Tank Emergency! Please chime in....

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

TanninMan

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 5, 2007
18
0
0
A Happy Place
hello guys...setting up the new BIG tank...but need some major opinions...

Tank: 5l x 40"w x 30"h

Stand: 6l x 32"w

tank is acrylic

#1: can i just center the tank over the stand? and let it hang over like 3-4" on either end? or even, like 5" one end, and barely on the other end? or is that going to somehow cause joint failure on the acrylic and/or warping?

#2: stand is 99% sure made for fish tanks - total of 8 4x4 posts, with some 2x4 frame work in between - reinforced by either oak, or laminated plywood...sound strong enough for the new tank? heavy and very solid.....
 
Pics.....I would (based on what I think you are saying) Just put some wood, then foam down that are the same size as the tank or a little bigger. That will disperse the weight better. That is a lot of water to be playing around with. Just go get some cinder blocks, and still use the wood and foam, till you can buy/make a stand that is propper....
 
An Acryllic tank stand will have a solid plywood base rather than the "Rim" type of stands. If you attach a 3/4" piece of high grade plywood to the top...the same size as the tank then you'll be fine but otherwise I can't recomend setting up an acryllic tank (or a glass tank for that matter) thats going to overhang the stand.

The best solution would be to widen the stand by attaching more 4x4's along the back and then toping it off with the plywood. That would give you the extra 4" width you need for the tank.

Acryllic tanks can and DO warp and yes the joints can also fail if left this way for extended periods of time.
 
would this work?

adding 8" to the rear via adding 4x4's 2 deep then nailing/screwing on a plywood top....

what kind of foam should i put under the tank?

tank plan.JPG
 
You don't need any foam under the tank with an acryllic aquarium and you only need a single row of extra 4x4's along the back of the plywood like I said in my other post. You can use a small piece of 2x4 on the top and bottom as a spacer if you like.

PS. personally I'd concider sliding the tank all the way to one end of the stand and then using the other end for another tank.
 
Wolf3101;1291008; said:
You don't need any foam under the tank with an acryllic aquarium and you only need a single row of extra 4x4's along the back of the plywood like I said in my other post. You can use a small piece of 2x4 on the top and bottom as a spacer if you like.

PS. personally I'd concider sliding the tank all the way to one end of the stand and then using the other end for another tank.




Oops did not consider that :) Wolf is 100% correct....
 
ok, some clarification/questions....(thanks wolf for the great help btw...)

#1: stand is 32" deep, while tank is 40" (as stated in 1st post) - so i think i will still need those 2 4x4's?

#2: i thought with acrylic - you DO need foam?

#3: the picture is very off scale....so only 12" left (6" each side) for other tanks....ill probably just put some plants....
 
OK in that case center it...but you still don't need two 4x4's just a single row and sone small pieces of 2x4's for spacers.

Personally I never use foam on ANY tank...I just make sure the stand is flat and level and I havn't had a problem in over 35 years of keeping fish...(Yes I'm older than dirt...thank you for pointing that out...)

However Acryllic tanks are far more flexable than thier glass counterparts so they really don't benifit from the foam...
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com