Oyster_-
Active Member
So I bought this stand a while back and it was too wobbly, but I recently got it fixed and now I’m wondering if this overhang is okay. This stand was made just for this tank so I’m assuming it will be okay. What do you think?
Is this stand okay?
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Personally I really wouldn't risk it that stand doesn't appear to be very well constructed and the overhang in the front could put too much pressure on that seam. Can't see how it's braced though so I could be wrong. Is the whole stand just mdf?
I would frame the inside in with 2x4 and put 3/4 inch plywood on top so the whole aquarium is supported. On the inside all you have to do is build a box on top and bottom with a support every 18 inches if your span isn't far then just the corners as uprights. Basically think of two boxes with legs connecting them and a cross brace front to back on the top box. I hope I described it well enough. Mdf doesn't support much weight and swells if it gets wet so it's best to have the inside framed carrying the weight with the mdf just there for aesthetics. Those boards attached to the back won't help muchYes it is all mdf. We had someone brace it in the back with some sort of pvc board I believe.
malacoda
Valuable Member
Sorry, but that stand wasn't properly made for that tank and, as it is right now, is a HUGE risk.
I'd originally replied with some reasons why and what you could do to fix them. But, given that is an incorrectly sized stand made of MDF reinforces with pvc boards (which likely have flex), it's not really worth trying to salvage.
Probably best to just replace the stand with something off the shelf from Waterbox, Red Sea, Innovative Marine etc. As long as they have a stand that is the same size as the bottom of your tank ... or slightly bigger, it would work just fine.
I'd originally replied with some reasons why and what you could do to fix them. But, given that is an incorrectly sized stand made of MDF reinforces with pvc boards (which likely have flex), it's not really worth trying to salvage.
Probably best to just replace the stand with something off the shelf from Waterbox, Red Sea, Innovative Marine etc. As long as they have a stand that is the same size as the bottom of your tank ... or slightly bigger, it would work just fine.
Last edited:
Oyster_-
Active Member
It’s 15 gallons, and the reason I’ve been trying so hard to make this stand work is because the dimensions of the tank are pretty weird, so there is no other stand that I can buy that will support it. I’m also not 100% sure it’s MDF, I’ll double check when I get home.
For 150lbs of tank and water, this stand is sufficient…
The front pane only overhanging is technically acceptable, despite looking strange… the force on the silicone seams is predominantly outward, from water pressure… the overhang just means the silicone also holds up the maybe 10-15lbs max that the front pane actually weighs!
The bottom pane being fully supported is the critical thing here, given that it can physically bend due to water pressure if it does not have thorough support!
The pictured rear bracing likely helps with it being wobbly, though I would be concerned about water getting into the particle board through the fastener holes in the particle board’s skin… consider some 2x2 or 2x4 legs inside the rear of the stand from top to bottom that you can screw the rear/sides of the stand into, guaranteeing the screws are in real wood that won’t allow them to easily tear out!
The front pane only overhanging is technically acceptable, despite looking strange… the force on the silicone seams is predominantly outward, from water pressure… the overhang just means the silicone also holds up the maybe 10-15lbs max that the front pane actually weighs!
The bottom pane being fully supported is the critical thing here, given that it can physically bend due to water pressure if it does not have thorough support!
The pictured rear bracing likely helps with it being wobbly, though I would be concerned about water getting into the particle board through the fastener holes in the particle board’s skin… consider some 2x2 or 2x4 legs inside the rear of the stand from top to bottom that you can screw the rear/sides of the stand into, guaranteeing the screws are in real wood that won’t allow them to easily tear out!
mfinn
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I would frame the inside with 2x2's and glue and screw everything.
Then find a top that gives the tank full support for the entire bottom.
Then find a top that gives the tank full support for the entire bottom.
Oyster_-
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Do you mean fully replace the top or add something over the existing one?
mfinn
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Instead of tearing it apart, I would try and find a piece of wood that would lay over the existing. Something with decorative edges.
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Maybe some pictures that show the entire front, side, inside, etc
This will probably work, assuming it’s no longer wobbling? (You don’t want someone bumping or leaning on it to cause a full collapse!)Here you go
I’d recommend adding multiple shims across the cabinet sides, just to distribute the load across a larger surface area, vs. that one little spot in a front corner holding a full 1/4 of the tank weight!
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