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7' Tank Build

33K views 186 replies 35 participants last post by  BrendanMc 
#1 ·
Yes, it's finally starting! To those of you unfamiliar with the mighty tank I acquired, here is a picture of it: (my snowboard on top as a comparison)



Custom tank, 7'x1'x1'. Will be housing a species-only Saulosi tank, about 20-30 of them.

Tonight I go out to buy wood, and with the wood the stand will be born!

I'll post pictures of progress later tonight :thumb:
 
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#7 ·
dsouthworth said:
It's a little larger than 50.
Probably 53-55
Very close! About 52G :thumb:

So I got started, but I only cut the legs before I realized I forgot to buy the nails :roll:

Here is the very limited progress I made tonight, the (eight) 48" tall legs:


A picture of some of the other wood that's going to be used:


And the depressing sight that met my eyes when I looked into the nail box:


Without more nails I can do next to nothing. I'm going to Home Depot to grab some nails on Monday so the building will resume then!
 
#10 ·
I think i would have built the stand thinner than 2by4 construction... The tank will have very little weight to be supported per sq inch of stand. The 2by 4 construction threatens to overwhelm the attractiveness of the tank.
 
#14 ·
You all say I need a screws, why? I've made stands with this almost exact same build for more water weight with nails. There won't even be any weight on the nails unless you push it so the nails have to keep the legs in place, I think I'm fine with nails unless there is something I don't know?
 
#15 ·
The King Crabb said:
You all say I need a screws, why? I've made stands with this almost exact same build for more water weight with nails. There won't even be any weight on the nails unless you push it so the nails have to keep the legs in place, I think I'm fine with nails unless there is something I don't know?
You could always glue then nail... It would be solid as a rock... (so to speak)
 
#16 ·
Nails are really not as strong as youd think. I can tank a stand put together with nails and twist it apart with bare hands. Glued and screwed? No way... Just screws? I can still rip it apart... Takes about twice the effort as nails. Your call in the end. :thumb:
 
#18 ·
Good point with the screws being much stronger, but still isn't what I'd call "needed". Since nails are much easier to work with, use, and hide I think I'll probably stick with them. Hard to tell in the picture but they're finishing nails, you can pound them in past the wood's natural point of ending and paint over it with even telling it's there.
 
#21 ·
The King Crabb said:
Agridion said:
You could always glue then nail... It would be solid as a rock... (so to speak)
Sorry, forgot to address this. I love the idea, but I'm not patient by any stretch of the imagination. The time it would take me to glue would be about 3 hours due to my OCD habits when it comes to wood working!
How would it take you that much longer? Before you nail the wood to each other you squeeze some glue on the wood, press them together and then put the nail through.
 
#25 ·
Agridion said:
How would it take you that much longer? Before you nail the wood to each other you squeeze some glue on the wood, press them together and then put the nail through.
I was imagining a large painting-like job that ended up with me getting annoyed at it not working and spreading it like butter... I haven't used wood glue in a while :lol:

I think I'll try that out actually, just to be safe! How much wood glue do you think I need? I've got a little in the garage, about a quart, but I'm sure that's not enough.

chptunes said:
I'm looking forward to the finished product Crabb. I think this 7'x1'x1' tank is the cat's meow for Mbuna. Pictures.. take plenty of pictures. :D
I'm certainly going to try my best! I'll be bringing out the legit camera (not my phone) today when I resume it so y'all will have something a little more appealing to look at!

nishu said:
well nice work you are in progress and i hope you will make a good one........
You sound a bit doubtful :wink:

As I said, I'll be resuming later today. I may be making some large changes to the current plan since I'm getting worried I'll make too many mistakes that will require precision, here is the in-revision plan with the canopy attached to the stand. It's hard to tell in the picture but the back panel that's holding up the canopy is painted black for the fish to stand out more. There will also be a back panel on the lower part painted black, not in the picture.



The two 20G longs on the bottom aren't a for sure thing yet! They'd be fry tanks for the many Saulosi fry I hope to get.
 
#26 ·
Hey all new here and just about neck deep in a cichlid tank build for the first time in 15 years. Lots of new stuff to know and I have been lurking and learning. However I am a master carpenter by trade and can give some experienced input here. Your nails without glue are for lack of better terms a project weakening more and more every day. That is not to say nails are weak rather meant to be used in situations where backing out is not an option and the desired strength is in sheer loads. Sheer loads being perpendicular. In this realm nails rule and screws are weak. In fact all in all screws are weak in just about every aspect besides holding power. Due to the extreme weight involved with a fish tank one would think nails needed. Not so. Plywood rules and will lock any potential side to side flex (sheer) with the tiniest of nails and GLUE. That being said for ease of build and immediate holding power until the glue dries screws rule. If your really worried about sheer strength hammer in one or two cement coated 16 d sinkers and screw and glue the plywood.
 
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