pressure treated 4x4s?

I picked up this stand and tank from someone and the stand was diy. I took offf the plywood paneling because i wanted a different stain.The 4x4s look to be pressure treated because of the green tint to them.I know several people don't recommend using them, but if its already made, will it be sufficient for my 125? Its got vertically and horizontally and seems to be overbuilt.

 

All I know is you have to use the proper screws. If you don't, they will corrode and your stand will fall apart.

 

It's just better I would think?

 

Do you have any idea of the age of the stand? The green dye is a form of the copper-based (early versions were cupric-arsenic) anti-fungal and rot deterents for PT wood and has varied by the lumber processors over the last few years. Make sure the frame is sealed with a primer paint, particularly if you are placing open filters in the stand, to keep the metals in the wood getting in vapor form and out of your live water flow. PICS?

 

The age of the stand has to be recent as the seller that i bought it from said he built it to fit this stand but he never setup the tank. So he sold it to me.

Here's a pic of the stand :


I know 2x4s are little to nothing and I can build a whole unit under $10, but I don't want to go through the hassle if I don't have to. To contrast, I also don't want 125 gallons of water in my living room, so if its a must, I will use regular 2x4s.

Thanks for quick responses boys.

 

I know that it is not good to use PT lumber for tank stands specially when the lumber is still a little moist from the chemicals they treat the lumber with. If the lumber is totally dry I would say you will probably be ok. Maybe put a few Primeguard screws (these are used for outdoor applications) and then be sure to paint it with a high quailtly kitchen and bathroom paint on the inside of the stand. Just my .02

 

PT wood is not recommended for use indoors due to the chemical used to PT it. When using PT wood for fences/decks etc outdoors you are supposed to wait 2 months for the wood to dry before you stain it. Indoors this could take 6 months for the wood to cure before you can stain it. With an open sump below the tank I would not take the chances of using PT wood. I would replace the PT 4x4's with untreated cured 4x4s or use double'd up 2x4's (untreated 4x4's are hard to find a depot stores, you will probably have to find a lumber yard or furniture supply store)

 

I agree with the above comment. PT wood is treated with chemicals that are known to be carcinogenic (cause cancer). You would not want this material in your house if it is not necessary.

 

I'm not too sure the age of the stand, which may determine what chemical was used, is that important, here. True, the Feds passed a law banning CCA in PT lumber roughly a decade ago; However, they allowed the lumber industry a couple of years to develop a different poison, and the lumber yards another two years to deplete their stock of CCA-treated wood. But as life would have it, different creatures have different tolerances to different chemicals. While the new PT lumber might not be toxic to humans, I wouldn't recommend it's use anywhere near a SW aquarium. Any amount of salt creep will certainly draw out the chemicals and allow them to enter the water, which, as we all know, will be detrimental to our pets, regardless what those chemicals might be. I also wouldn't recommend painting. Paint will simply seal the chemicals into the wood, so when the paint ages and peels, you're back at square one, just many years later. If you are sure the lumber is PT, I can only recommend replacing it.

 

didn't know it was such a detailed topic. Me and my cousin decided to start from scratch and use all 2x4s









Anybody got any ideas/pics on how should i go about framing/placing the doors Show me how your stand looks so i can get ideas