The tank brace, shelf. The directions call for a couple 14’ 2x6s, cedar, redwood, the like. As it’s over water, it’s best to be rot resistant. As it’s over a water garden/fish tank, it’s best to be chemical free. That rules out PT.
I’m NOT buying redwood, as it’s precious (and I prefer the tree to lumber/timber) and travels thousands of miles to get here. Similarly with cedar, though local could be an option.
Tamarack would be perfect, and is local, but I’ve done a little inquiry, mostly answered by looks of “Whuuu?”
So this formula I’m conniving, is a double win. This lumber was milled (ripped with a chainsaw) oh twentyish years ago and has been lingering across the collar ties in the kitchen/stove area acting as highly over qualified shelves for insulation scraps etc. Said insulation found homes in the grome build (YES!!!) and I want that space overhead open. So the insulation is both gone and utilized, let’s turn those shelves into something else elsewhere (different shelving as it turns out)!
No, they won’t last forever, but they will more than suffice for a good while, are free, and out of the house (wait, that in fact is a triple win, WOOT!).
The brace keeps the end points apart/in place as the water fills the tank and potentially presses the belly/middle out (thus bringing the ends in, physics yo!!)
On with formulation…
DeedleDoodleDaily 