Am I being an idiot? Please help me decide.

[Cobrasvt1999]

So Im trying to finally get a new display set up in our living room, and I cant decide if I have just had a visit from the bad idea fairy or not.....


My wife finally decided on a cabinet to act as the stand, and I had a 20 gallon rimless laying around that I was thinking to put on it. However, now that im actually looking at it, it seems it would nearly perfectly fit a 40 gallon breeder tank. The only issue is that the width is about 0.25 in short. My thinking is.... I simply add a 1x3 in board along the back, painted to match the rest of the cabinet and supported with two 1x3 vertical boards. All of this screwed into the main frame of the cabinet. This would give me more than the required quarter inch of width for the aquarium to rest on. Is this a stupid idea? should I just stick with the smaller 20 gallon?

I believe the cabinet will support the weight of a 40 gallon, but I will have to test this. probably by taking it outside and sticking 60ish gallons of water on it in 5 gallon buckets and waiting for it to either fail or not... and yes, the outlet above the tank will have to be replaced with a GFCI regardless of what tank I end up with... so thats on the todo as well..


Please, share your thoughts, or poke holes in my idea!

Edit: probably also worth mentioning that this is real wood. Not mfd or any composite material....

 

[majano lover]

i'm doing that with my 10g and it seems totally fine + i bump into it all the time

 

[JumboShrimp]

So you need to beef-up a 1/4" to hold a tank of that size? Shouldn't be a problem (assuming you're not using balsa wood... Lol!)

 

[Cobrasvt1999]

i'm doing that with my 10g and it seems totally fine + i bump into it all the time

Yeah, just worried about the increased weight of a 40 gallon... And a tad worried about the cabinets ability to hold that weight especially with the lip I need to add....

So you need to beef-up a 1/4" to hold a tank of that size? Shouldn't be a problem (assuming you're not using balsa wood... Lol!)

I'll use nothing but the finest of lumbers that the esteemed lumber experts of Home Depot possess!

 

[JumboShrimp]

(Of course I was addressing your add-on issue; I can't speak to the cabinet itself, without being there to sit on it myself.)

 

[Fish Fan]

What I might do is get a piece of 3/4" plywood cut to the dimensions of the 40B, and then center that on top of the cabinet so that it overhangs by 1/8" where the cabinet is too short. A little iron on edge banding on the plywood, and a white paint job, and I think it would look good and be quite functional as it would fully support the tank.

I too too 'sit' on pieces of furniture to judge how solid they'd be as a fish tank stand

 

[gbroadbridge]

So Im trying to finally get a new display set up in our living room, and I cant decide if I have just had a visit from the bad idea fairy or not.....


My wife finally decided on a cabinet to act as the stand, and I had a 20 gallon rimless laying around that I was thinking to put on it. However, now that im actually looking at it, it seems it would nearly perfectly fit a 40 gallon breeder tank. The only issue is that the width is about 0.25 in short. My thinking is.... I simply add a 1x3 in board along the back, painted to match the rest of the cabinet and supported with two 1x3 vertical boards. All of this screwed into the main frame of the cabinet. This would give me more than the required quarter inch of width for the aquarium to rest on. Is this a stupid idea? should I just stick with the smaller 20 gallon?

I believe the cabinet will support the weight of a 40 gallon, but I will have to test this. probably by taking it outside and sticking 60ish gallons of water on it in 5 gallon buckets and waiting for it to either fail or not... and yes, the outlet above the tank will have to be replaced with a GFCI regardless of what tank I end up with... so thats on the todo as well..


Please, share your thoughts, or poke holes in my idea!

Edit: probably also worth mentioning that this is real wood. Not mfd or any composite material....

Not commenting on the stand, but the outlet above the tank is a recipe for disaster.
I'd move (or remove) the outlet if you really want the tank in that position.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Good eye on that point!

 

[Asm481]

I like the plywood idea most. Could be 1/2 inch with that little overhang. Also agree the outlet needs to not be above the tank there. It will corrode with saltwater so close and short out.

 

[Cobrasvt1999]

(Of course I was addressing your add-on issue; I can't speak to the cabinet itself, without being there to sit on it myself.)

What I might do is get a piece of 3/4" plywood cut to the dimensions of the 40B, and then center that on top of the cabinet so that it overhangs by 1/8" where the cabinet is too short. A little iron on edge banding on the plywood, and a white paint job, and I think it would look good and be quite functional as it would fully support the tank.

I too too 'sit' on pieces of furniture to judge how solid they'd be as a fish tank stand

I have already done the sit test and it passed with flying colors! Just now worried about the double the weight challenge of going to a 40b... I don't quite weigh that much thankfully. Gonna use the 'crap ton of buckets o' water' method... Though my wife would be ticked if it failed and collapsed.... Would rather have that happen outside thank with my tank and inside....

Not commenting on the stand, but the outlet above the tank is a recipe for disaster.
I'd move (or remove) the outlet if you really want the tank in that position.

Good eye on that point!

The outlet I was hoping just to replace it with a GFCI. Though it really wouldn't be too hard to delete it and put in a blanking plate.

 

[Cobrasvt1999]

I like the plywood idea most. Could be 1/2 inch with that little overhang. Also agree the outlet needs to not be above the tank there. It will corrode with saltwater so close and short out.

Fair enough. Enough people say delete it, so the outlet must go... I like the plywood idea as well, just a bit more complicated than the 1x3 strips of lumber, but it would provide additional support for sure...

 

[Ziggy17]

I’m a fan of overbuilding, so I would want the lip supports to make contact with the floor the same way the cabinet does. So two legs the same thickness of the overhang Weill give you full support and a false back. Paint it up and you’re good to go. You could even stagger them slightly inside the cabinet to hide them.

Again, I overbuild and never wonder if….

 

[Staghorn]

As far as the outlet goes, you can probably switch it to a GFCI and put a white bell box cover on it, which is rated for moisture. As far as adding on the quarter inch definitely going with a piece of lumber on top that extends beyond will be fine. As far as the sit test, I would suggest a more complex test, which is the sit and wiggle.

 

[Fish Fan]

Fair enough. Enough people say delete it, so the outlet must go... I like the plywood idea as well, just a bit more complicated than the 1x3 strips of lumber, but it would provide additional support for sure...

I don't believe that 1 piece of plywood cut to roughly 36.5"x18.5" is more complicated than 1 horizontal 1x3, supported by two vertical 2x3's. You would simply lay the piece of plywood flat on your cabinet.

But that said, I re-read your original post, and I now see what you're trying to do, and I believe it would be fine, and wouldn't change the look of your cabinet, like paying a piece of plywood on top of the cabinet would. So if you'd prefer that, then by all means go for it, it would be plenty of support

 

[Cobrasvt1999]

I’m a fan of overbuilding, so I would want the lip supports to make contact with the floor the same way the cabinet does. So two legs the same thickness of the overhang Weill give you full support and a false back. Paint it up and you’re good to go. You could even stagger them slightly inside the cabinet to hide them.

Again, I overbuild and never wonder if….

I would normally agree with making it go to the floor, but that would completely mess with the looks of the cabinet, so Ill have to settle with the built in legs of the cabinet, which are simply blocks of wood, so I should be good.

As far as the outlet goes, you can probably switch it to a GFCI and put a white bell box cover on it, which is rated for moisture. As far as adding on the quarter inch definitely going with a piece of lumber on top that extends beyond will be fine. As far as the sit test, I would suggest a more complex test, which is the sit and wiggle.

Probably easiest to simply delete the outlet and blank it.... 5 min of work and then I dont have a outlet enclosure sitting above my tank. As for the sit and wiggle, im probably gonna up it a small bit and have TWO people sit and wiggle! much success will be had.... I hope....

I don't believe that 1 piece of plywood cut to roughly 36.5"x18.5" is more complicated than 1 horizontal 1x3, supported by two vertical 2x3's. You would simply lay the piece of plywood flat on your cabinet.

But that said, I re-read your original post, and I now see what you're trying to do, and I believe it would be fine, and wouldn't change the look of your cabinet, like paying a piece of plywood on top of the cabinet would. So if you'd prefer that, then by all means go for it, it would be plenty of support

I take your point, Just meant I would have to get a 4x8 sheet of 1/4in and thats a tad pricy. My thinking is still with the 1x3 to give myself the added depth and a foam pad to take out any weird inconsistencies...

 

[Fish Fan]

I take your point, Just meant I would have to get a 4x8 sheet of 1/4in and thats a tad pricy. My thinking is still with the 1x3 to give myself the added depth and a foam pad to take out any weird inconsistencies...

You can buy 1/2 and 1/4 sheets, and I would suggest using 3/4" ply not 1/4" ply.

But again, I re-read your original post, and I think you're fine to use the 1x3's as you are planning

 

[Cobrasvt1999]

You can buy 1/2 and 1/4 sheets, and I would suggest using 3/4" ply not 1/4" ply.

But again, I re-read your original post, and I think you're fine to use the 1x3's as you are planning

dang typo, sorry. meant to say 3/4.... Ok, I appreciated all the thoughts and info! helps me realize that bigger isnt always worse in this case!

Do you think im ok with just a foam topper between the cabinet and the tank or should I go with a full piece of ply?

 

[ScottD]

I take your point, Just meant I would have to get a 4x8 sheet of 1/4in and thats a tad pricy. My thinking is still with the 1x3 to give myself the added depth and a foam pad to take out any weird inconsistencies...

You can buy 1/2 and 1/4 sheets, and I would suggest using 3/4" ply not 1/4" ply.

But again, I re-read your original post, and I think you're fine to use the 1x3's as you are planning

Another option would be to take 4 pieces of 1x3 and lay them flat on top of the cabinet and make a frame and sit the tank on top of it. If it’s a standard 40 breeder with the plastic frame than it’s only the outside edge that sits on the cabinet.

 

[D'sreef]

I definitely like the plywood idea, but what does the center support look like?

 

[Cobrasvt1999]

I definitely like the plywood idea, but what does the center support look like?

Not a huge amount honestly. I seem to recall most of the force being in the corners, so I was kinda hoping for that, but there is a decent 1x3 set on its side as the edge that the top rests on.