I'd rather donate them to recoup some money back for taxes. I'll re measure things in the fishroom and think over my options. If I can squeeze 15 inch width for both stands with clearance I can avoid the custom route.
How to determine if a stand can support more weight than stated?
- Thread starter FINWIN
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I'd rather donate them to recoup some money back for taxes. I'll re measure things in the fishroom and think over my options. If I can squeeze 15 inch width for both stands with clearance I can avoid the custom route.
Wow...it really is stapled. Probably not glued either. What a piece of junk...and not 2x4 but just 1x4.
How about this project: Cut a couple lengths of 2x4 to fit snugly at each end, underneath the shelf, running from back to front and screwed/glued to the existing end pieces. Do this for both top and bottom shelves, so 4 pieces. Then, cut 4 more pieces of 2x4 to fit snugly, lengthwise, between the first four you just did. So, essentially, build a couple of frameworks out of 2x4 that fit tightly underneath each shelf, and screw/glue them to the inside faces of the existing shelf frameworks. When you're done they won't even show, but they will significantly strengthen this thing.
I would be sorely tempted to install a few screws into all those joints that show only staples now. They won't be beautiful...but neither are the staples. At least the screws will be doing something.
Places like IKEA sell simple metal X's, just two small diameter metal rods held together by one screw where they cross. The IKEA ones are meant for their ivar shelving. They install on the back of the unit with four screws, one at each end of both pieces. They are quite low-profile and discreet, and dirt-cheap, but add a huge amount of three-dimensional stability. Takes about 5 minutes to install one, and I think one of these would be the minimum required bracing for this project.
Finally, at risk of sounding paranoid...IKEA also sells a little kit consisting of a couple of screws and a strong woven nylon strap, to affix tall, top-heavy pieces of furniture (like this one) to the wall to prevent tipping over forwards. The kit has drywall anchors to allow installation anywhere, but for this project I would put two of these straps on and screw them directly into wall studs. You could centre the stand on two studs, so that the straps would be behind the tank and not glaringly obvious at the corners.
When you finish, this project will not be as strong as one you could have built yourself for a fraction of the price, and it won't look any better, but it will be sufficient. I apologize for the constant use of the term "project" but unfortunately that is what this expensive and currently useless fixture is going to be. Good luck!
How about this project: Cut a couple lengths of 2x4 to fit snugly at each end, underneath the shelf, running from back to front and screwed/glued to the existing end pieces. Do this for both top and bottom shelves, so 4 pieces. Then, cut 4 more pieces of 2x4 to fit snugly, lengthwise, between the first four you just did. So, essentially, build a couple of frameworks out of 2x4 that fit tightly underneath each shelf, and screw/glue them to the inside faces of the existing shelf frameworks. When you're done they won't even show, but they will significantly strengthen this thing.
I would be sorely tempted to install a few screws into all those joints that show only staples now. They won't be beautiful...but neither are the staples. At least the screws will be doing something.
Places like IKEA sell simple metal X's, just two small diameter metal rods held together by one screw where they cross. The IKEA ones are meant for their ivar shelving. They install on the back of the unit with four screws, one at each end of both pieces. They are quite low-profile and discreet, and dirt-cheap, but add a huge amount of three-dimensional stability. Takes about 5 minutes to install one, and I think one of these would be the minimum required bracing for this project.
Finally, at risk of sounding paranoid...IKEA also sells a little kit consisting of a couple of screws and a strong woven nylon strap, to affix tall, top-heavy pieces of furniture (like this one) to the wall to prevent tipping over forwards. The kit has drywall anchors to allow installation anywhere, but for this project I would put two of these straps on and screw them directly into wall studs. You could centre the stand on two studs, so that the straps would be behind the tank and not glaringly obvious at the corners.
When you finish, this project will not be as strong as one you could have built yourself for a fraction of the price, and it won't look any better, but it will be sufficient. I apologize for the constant use of the term "project" but unfortunately that is what this expensive and currently useless fixture is going to be. Good luck!
Interesting. I've seen people use the blocks both on end and on the side...but isn't stacking them a certain way better for stability and strength? How much do these blocks weigh? I'm assuming they use 3/4 or 1" board up top.
Ironically the walls in the basement are concrete in some spots. I call this house "The Tank."
So those pieces are like a frame within the frame?
Yeah, what I am trying to describe is like the bottom half of a cardboard shoebox, which fits snugly into the top half (your existing shelf framework).
If your walls are concrete that's perfect, just attach those two stability straps with a couple of Tapcons. Just put them in a few inches from each end and nobody will ever notice them.
If your walls are concrete that's perfect, just attach those two stability straps with a couple of Tapcons. Just put them in a few inches from each end and nobody will ever notice them.
Forget that, the taxes gotten back on that is going to be nothing really. What you need to do is flip it as a piece of furniture and make your money back. If you’re lucky you could get more than you originally paid for it.
Yes. Hollow portions should be facing up, opposite of what the person did who set up the cinder blocks in the following pics.
Most of the larger aquarium companies that supply the aquatic industry, (Marineland, Perfecto, Aqueon, etc) build stands that only support the 4 corners. At least they all used to. I haven't looked at any of their present day builds. Even their stands for 125 gallon, and 240's, were built in that manner. All-Glass was no different.
Check out the cinder block stands that I posted in the past discussion.
Cinder block stand
Guys im looking for quick and cheap way to build a stand for a 75 gal or 40b tank. Can you guys give me some pointers on doing it with cinderblocks and possibly post some pics of you're stands. Some questions off the top of my head: Points of contact - where on the bottom of the tank should...www.monsterfishkeepers.com
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I would like to point out that my 75 gallon is on cinder blocks stacked 3 high and it would take 220 pound me running full force into it to make it have a chance of coming off of the stand. If I’m being honest the tank would break before it came off.
Perhaps it is stronger given I have 4 colums of 3 high cinder blocks though.
Perhaps it is stronger given I have 4 colums of 3 high cinder blocks though.
LOL! Very true, so long as your floor is flat and reasonably level.
Can't beat the concrete block and board stands either.
I'm a terrible wood worker, but I could probably pull off a decent very basic tank stand if I had the ambition to do so.
Right now, my oldest stand is a particle board TopFin stand for a 20L/29/37 that I bought on sale about 8yrs ago. It's going strong, but is warped in spots from leaks.
Second oldest is an Aquatic Fundamentals 55gal stand I ordered from DrsFosterandSmith ~7yrs ago. It's still pretty much flawless yet.
Also have a Titan Eze 75gal with a 75gal on top and nothing on the bottom. All good, but they sure don't seem substantial enough in 75gal format.
