Jools' new fish room

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 20 Sep 2003, 16:22

OK, it is time to start planning! I am over the next 18 months or so planning to build a new fish room. It will be an out building about the size of a double garage (or if you are in the US about the size of a regular garage)!

First of all I am erecting a stand for two new 48"x18"x30" - that's 18" tall and 30" wide tanks to house all that is left of my fish collection presently. This is to try out the idea of wider tanks and to allow them to fit a particular space in my study. It is very tempting to fill my study with tanks, but I will never get around to building the fish room if I do!

My question for the forum is what everyone uses for building stands. I ask this with an eye on the future fish room as I would like to be able to construct them myself and I am not especially good with wood. I am looking at the tanks I mention above being the largest with less wide tanks being used for breeding and species projects.

Any thoughts or help greatly appreciated.

Jools

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 20 Sep 2003, 18:11

Hey Jools, OK now I'm jealous. I've got "permission" to buuld a fish room in a room, 6ft * 4ft, and thats it!!!!!!

As for the stands, I would suggest 2x4. It's cheap and strong, (make sure you get well seasoned wood and leave it in the garage for a couple of weeks to settle). Alternatively I built my stand out of 5" x 5", unfortunately it took 3 people to move it and we scrapped our newly sanded / varnished floor.

.

Send me an e-mail, and I can draw up some simple plans if ya like.

cheers rob

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 21 Sep 2003, 00:27

heh, depends... if looks aren't your main concern, I'd say cinder blocks and 2x4s

http://scott.aaquaria.com/raytank2.jpg

makes it very flexible.

BK · Post by BK » 21 Sep 2003, 01:49

i used 4x4 and 2x6 to construct the stand for my 120 gallon. http://members.aol.com/kraut491/tanks2.jpg

i have seen some nice multy tank racks at lfs made with cinder blocks columds with 2x4 and 2x6 run across them i have also seen some made of welded metal angle and tubing.

are you planning on boxed in racks (with sides), are they going to be multilevel?

good luck with the fish room

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 21 Sep 2003, 06:35

unless you're handy at welding it can be quite expensive to do that... ;) i couldn't believe what my parents paid to have a custom metal gate built... looks incredible, but... woo. And the last thing you want to do it have it done in a shoddy manner with the weight that'll be on it, as well as the priceless treasures...

RogerMcAllen · Post by **RogerMcAllen** » 21 Sep 2003, 07:38

I like the cinder block and 2x4, perhaps even bump it up to x6 and just make sure you brace it plenty in the middle of the span. Remember the 2x4 has its strength in the x4 part so perhaps lay a couple of them the tall way and nail a piece of plywood on top to keep it all from moving and to add some strength.

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 21 Sep 2003, 11:01

S. Allen wrote:heh, depends... if looks aren't your main concern, I'd say cinder blocks and 2x4s

makes it very flexible.

Nice fish, but I can't see the stand in this pic! I think I know what you mean by cinder block, but I am not sure - do you have a pic of one?

Jools

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 21 Sep 2003, 11:07

BK wrote:i have seen some nice multy tank racks at lfs made with cinder blocks colums with 2x4 and 2x6 run across them i have also seen some made of welded metal angle and tubing.

are you planning on boxed in racks (with sides), are they going to be multilevel?

I have a welded stand for a 4x2x2 and it's great but was very expensive to get built and cannot be altered, so if I knew a welder that would be fine but I'm looking at something (for the fishroom at least) that can be adjusted to fit different tank arrays as necessary.

On the second point, I should have made this clear in my original post, I want to put the two tanks on TOP of each other. The first one 18" off the ground and with at least 10" clearance to the base of the tank above.

Jools

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 21 Sep 2003, 12:02

Jools wrote: Nice fish, but I can't see the stand in this pic! I think I know what you mean by cinder block, but I am not sure - do you have a pic of one?
Jools

Industrial breeze blocks I think. I have tanks on them in my garage, they're extremely strong. I think I paid about Â£1.50 each for them from B&Q. Chester Zoo use them for their stands.
If you choose to go for an angle-iron construction, I'd cover it thoroughly in a Hammerite-like paint.
Pete

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 21 Sep 2003, 12:04

coelacanth wrote:Industrial breeze blocks I think. I have tanks on them in my garage, they're extremely strong. I think I paid about Â£1.50 each for them from B&Q. Chester Zoo use them for their stands.
If you choose to go for an angle-iron construction, I'd cover it thoroughly in a Hammerite-like paint.
Pete

Pete,

Hmm, breeze blocks might be very handy...

What do you use in the aquarium? I remember adjustable mechano like racking you had tanks on - how does that worj for you and do you know where to buy it?

Cheers,

Jools

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 21 Sep 2003, 13:10

Hi jools

A form of adjustable racking is Dexion Racking, you can get any size at any weight, they are excellent, but can be very expensive.

http://www.dexion.co.uk/products/office/index.asp

you will probably be able to find a cheap equivalent at most build centres, i.e. wickies, grahams etc.

ONLY PROBLEM WITH THE CHEAPER STUFF IS THAT THEY MAY NEED SOME EXTRA SUPPORTS.

Have Fun

rob

clothahump · Post by **clothahump** » 21 Sep 2003, 17:31

Welded is not that expensive Jools, all my racking is 1"x1" box section and is mostly bolted together, no sag on the steel and it will still be standing a long time after you are.
If you could send me a drawing I could get it made for you and couriered up at a good price.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 21 Sep 2003, 22:17

so you want them on top of each other so you need a stand that can take about 300kg give or take. I personally would go for all wood because i don't like concreating things into place. so i would make the stand out of six 2x4 uprights, with three 5x5 beams on each tier, well braced, with extra legs on the bottom. How many tanks are you putting in the fish house jools?

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 22 Sep 2003, 03:30

hmm, ok, here's a better pic http://scott.aaquaria.com/stand.jpg

and you can't see the internal structure in my pics, so I found a page with a couple of pics of the same type of block, only difference is that the ones I used weren't grooved on the exterior edges http://www.vobb.com/block-pictures/VOBB ... rooves.jpg. And that's about the price I paid Ceolacanth, mine may have been even less.

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 22 Sep 2003, 10:48

Jools wrote: What do you use in the aquarium? I remember adjustable mechano like racking you had tanks on - how does that worj for you and do you know where to buy it?

It's a heavy-duty Dexion-like product. If put together by someone who knows what they are doing it can be very good. There have been some problems here with it that could have been avoided. Starting from scratch, it would be better to take your time and carefully seal it with a quality paint designed for challenging situations (go and steal a pot of what they use on the Forth Bridge!), and if possible raise it on a concrete plinth to ensure run-off of any spillages (this need only be very low, just so that you don't get moisture lingering in unseen areas).

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 22 Sep 2003, 14:43

@coelacanth,

Do you know where I can buy it (or at least go look at it)?

Jools

clothahump · Post by **clothahump** » 22 Sep 2003, 14:59

Try shop/warehouse fitters Jools, the racking used in warehouses would be ideal.

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 22 Sep 2003, 16:31

Try this.

http://www.ese-scotland.co.uk/

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 22 Sep 2003, 16:32

doctorzeb wrote:Try this.

http://www.ese-scotland.co.uk/

Cool! And just 5 minutes down the road...

Thanks,

Jools

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 22 Sep 2003, 16:40

Jools

If you do find anything of interest, ask if it is cheaper by Trade Price, If it is let me know what it is, and I can get it through the company.

rob

clothahump · Post by **clothahump** » 22 Sep 2003, 17:17

Cracking link Doctor, I have been trying to find some at a sensible price for ages.

Psy · Post by **Psy** » 20 Feb 2004, 21:50

Sorry for the bump.

I was wondering how one would create the wooden top for a stand like S. Allen's brick stand.

I'm looking to hold a 75 gallon. (4ft by 18 inches or so)

pleco_breeder · Post by **pleco_breeder** » 21 Feb 2004, 01:06

Hello,

I know that this may be a little late, but I thought I may share what I use for my systems.

The stands are held together with wood screws, as opposed to nails, so I can take them apart and make adjustments in the height if necessary. I use carpet padding under the tubs because they have small legs which I was worried may collapse and cause leaks if some sort of support weren't under the tank itself.

Larry Vires

PeacockBass · Post by **PeacockBass** » 25 Feb 2004, 07:57

Want to put an indoor pond in your new fish room?

let me know i can help you out..

as for the stands i like greeson's. i do the same.