Are bathroom/kitchen cabinets strong enough?

[MSU Fan]

I currently have a 75gal on a bathroom style cabinet (the front bottom is recessed). In this tank I have about 10 gals of water and turtles, so weight is not too much of a concern. However, I will be turning this tank into a fish tank, and now I am concerned with the amount of weight 65+ gals of water will have with that front bottom recessed (see attached pic).

There is pretty much no chance that I am going to buy a new stand, so I will build a new one if the group here feels that the stand in question will not support the full tank weight (calc'ed: ~630lbs with 1" of sand substrate - however, I think that adding 10% weight just to be safe - so 700lbs).

TIA

 

[JDogg]

i do not think it will support the weight! someone correct me if i'm wrong

 

[JRagg]

I would be very very nervous putting that much weight on a countertop. The construction of those things is sketchy at best. They just aren't built for that much weight.

 

[davidtcb1]

Agreed.....scary thought.

 

[jsoong]

Agreed .... These cabinets will not support more that a couple hundred pounds .... when we put in a build in wall oven, the installer had to brace the cabinets. These euro-style cabinets has no support in the front and will collapse with any kind of weight on top.

I would build a new stand, or possibly brace the cabinet from the inside.

 

[dskidmore]

I think you could brace the existing cabinet. Make sure it has a strong back, front and cross members supporting the top surface. Might turn the existing front into a false front, and have a second structural upright above where that recessed foot is.

 

[MSU Fan]

Thanks all for the help...as the wife says: "Yeah, apparently we will be building a stand...."

I love DIY projects!

 

[Ky'smommy]

hmm. well with 75g i would not.
i have a 30 on my main counter. and across on the other side i have 12.5 gallons on the toher side. no problems yet.

i know my bil had a 55g on his for a few months no problems.
and i had my 10g on a diaper change table at one point no problems. but still with the weight of 75 i would not.

 

[JRagg]

If you do some digging someone posted some very good plans for a 75g tank with some replies as of a few weeks ago. Let me know if you can't find it, I've got it bookmarked on my home computer.

 

[SCFatz]

http://www.garf.org/index.html

Scroll down to DIY pages on the left.

 

[malkore]

Yeah, that cabinet looks nice, but in no way was ever built with the intention of supporting 700lbs continuously.

 

[MSU Fan]

This is great...I was planning on a DIY canopy, but then you have to make it somewhat match the look of the stand. Now I can do both and use the same materials...exact match!

 

[Toirtis]

I have a 30 on mine, but my cabinets are very sturdily-built, and even at that, I would not venture a 45 gallon.

 

[MattAquaBio]

From experience i can say dont even try it. You can stabalize it and that will work, add a lot of support, but as is theres no chance.

 

[MSU Fan]

Went to HD to pick out the trim and stuff...looks like the stand is going to run us <$130 in wood (with oak paneling), hardware, stain, supplies, and oak trim! I am so going to post pics! Now i have to design the canopy...well, not tonight!

thanks again everyone, we really appreciate not having a swimming pool in our dining room!

 

[MattAquaBio]

LOL no problem, thats what we are here for, but imagine an aquarium the size of your living room lol.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

LOL no problem, thats what we are here for, but imagine an aquarium the size of your living room lol.

Now there's another DIY project. LOL

 

[MattAquaBio]

LOL that would be awesome. I'd be willing to be theres also a few logistical difficulties with that

 

[dskidmore]

LOL that would be awesome. I'd be willing to be theres also a few logistical difficulties with that

It would help if you had a slab home instead of one with a basement. Of course, unless you have a very open house design, you wouldn't have near enough viewing area to justify the tank. Maybe you could use just half the livingroom, and have your couch facing a huge portal.

When I was a kid, I sketched out a house that had a huge aquarium in place of the front picture window. A second floor room allowed service access...

 

[MSU Fan]

[A second floor room allowed service access...]

Did someone say scuba?

EDIT:

ok, so I am a geek - my living room is ~12' x ~17', with 8' ceilings, so that is ~11,500 gallons! That means that a 30% PWC represents about 3,700 gallons. Seriously, how long would it take to do a 3,700 gallon PWC???? I think that I would need something a bit more substantial than my python for that!