Show Us Your T-Slot Aluminum Stands !

[GARRIGA]

I asked that question to Foot Masters and there response was :

if you think it's just small amounts (of seawater), it would not be a concern but you could upgrade to urethane if you wanna make sure

Not sure what seawater has to do with this and more concerned with age degradation although option to upgrade to urethane nice to know. That will also degrade with time but much longer lasting my understanding. Used to be into racing cars and where I recall seeing issues either parts selected as to durability. Same with wanting to build off-road trucks.

Just seems safer not to place degradable components under such a heavy load where later on might be problematic to fix. Especially with my own experience and those racks aren’t as heavy as holding up a fish tank but they were heavy enough that over time I’m guessing the wheels hardened and started cracking under pressure. Obviously not all rubber made the same but understanding being at some point they all degrade with certain factors possibly accelerating that process.

 

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Not sure what seawater has to do with this and more concerned with age degradation although option to upgrade to urethane nice to know. That will also degrade with time but much longer lasting my understanding. Used to be into racing cars and where I recall seeing issues either parts selected as to durability. Same with wanting to build off-road trucks.

Just seems safer not to place degradable components under such a heavy load where later on might be problematic to fix. Especially with my own experience and those racks aren’t as heavy as holding up a fish tank but they were heavy enough that over time I’m guessing the wheels hardened and started cracking under pressure. Obviously not all rubber made the same but understanding being at some point they all degrade with certain factors possibly accelerating that process.

Just curious what would you recommend then if not casters ? Leveling feet , I assume those have rubber also ?

 

[GARRIGA]

Just curious what would you recommend then if not casters ? Leveling feet , I assume those have rubber also ?

I'm going with leveling feet. Wasn't aware they might have rubber underneath and just assumed they wouldn't. Regardless, that wouldn't have the same impact as wheels degrading overtime as I had to get car lifts to raise the racks in order to change out the wheels and not something feasible with a fish tank.

 

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I'm going with leveling feet. Wasn't aware they might have rubber underneath and just assumed they wouldn't. Regardless, that wouldn't have the same impact as wheels degrading overtime as I had to get car lifts to raise the racks in order to change out the wheels and not something feasible with a fish tank.

So your thinking feet would be safer long term

 

[GARRIGA]

So your thinking feet would be safer long term

Absolutely and can't think of a reason I'd need wheels past initially determining where stand will sit. Fact is I'm removing tiles where stand goes and doing a mud floor to ensure as level as can be then appropriate tile or paint to match tank decor. Everything being measured out therefore stand can only go in one place.

Can see in a farm setup where having wheels would be beneficial in needing to move large systems around as business grows or shrinks but guessing that would be accomplished with tanks empty and probably not something likely in a home setting although if that flexibility needed then wheels help but then so do dollies again with tank empty as no one moving water and expecting seems to hold.

Were I needing to set tank up with plumbing on stand and easier done with tank away from wall then again dollies as a short term solution probably best plus at home those wheels likely look hideous and getting wife approval something I'm still working on just to get the tank of my dreams as there's only one place it will fit. Bye bye Christmas tree and I haven't even dare to bring that up yet

 

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Absolutely and can't think of a reason I'd need wheels past initially determining where stand will sit. Fact is I'm removing tiles where stand goes and doing a mud floor to ensure as level as can be then appropriate tile or paint to match tank decor. Everything being measured out therefore stand can only go in one place.

Can see in a farm setup where having wheels would be beneficial in needing to move large systems around as business grows or shrinks but guessing that would be accomplished with tanks empty and probably not something likely in a home setting although if that flexibility needed then wheels help but then so do dollies again with tank empty as no one moving water and expecting seems to hold.

Were I needing to set tank up with plumbing on stand and easier done with tank away from wall then again dollies as a short term solution probably best plus at home those wheels likely look hideous and getting wife approval something I'm still working on just to get the tank of my dreams as there's only one place it will fit. Bye bye Christmas tree and I haven't even dare to bring that up yet

Yeah you are convincing me not to spend the extra money on the casters to be honest. I could get a light bar mount added for the money. I am looking into the all black stand with black panels and leveling feet. I like everything black usually for a stand.

Alufab did get back to me they use Urethane casters, so that is good information for anyone curious, I just wanted to pass that along to R2R.

 

[GARRIGA]

Going to be adding magnets to my stand then panels but not yet sure of what material this way I can take entire panel out for service. Might go old school Oceanic style with a canopy so I can hide the glare from the lights although will have extensions from the stand to mount the lights similar to Parker's but without all the extra lights and keep it simple and clean. Just don't want to see any of it unless servicing them. ATI Straton or other fan-less panel design as I also don't want to hear anything.

 

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Going to be adding magnets to my stand then panels but not yet sure of what material this way I can take entire panel out for service. Might go old school Oceanic style with a canopy so I can hide the glare from the lights although will have extensions from the stand to mount the lights similar to Parker's but without all the extra lights and keep it simple and clean. Just don't want to see any of it unless servicing them. ATI Straton or other fan-less panel design as I also don't want to hear anything.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you source all the items for your stand ?

 

[italquam]

Going to be adding magnets to my stand then panels but not yet sure of what material this way I can take entire panel out for service. Might go old school Oceanic style with a canopy so I can hide the glare from the lights although will have extensions from the stand to mount the lights similar to Parker's but without all the extra lights and keep it simple and clean. Just don't want to see any of it unless servicing them. ATI Straton or other fan-less panel design as I also don't want to hear anything.

Reason I ask is that Alufab is just adding up to be too expensive, I can almost get a whole Waterbox setup for what they charge for a stand . Everything is a la carte and the price just keeps ballooning up as I ask a question lol. So I need to look at alternative or just going to 86 the whole project for now . This hobby seems to have gotten too expensive for regular people

 

[GARRIGA]

If you don't mind me asking, where did you source all the items for your stand ?

Still trying to afford it and make final decision on how large exactly the tank.

 

[italquam]

Still trying to afford it and make final decision on how large exactly the tank.

Please let me know what you come up with because I am in the same boat

 

[GARRIGA]

Reason I ask is that Alufab is just adding up to be too expensive, I can almost get a whole Waterbox setup for what they charge for a stand . Everything is a la carte and the price just keeps ballooning up as I ask a question lol. So I need to look at alternative or just going to 86 the whole project for now . This hobby seems to have gotten too expensive for regular people

Shop around as that's what I'll be doing but knew going in this wasn't going to be cheap. Cry once.. Don't see any budget minded approach to any of this and I recall when an Oceanic 120 setup was like $1500 thinking that was outrageous back in the 90s. Should have bought that and those stands and canopies were built well. Alternative is find similar today but still not going to be cheap.

Planet now makes tanks by the guys who built Oceanic and perhaps they also build stands and likely only way I go back to wood. It adds up quickly but you only live once and why I'm working all the kinks out so there's no buyers regret. Not something easily adjusted later. Plus not having all the funds allows more time to plan it twice and buy once.

 

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Shop around as that's what I'll be doing but knew going in this wasn't going to be cheap. Cry once.. Don't see any budget minded approach to any of this and I recall when an Oceanic 120 setup was like $1500 thinking that was outrageous back in the 90s. Should have bought that and those stands and canopies were built well. Alternative is find similar today but still not going to be cheap.

Planet now makes tanks by the guys who built Oceanic and perhaps they also build stands and likely only way I go back to wood. It adds up quickly but you only live once and why I'm working all the kinks out so there's no buyers regret. Not something easily adjusted later. Plus not having all the funds allows more time to plan it twice and buy once.

So true , have no choice but to keep planning and get ideas . Planet does make stands as well not sure if Aquarium Specialty has them on his website, I know he offers the tanks .

 

[GARRIGA]

So true , have no choice but to keep planning and get ideas . Planet does make stands as well not sure if Aquarium Specialty has them on his website, I know he offers the tanks .

Going to look into that. Perhaps similar construction as when Oceanic. Although likely not cheap but do recall I liked those a lot. Been a while. Don’t remember any other from that period that impressed me and haven’t since and why aluminum seemed the obvious option.

Last I checked for a 120 I believe around $700 although with tariffs promised this might get north of a grand quickly and can only imagine so does the rest of this hobby as if it wasn’t too expensive already. Used always an option and good part about these stands being they can be easily adjusted by just changing a few components such as exchanging for longer rails. Something I found intriguing. Especially in a hobby where next tank gets larger and stand can be repurposed. Not likely an option with wood.