Serious Engineering problem...

[Mad Professor]

Well hello all, I have a serious engineering problem.

Acouple of months ago or late last year, I acquired a 10 gallon tank from a senior citizen that had died of medical problems. I already had a 10 gallon on regular furniture at that time. So I made a mad dash out to the nearest pet store and bought a 10Gal wooden aquarium stand. Well a few months after that someone from the same building threw out a 29 Gallon tall tank with stand. I didn't like the stand because it was degrading and in bad condition. I took the tank only. Sometime after I acquired the 29G tank, I made a post on how to clean it. I got that answered and now here I am at this time, wantting to use it.

MY PROBLEM:
The stand I bought at that time was only meant for a 10Gal, I came up with an idea to place filler board in between the stand and the extenstion board on top of that. But after I talked with my dad, and he said the stand was made of crest wood and it would buckle under the weight. He also said that a steel/iron stand would be much better for this solution. So I thought of my grandma because she has a steel/iron 10Gal stand for her little tank.

Now to get to the point of the problem, my question is would a 10Gal steel/iron stand work if I placed a WxDXxH 30"x12 1/2"x19" Hard wood board or a bit bigger over the stand and place the 29Gal tank on top of that. Would it work?
Would the iron stand buckle or break a weld after loading 400 pound tank on it?

Thanks
~Mp

 

[JeffreyL]

engineering problem

Sorry, but I think it would be very risky. First, you are right to be concerned with weight. A 29 is roughly 3 times the weight the stand is designed for. Another problem, perhaps more immediate is the tank cracking or developing a leak. A board, no matter how strong or dense is almost surely going to bend some, especially at the unsupported ends. It only takes a tiny bit of unevenness in the surface a tank sits on to cause problems. While yes, a tank will 'settle' slightly to conform to a less than perfect base, you are taking a chance. If you want to be brave and crazy, try it for a few weeks outside with no fish; but IMO, it just wont work long term. Sorry.

 

[Mad Professor]

Re: engineering problem

Sorry, but I think it would be very risky. First, you are right to be concerned with weight. A 29 is roughly 3 times the weight the stand is designed for. Another problem, perhaps more immediate is the tank cracking or developing a leak. A board, no matter how strong or dense is almost surely going to bend some, especially at the unsupported ends. It only takes a tiny bit of unevenness in the surface a tank sits on to cause problems. While yes, a tank will 'settle' slightly to conform to a less than perfect base, you are taking a chance. If you want to be brave and crazy, try it for a few weeks outside with no fish; but IMO, it just wont work long term. Sorry.

Well its not the bending that I'm concern with because its going to stick out 5"Wx1"D on each side, because the 10gal stand is WxDxH 20x110
Would it not be able to handle the width from within, saying that we place a almost perfectly measured filler board under the outside bottom part of the tank to keep preassure on the mainboard it self. Not only that but it would not matter if the tank of that sizes bends a bit, as seeing my 44 Gallon stand warped from sitting on the slightly uneven wooden floor for so long, plus the joist beams of the house being uneven it wouldn't matter.
It looks physically possible,
I just don't want to go out and buy another stand and get stuck with the wood one.

 

[An t-iasg]

I agree with JeffreyL. I wouldn't be comfortable with the board itself being unsupported at the ends. Also, the 10 gallon wrought iron stand has a weight limit. The one I was using for awhile said to place no more than 150 pounds on it. That would be the 10 gallon tank, plus about 10 pounds per gallon from water/gravel, plus a little leeway. I wouldn't be comfortable with placing a 29 gallon tank and all its water/gravel weight on a stand only designed for 10 gallons.

 

[JeffreyL]

engineering problem

Okay, sounds like you have thought this out more than I realised earlier. And boy, do I go along with wanting to use what ya gots and not buy new. lol I think your first concern of weight is still a problem, though. 3 times what a stand was designed for is a lot. But if you think it will work, go for it and again, good luck!!!!! May the fish gods smile on you.

 

[Mad Professor]

Re: engineering problem

Okay, sounds like you have thought this out more than I realised earlier. And boy, do I go along with wanting to use what ya gots and not buy new. lol I think your first concern of weight is still a problem, though. 3 times what a stand was designed for is a lot. But if you think it will work, go for it and again, good luck!!!!! May the fish gods smile on you.

Yeah I've been thinking about it for the last 3 months. I kept saying to myself where the hell am I going to put it?
But after hearing An t-iasg say there might be a weight limit on it, that got me to question the stand crediabilty?
But now everything stuck on hold because I just broke my chair about an hour ago... So now I have to decide to either get a new chair or stand?
Maybe I'll go and get a second hand one then buy a new stand... LOL
This sucks.............

 

[Stretch]

If you want to save money that bad. Just get creative with some cinder blocks and 2x12s. After you get the right design, cover it with a sheet.

 

[Mad Professor]

If you want to save money that bad. Just get creative with some cinder blocks and 2x12s. After you get the right design, cover it with a sheet.

I'M NOT CHEAP!!!! But that would really work wouldn't it?!?!
I think we just had a redneck moment....
Naw I think I'll play it safe and get one that can double stack Two 29Gal tanks if there are any out there..
Thanks for helping out, I just wasn't sure....

 

[Stretch]

I think it would work, my friend made a whole entertainment center out of the same materials!

 

[Lonewolfblue]

As you should know, the most important part of the tank to support is all 4 edges. As long as all 4 edges are supported, you will always be fine. But for a 10G stand, even with a board on it, it will have flex undet that kind of weight and you won't get the support at the edges, as the 10G stand is a lot smaller. And even if it would hold the weight of the tank, it won't give proper support and the tank would probably bust a seal.

 

[Mad Professor]

Actually it doesn't matter now, because I shot the idea down an hour ago. Why? Because my dad thinks a 65$ Bi-Level 29/20Gal Stand is too expensive, along with the running cost/setup and stocking, Since the stores around Orlando Fl suck ass, and cost too much.
I'm feeling a bit depress now because I was all excited about finally getting to the 29Gal then it gets shot down with no hope.

Life sucks PERIOD!

 

[jrp1588]

buy it yourself. lol. I've always supported my own fish hobby on a lawn mowers wages.

 

[noncentric]

If you decide to set-up the 29-gal, then you could build a sturdy stand using 2x4's and pywood. Here's a site http://www.garf.org/ that will give you instructions and a list of materials, so you could price it at your local hardware store.

Good luck!

 

[Idealconcepts]

I agree with noncentric, build a stand yourself. I don't work with wood very much but was able to make a very simple stand, way over built for, about $80-$90 for a 55gal. In the next few months I plan to build one for a 180gal tank. I think you could build one for your 29gal for around $20-$30 and can be sturdier than a stand you purchase. Look at stands you can purcahse at LFS or LPS, most are made with MDF and no heavy supports. You can get away with making a stand with just a level, ruller, drill, saw, screw driver, and the materials for the stand. You can also stain or paint the stand to match other wood in your house or a color you specifically like. See if you dad will help you make it, one way to reduce cost and also get yourself more involved with the hobby,

 

[Mad Professor]

Yeah well its not that I don't have the money, one is I'm 19 but I lost my job recently, But starting a new one soon in august. Two my dad was trying to discourage me from setting up another tank. Since my parents are deaf, we have communication failures all the time. I finally figure out what the problem was, he thought I was going to setup the extra 10Gal in a different area eating up more space.. So I explained my idea a bit more thorough, and Today I got a Iron Wrought bi-level Stand for my 29Gal. I can tell you now that trying my idea above was outdone and pretty risky when comparing it to a 10Gal wrought iron stand.

Well Anyways, heres the new battle plan:

I'm going to setup my 29Gal on the bottom Bi-Level of the 29Gal stand and placing maybe 30 1/4"x12 1/2"x1" or 1 1/2" Thick wood board on top of the 29Gal stand placing the 10Gal Tank/2.5 QT Next to it Making a new table top on there. I will take my wooden 10gal Stand and the Out of Service tank and place it in my bedroom, for a later setup.

But heres my problem the 29Gal does fit, but if you are facing the stand, the tank sticks out about 1/4" or so, and it concerns me. After investigating why it won't go all the way, it seems that the black straping on the bottom of the tank in the back left corner was not fully press against the tank when the bottom was resealed by the original owner.
So I'm guessing it won't hurt as much just as long as the rest of the tank sits on the firm railings.

My second problem is the 10Gal sitting on the wooden board on top of the 29Gal Stand. Since I'm a bit concern with the bending of 130 pounds of a 10Gal sitting on a 1" or 1 1/2" board.
Is this even a good Idea???

LoL

~Mp

 

[tropicfishman]

hey I support mine to on lawn mowing to sometimes with the carpentry bussiness is dead, heck just alst night I went to my friends house and put together his new baby crib for a 21 dollar bottle of purigen lol

 

[trotty]

The things we do......

 

[jrp1588]

lol, I like your avatar Mad Prof