Advise needed for mixing station platform support.

[Adam]

I have been getting my fish room together and I figured it all starts with good water so that's where I began. I made a stand to hold 2 55 gallon Brutes for saltwater mixing on the lower level with 2 55 gallon drums for ro/di storage directly above.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0XGfFHx5zqTX2xiWXhyaUhYS3M/view?usp=sharing">Here's the stand before I brought it home.</a>
Both platforms are 2' x 4'.

[IMG]https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0XGfFHx5zqTWFNyUV9hOWpKVmM/view?usp=sharing">Here is the lower section with the Brutes on it and plumbed.</a>

I grossly underestimated the upper diameter of the Brute cans for this and the corner supports will not fit now. About the most that will fix are 2x2's in the corners and I'm not comfortable putting half a ton on 8 2x2's. I'm fishing for ideas to support the 2nd platform that will be sturdy enough to hold the weight but still give me enough room to remove the lids on the Brutes.

[IMG]https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0XGfFHx5zqTYW5meG9ZbjUyTWc/view?usp=sharing">This is where I am at the moment.</a>
My thinking is to run 2 2x4's at each end cut down so there's 3" protruding from both sides (Front & Back) then running 2 2x4's in each corning down to the floor and securing them to the base from the sides. Will this work or anyone have a better idea?

 

[grouper therapy]

Screw 2x4s the height of the lower to the side of the lower section. (1.5" spacers)
Then run 2x4 s from the floor up to the upper platform.

 

[grouper therapy]

not to scale
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="test.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[grouper therapy]

Make sense? obviously you would have to remake the upper. Or maybe just screw a 2x4 6? to the side of the old upper

 

[Adam]

Yes it makes sense. I knew remaking that platform might be inevitable but I was looking to see if there was an option without doing that first. The one that is made is glued, screwed & painted. It is not going to come apart. My concern with screwing boards to the outside of it is that I'd be relying on those screws and any glue to shoulder the full load. Would bolting those two boards to the front and back of the platform be a better option and maybe using a bracket at the bolt point?

 

[grouper therapy]

Bolting them at those points would be perfect. No need for brackets IMO. 3/8" carriage bolts would be great. Two at each leg. Or remake the platform personally that is what I would do. You have done such a nice job on the other stuff! Just saying

 

[Adam]

I was meaning attaching boards across the span of the platform circled in the pic. The vertical supports would be fine screwed at the base but a couple bolts there isn't a bad idea either.

Rebuilding would require another saw rental and another weekend day. I really want to get the tank stand in the wall this weekend...
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="test.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[Adam]

Well I messed around with it last night and I see no way around rebuilding it. If I add anything below the platform there will be no room to remove the lids on the Brutes. Hopefully I can use the one I already made for the quarantine one or more tanks. I just need to make the legs for it. But it's just a little wider than I'd like for that purpose.

I just wish I could do the woodworking at home. I've been doing it in the warehouse at my office. Getting tired of spending so much time there... until last weekend I'd been there 28 days straight!

 

[myreefclub0070]

55 x 4 = 220
220 x 8.3454 = 1835.988lbs
that a lot of water weight, like grouper said, I would rebuild.
the last thing you want is structural failure with that much water.

 

[Adam]

Yeah, anything I would need to do to support the upper and not rely on fasteners to hold the 1000lbs involves adding boards under the platform and then space becomes an issue. I could go with steel but for the cost of it I could build 3 more of these.

The original design had 10 vertical 2x4 supports and from the research I did it could hold over 6 tons unsupported at 6' tall. If supported the values go insanely high, well over 12 tons. I just didn't plan for the diameter of the Brutes correctly.

With building the new one each platform will now be holding a little less than a half ton and by doubling 2x4's in the corners for the upper I'll still have a min 4x safety factor. Probably more than that and I'm still going to tie it into the concrete foundation wall.

I've probably over thought this whole thing but if it were to collapse one the 55 gallon drums and corner of the stand could land directly on the top back side of the 220 DT I'm putting in. That would not be good!

 

[grouper therapy]

Give me the diameter of the lids and the height of the tanks. I will draw you up one that will hold twice the weight.

 

[Adam]

I have clearance to the joists of 108". I left myself 0.5" clearance with what I did below.

The dimensions of the base for the Brutes are L 4'x W 2' x H 29.75"
The Brutes stand 33" and are 27.5" in diameter at the top with the lids on. The diameter at the base of the can is only around 22".

These were the dimensions of the old upper. L 4' x W 2' x H 42.75"
The Barrels are 35" in height and are 23" in diameter.

My initial plan is to re-make the upper platform with the same 4' x 2' plywood I can get precut at Home Depot but make the length the the 2x4's 54" and double them up front and back. Then cut 18" boards for the width and use 2 68.25" vertical supports in each corner and securing those to the base.
Do you think I'm on the right track?