55 gallon tank, safe on dresser????

[ralphlauren]

i just recently set up a 55 gallon tank on an old dresser i had. it is a solid built dresser very sturdy/stable, thick wood. it has legs on it, that make it stand 4-5 inches off the ground. i understand that the total weight of the tank with h20 and gravel is close to 600lbs. so after setting it up i realized that this dresser is strong, but is eventually gonna get stressed. and i am super paranoid about it now because the last thing i need is 55 gallons of water on the floor in my new apartment.

anyone with knowledge on the subject, do you think it will hold strong for a while? without seeing the dresser and relying on my word that its sturdy, do u think it will last, and if so, how long until i should buy a proper stand?

im new to the aquarium game, but my buddies have been into it while, as you can see this is my first post, so any help would be GREATLY appreciated! thank you

 

[donttaptheglass]

Well, can you post a pic of the tank and the dresser? First off, I can tell you that your weight estimate is a little off . . . 55 Gal tank with only water is about 650 lbs. Now add in 50lbs of rock or sand, your decorations, filters, pumps and other accoutraments, you're probably looking more in the arena of 750lbs. Best thing I can tell you is, would you want 4 full grown men standing on your dresser?

Keep in mind that while the dresser may be sturdy itself, it is only as sturdy as its legs, so if its got little spindly decorative legs, I wouldn't hold much stock in them, if its got big beefy sturdy legs, then you're probably ok. Even still, I'd look into a stand designed for it if you can. In addition to being built to withstand the weight, I just find it much cleaner looking to have the cabinet underneath to hide all your stuff (pumps, power strips and all the little things we keep to take care of our fish)

Don't know how much help that was, but good luck, and welcome to AA!

 

[QTOFFER]

Welcome to AA!!

Personally, I wouldn't risk it. Inevitably, the dresser will get bumped, and the joints will loosen and weaken. No matter how well the dresser was built, it was not designed to hold 600 pounds for an extended amount of time.

I'd buy or build a tankstand ASAP. Check CRaigslist and your local town paper classifieds for good deals.

 

[BrianNY]

If there's an element of doubt you'll never have peace of mind. Therefore you should get a proper stand. Safety first is an excellent rule even for the most experienced aquarist.

It's important to make sure the tank is level as well. You don't want uneven pressure stressing the silicone joints. Ideally you should have GFI recepticles and be very cautious when combining water and electrical components.

 

[talloulou]

Yeah, you might get away with using regular furniture for 10 gallons no problem and possibly even 20 gallons. But anything over that and you're just asking for trouble in my opinion. When your talking about substantial weight you really want a stand that was designed to handle it.

 

[An t-iasg]

I have a 5 gallon tank on a desk - one of those pieces of office furniture from Staples. But for a 55 gallon, I agree with everyone else - get a stand designed to hold the weight for a long period of time. You said you set the tank up - did you put water, gravel, fish, etc. in it yet? Take the time to get a good stand now, so you don't have to frantically empty a leaking tank and worry about the fish later.

 

[benda]

I can't answer your question as to whether the dresser is strong enough or not, but I'll give you this piece of advice. Once you get your tank set full of water, don't plan on moving it again - it's a pain in the butt.

As seen here http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70650 I started out with my 29 gallon on a small table for about a week, then decided it would be safer on a proper stand. I had to move it two times to get it on the stand and each time it took me about 2+ hours, plus a sore back.

 

[ralphlauren]

unfortunately i already set it up with water and gravel, so im lookin at a pain in the butt for sure!

thanx for the advice, i tried to tell my roomate, wouldnt listen!!!!!!!

nice forum u guys got here

 

[Rondory]

Benda,

Great to hear that you got a proper stand. That pictured scared me! 8O

thanx for the advice, i tried to tell my roomate, wouldnt listen!!!!!!!

Well, then get them to help you drain it and move it onto a proper stand. That will teach them to listen to You!