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How sturdy are AGA Aqueon stands?

jokeman73

jokeman73

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Hello,

I am new to BAR and am trying to get back into the hobby as I have been stationed in Spain for the past 4 years. I just moved to Suisun City near Travis AFB about 6 months ago and have already gone from a 24 JBJ nano to a 90 bowfront and now (with thanks from craigslist) I am ready to start up a 150.

The water is all ready to go (mixed in the tank), but I am getting nervous with the weight on the stand that came with the tank. It is a mission style AGA Aqueon stand that was brand new; but looking at the build (laminated wood and not the best construction) it seems a lot of weight for such a skimpy stand. I believe the weight of water and tank is in the 1800 lb area and plan on adding 200 lbs of sand and at leadt that in rock. Should I look for another stand or trust this one? The tank doesn't budge for right now and is perfectly level. I would hate to be under the tank working on the sump and it decides to give way (death I am sure). It is one of those things that you don't get any warning before the structure decides to fail.

I am thinking of having a stand and top built instead but hate to cough up the 1500 smackers for it (wife won't have just a 2X4 frame or cinder blocks in living room). that I can spend on lighting or corals. Please give any feedback on this subject; especially if you have one or know someone that does. Thanks
 
Cheapest would be to simply make the AGA stand stronger.
Add a set of 2x4's, or cut up 3/4 ply, to create an internal strengthening framework.
Takes up a bit of room for your sump, but gives peace of mind.
Much easier to do BEFORE you have water in it.
Make sure you think about sump/equipment placement during the design.

Not a bad idea to be paranoid, here in earthquake country.
 
holy crap! I forgot about the earthquakes around here... I think I'll opt for the custom stand and canopy... I don't think this stand could uphold the slightest tremor. I thought about beefing this stand up but attaching real wood to press-board would just make the screws spin and wood glue would only attach to the paper coating... I got the setup for under $700.00 so I guess I might as well cough up some money for peace of mind. Thanks for the advice.
 
Making a stand isn't that hard if you have tools and space to cut & screw wood together. The plans for making a stand are pretty straighforward, a lot of 2 x 4s, plywood, and some skin to make it look pretty. Kind of a fun project if you're at all into woodworking, if not you won't regret a custom stand. If you go the custom stand, consider adding a collapsible shelf and you'll have a small shelf that comes in handy. the hinges are less than $20 for them and you can get them at woodcraft.
 
IMO, if you keep it clean, it will last a while. You can add some plywood inside to make it stronger.

Welcome to BAR!!!
 
I would only use that Aqueon stand if you bought it from a dealer, so that you might have a warrenty incase anything does go wrong
just my 2 cents worth
 
manufactured stands are adequate enough for use in the hobby however i found out that its prone to damage in a saltwater setup, i would reinforce that with 2x4's as suggested above. Also, in areas where the likelihood of saltwater will be present from drips or otherwise accidental spill will occur I suggest to spray the material with clear lacquer varnish this will act as the primary protective cover before salt water is absorb by the wood. Obviously you would not want to spray your door panels or areas of the cabinet that will be facing your audiences unless you have a steady hand or familiar in this field.
I recently upgraded my reef stand and canopy custom built by NemoMarine Aquariums, yes it's quite expensive but the quality and craftsmanship is worth every penny i spend. http://www.nemomarine.com/portfolio.html. Only top quality materials are use, real cherry wood and Marine wood.
Welcome to Bar!!!
 
jokeman73 said:
holy crap! I forgot about the earthquakes around here... I think I'll opt for the custom stand and canopy... I don't think this stand could uphold the slightest tremor. I thought about beefing this stand up but attaching real wood to press-board would just make the screws spin and wood glue would only attach to the paper coating... I got the setup for under $700.00 so I guess I might as well cough up some money for peace of mind. Thanks for the advice.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum! Mario (xcaret) makes really cool custom stands from plywood. I would suggest sending him a private message to see if he could give you a quote, but realized that you're not yet a member, so that's not an option. ;) (Membership has a lot of privileges). Here's an example of a nano stand he recently made:
http://www.bareefers.org/home/node/12644
 
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