Aquarium stand strength

[Warrior]

Hi, this is my first question, I’m setting up a 90 gal reef with a40 gal sump. I bought a stand for it but it’s made with 1” square tubing, is this strong enough or should it be 1 1/2” tubing. I appreciate any advice, thanks.

 

[Fish Fan]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

Could you give some more details on the stand that you purchased? Maybe post a picture of the stand?

 

[mcarroll]

Was the stand manufactured for this tank or is this something you're cobbling together as a set?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Pictures will help, I'm trying to picture a stand with "tubing" but maybe we are misunderstanding?

 

[RocketMan20]

Currently in the same boat for a 28 gallon lowboy, I want the tank stand to be 37x19x30, from what I could find online, 1in square tubing with 1/8 walls is what is recommended. No idea but tomorrow I'm going to the metal supermarket, I'll update with your question hopefully answered lol

 

[mcarroll]

Hi, this is my first question, I’m setting up a 90 gal reef with a40 gal sump. I bought a stand for it but it’s made with 1” square tubing, is this strong enough or should it be 1 1/2” tubing. I appreciate any advice, thanks.

1" x 1" x ??

Curious what thickness?

 

[Fish Fan]

Currently in the same boat for a 28 gallon lowboy, I want the tank stand to be 37x19x30, from what I could find online, 1in square tubing with 1/8 walls is what is recommended. No idea but tomorrow I'm going to the metal supermarket, I'll update with your question hopefully answered lol

Hello newer member!

Are you dead set on using metal for your stand (which is fine)? If you're open to wood, and your name is RocketMan20, you should really take a look at RocketEngineer's DIY stand plan. This is an ultra solid but very easy to build 2x4 frame that can be finished (if desired) in a number of ways to make it look "cabinet quality". I'm starting a 50 gallon Low Boy, and I'm going with a basic RocketEngineer 2x4 stand with no other embellishment, just the basic stand:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/basic-diy-stand-calculator.1138386/

Good luck!

 

[mfinn]

Welcome to R2R.
It would really help if you posted pictures, link to the website for the stand.

 

[RocketMan20]

Update- I called all the metal stores, metal fab's, and a few engineering businesses and no onecould give me a straight answer for a simple box design and I mean no one, so not sure for your setup, I let you down good sir lol. For my 28g low boy, home depot metal racks $90 is what I went with, the rack 800lbs max on each shelf, I am able to adjust the height to what I need and add braces with all the extra pieces, especially on the bottom so I can distribute the weight evenly instead of just four points, mine is only 270lbs ish, they have a heavier duty version as well. I'll be adding side paneling with a marble wrap and 2 front doors on the front for easy access to the equipment. I'll post pics when it's finished.

 

[RocketMan20]

Going with a metal rack due to weight, this is on the 2nd floor of our home. I see it and will be using that wooden setup for our downstairs tank

 

[mcarroll]

Going with a metal rack due to weight, this is on the 2nd floor of our home. I see it and will be using that wooden setup for our downstairs tank

Do you mean you want the stand to be heavier because it's going upstairs? (Tubing should be heavier than wood.)

 

[RocketMan20]

Do you mean you want the stand to be heavier because it's going upstairs? (Tubing should be heavier than wood.)

I wanted it lighter because it was going upstairs, The stand is only 25 lbs, I was wanting tubing the weight was going to be more which is okay it was in the wiggle room, but ended up being cheaper and lighter getting the rack.

 

[Fish Fan]

Going with a metal rack due to weight, this is on the 2nd floor of our home. I see it and will be using that wooden setup for our downstairs tank

How big is your tank? I had a 125 with a 55 sump on a second floor with a DIY wooden stand for years, with no problems.

 

[RocketMan20]

28g low boy, about 300lbs with everything set up and all the equipment and water jugs, the house is 100yrs old. Had to make it as light as possible.

 

[Fish Fan]

28g low boy, about 300lbs with everything set up and all the equipment and water jugs, the house is 100yrs old. Had to make it as light as possible.

300 pounds is a very large (American) person, and even a 100 year old house should be able to support a very large person or two in one place

If nothing else, it's two average people standing together in one place.

One thing that can help (though I think it's unnecessary here (though I'm not an engineer)!) is if your tank is running perpendicular to the floor joists underneath. I have the 50 gallon low boy that's 48" long, I believe yours is 30" or 36" long. If that length spans a couple of floor joists, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[mfinn]

28g low boy, about 300lbs with everything set up and all the equipment and water jugs, the house is 100yrs old. Had to make it as light as possible.

One thing that comes to mind reading this about the 100 year old house. The lumber was much bigger back then. 2x4's were actually 2x4+. Nails were much more robust. Lumber was actually the call out size, not what's normal and nominal now.
I think by now the house has settled into the shape it's going to be and isn't going to move.