Who would put a 40g cube on this?

[Reefer Brent]

So thinking this plywood 24x24x34.5h cabinet would be stronger than the MDF junk my aquatop 40 cube came with. It uses 1/2in plywood for the box with thermofoil doors. Would use a stained butcher block as the top. Good or horrible idea?

Tank is basically 22x22x22 and weighs 45 lbs
20lbs sand
Prob 30lb reef tree rock.
40 gallons × 8.6lbs is 344lbs of water

Quick Google says 600lb capacity for kitchen cabinets but that's super vague.

 

[Reefering1]

Hard to say without seeing how its built/load is transferred to floor. To me, the question is how will it hold up after getting wet repeatedly... maybe you can frame it out,inside, with 2x4s. But by the time you do that, you almost built a stand.

 

[Reefering1]

Ft myers, FL huh...(?), across the river from me

 

[MoshJosh]

Would probably work. . . Have thought about doing this myself. . . though adding extra bracing/support might make me more comfortable.

 

[Reefer Brent]

Hard to say without seeing how its built/load is transferred to floor. To me, the question is how will it hold up after getting wet repeatedly... maybe you can frame it out,inside, with 2x4s. But by the time you do that, you almost built a stand.

Yes I think some well placed 2x4s would go a long way. Also I was thinking of cutting the top an inch wider than the cabinet and doing some caulking underneath to help water seal. It just has to look nice cause it's in my main kitchen/living area. Otherwise I'd just build it myself.

 

[Reefer Brent]

Would probably work. . . Have thought about doing this myself. . . though adding extra bracing/support might make me more comfortable.

Agreed

 

[The_Paradox]

Yes I think some well placed 2x4s would go a long way. Also I was thinking of cutting the top an inch wider than the cabinet and doing some caulking underneath to help water seal. It just has to look nice cause it's in my main kitchen/living area. Otherwise I'd just build it myself.

Brace it with 2x4 to the floor and you will be fine. I have a 3” concrete work top that spans over two traditional cabinets that I reinforced. Counter weight was just over 750 pounds and routinely have 300+ pounds on top of it.

 

[The_Paradox]

I misspoke. I actually glued&screwed 3/4” ply on 3 sides so I would not lose space like with 2x4. Been this way for ten years and not a creak out of it. Sorry for the craptastic photo but should give you an idea.

 

[Reefer Brent]

Brace it with 2x4 to the floor and you will be fine. I have a 3” concrete work top that spans over two traditional cabinets that I reinforced. Counter weight was just over 750 pounds and routinely have 300+ pounds on top of it.

Thought of this as well.. just trying to see how and keep the drawer.

 

[Reefer Brent]

I misspoke. I actually glued&screwed 3/4” ply on 3 sides so I would not lose space like with 2x4. Been this way for ten years and not a creak out of it. Sorry for the craptastic photo but should give you an idea.

Great idea!

 

[The_Paradox]

Thought of this as well.. just trying to see how and keep the drawer.

3/4” ply. It’s thin enough drawers should work fine.

 

[The_Paradox]

I used to use butch tops but more recently have switched to bamboo stair treads. They are much more durable and take stain and urethane just as easy. Here is one that I recently used for my portable reloading station. It’s 28x28.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Counter weight was just over 750 pounds and routinely have 300+ pounds on top of it.

 

[Reefer Brent]

I used to use butch tops but more recently have switched to bamboo stair treads. They are much more durable and take stain and urethane just as easy. Here is one that I recently used for my portable reloading station. It’s 28x28.

I'll look into those as well. Thanks!

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

for that price you could also do a 4040 Aluminum extrusion

 

[Reefering1]

I used to use butch tops but more recently have switched to bamboo stair treads. They are much more durable and take stain and urethane just as easy. Here is one that I recently used for my portable reloading station. It’s 28x28.

Nice. What is that, .223?

 

[The_Paradox]

Nice. What is that, .223?

6.5. I progressive reload .223. I’m not one of those guys trying to shoot 500m >moa with a 22.

 

[Reefering1]

6.5. I progressive reload .223. I’m not one of those guys trying to shoot 500m >moa with a 22.

Gotcha.. my .300 blackout is dialed in @ 100, most fun inside 60(practically point and shoot). The longest range around here is 200, not really a fan. I like dumping 40 at a time and see how close I can group them. Best is a basketball sized group of 40, fired in about 35 seconds @100 yards

 

[The_Paradox]

Gotcha.. my .300 blackout is dialed in @ 100, most fun inside 60(practically point and shoot). The longest range around here is 200, not really a fan. I like dumping 40 at a time and see how close I can group them. Best is a basketball sized group of 40, fired in about 35 seconds @100 yards

I’m spoiled here between DoD and PRS. Several public ranges here are 1000+ and if I’m over at school house the impact range spans over 18 miles so….

 

[JMstar50]

So thinking this plywood 24x24x34.5h cabinet would be stronger than the MDF junk my aquatop 40 cube came with. It uses 1/2in plywood for the box with thermofoil doors. Would use a stained butcher block as the top. Good or horrible idea?

Tank is basically 22x22x22 and weighs 45 lbs
20lbs sand
Prob 30lb reef tree rock.
40 gallons × 8.6lbs is 344lbs of water

Quick Google says 600lb capacity for kitchen cabinets but that's super vague.

First off this will be my first Reef
. I’ve been a fresh water planted guy for years. I just built a stand to look like my kitchen cabinets. I’ve never done woodworking but after looking at available options and not seeing anything reasonable especially taking shipping into consideration. I watched some YouTube videos of fish keepers builds. in most cases I felt they were basically good for showing me what not to do, after all this is going in my wife’s very well decorated living room so I knew it had to look good. I watched a couple woodworking vids discovered pocket hole jigs and decided I was gonna take on a new Hobby and learn woodworking. I bought all the power tools including an HLVP sprayer and the materials it ended up costing more than the stand would have but I will never buy a stand or use big box subpar stands again. Not to mention I’m now refinishing furniture and Building a shed in my backyard. Now I have a stand made out of top quality 3/4 Baltic birch and poplar Hardwood with screwed and glued joints. No more cam lock particle board with exposed edges. I caulked every joint and Sprayed it with two coats of exterior grade primer and top of the line Sherwin Williams Urethane semi gloss. I am still waiting for my leveling legs they got lost in the mail over the holidays I went with 8 legs low profile and rated at 330 each. If had not had to purchase the tools I could have done the build for around 400 bucks. The challenge was to get the 72g tank flush with the stand and still fit the 40 breeder inside and have room for bracing. It just fit. Only thing I might end up doing is putting a wider piece of 3/4 in the middle of the back for peace of mind. The piece I went with is about 5” wide. I might do that At some point. I have quite awhile to wait before I’ll be filling the tank. Holidays always crush my budget lol. Last pic is my kitchen cabinet for reference.