return pump. My closed loop with be multiple power heads around 20-30x turn over.Each tank will drop into a large sump, though I may have the top tank drop into middle tank as 'dirty water for lps. Mostly sps but a few lps.

As far as for lighting I am not totally sure yet... I will be building the sump first so it will have time to cycle. Then build this stand. Fist I will build the top tank and start there. Half of the tank (4ft) will be T5 and the other Hal's (150w on rails) and test to see what I like first/best. I have been wanting to do an experiment like this in a close environment for a long time.

No. His wife sells aquarium supplies. It's for growing and keeping corals for her business.

Not bad, but 3x2 1/8" seems light. one of the problems with angle iron from a design stand point is that when you load it, it wants to rotate and twist. Thats a function of the fact that the support leg is only on one side, and the bottom is unsupported. You can see this real easy if you take a long piece and try to twist it with a pair of pliers. To reduce the twist, you need to thicken the material, or go with a design that reduces the rotation. Thats why many are suggesting the cross members to tie the 2 long lengths together and add support. The other thing is that long thin members under heavy loads tend to buckle to the side. Angle iron because of it's non uniform shape is more likely to buckle than a uniform member like tube. Besides braces, you can also accomplish this by choosing some other shape, rect box tube, or C channel. With box tube the design allows for uniform loading and that eliminates the twist. C channel is just heavier in all areas web, flange and rotational resistance.

I don't plan on using angle iron... sorry I should of stated that. All (most) stock will be square tubing... 1/8" think.


Ok... I have updated the pic as this was my intent all along but didn't have the time to add the small cross bracing. All (most) stock will be tubing and not angle iron. I was thinking 1/8" but would really like/hope to go thinner cuz of weight.

All cross bracing of the small stuff is 1" x 1", though the half span on the 8ft was going to use the same 2" x 3" x 1/8" tubing, to help with the mid vert's and the mid vert leg.

Now I am thinking that this may be over kill. Could I go thinner on ANY of the tubing? Could I go with 1" x 3" x1/8" on the 8' span?

Thanks all... this has a great help.

 

is this going to be a planted aquarium

 

No. His wife sells aquarium supplies. It's for growing and keeping corals for her business.

Not bad, but 3x2 1/8" seems light. one of the problems with angle iron from a design stand point is that when you load it, it wants to rotate and twist. Thats a function of the fact that the support leg is only on one side, and the bottom is unsupported. You can see this real easy if you take a long piece and try to twist it with a pair of pliers. To reduce the twist, you need to thicken the material, or go with a design that reduces the rotation. Thats why many are suggesting the cross members to tie the 2 long lengths together and add support. The other thing is that long thin members under heavy loads tend to buckle to the side. Angle iron because of it's non uniform shape is more likely to buckle than a uniform member like tube. Besides braces, you can also accomplish this by choosing some other shape, rect box tube, or C channel. With box tube the design allows for uniform loading and that eliminates the twist. C channel is just heavier in all areas web, flange and rotational resistance.

 

You always want to shoe angle iron, it can really dig and cause cracks. I would think the bottom cross bracing in your drawing is a lot of work and unnecessary. Cross bracing you would make like a big x out of steel from one top corner to the bottom corner on the opposing side on the back. In my opinion that's not even necessary if you use the 2x2x1/4. Three tons evenly distributed isn't nothing for that schedule. As mentioned before I would inlay some chaffing material to prevent chips and shards from forming between the glass and steel. Just remember, it's not a Rolex.

 

Should be able to use 1x3 seeing as the weight will be on the 3" vertical you should need much side to side.

 

Hi, As an example, I recently got rid of my breeding tanks, but I did build my own stands for all of them, The biggest 2 layer stand (5 ft long and 4 legs) I built was out of 100mm x 50mm x 2.5mm RHS Galv. and it carried 1 tank (48"L x 22"H x24W" ) top layer and 2 tanks (24"L x 22"H x 24"W) bottom layer. I think there was approx. 1000 lts of water in all plus the weight of the tanks, so all up about 1200kg (about 2600Lb). Tanks were out of 10mm glass. The stand had 2 levels with the shelves having 3 cross bearers (50mm x 100mm x 2.5mm) plus the 2 ends 100mm x 50mm x 2.5mm, a layer of 12mm ply and a layer of 10mm styro foam as compressive padding (very important) under the tanks.

I only used this steel as it was scrap from building my garage.

Now the problem in your case isn't in the vertical steel legs not being able to support that weight, it is in the horizontal steel flexing. Having the center of the stand reinforced with a middle support leg will virtually eliminated all flex of that distance at it will only be a 4ft distance between the legs.

Now just using the size RHS that I used, I could have made that stand another 2 layers higher and the legs would have still supported double that weight comfortably, steel RHS (and angle) under compressive force is much stronger than most people realise especially since you are using 1/8" thick. (3.175mm).

3-4 ton spread over 6 legs is not really a lot of weight for that steel size that you are planning to use. Also had a 6000lt (Approx 6.6 ton ) deisel tank sittting on 4 x 1 mt legs (75mm x 75mm angle x 6mm) once.

Another tank stand I built was for a 1.5mt L x .6mt W x .685mt H 630Lt aquarium and it was out of 50mm x 50mm x 2mm SHS steel and 1mt high. 6 legs and braced with some 25mm SHS shelves and 50mm x 35mm x 2mm on the ends. Total weight approx 2000lb
and that is out of 50mm x 50mm x 2mm steel, these are just to give you an idea. Even this stand is overkill.

However I would prefer to use 100mm x 50mm as the horizontal bearers as they will bend less than what you are planning to use but either way I cannot see a problem, just go into a few local aquarium stores and have a look at their stands and I think you will be suprised at what some use. Just remember to prime it and give a good coating of paint as rust will eventually show if you splash water over it. Weld the steel all around as you don't want water getting in to the joints. If you are putting on concrete floor, weld and seal the bottom of the legs with the same size plate ie; 3"x2" , if on a wooden floor, then sorry, I can't advise you as you will have to get someone to work out the loads, but it will need significant underfloor reinforcement as most houses or wooden floors aren't designed to take 3-4 ton. Sorry about the long rave and mixing imperial and metric measurements.

Regards