Re: [Killietalk] Rack 'em up

["Koran, David HQ02" <David_Koran at hq02.usace.army.mil>]

I apologize for not posting pictures of my racks a few months ago but
couldn't help not commenting on fish rack/stand design.  I have been building
racks from 2x4's for about 30 years and my basic design has stood up well
during that period.  My most common one holds 25 10 gallon tanks.  As pointed
out, a typical 10 gallon tank has a width of 10 1/4" or 10 3/8" so an 8'
expanse can accommodate 9 tanks (about 93 1/2").  However, 4 tanks are 41
1/2" wide (times 2 is 83"), if you have 3 upright legs of 2x4's this another
10 1/2" of space you need to consider so for a 3 row rack you have a top row
of 9 and two lower rows of 8.  To construct a rack like this you need 18
2x4's, a pound of 2 1/2" wood screws and a pound of 3" wood screws (I also
use #8 countersink finishing washers, you would need a little more than a box
of 100 of them--makes for a cleaner job and easier to take apart and move if
you need) and a miter box or power miter box saw, electric drill/screw
driver.  Outside of your tools I estimate your cost is about $45 for the
2x4's, $7 for the screws and $5 for the washers and probably about 6-7 hours
to construct your first one.

I normally set the first shelf web so the top is two widths of 2x4 off the
floor, i.e., 7" and the top shelf at a comfortable eye level, maybe 5' or 60"
so between the underside of the top shelf and top of the bottom shelf you
have about 49.5" which will be taken up by two heights of tanks (2 x 12" and
the 3 1/2" of 2x4 shelf or 22" of access space (divided by 2 or 11 inches of
access space.  If you want to squeeze in a fourth row of 8 figure in another
4 2x4's (you should have enough screws and washers from the initial purchase)
so figure an additional $10.  But you now need to figure just how much access
you need between rows (I wouldn't drop below 6", 8" would be better) so then
you are talking 7" + 12" + 6" + 3.5" + 12" + 6" + 3.5" + 12" + 6" + 3.5" or
your top shelf bottom is at 71.5".

If your tanks are filled you are looking at 25 x 83 pounds of water or
roughly 1 ton of water with a 25 tank rack.  My shelves are two lengthwise
2x4's (8') and I cut 17" sections of 2x4.  I recess one on each end 3 1/2"
from the end but connect it so the narrow dimension is top and bottom, long
dimension on the side.  Two more of the 17" lengths are places 1 3/4" off the
center point (48" for 8' shelves) also oriented the same way.  I then center
a 17" length in the middle of each of 4' sides (mid point of the 38 1/4"
opening) wide dimension up flush with the top of the long shelf 2x4.  What
you have is support on 3 sides of the tank so you can slide it in and out
while full without suddenly having it drop after it comes off the back 1.75"
of 2x4.  You can orient 4 more 17" length in those gaps so your tank
supposedly rests on all 4 sides of the bottom and not worry about properly
orienting the tank when you pull it out but that would run you and additional
2x4 per shelf.  That's the pro, the con is you need to be very precise on
leveling the cross pieces so contact is made on all 4 sides, if not your full
tank with water will either wobble or in time shift and in many case develop
a leak along one of the bottom seams.

My uprights are pairs of 2x4s cut to about 1/2" less than the height I want
the rack.  I orient these wide side facing out and cut 3 20" pieces of 2x4
and screw these uprights to the 20" pieces 1 3/4" recessed.  I also notch out
the top on 4 of the uprights to receive my top shelf but more on that later.
Orienting the bottom 20" cross brace inward (for the ends only is this
important), I place the first shelf section over the top of my middle set of
uprights (you should have a 3 1/2" space between your two middle braces/cross
shelf pieces.  I also cut 6 2x4's to the length I want between the shelves
and then place 2 of them on the outsides of the center section of uprights
and screw them to the uprights.  Then slide a second shelf section over the
top of those uprights and drop them to rest on the two braces.  Now anchor
the second shelf to the uprights from the outsides.  I also connect the
midpoint braces with single screws to the uprights with one or two screws
from each side.  I also anchor the bottom shelf as well this same way.  At
this point slide on one set of end uprights (orient your 20" section inward)
and add the spacer braces again anchoring the spacers and shelves.  What you
have is a shelf frame on the bottom which places all of the weight on the 3
20" 2x4's.  For some reason I like this design so air can get under the stand
(and dirt! and fish that jump!) but you don't allow water to rot or mold your
base.  You can have that bottom shelf just sit on the floor as well.  You can
also raise up the bottom shelf if you are building a circulating system or if
you want to use the space to age water.  It all depends on how useful that
space is verse how much trouble it is to be bent over that much!  If that is
your purpose, cut braces so the weight on the bottom shelf is supported by
the braces, not where you screw the shelf to the upright.  This is exactly
where the braces come in for the second shelf, the weight is borne by the
braces carried to bottom shelf to the 3 cross braces.  My top shelf has the
17" cross pieces on the end, flush with the end and on the top I have the
full compliment of cross pieces -- 8 for a row of 9 tanks.  Because you can
maneuver better from the waist down I found full bracing on the bottom rows
not so much an issue but on the top, maneuvering tanks is a little more
difficult.  Also the 4 side support comes into play and it is almost
advisable that one side is not flush with theopt of shelf but only as a guide
for moving tanks.  As I said previous, I notch the end four uprights to
receive the top shelf so it rides on the notchs in the uprights.  I also
anchor the center uprights to the shelf.  The braces to the top shelf are not
as critical since you already have the notched uprights carrying the weight
but adding them cleans up the appearance of the rack.  I have also adapted
the basic design for a 19 tank rack (7,6,6).  It is also appropriate with
this "4 foot modulus in that you can use shop lights for lighting (again
being cheap).  I also connect a loop of PVC pipe to the front of my stand
with drilled and tapped valves to deliver air to my tanks which fit
conveniently on the 3 1/2" face of the shelves.  I have also used 2x4's of
12' length to construct a 25 tank stand for 20 gallon longs which is just a
sturdy (now dealing with 2 tons of water).

Dave Koran 

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