Doc's Shark Tank

[Doc]

Yes my friends and fans, it is true. The hype and the wait is all over. The build thread has started. I am headed to the home depot tomorrow to get the wood I need for the tank stand and I will take my sweet time in building it. I have to make sure the 2 x 4 structure will support the weight of the tank. I figure 3,000 lbs with rock, water and such. I am trying a version of a DIY plan I found online. I have one problem, the DIY shows cross beams for added support. I am planning on using my current 125 tank for the sump, which does not leave room for support beam going across the inside of the stand. I only have 12 inches of room between the length of the sump and the walls of the stand. First question to all those DIY people out there. Will the stand be strong enough with just vertical supports or are cross beam supports completely necessary? I plan on placing 2 x 4 studs every foot along the back of the tank, three on each side and the front will have two in a 1 foot section, then a two foot door, two more in a foot (in the middle of the stand) and then another two foot door and two more studs in the final section. I don't know if that makes sense or not.


My DT will be a glass 265, perfecto with dual overflows. My total volume of water with the sump will be 390 gallons. I will probably leave about 30 gallons empty in the sump for overflow needs in case of a power outage, giving me a working system of 360 gallons.

My sump will contain 300 lbs of LR, protein skimmers, filter socks, carbon, phosguard, heaters, sand bed, and a return pump back into the DT. I will not be running a fuge (sorry folks). I will be keeping various critters in the sump for my kids to play with, such as a pencil urchin, pin-cushion urchin, red general starfish, batik starfish, and a chocolate chip star.

The DT will contain 100 lbs of LR placed to maximize swimming area for my shark. I will be transferring all my soft corals and BTA into the DT, making a nice, safe home for my clownfish (total finding nemo thing, clowns and a shark - classic). I will also be setting up a few other hiding places in the tank for the other inhabitants. I am planning just under 100 inches of fish. My tentative fish list is:

Koran angel
Blue angel
Radiata lionfish
Blue face angel
2 ocellaris clowns
emperor angel
sohal tang
keyhole angel (so that the shark can eat something)
brown-banded bamboo shark


I am planning on the rule of three for the pomacanthus angelfish. If there is fighting, I will have to alter my plan (obviously) .

The tank will be in the store in June and I will have the stand built by then. I have not idea where I will be placing the stand until June, but hey... this is fun right?

So sports fans, let the fun begin. I will be posting insane amounts of pics as I make slow, but even progress on my dream tank!!!

-Doc

[RAYRAY]

awesome Doc.... seems like you have yourself a good plan. I cant wait to see the progress.

[yote]

Sounds good Doc.But here's a little something to think about.
Instead of using 2X4s for the top frame,where the tank will sit.I'd use 4X4s to add a little more strength.I'd also use 4X4s for the outside corner posts.

[Doc]

Originally Posted by yote

Sounds good Doc.But here's a little something to think about.
Instead of using 2X4s for the top frame,where the tank will sit.I'd use 4X4s to add a little more strength.I'd also use 4X4s for the outside corner posts.

I thought about that, but my LFS buddy has a 400 gallon tank that sits on 2 x 4. He has them tripled up in each corner, all of them facing different directions so it creates almost a 4 x 4 and a 2 x 4 for stability. I figure if 2 x 4 lumber is used for houses, it should hold my tank. I will take a picture of his stand and post it along with my lumber. The only thing that worries me is if I absolutely need to use cross beams or if it will stand with just vertical 2 x 4 studs and the top 2 x 4 for the base where the DT will actually sit.

-Doc

[nudy6969]

dammm doc thats a bigg ass tank.

[Alexander]

HELL Fu#$@ng YES!!!!! so awesome to see that it has begun! let the madness begin!

[daugherty]

i think that i would use 4x4's in the corners at least.

[RyanG]

You will get more strength with the doubled up 2x4s or you could tee them like you would when studding in a wall. Thats why they are code in house building stronger than 4x4s

[nudy6969]

i agree with ryan

[yote]

Originally Posted by RyanG

You will get more strength with the doubled up 2x4s or you could tee them like you would when studding in a wall. Thats why they are code in house building stronger than 4x4s

Thats why I'm NOT a carpenter.
I never would have thought the doubled 2Xs would be stronger than 4Xs.
Of course if it was me doing the building,it would be 3X3X1/4" angle iron