FAQs about Stands, Supports for
Aquariums 1
Related Articles:
Aquarium Stands, Marine Tanks,
Canopies,
Covers & Lighting Fixtures,
Related FAQs: Aquarium
Stands 2, What to Use, About Floors Underneath, DIY, Finishing/Coating, Commercial, Leveling, Modification, Repair, & Tanks, Tanks 2,
Tanks 3, Tanks 4, Aquarium
Repair 1, Acrylic Aquarium
Repair, Used Aquarium
Gear,
Stands should be built/braced in all
dimensions
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Teetering Tank - Very Scary (3/7/04) First of
all, I would like to say that you guys are wonderful. <Thanks> I
am having a problem with my 90 gallon Oceanic bow front aquarium. I
installed shims under the stand to level the aquarium. After filling
the aquarium, it remained level, and I thought I was home free. The
problem I am having is that the aquarium is sitting on such thick
carpet, you can rock the tank if you make sudden movements by it (i.e.
jump a little/run by). Oceanic stands are flat on the bottom, so it
really doesn't "dig" into the carpet like my old stand
did. The stand is very narrow, and tall, so I think this only adds to
the problem. What are your recommendations? The best way to describe it
is that the stand is merely floating on the top of the carpet. While I
don't think anybody is going to rock the stand enough to send it
crashing to the floor, I am concerned about the minor movements due to
the carpeting. The last thing I want is to create extra stress by these
possible movements. Please advise. Thanks, Matt <Matt: This is an
EXTREMELY dangerous situation, especially if you have small children.
Any degree ability to rock can lead to toppling in the right
circumstance. Toppling the tank could easily kill a child. And
actually, a large shard of glass in the right spot could kill an adult.
I recommend you drain the tank right away. Then: Choice #1: find
another place for it where there's a hard floor. Another option:
Have a carpet person come and cut a hole in the carpet big enough to
accommodate the stand. You could put down vinyl flooring in that space
and put a proper edge/border between it and the carpet. Steve
Allen.>
Taking His Tank To A Whole New (Even) Level! Scott, <Hello
again!> Thank you for you reply. <You're quite welcome!>
If you don't mind, I would like to ask you a few more questions. I
got the regular pine stand sold by AGA and I'm planning to set it
up in a room with hard wood floor. I already reinforced the bottom of
the stand so that my sump does not crash through the thin ply that AGA
puts in. <You're not the first person who has mentioned that to
me!> Yesterday, I was about to start shimming the stand to make the
tank level (the front needs to go up only about 1/8") and then
thought that the individual shims could put more pressure on some of
the floor planks than the others. But perhaps this is not an issue
since the planks are nailed to the plywood under it, the tank will be
standing right next to a load baring wall and will be supported by a
number of 2x8's. So when you shim a stand like mine, do you
put a few shims under the stand to get it level, or do you try to
distribute the pressure on as many shims as possible (note that the
bottom of the sand is constructed as a frame, it does not have 4 legs)?
<Even distribution of weight is essential! You certainly don't
want to create any uneven pressure on one of the tank walls.> On
your web site I saw a few recommendations to put 3/4" piece of
plywood under the stand. Is this needed with this type of
floor/stand? <Purely subjective...No right or wrong on this
one. If it keeps things nice and level, and helps distribute the weight
of the tank evenly, it's not a bad idea.> If so, do you put the
shim between the ply and the stand, or between the ply and the floor?
<I'd place it between the ply and the stand, myself> Thanks,
Petr <My pleasure, Petr. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
Jason. C new (tall) stand... Hmm...
didn't send any images with this email as the first two
attempts with included images bunked. Let's try one - is a
picture of the new tank and stand - was going to get your
opinion... perhaps I will send to WWM mail - can post on the
dailies for all... J --
<Nice stand... tall but well-braced. Bob F> |
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Had this feeling you might say
that... <Ahh, I AM becoming that predictable... I like
it when I am known to my friends> was thinking about putting a
small cabinet in one of those open sides - would that and diagonal
braces on the far wall help - was also going to put a nice outer
cover around it... but not right away... perhaps if I just cover
that one far side and brace that? <On all four fronts... okay!
Bob F> Thanks, J -- |
Stand Leveling Problems - Hi guys, I am just about to set up
my 120 gallon tank in my basement. My LFS owner is a friend of mine and
he is helping me build a nice solid oak stand for it. The problem is my
basement is horribly unlevel, and something is going to have to go
under the stand to level the tank. I don't want to cut the stand
nor do I think it would work for the way it's built. The only thing
I can think of is to make a box out of a strong wood that would level
out a 5 foot by 2 ft section of my basement. That way I could set up my
tank rite on top of it and whenever the tank came down (I'm going
to college in a year) the stand would still be level. Would this work.
Any other ideas? <It would work... I suppose it depends just how
uneven your basement floor is. I've kept a tank in my basement
before, and it's safe to say that very few concrete slabs are
perfectly level. What I did was fill the tank just one inch - enough to
see the water above the trim, and then used shims [available at Home
Depot] added around the outer edges to level the tank. If you've
got large changes in grade - over half an inch, then you probably do
need to consider other options to level this out.> Thanks, Jake
<Cheers, J -- >
Where to Put That Heavy Tank (10/22/04) Hey WWM crew,
<Steve Allen tonight.> I am setting up a new reef tank and I had
some quick questions about lighting and filtration to run by you. I am
going to set up a 75-125 gallon reef tank on a kitchen counter in my
parents house. This is apparently the only space
available. It is obviously not ideal because there is no
place to put a sump. <That's only part of the problem. Even the
75G will easily weigh well over 1,000 pounds with rock, sand,
equipment, etc. A 125 can easily hit 2,000 lbs. Such tanks should only
be put on stands specifically designed for aquariums. This counter is
certainly not designed to bear such weight. A disaster waiting to
happen.> My plan is to buy to of the larger dual skimmer CPR Bak Pak
filters, and place one on each side of the tank. <Seems reasonable
enough, but a single AquaC Remora Pro could handle the 75G.> If you
see this as suitable then my next question would be do I leave the bio
material in or take it out since I will have the LR taking care of most
of the bio load anyways? <out> I could put the heaters in there
or something like that instead. <I do not know if this is safe. You
would need to contact CPR about that.> Now on to lighting. I am
debating between a 2 x 400 Watt MH/PC hood or a 2 x 250 Watt MH hood.
The clams and I would both IMO be satisfied by 2 x 250 watts, but it
only costs 40 dollars more to upgrade a total of 300 watts. <Though
we don't need to cook the clams either, ;)> I have
read that there are issues with this much light though, such as too
much heat as well as the lights being too close to the tank and
possibly burning the coral. <There is certainly such a thing as too
much light.> I have never in my past used MH so I don't know the
answer. <MH lights are very useful for many applications. The wise
thing to do is to decide exactly what you want in your tank and chose
the lights that best meet their needs. Read more WWM lighting articles
and FAQs as well as other sources like www.advancedaquarist.com and
www.reefkeeping.org> I do not want to have to buy a
chiller. My last question is how big should the tank be?
<Bigger is always better, but if you are limited to that countertop,
you will need to choose a Nano, though this is harder to do. You can
count on a marine tank with LR weighing at least 10 lbs per gallon,
often significantly more. I calculate that my 80G weighs about 1,300
lbs.> I can't have the tank be too large because of the Bak
Paks, and I can't have it too small because of the heat that the
lights give off. I want the largest tank that I can have under the
limitations given. <I have no idea what is safe for your countertop.
A structural engineer or architect may be able to tell you how much
weight it can bear.> I do wish that I could set up a sump and a real
skimmer since that would be ideal. But, I believe that
with adequate care, my experience with reef tanks and water
changes that I can make this work. Thanks for your time, Michael K.
<I have no doubts about your willingness to take great care of a
tank. Unfortunately, you may have to wait until you have a better space
available.> Aquarium Support 11/8/04 I am currently working
through my 2nd Year on Advanced Certificate in management of Zoo
Animals and am currently having difficulty finding information
regarding one of the Tasks that I need to complete. After
visiting your website, I was wondering if you had any information that
would be relevant to my Task. The Task requires me to describe support
structures that would be adequate to support the following sizes of
aquarium :- a) 2m x 0.45 x 0.45m b) 1.5m x 0.3m x 0.3m c) 2.6m x 0.85m
x 1m. They require me to provide 400 words and I am having difficulty
finding any information regarding this. Thank you for taking the time
to read this e-mail, and if you could possibly give me any information
towards this task, I would be extremely grateful. Karen Carter
<there is/was a book called the "Living Aquarium"
published at one point in time by Crescent books/pub. Its available on
Amazon.com and other booksellers. In this book are excellent specs on
building and supporting many different types of aquaria. I would seek
this inexpensive and delightful reference. Anthony> DIY Wood
Stand Question Dear Crew, Good day. My question today
is about DIY wood stands. I plan to replace my 50G metal
stand. Dimension is 36 L x 18W. Can I get by without a
vertical support in the middle? I intend to use 2 x 4 wood
planks. < Sure as long as the wide part is vertical and not
horizontal. You probably could get by with the 2x4 running flat and not
on the edge, but over the long run wood warps and some of the lumber
lately is not the greatest around. I would tend to over build it,
especially here in California where my tanks occasionally have to ride
out an earthquake.-Chuck> Thanks and regards. New 75 gal setup
question, tank not lying flat on stand I have a recently set up top
fin 75 gal tank and stand. One thing I noticed in the back is that the
tank is not sitting exactly flush in the middle of the stand.
<Yikes....> You could slide a paper between them barely, but this
just highlights that it is not exactly flush at this point the exact
center out about 10 in each direction. All the corners and front are
flush. Is this ok? <No> Is it better to have foam between the
tank and stand? <Ah, yes!> I have heard both sides and some
manufacturers will tell you not to do this. Please advise. Thanks Will
<All edges of the tank must lie flat/planar and level... All
manufacturers I know of will NOT warranty their tanks if this is not
provided on their stands. Bob Fenner>
All-Glass Stands Hi Bob, <Ramy> Seeking your advice. I
purchased a 150 gal tank ,intended to be a reef tank. The question is,
do you have any experience with this company, All-Glass ???? <Yes...
considerable... was a line I bought for Petco in the early nineties...
have seen about for many years> I am a little bit suspicious that
their serious of modern oak stands will handle that size. <Will>
I have investigated the stand, it is all wood but I am really confused
to go with it or with a steel stand. Thank you. Ramy Banoub. Ontario,
Canada. <As serious a dichotomy that exists with cool versus warm
colour carpeting twixt the N. American coasts, there is a division with
stand materials... the west favouring wood, the east, metal... Both
will work, have their good/bad sides (strength, rusting...). All-Glass
make some fine, middle-cost aquariums, tops, stands... Bob
Fenner>
Tank Cabinet Was looking for some help. I was wondering if
you could point me in the right direction for some DIY plans on
building a cabinet for my tank. It is a 75 gallon, 48x18x20. I am
looking to build a cabinet that would allow me to store a 20" tall
sump, with enough room for me to access my Euro-reef cs61 skimmer. I
searched your FAQs and have already checked OZREEF. Any other places
for plans? <None right off hand... You can check FAMA's
collections of "For What It's Worth"... go to a library,
use a computer there to do a computer search for info... or have
friends look over your drawn plans for making it... two by's
likely... drilled and carriage bolted to allow you to disassemble...
Easy to do. Bob Fenner>
Will the Real (Good) Tank Stand Please Stand Up? Cheers
Fellas, <John> I want to build a tank for a 370 Gallon acrylic
aquarium. It will be a basic stand no veneer oak just 6"x6"
beams, the aquarium is going into the wall. Would 6x6" beams be
adequate enough to hold the weight of a 370G saltwater fish only
aquarium. Thanks John <Definitely so... a few further comments...
drilling, carriage bolts, washers, nuts would be the fastener route I
would go... and I'd attach a good thickness (3/4" or better)
of plywood on top of the uprights... and if 6 bys, space them every
three feet... Bob Fenner>
Tank stand Hi <Hello there> I was wondering if you
could help me. I'm looking to make a stand to hold 2 tanks, 1 tank
is 48long x 12deep x 18high inches while the other is 30x12x15 inches.
I would like the larger tank to be on top. I was looking at building
the stand out of wood probably 2x4 but I then heard some one talking
about shelves. I think the water volume from the big tank would be too
bigger pressure on a shelf, but thought I would ask for your opinion
any way. <Mmm, could be built of wood, maybe with six or eight
feet/uprights, instead of four at the corners... that is, two or four
more supports under the lower shelf for the smaller tank> The area
the stand would go is in an alcove so it could have support on 3 sides
from the wall (brackets?), <Sturdy ones> I'm not plumbing the
2 tanks together. I've looked on loads of websites but can't
find any diagrams or anything referring to a stand for 2 tanks.
<Maybe take a look over the premier DIY aquarium site: ozreef.org
Bob Fenner> Wrought iron stand; is this appropriate for 2nd floor
with a 55 gallon tank? Hello Bob. <James> I picked up the
tank. It was used and in good shape. However, the stand is iron with
legs that the person says was designed for 2 55gal tanks. This may be
true but with only 4 areas of concentrated weight distribution I wonder
about using this stand on a second floor. <Me too> Now if the
weight is actually distributed and countered by the frame it-self and
the cross arms bolted on the back then perhaps this is another matter.
<Yes> I (correctly or not) see this as (weight of stand + weight
of empty tank + all of contents once full {LR, sand/gravel, water &
fish}) all distributed on 4 points of contact with the floor rather
than a wooden stand where the weight is distributed over the area of
floor/carpet contact. I do like the stand as it will hold a smaller
tank and a wet/dry filter with Bio Balls and other materials. Now, I
was considering putting board under the tank and it will have to be
shimmed as it is very visibly not level. This makes sense as the house
is not level (all angles head toward street) from settling. <The
board, shims is the best idea... the actual shims should be under the
legs themselves... to allow the (piece of ply) wood to distribute the
weight> Looks like I have some (more ; ) ) reading to do on the site
in the tank section, however, I do not recall anything that was
specific to a metal stand. <Not metal, but this is covered re all
aquariums, stands> We got a digital camera. I will take some shots
of my little 5 gallon as I am very proud of it. I would love for you to
see what you have helped me create from your awesome book! <Please
send your pix along as attachments, with explanations, descriptions for
posting> I imagine once getting the issues of the new tank over it
will be about 1-1.5 months before transferring my livestock into it. I
am considering adding my tank water and filter bags once I have salt
water. I am thinking of sticking with a FOWLR setup since my wife likes
some non-reef friendly fish and this will also save a small fortune on
lighting. As there is 55 gallons of capacity I may just mix the salt in
the new tank at first... too much volume for my present aging setup to
handle between fresh and salt mix containers. Dear God there are some
hideous materials inside the fresh water containers that settle out
over only a few days! Sincerely, James Zimmer Garfield, NJ
<Bob F, in HI> Oceanic tank, actually stand, modification
Hello Bob, Maybe you can help me? <Perhaps. Will try> I have an
Oceanic stand for a 180g tank 72"x24". My skimmer is inch too
tall to fit in it. <Under it> I noticed that the floor of the
stand is solid (1.5" thick), if I cut out a roughly 40" x
18" rectangle <Don't do this> to set the sump down right
on the floor then the skimmer, while in the sump, will fit beneath. Do
you think that removing that much of the flooring (staying at least
2" inches from the back wall of the cabinet) will compromise its
strength to hold the tank? any thoughts would be helpful.
as always thank you for your help Stephen <I do think this is too
much of a risk, would not do it. Look for a shorter skimmer... perhaps
an Aqua-C unit... much better than compromising the stand structure.
Bob Fenner>
Leveling my tank Hi crew. I have a 135G glass tank and I
checked to see how level the stand is by running my driver's
license between the tank bottom and the top of the stand. <Good
technique> There are a few spot where the license will fit through
so I wanted to put Styrofoam underneath like the site suggests. My
question is what size Styrofoam? Lowe's carries 1/2",
3/4", and 1". Which one would be best? <For this size
tank, gapping, the half inch will do> Further more, will that solve
the problem? <Yes, very likely so> Thank you. Mike P.S. I
have sent a diagram of my proposed setup twice now and haven't
gotten a reply, but I think it could possibly be on my end.
<Mmm, we do have trouble (more rather than less as time goes by)
with some emails, attachments... have asked our service provider
re...> The file size is 1.67 MB. Is that too big for you to receive?
<Maybe. Alternatively, please try sending to my personal address:
fennerrobert@hotmail.com> I sent it with AOL first, then I used
Picasa, a picture program. <A really neat program> Is there
anything else I can do so you will get the diagram? Tanks! <Be
chatting, Bob Fenner>
Leveling my tank, cont'd Hello again. You
recommended that I use 1/2" Styrofoam sheet to put between my 135G
tank and stand due to the stand not being flat. I have
gotten it back onto the stand and it closed up most of the gaps,
however there is still one corner that has a gap, probably 1-2
mm. I am wondering if I should get a thicker piece of
Styrofoam, or try to fill with tap water and see if it settles down and
closes the gap. What do you think would be the best way to
go? Thanks again. Mike <Am feeling
uncomfortable recommending a thicker piece here... I would shore up the
stand (a wedge or two under the closer leg/s... and see if this brings
the surface to level, planar. Bob Fenner>
Re: Leveling my tank, cont'd Bob, thank you for the
reply. I sent another message last night because I thought
you had not gotten this one. Sorry for that. <No worries.
Did see this. We're running a bit behind... as usual> Also, my
stand does not have legs, the bottom and top is 2X4's that are
laying flat. <Mmm, well, there's got to be "some
bottom" to the whole structure... this is what needs leveling,
shimming> So the only way shims would work is if I put them directly
under the tank which would mean that the tank would not be supported by
the entire stand but rather just the shims. <No! As you know>
Further more, then I don't understand how the Styrofoam would be
effective. Please help me, I am at a loss on how to remedy
this. Thanks. <The foam/base is good for a small amount
of uneven-ness of the stand base... but not a good idea to rely on it
for more than a few millimeters over a few feet run... The sealant,
glass can "give" a bit, but not too much. Bob Fenner>
Finish Used on Wooden Cabinets and Hoods I am building a
cabinet and hood for my 29 gal reef tank out of solid oak. <Nice>
What sort of finish do you recommend for these items that is non-toxic
to the inhabitants of the system? <I am a huge fan of
polyurethanes... in whatever choice of "reflectivity" of
finish> I was planning on a typical wood stain covered with an epoxy
varnish, with just the epoxy varnish (no stain) inside the cabinet
where the sump will be located. Do you have any thoughts/suggestions on
this topic? <I do... what you have in mind will definitely work...
render the wood waterproof, protect it from rotting, be chemically
inert. Bob Fenner>
Iron stand and leveling Hello,
I have a 55 gal tank on an iron stand. I
just moved and it now sits on a concrete floor that is of course
not level. I see so much online (including your wonderful site)
about shimming. Though there are never any pictures of this
process I imagine this entails using wedge-shaped wood under the
stand--wood stands. <Yes... but the shims may be other material...
sometimes metal shims are better> My iron stand's two front
legs contact the floor with U-shaped iron bars. They
are relatively thin. How would I go about shimming and/or leveling
these? <Mmm, sometimes... it's better to actually
have a piece of plywood under all four feet and shim up this
material... You can use the tank itself as a level... with just a bit
of water to coat/make an even bit of water on the bottom... or a
carpenter's level (again, on the tank itself, on the stand...)>
Currently one side is 5/8 of an inch higher than the other.
<Yeeikes!> It is completely level front to back.... Thanks. Lance
<This is quite a bit of difference... glad you didn't try
filling it yet. Bob Fenner> Nearly Flat Tank Stand - 07/09/05
Hello Crew! <<Howdy>> I love your site; it has helped me
numerous times! <<Glad we could be here
<G>.>> I just purchased a 180G glass tank and built a stand
for it. <<I love DIY.>> I purchased the straightest wood I
could find, and surprisingly, the top surface of the finished product
is near perfect in flatness. Note the word NEAR. <<I
did.>> If I put my straightedge along the surface I can see some
light come through; I'm guessing there is a gap of a millimeter or
less. <<Hmm...ok.>> Based on information I have found on
your site, the consensus is that I should put some foam under the tank
to ensure uniform contact with the stand. <<A popular solution,
yes.>> So my questions are as follows: I bought some half-inch,
pink insulating foam from my local HD, is this too thick?
<<Possibly>> Secondly, there is a quarter-inch gap between
the base of the tank and the bottom of the glass. Do I need to worry
about any pressure on the bottom piece of glass as the foam squishes
down? <<Excess pressure on the bottom as the edges settle is
certainly a concern, but if the foam is "soft" there's
probably little worry as it should compress nicely. As your
gap is so small... To allay your fears you might consider using the
blue fan-fold foam insulation (also at HD) which is about 1/4"
thick.>> Thanks again! Dave <<Regards, Eric R.>>
Building a Sturdy Tank Stand Hello! >Hi! I really do
appreciate the open forum, and responsive answers that you provide! I
have read several articles related to my question, but just wanted some
more specific advice. >I'll do my best, but I'm not a
contractor, nor do I have contracting experience. I just bought a new
125Gal Acrylic tank from Tenecor, and plan on putting it in my living
room (main floor w/ basement below). >Fun-fun! Based on
the 10lbs/per gal rule, plus the weight of the aquarium/stand/live rock
- I would guess that it is all going to weigh in the neighborhood of
1300-1400 lbs. >Yep. More specifically, salt
water will weigh more on the order of 8.5lbs/gal, but it's far
better to err on the side of caution. As I mentioned, there is a
basement below, but the tank would be up against the outside (load
bearing) wall. The tank is 5ft long, and would sit
perpendicular to the floor joists, and span 4 floor
joists. Do you believe that I have enough
support? >I'm a California girl...what's a
basement? J/K! Again, I would prefer to err on
the side of caution. Would it impede your use of the
basement to go ahead and place supports under the joists? If
not, then I say do it. Should I put some support poles from the
basement floor to support the joists directly below the aquarium?
>Again, yes, I would just to be safe. I'd also go
with 4x4's, not 2x's. I'd use those construction
joiners, those funky metal plate thingies...(Sheesh! Listen
to me...PETE!! Someone, stop me from looking so silly...
oops, too late!) Thanks again! Tim McLaren >You're very
welcome! Marina
Tank Stand Construction Hello Bob and Crew, Sorry to keep
bothering you guys. What can I say; if you weren't so
good than I wouldn't keep bothering you. I am currently
in the planning stages of constructing a taller tank
stand. I haven't been completely satisfied with the
schematics currently available, so I have created my
own. This stand will have to support 1800 lbs (I added 300
lbs in there for wiggle room). It will be 61 inches long
(tank is 60), 25 inches deep (tank is 24) and 34 inches
tall. I will be using 4 x 4s and a couple 2 x
4's. I have attached the design (created in MS
Paint). Specifically, I would like to know 1). if it is a
solid design, 2). What changes should be made, 3). Whether
the 28 inch access opening is too much for the top (2) 2 x 4s to handle
(or if I could go up to 30 inches for an access opening), 4). I believe
I built a lot of safety into this stand so would like to know if I can
get away with pine construction or should use Poplar.
<Your design didn't come with your post, but let me just comment
on these questions and make a suggestion for your design. I suggest
framing the walls just like house framing, w/2X4 studs, top and bottom
plates, California corners. (see any home improvement book). The only
change would be to place the top plate 2X4's "on edge" to
support spans (or use 2X6's for your opening span). I wouldn't
put an aquarium on top of a 2X4 spanning 28". I would use
2X6's (on edge, *not flat*), built like a floor spanning the entire
stand, and then 3/4" ply platform. With good framing the
sheeting/cover serves to stiffen the structure and can be most any wood
of your choice.> Please keep in mind this will be an acrylic
aquarium and the entire top of the stand's frame will be covered in
either 3/4" or 1" pressure treated plywood (suggestions on
which I should use?). Thank you in advance for looking over these
plans. You guys rock...no, hold on...YOU GUYS
ROCK! Thanks, Mike <Make sure there is support across the
frame to support the plywood full length and width. (Part of placing
top plate on edge, as cross supports can be easily accommodated) Do NOT
use pressure treated plywood, just paint regular ply with latex and use
a 1" Styrofoam sheet on top of that to handle surface
irregularities. I suggest ply for the sides as well for
stiffness/strength. Hope this helps! Craig>
Acrylic Tank Stand Dear Bob, I just did a water test on
a new 215 gallon (72' x 30' x 24' x ¾')
tank. 24 hours later I discovered cracks in the tank. <Cracks?
Where?> It is most likely caused by the uneven
stand. There is about a 1/8th variance from one end to the
other on the long side. <A good idea to shore up the one short end,
place a substantially thick piece of material like foam core (from Home
Depot, Lowe's) under the entire bottom> Upon close examination,
I see the stand takes all the weight of the tank on 6 2'x4'
legs. There are no beams spanning the entire length of the
tank even though there is a ¾' board on top of the legs
as a floor for the tank. My questions are: Is it true that even a small
amount of uneven support can cause cracks in an acrylic aquarium?
<In any aquarium, yes> Am I correct in saying that the stand I
described is not constructed properly to support my acrylic aquarium?
<Or the floor isn't> How can I correct for the problem?
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tksstds.htm>
Thank you in advance for your advise. John <You're welcome. Bob
Fenner>
"Tanks, Stands & Covers for Marine Aquarium
Systems" - 4/21/2003 To the crew: I just read the above titled
page: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tksstds.htm,
and I have a question. Under "Stands" you wrote of
the terms "level" and "planar". In the
"Level" paragraph, you wrote "adjust with shimming
legs/base of the stand". In the "Planar" paragraph, you
seem to refer to the area between the stand and the aquarium being flat
to each other. No problem there. My problem is
this: I had to shim the base of my stand, which now makes
the tank water "level", but the area between the stand and
the floor no longer "planar". <Mmm, not the space here
(betwixt floor and stand) that needs to be planar, but tween the tank
and stand> Am I missing something (related to the subject, please
:)? Isn't the shim causing a problem as well as solving
one? Are there special shims and I only have regular
shims? Thanks, Rich <Shims are shims to my understanding.
But better that they be long/er and wide/r and non-compressible than
not. Bob Fenner>
Stand building 6/2/03 Sir, I would like to know the load
capacity of 2 10" wood I-beams they span 15 foot. I plan on
placing a 72"x24" fish tank with everything it will weigh
about 2500lbs.Thanks for any info you can give me. Glenn <alas, I
have no idea here my friend. But to find it, I'm sure there are
places on the web that list such data. Experiment with some keyword
phrases on Google.com I also recall seeing small handbooks
at the local DIY stores and lumber yards that have such measures and
data in them. If nothing else, this is a popular commercial aquarium
size. Take a peek at the stands for sale in local aquarium shops and
online- they are built frightfully modest yet still work. Build yours
stronger and rest assured. Best regards, Anthony>
Re: Glenn's stand-building question Hi guys, I
recently built a stand for a standard 90 gal tank with the help of a
contractor friend, and learned some things that might be useful to
Glenn or other would-be stand builders out there. According
to this contractor, an 8-foot-long 2x4 will support something like 7000
pounds in compression (shorten that to a 3' length of 2x4 and that
number climbs dramatically). A normal framing nail will
support up to 150 pounds of shear (force perpendicular to the
nail). So these materials truly are overkill for this type
of application. This contractor had wanted to build a box
out of 1x2's with 3/4" plywood on all sides. The
plywood would be screwed and glued, and would be the actual structure
of the piece, responsible for bearing the weight. He thought
this would support much much more than my 90 gal. I'm
sure this would have worked great and been really easy to build, but I
don't like the look of normal plywood, or the price of the finished
stuff, so I used tongue-and-groove paneling (1x6) as the weight-bearing
members, all held together by an interior frame of
1x3's. 1 1/4 and 1 3/4" screws hold everything
together. There is one feature of my stand that I just love,
and that is a sliding "drawer" for my 30 gal sump to sit
on. The drawer sits on a set of heavy duty drawer slides
rated for 150 pounds, and lets me slide the sump out for service
instead of trying to squeeze myself into the stand to work on it. Just
my 2 cents. Thanks. Nick <Thank you for this. Will post
for sharing. Bob Fenner>
- Leveling An Aquarium Stand and More! - Hello,
<Hello to you, JasonC here...> 4 questions (for the price of
1. Thanks for the patience from someone returning to the
hobby.) Question 1: First, let me say I am very impressed with the web
site. The amount of information is
staggering. But, I can't find any info explaining how to
level a tank and stand. <There will be after today!> I have a 125
gallon glass tank (72lx18wx23h) that will be setting on an oak stand.
The stand will set on ceramic tile. I am pretty certain the
stand will not set completely flat on the tile, as most tile floors are
not completely flat. The stand will be custom made by a local stand
maker (I want a 31" opening for sump access.) It's
not an open stand with 4 corner posts. The support will come
from the walls of the stand which will be made from oak
plywood. Therefore, there are long edges that need to be
supported by the floor. <Yeah... do this, obtain some shim-wood from
the hardware store - this stuff is typically used for shims in doorways
and windows during construction and remodeling. Then, put the tank on
the stand in the intended location [don't forget to space away from
the wall] and then put enough water in to cover the bottom, and raise
the level just above the bottom frame of the tank - this will be your
level. Then, find the low point and begin sliding in the shims, tapping
into place lightly with a hammer. Work your way around the tank making
sure to fill any spaces between the stand and the floor. Also make
certain that you don't put the shims in so tight that you end up
making the low corner into the high corner. Chances are good that you
won't get it the first time, but be patient and you will be
rewarded with a level tank - once your work is complete, use a utility
knife with a sharp blade to trim the shims flush with the cabinet.>
Question 2: My setup will be the 125 gallon FOWLR tank with a 1/2"
to 1" fine sand bed and a 65 gallon refugium. The
refugium will have a DSB with critters, LR and
macro-algae. My question is: In what order to I
introduce the following items: a) Live rock into fish and refugium
tanks b) Macro-algae into the refugium c) critters into the refugium d)
Fish into the fish tank e) bottom-cleaners into the fish tank (stars,
etc.) <In this order: A - B - C - E - D > Question 3: This may
seem to be a simple question, but again I have not seen an answer.
<No worries.> If the refugium contains macroalgae and
sand-dwelling critters (amphipods, copepods, worms, etc.) does this
tank need to be fed? <It won't hurt at the onset, especially if
you're not feeding fish at the time.> If I add shrimp I know
they would need to be fed, but what about the sand dwellers? <They
all need some food - be very stingy with the food.> Question 4: My
son would like a 29 gallon FW tank in his room (30lx12w), but the
carpet in his room is plush. I'm trying to determine how to place
the tank in the room without it falling over and having it remain
level. One idea is to purchase leveling furniture legs and attach them
to the stand. This would let the 4 corners sink into the
carpet to the concrete? Does this sound like a good idea?
<Well - the smaller the area of contact with the floor, the higher
the pounds-per-square-inch in the contact area. I would think that once
the tank is full, there will be enough weight to keep the whole thing
steady - I've kept a 75 gallon tank on plush carpet before for
years, no problem. Just no Tarzan games on the tank...> Thanks for a
great site! Eric *** <Cheers, J -- >
- Getting a Larger Tank Stand - Dear Crew: <Hello,
JasonC here...> Can I buy a bigger stand for my 55 gallon tank,
currently 48x13? I would like to get the stand meant for a
75/90 gallon, which is about 5" deeper. To spread the
weight I would attach 3/4" or 1" plywood over entire surface
and lay my 55 on that. <This would work, but to make certain the
platform is stable I would brace underneath with pieces of 2x4 and use
the 1" plywood. Still the thought of this makes me nervous - I
would try and test the set-up first before committing to this
design.> This is mainly to get a bigger interior so I can buy a
decent size standard sump without breaking the bank. I mean,
I could buy the stand for less than the price of a custom made sump to
squeeze into my 55 gallon stand (10 1/2"). <Makes sense.>
This, or course, would also allow me to get a bigger
sump. Thank you for your time. Chris <Cheers,
J -- >
He Can't Stand It? (Making The Perfect Stand!) Hi,
<Hi there! Scott F. at the keyboard tonight!> I bought an Oceanic
135 tank to make a reef tank. It came with a custom-built
stand for the tank, but not for filtering a reef tank (when I bought
it, the tank was freshwater). I have a baffled 40 gallon
long tank that I am going to set up as an algae scrubber, but it would
not fit inside the stand (I didn't have this tank when I bought the
135 and stand). I decided to go with an Oceanic stand thinking that it
would be a no-brainer fix, but when I looked at the 125/135 stand, a 40
long would not fit under it either! The two vertical beams
on the back of the stand would not allow a 4 foot tank inside at all
(the store could get a 30 gallon tank under it). <Grr...Been
there!> Do you know of a web site where I could go to design my own
stand? I know what I want, but I am not sure how to build it to take
the weight. I was wondering if there was a site you could plug in the
info on what you wanted, and it would help you with the
design. Thanks, Paul <Well, Paul, you might want to try
Coral Reef Ecosystems in CA. I know a few people who purchased custom
made stands/canopies from them, and have been quite pleased. here is
their URL : http://www.coralreefecosystems.com/
You might want to try a local cabinet maker, too? Good luck in your
search! Regards, Scott F>
- Tank Stand Designs - Hi WWM crew, <Hello to you,
JasonC here...> I need to know where you stand on stand design.
<Usually with both feet underneath me...> I have ordered a
Tenecor 96x30x36 (400 gallon "dream" tank) which
will be see thru, in the wall (dividing two rooms) and on the main
floor concrete slab. My contractor was planning to weld together a
steel frame and powder coat (dip treat) or water proof the steel with
Rustoleum type paint. Is this my best long term (10-20 years) option or
should I go with treated lumber or other? <Steel will offer you the
best strength and long term use, but you need to be really careful
about keeping the salt water off the stand. Even with the powder
coating the stand will still corrode so just make sure you keep the
salt water off the stand - clean regularly.> I am planning to have a
sump under the tank and could use just a little guidance there as
well. Tenecor offers a "Reef Ready" set-up with a
sump design with heavy bio-ball use or my other consideration is the
ETSS Ultra High Flow sump design with optional micron filter
bags. The main tank with have (2) 8x8 inch corner
overflows. Each overflow will have a 2 inch drain and (2) 1
inch returns. My long term plan is to have a thriving modern
reef tank of medium to high bio-load capacity with the easiest
maintenance possible. Also, in the works are a Euro-Reef CS 12-2
external protein skimmer (external to help keep temp down during the
hot summer months here in Temecula, CA) and a Knop professional S-IV
Kalk reactor, though this may not be a large enough model as it is only
rated to 300 gallons. <Should be fine for this system.> Thanks
for helping me get started right and I look forward to reading more
outstanding books from Calfo and Fenner. <Cheers, J --
>
Tank/stand I have a 120 gal glass tank with 3/8"
glass. on the bottom of the tank I have a black trim all the way around
in which the glass sets into. the basic floating bottom type aquarium.
my question is do I have to set something between the frame and desk
that the aquarium sets on? there is a 1/2" suspension (gap)
between the glass and actual counter it sits on? but the frame sets
even on the counter all the way around. .................. thanks for
your time and sorry for the long ? <No worries. As long as the frame
itself is well and completely supported, you're fine. Bob
Fenner>
Aquarium Stand design - 8/7/03 hello <Good
afternoon> I just had my 157g aquarium assembled and now I am
thinking of how to design its stand. <Cool. Nice size> Can you
give me some illustrated designs? <Unfortunately, No. Not in the
scope and bandwidth of our site. Do some research, try your favorite
search engine (I like Google) and try "DIY aquarium stand" as
your keyword to start. Also, try your favorite fish store and see if
they don't know of someone who can build a custom stand. Lastly,
depending on what type of resource you will use (wood, metal, steel)
you could go to a weld shop or carpenter's shop and see if anyone
has a background in building aquarium stands.> My main problem is if
the design will be able to support my aquarium. <Yep. I believe that
saltwater weighs close to 8lbs per gallon (safe to allow for 10 lbs per
gallon) add to that tank weight, rock weight, and substrate weight.
This has to be a structurally sound design.> I don't want to
take any chances coz I'm Goin to have a marine
setup. thanks! By the way, I'm planning to use steel
instead of woods and the lower part of the stand will house my 75g
freshwater setup for my piranha. <Sounds cool -Paul>
Bert
- Tank Stand Designs - Hey I need to see if you guys
have or know anybody with any aquarium stand pictures but from the
inside to see how they are build? <I'm afraid not.> I need to
see how they are build because I have a stand for a 280gallon tank that
I bought from someone and need to add more support to it but need some
examples. <Start with the four corners - these are really the beef
of the stand, and you could add additional legs in the center, but most
stands are just boxes, relying on their four to five sides to make the
structure sturdy.> I really want to reinforce the heck out of it
because I know it's going to be really heavy when water and reef
are added and don't want it to break apart. <If the stand was
made for the tank, and unless it is heavily water damaged, I'd just
go with it... most stands are designed for the duty you describe.>
Help, Mario <Cheers, J -- >
Tank out of level, again Howdy, <Hi there>
I've got a 38-gallon All-Glass marine tank that was purchased about
4 months ago to replace a 30-gallon that had a seam let go (luckily I
arrived home apparently seconds after it happened and didn't lose a
single critter). Inspection revealed that the tank, although
level when it had been set up, had slowly gone out of level (it's
on a carpeted floor with a thick pad underneath the
carpet). I suspect this, combined with the fact that the
tank was about 20 years old, was it's downfall. When I set up my 38
I was really super-paranoid about getting it level, and it was right on
the dot. Recently I've noticed that it no longer is.
<Oh oh> It's not way way off yet, but I'm concerned after
what happened before. Anyone have any ideas (or experience)
on how to level a fully-stocked tank? I don't want to
have to break it all down again! I can drop the water level
maybe by half for the process, it's actually holding about 26 - 27
gallons of water after the live rock and such is figured
in. Thanks for any advice you can give! -Mike Gorman
<Please do take the time to empty the tank... this is the ONLY safe
way to go about re-leveling it. Also, am curious as to what caused it
to "go out of level"... If the cause is floor settling of
some sort, I encourage you to place a thick enough (3/4" or more
likely) piece of plywood under all feet of the stand/support to spread
out the force/mass and shim this support in turn. Bob
Fenner>
- Leveling the Tank - Hi, this is Mohammed again, and I
am having a small problem with the tank not sitting level right now. I
tried asking the question on the forum and took advice from many people
and heard all sides of the story but I am still not convinced on which
way to go! My stand is an "E" shape, i.e.. it has 3 parallel
legs with the front of the tank sitting perpendicular to the three
legs. My 80gal tank sits on the stand and there is a twist in the tank!
the water level is 1/2" off on the back right side and 1/4"
off on the front right side. I was given the advise of shimming the
stand, and I did go and buy the shims, but they look very weak to me
and I don't think they will hold ~1000lbs. So I would rather not do
this if there is an easier and safer way to go. <In my opinion, this
is the easiest and safest way to go... I've done this myself with a
180g tank and it works just fine. The weight is not such an issue.>
I was also given the advice of using Styrofoam between the tank and the
stand by many people, however the physics behind that does not make
sense to me (even though it is the way I want to go because it is the
cleanest and safest). Is it true that this works? <I've never
tried this as a self-leveler, and I'm not convinced it would work.
If the stand is not level, then the Styrofoam won't be level
either... leaving us with a tank that's not level.> If there is
a heavier side, and I put Styrofoam, wouldn't that same side
sink/dip even more? <Is in line with what I'm thinking.>
Please help me because I am a bit confused. <Use the shims, it will
work and be plenty safe.> thanks Mohammed. <Cheers, J --
>
Fun With Foam... Hello WWM crew and Happy Friday!
<Hey there! Scott F. with you on Saturday (better late than never, I
guess)!> I am about to setup and fill with water my new 75 gallon
AGA black plastic framed tank. I wanted to add Styrofoam
under the tank to help buffer any inconsistencies, while the stand
appears to be plane and level, I am worried that even a slight
inconsistency would eventually spell disaster. Is this
presumption correct? <It's a good premise to operate on. On the
other hand, I think that you need not be overly concerned, if you are
using a very thin layer of foam. Being soft material, it should conform
to the weight of the tank and contents. However, do check with the tank
manufacturer, just to be sure!> I bought pink construction Styrofoam
sheets at my local HD, and my question is where does the Styrofoam
go? Clearly between the tank and the stand, but do I cut the
foam so that it is flush with the black plastic frame? Or do
I cut so that the black plastic frame hangs over the foam, and the foam
rests directly on the bottom glass? <That's what I would do,
then you can trim the excess foam> I have cut it so that it is flush
with the frame (so that the foam is exactly the same footprint of the
tank, not a mm more), but I am not quite sure if this is right I
appreciate your help here, as I am about to set this up and do not want
a flood. James <Agreed. If I were to do this, I'd certainly do
it the way that you did it. Again, just to be sure- check with the
manufacturer> Well, James- I think that about covers this! (No pun
intended)
How to level my tank. Hey all! <Hello> Just set up
a 55 gallon freshwater tank. was keen to get going and I have realized
that the tank is not level. WAY not
level. I've been sitting with it for a while but it has
to be fixed pronto. The tank is sitting on a 1" piece
of Styrofoam, but should I level the tank stand or can I level the tank
with shims between the Styrofoam and the tank stand. Either way I have
to drain the beast. <Mmm, first need to know the origin of the lack
of level... is it the floor? The stand? Start from the bottom up... and
level and make planar the entire floor and possibly (if it is not the
root cause) the stand itself... don't rely on a piece of foam to
even any unleveled surface. Bob Fenner> Thanks for your input.
George Meldrum <Drain the tank... and level "all the
floor" with one piece of wood under all legs... this can be
shimmed between it and the floor.>
- Preparing the Floor - I had a 90 gallon oceanic bow
front reef aquarium that experienced a leak in which I lost
everything. I am now preparing to go several sizes larger
with a 215 gallon oceanic reef aquarium. I am concerned
about having another leak so I have been contemplating making changes
on how I set up the tank. One idea is to cut up a section of
carpeting about two feet larger than the stand and place linoleum under
it with a drain cut into the floor. Another is to cut up the
a section of carpeting, create a wooden pan that is slightly larger
than the stand, waterproof it, cut a drain into it, and place the stand
in it Am I going overboard in trying to protect myself from
a leak? <No... seems very sensible to me, especially if you were
protecting hardwood floors.> How do other people setup the stand?
<Certainly not with this amount of preparation - usually just goes
on the floor and the water goes in. My bet is this is SOP 99% of the
time.> I plan to place the new aquarium in the same place as the old
one and it would have carpeting and carpet padding underneath it if I
didn't do anything. Any suggestions? <I like your
idea of the containment vessel... would force the water to go down the
drain, whereas the linoleum would only protect that one point in the
floor, with the water seeking the lowest level in the floor which could
be under other carpet.> Thanks Mark <Cheers, J -- > Looking
for a stand I'm looking for a stand for a (standard) 55 gal.
aquarium that I might be able to get in a henna cherry stain or similar
coating whether it be a laminate. Unfortunately I don't
know of any companies specifically that manufacture aquarium
stands. My last aquarium stand (55 gal.) I needed I made
myself and the one before that is actually a kitchen stand for a
microwave. I would make it myself but I'm looking for
something that has a more polished appearance. Thank you for your help.
Jeff Longmore <Take a look in your local "Yellow Pages"
directories under "aquarium", "tropical"... and
your local higher end fish stores... You may get lucky and have someone
nearby who already makes custom tank stands... Otherwise, look under
"carpenter", "cabinet-maker" and ask if they would
undertake your project... OR consider taking "wood craft"
classes and doing it yourself! Bob Fenner>
Aquarium unstable -
please advise Hello All <Hi Barry> Thank you for taking
the time to assist this newbie. I have read all your articles, but
still cant find the answer to my problem. Been running
tank(91x32x34) for 3 weeks, haven't started adding fish to my
tropical tank yet. I've got a problem with vibrations from the
traffic of people walking in the room causing water level movement.
I have been told that it wont be too much of a problem for the fish
(except that they may start hiding in the rockwork) but I am
concerned about the stress to the glass from the weight of the
shifting water. The floor consists of wooden floorboards. I include
pictures. <Yikes... very VERY dangerous situation!> I tried
putting a piece of wood under the stand and tried putting in
another position in the same room, but that never helped. The
current spot is great for viewing. I am considering getting a metal
shelf manufactured or alternatively anchoring the stand to the
wall, but don't know where to start. <I do. Drain this tank
down... NOW, and nail or better screw a set of boards (likely one
by's will do) around the base (outside) the tank stand (yes,
into the floor)... AND shim up the legs/base of the stand to make
sure it is level and planar. Please see here on WWM: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tksstds.htm>
What would you recommend to stabilize the tank and how do I go
about doing it? I want a community tank, but I'm not sure which
fish to get. Can you suggest non aggressive, active & a
colorful mix of fish? thought of getting cardinal tetra. neon
tetra. clown loach. platy. swordtail. clownfish does it make a
difference if I get them all at once or should I get any specific
hardy ones first to get the cycle started. already added Nutrafin
cycle + aqua plus tap conditioner. Ph level is +- 6.5 at the
moment. Any other advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
soo much, I appreciate the help. Barry <No worries, concerns
about what you want to place in this system, BUT real trouble with
the tank as it is now... it could BURST and cause real damage,
injury. Please do drain it down NOW and effect the repairs listed.
Bob Fenner> |
|
|
Tank and stand I have a 29 gallon wide tank that has
been set up for about 2 years, and right after I first set the tank up
I noticed a gap in between the center of the lengthwise section where
the tank and stand meet. It's been in the back of my mind for a
while and was wondering if I should do something about it. <I
would... take the tank down (as in empty it as if you were moving...
please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/movingaq.htm) and repair
the stand (straighten it), and/or place material (like a cut sheet of
plywood) under the entire bottom (edge) such that it is all coming in
contact in the same way. Please read here re stands:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tksstds.htm It's not uncommon for tanks
in your situation to "crack" w/o any (further) apparent
cause. Bob Fenner>
Tank Stand Help Me Crew! I built my own stand for a 120g
tank (60x18x24) some months ago. I was not ready for the
tank at that time, so I had a 46 gallon bowfront on it up until last
week when I bought the 120g for my pair of Oscars. Well I
have the tank on the stand, added the substrate, and excitedly am ready
to fill when I notice that in the front only a foot on each end of the
tank is solidly making contact with the top of the stand. I
can slip a piece of paper easily underneath everywhere
else. The back, however, seems to be touching except in a
few spots. All four corners are solid.
<Oh oh> The top of the stand was pieced together with leftover
plywood (all cut from the same sheet) and I have done this several
times on other stands without issue. Is this really
dangerous to fill the tank as is? What are your best
recommendations? <My only recommendation is to carefully empty the
tank and insert something that will make all edges of the tank touch
the stand equally. If the gap is small, perhaps inserting some closed
cell Styrofoam sheet will do (available at Lowe's, Home Depot...).
Leaving it as is, particularly if a glass tank, is asking for
trouble... it may split a seam. Bob Fenner> Thanks as usual, Ryan
Achenbach
- Sound Proofing the Stand - Hello people, <Hello,
JasonC here...> I must give kudos for all your hard work answering
the multitudes of questions you must receive daily. I am
planning a 120 gal reef tank with an approx. 40 gal sump. I
am planning to keep the tank in my bedroom, because this is where I
spend most of my time (college student), and because there's no
room anywhere else in the house. I've read your
responses to others with the same idea, and the collective
"you" seems to feel that the noise could cause sleeping
problems. <No one asked me... I've had numerous tanks in my
bedroom and have never had a problem sleeping with the sound created by
the mechanics of the tank. I've had much larger problems with
sounds that came from the tank itself... like the first time I heard
the clicking shrimp living there. Was like tiny gun shots in the
night...> With this in mind, I am considering using soundproof
Styrofoam panels on the insides of the stand, where the sump, pumps and
skimmer will be located. I'm going to assume that this
will need to be replaced periodically due to degradation via salt
buildup, will this decomposition cause problems for my tank (i.e. is
Styrofoam toxic)? <I think the Styrofoam will degrade a long, long
time after the stand itself does... the stuff is pretty durable and
resistant to salt water. Petrochemicals would be a different story.>
Secondly, I plan to paint the outside of the stand and the hood (also
DIY) black, to focus viewer attention on the display tank. I
will of course search for a low-toxicity paint for this purpose, how do
you feel about my painting the insides of the hood white, to reflect
light and heat. <Sure, why not.> What if chips fall into the tank
somehow? <Don't buy paint that will chip.> Lastly, I plan to
light the inside of the sump, to allow for a small refugium and the
propagation of algae to balance pH (lighting at times inverse to
display tank). Do you have any suggestions for this?
<Uhh... suggestions about what? Should you do it? What types of
lights to use? Will you be able to sleep with those lights on? I'm
not sure which answer you are looking for.> The lighting inside the
sump would be NO or VHO. <I would use normal fluorescent.> Thanks
in advance! Quinn Kuiken <Cheers, J -- >
Floor support for 180G Hi WWM Crew, I just moved into a
new (old) home and would like to take this opportunity to upgrade to a
larger reef tank. I have my eyes set on a either a 180G tank but am
concern about floor support. The house is about 55 years old with
hardwood floor and I am not sure if it will support the weight. Are
there any tests I can do prior to test the floor strength, or do you
have any suggestions on how I could access if the floor is strong
enough to hold the tank? <Yes... the use of equivalent (or greater)
weights to replicate what the tank will weigh (likely close to a ton).
Also I do have suggestions re spreading the weight under the system
posted here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tksstds.htm>
I believe the tank will be sitting in parallel to the floor joists. My
guess is the finished tank (with LR, sand and equipment) will weight
over 2000 lbs (scary). <I agree. Bob Fenner> Thanks.
Brian
Tank Stand Hi Guys, I have a 55 gallon acrylic tank,
dimensions 48" x 13". I purchased an Iron stand for it and
the tank rests perfectly on top of the stand. The stand is hollow in
the middle. I just completed filling the tank up with substrate and
salt water and I was wondering, is it ok to have the tank sitting on
the stand with a hollow opening? I looked under the tank and it seems
that the only support for the tank is at the two sides (four corners).
Should I be concerned with this. Also, I noticed the front of my tank
is "bowing" slightly. Should I be concerned with this? Any
help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Greg <Hey
Greg, if the stand was designed for a 55gal tank you should be
fine. IME the iron stands seem a little tipsy, if you live
in earth quake country like some of us you might think about finding a
way to anchor it to the wall. Acrylic tanks will bow a
little bit, how much is it actually bowing? We have some FAQs on
acrylic tank repair. Best Regards, Gage>
Floor Support For a 180 Gallon Tank -
02/21/03 Hello, I too have a 180 gallon sitting on a hardwood floor
that was made in the '30s-'40s. The house is about
60+ years old with the floor below the 180 made up of I believe 2x8
joists. I have my tank sitting atop these PERPENDICULAR to
the floor joists so that there are a total of 4 2x8s under the length
of the tank. I don't think it would be a good idea to
set the tank parallel with the floor joists because the tank would only
be supported with 1 or 2 floor joists at the most and would be
supported with the length of the wood which would not be as strong and
would tend to bow down more with only 1or 2 joists instead of the 3or4
that would work best. I also have a 60 gallon acrylic below
the tank sitting on the stand also. I am not a structural
engineer but think someone would want to have as many joists under
their extremely heavy tank as possible. I figure that my
setup including water, rock, tanks and stand along with skimmer and
calcium reactor weighs close to 2300lbs or so. The
person that wrote in may want to rethink setting up the tank lengthwise
parallel to the floor joists. Just writing in with concern
for my fellow hobbyists. Thanks for the ear, Jeff <Thanks
for writing in. I know one person who has a 180 gallon tank that is
parallel to his floor joists -- he put 4x4s in his basement to shore up
the floor beneath the tank. --Ananda>
- Tank Stands for Acrylic Tanks - I just
finished setting up my new 180 gallon acrylic aquarium. It was
manufactured by Aqua Clear Aquatics in Jacksonville, FL. The
measurements are 72L x 18W x 34H. It's made out of 3/4
inch acrylic on the sides and 1/2 inch on the top and
bottom. It seems to be very high quality from what I can
tell. However, while we were setting up the stand we made
sure the stand was exactly level on the carpet (tank is sitting on a
load-bearing wall with a concrete slab foundation). However,
when we got all of the live rock and water in the tank the tank itself
seems to be leaning forward VERY slightly on the left side. <I want
to be sure here - you also have a stand 'made' for this tank,
not one made for glass tanks, correct? A tank stand for acrylic tanks
should have a solid top - a flat surface to put the tank on. Glass tank
stands are often a frame, leaving the bottom glass panel exposed in the
middle. You cannot put an acrylic tank on a glass tank stand. Well, ok,
you can, but it will have disastrous consequences.> It's not
completely level so I wanted to check with you and see if you saw a
huge problem with this. <Yes - there will be non-linear stress on
the tank once the water goes in - at the very least this will lead to
premature failure, at the worst, it will fail very quickly.> The
weird thing is the stand itself is still completely level -- just the
left side of the tank is leaning forward slightly so I really don't
understand what's going on? Would you be overly concerned with
this? <Yes. It is very important that this tank be flat on the stand
- level with the floor would be nice, but it's more important that
the tank and stand as a unit are touching at every point.> Thanks
for your opinion. <Cheers, J -- >
- Tank Stand for Acrylic Tanks - Ok, I'm literally
having a heart attack at the moment! <Well... take a deep
breath.> Here's our plan. . . please tell me if there is
anything else I need to do. First of all, I didn't
realize that acrylic tanks needed flat, solid surfaces so yes, it is
now sitting on a stand that is made for glass. <Bunk!> So, could
I drain all of the water out, take the stand off, screw in a piece of
3/4" pressure treated plywood to make the solid surface then,
after making sure the tank is level return all of the water/livestock.
<Yes, that would work, but you might want to brace that plywood in
the center, or even consider using 7/8"> The tank has been set
up for 3 days sitting on this improper stand. Has it already
been compromised???? <You should ask the manufacturer this question.
My guess is probably not...> If I fix the problem tonight after work
will the tank be ok you think? <I think so, but again, you should
ask the manufacturer just to be sure.> Thanks for any help or extra
advice you can give. I appreciate it very much! <Cheers,
J -- > - Re: Tank Stands for Acrylic Tanks - One more quick
question. . . when I empty the water and livestock out of the tank in
order to take the stand off and correct it do you think it would be
safe enough to leave the live rock and sand in the tank? <I think
so, sure.> Everything probably totals 160lbs. with the small amount
of water that I won't be able to pump out. <Well, you will need
to be able to pick up the tank, so...> Or, do I have to remove
everything before taking the tank off the stand? <In the end, you
may. Thanks so much! :) <Cheers, J -- >
Tank Stand Dear Bob, I am new to marine systems, with
some experience with fresh water. My first step was to buy your book,
The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, and I wanted to thank you for this
wonderful resource. While I save up my money to set up a nice system, I
am looking for a good source for stands. My tank will be beautiful and
I want a beautiful piece of furniture to display it on, not some
plywood or particle board box. Any secret sources you know of? George
<<Actually, do know how I would proceed, but it's not much of
a secret... the telephone directory for your geographic area... under
Carpentry... call, contact the folks listed there and ask them if they
do such work, go visit them, and start drawing up plans of what you
have in mind... How tall, how many shelves? Will you have them fashion
a canopy for the top as well? Any other furniture in your home/work
you're trying to match the color, texture of? Get a few bids...
Otherwise, if you're handy... consider building it yourself... Just
remember, make your stand, strong, level and planar... Bob
Fenner>>
Questions... Hi Again Bob, I'm writing with the hope
that you can answer a couple of questions for me. Easy one first: do
you have any horror stories about fish tanks falling through
people's floors? We're having a house built, and I was thinking
about having the floor in the family room reinforced for the weight of
my 150 gal. tank. It'll cost about $1000, and I'd just like to
know if you think that it's a necessary expense. <None of them
falling through completely... think of ladies with high heels on... and
the force per square inch... If you can shim, spread out the
force/weight of the tank, making it level and planar, a
"code" built floor should take the 3/4 ton or so... However,
nothing wrong with calling in an engineer for a real opinion is
probably a real good idea> Second question is a little more touchy.
I recently started working at the LFS, so I could expand my knowledge
base on the hobby (plus the employee discount is saving me a bundle ;)
). The other day, a guy came in and we started chatting a bit. It turns
out that he'd purchased a nice 8" Naso Tang a couple of days
earlier. During our conversation, it came out that he had this fish,
along with a Miniatus grouper and a black Volitans lion imprisoned in a
55 gallon tank. I told him that his fish would quickly outgrow his
tank, and asked if he was planning on getting a bigger system, and he
said no. Since you have so much experience in the pet fish industry, I
was hoping you could give me some insight as to how I can tactfully
tell someone like this what an insensitive jerk they're being,
without pissing them off. If it were my store, I'd probably just
tell them, but the owner of this one is more interested in the bottom
line than he is in his livestock's best interests. Any advice you
might have would be helpful. Thanks a lot, Dan <<I do wish I
could do "the Vulcan mind-meld" with you here... I recall
(and borrow) the Zen adage, "be like the Sun, and let the goodness
in you shine on others"... By working at the shop, albeit for
ulterior motives (I don't doubt for a moment that you cherish your
involvement in the living world as much as I), you have a great
opportunity to share your love and knowledge of aquatics with others.
Take heart in knowing this, and doing your best to educate and inspire
our fellow hobbyists. Bob Fenner>>
Re-staining an aquarium stand. Hi Bob, My wife
wants to change the color of the stand my 75 gallon fish only tank is
on. It is in the same room as my 55 reef that I have spoke to you about
before. Do you know of a good method or special stain or paint
that the vapors would not hurt any of my livestock? I can remove the
canopy and stain it at night. The stand is the only issue. I believe
the stain would soak in without any sanding. Please advise if you have
done anything like this. Thank you as always, Andrew <<I would
turn off the "air entraining" devices and any air pumps
during the first hour or so of this process... and do the staining on a
nice warm day in the AM so you can leave windows, doors open... Then do
look into the many low VOC (volatile organic compounds) water-based
stains. Bob Fenner>>
To paint or not to paint Hey Bob I am about to
build a stand for my 105 gallon show tank. Heavy duty construction 2x4
and 4x4 framing and solid white oak covering and canopy. The question
is : I was wanting to stain it and poly-urethane it. Is this a bad idea
considering the possible flare up of fumes later on if the house was to
get hot or the canopy was to get hot from the lights. And would salt
creep really make it look worse after a while. I think it would
look good just sanded and treated but would look great stained and
sealed. Any thoughts on the subject would be appreciated. Kevin Johnson
<<I definitely would seal the top/canopy in any case... and
polyurethane's are fine, as are Varathanes... and come in less
glossy finishes nowadays... And lastly, there are parts for separating
hot components from the wood itself... and simply Mylar type products
to install inside that serve dual duty as reflectors of light,
deflectors of heat... use them. Bob Fenner>>
Tank Stand Dear Robert, Thanks to your answer. Not sure
if I would want to experiment with corals.... <Some small fragments,
carefully placed, might well add interest...> I was wondering if you
can enlighten me on this. My tank would be sitting on the ground floor
of my apartment complex, knowing that it will be heavy... many people
said that I would need to built a concrete platform about 2-3 inches of
the ground to help distribute the weight of the tank and to prevent the
floor from developing cracks, is that true? I have seen a couple of
people doing it...... <Mmm, this apartment complex... the floor IS a
concrete foundation? If not, I would definitely investigate more
thoroughly what weight it can safely support, and if this is a very
large system, be pouring a substantial footing (likely a couple of feet
thick...) under the area where the tank will be going... Call a
"structural engineering" company, pay to have someone come
out, look over...> Also is it better to built a concrete tank stand?
Will using hollow bricks be strong enough? Please advice <What size
tank, of what construction? If very large, glass viewing panels, would
have the stand fabricated of steel, powder-coated... If not too big,
large (like 4 by 4") wood elements, carriage bolts... If a few
hundred gallons, blocks can be used... with wood, Styro under the tank
to make sure the bottom is level and planar. Please read:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tksstds.htm Bob Fenner> Thanks in
advance, John
Stand Dear Rob, Thanks for your help! Here is another
question: Can I do a stand in stainless steel that has been
galvanized? <Mmm, yes... if you can arrange for none of the
galvanization to rust, drop into the systems water... A good idea to
coat over this coating... perhaps with an epoxy paint.> What is
galvanizing? <A process for... use your search engine:
"galvanizing"> My LFS uses them for his stands, seems to
be working fine without any hint of rust. <Eventually... all ferrous
materials oxidize/rust... it "never sleeps" as the saying
goes> I am thinking of this route as wooden stand is rather too
expensive. I heard that metal stands are good for really big tanks,
mine will have a weight of 800kg/m2 <Mmm, please read:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tksstds.htm Bob Fenner> Thanks in
advance, John
Juwel Aquarium Stands I am a small aquarium maintenance
company and I picked up a new client that has an old Juwel aquarium. I
am needing a stand and can not seem to find one wholesale in the
States. I have checked out the web sites and can only find the German
site in which only has German prices. Have any suggestions? Rocky
Hawkins, Thank You! <Mmm, well these are great tanks... and their
stands are nice, but you can likely find someone in the U.S. to make
something comparable for less money locally. I would check the
"Yellow Pages" under "cabinet, furniture makers"...
give them the dimensions, and ask for a price for a custom fit, color,
finish... Bob Fenner, who managed, worked in the service part of the
trade for nineteen years>
Floor Support for 75 Gallon? Dear Anthony, Steve, or
Bob, <Hello Russ> Thanks for answering questions. As a soon-to-be
reef keeper, I've found the articles and FAQ's on WWM
invaluable! <Glad to hear/read so> I finally decided to go for
the 75 gallon RR Oceanic tank over the 58 gallon (I think I'll be
happier with the larger size). I estimate that the combined weight of
water, LR, sand, and everything else will be about 900lbs. To support
this weight, I built a beautiful DIY stand out of Douglas Fir 4x4 posts
(3 in front, 3 in back) and 2x4's for the rectangular base and top.
However, I neglected to think about if my floor could support the
weight. Have you heard of 75 gallon aquariums crashing through floors
before? <Yes... even smaller ones> My floor is constructed of
2x8's spaced 16 inches on center from each other and spanning 9
feet between load bearing walls. Consulting this chart at
http://www.pathnet.org/publications/review.pdf (page 24, table 12), for
40psf[pounds per square foot] the max span allowed is 12 feet 1 inch
(there is a plaster ceiling below). Since my span is only 9 feet, I
think it's VERY safe to assume that each joist can support a
minimum of 40psf. Now for the calculations: 900 lbs/ (19" x
49" for the base) = .9667 psi .9667 PSI x 144 sq inches/ 1 sq foot
= 139.2 lbs/sq foot 139.2 / 40psf per joist = 3.48 joists THAT SHOULD
BE COVERED by the base. <Yes... given/stipulated the mass/weight is
distributed as such... i.e. per square foot> Since my stand is only
49" long, I'll only be able to cover three joists if I center
it perfectly. Do you think it's worth putting 6-foot 2x4's flat
wise under the front and back lengths of the tank, so that I'm sure
to distribute the weight across 4 joists... OR, do you think the sub
flooring will do a good enough job of distributing the weight to remote
joists? Maybe I'm just worrying unnecessarily about this. Of
course, I'll put the 75 gallon right against one of the load
bearing walls... well, maybe w/eight inches or so away from the wall,
so I can get behind the tank if needed. <Good to have some gap for
working on filters, hoses, backgrounds... allowing for air movement to
discount mildew growth...> What are your thoughts? Did I do the
calculations right? <Calc.s do look accurate> Are those
flat wise 2x4's necessary? <IMO/E yes... perhaps a piece of
plywood of sufficient thickness under the stand legs otherwise is
better. Do count on shimming this as well. Bob Fenner> Awaiting you
sage advice. Thanks! :) -Russ
Aquarium Stands Hello again, Just wondering what your
recommendation was as to the best solid wood (i.e., poplar, oak, etc.)
stand and canopy product line for aquariums. <Poplar is good for
painting. Oak and Maple take stain well.> The All Glass Modern
Series is nice, but you cannot mount a retrofit lighting kit in their
hood, so they aren't going to cut it. What's your suggestion?
<I would look at DIY sites such as http://www.ozreef.org/ Also,
Oceanic makes a nice line of stand and canopies. You may get some good
ideas from looking at their models.> Thanks, Ben <You are
welcome. -Steven Pro>
Got Wood? Gentlemen: My 125G saltwater tank occupies a
corner of our den. The tank is encased by maple wood that has lost its
luster due to the contact with saltwater. Can you recommend a product
that will improve the look of the wood without presenting any caustic
problems for the fish? <Yes, my fave: Lemon Oil... really works
well, and smells great> The local hardware store had a wood stain
and a color stick; however, both products appeared to have toxic
properties. Thanks, Mitch <Be chatting, Bob Fenner>