Aquarium On Desk?

[chasers]

I have a 20 gallon aquarium I am setting up and right now the only room I have is on my desk and I want to know if it will hold. I already have it set up where I want it and the board it is sitting on i slightly bowed (you would only be able to tell if you were looking for it.) So my question is will it continue to hold or will it weaken over time? It is set up on a a permanent shelf that a desktop computer used to sit on. Underneath it is a drawer and then a keyboard pull out.

Thanks

 

[mqktandy]

Depends. It might go it might not. It may also cause flex in the glass of the 20g which could cause it to shatter but who knows. Is it worth the risk 2 u?

 

[bettafish15]

I wouldnt risk it. Just get a stand, put the tank on it, then have it near your desk. If it's already bowing it will not hold.

 

[Prometheus]

you couldn't replace the desk with a stronger one could you? you know, since that is the only room you have. i would recommend that. i personally don't think the glass would shatter from the bowing but i have read that you are not supposed to put a tank on a surface like that (carpet is another example of a surface you shouldn't keep a tank on) because it will cause stress on the silicon seams that was not intended to be there when that type of tank was designed. i have read that this may lead to the seams failing. if you are sure that the desk itself won't collapse and are only worried about the bowing i recommend going and buying something to put underneath it. maybe a 3/4" piece of really strong top grade particle board, and then spray paint it with that cheap spray paint from walmart. give it a couple of coats in a color that matches the desk. that way it won't look bad and it will be moisture resistant... you really don't want moisture in particle board, even if it is the really strong building supply stuff.

when you say the desk is bowed with the tank on it, the tank does have water in it right? i mean, that's not the weight of the tank by itself making the desk bow is it?

oh, and pictures can help greatly.

 

[vlam]

agreed

 

[GhostShrimpMan]

The weight of the water will be 160 pounds alone, not including all your decorations, gravel, etc.

 

[Motoxer777]

post a pic of the desk so we can see it. you may be able to slide a pice of plywood under the tank.

 

[motoracer110]

it might depending on the desk. i had a 55gallon on my desk but the desk was very sturdy. take a pic of the desk

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Largest I did was a 5g nano tank

 

[wanabedriver]

I know in one method of designing houses and buildings out of wood, the strength of the wood is reduced by 90% for loads that will last in the same place for a long time ("permanent"). On the other hand, for a load lasting roughly a week, the strength of the wood is increased by 25%.

So theoretically, it would be weaker if loaded for a period of time...