do you think it will hold?

[Kensington Reefer]

So I have a 300 gallon acrylic 96"x30"x24"h that I need to fill and text for leaks.
I have 2 150gal rubbermaid bins.
My thought is to turn the 2 tubs upside down and put the tank on top of them
thoughts on the strength of the tubs?

 

[Bruce Spiegelman]

2500 Pounds with a gap in the middle? Ummm... no.

 

[jccaclimber]

1) I'm assuming you mean empty, but are you intending to water test?
2) My 300 gallon acrylic tank, 3/4" thick, is the same dimensions and comes in just north of 300 pounds. Would the bins hold, sure, probably, for a while, in an unstable manner, if you don't do any water testing. If one of them does start to collapse it's going to go all the way hough.

If it were me I'd use some wooden blocks (or boards cut to 2'-3' sections), or even cement blocks plus some plywood instead.

 

[euod]

You could fill the bins with water.
Just leave tank flat on ground.
Oh yeah, you live on a 90 degree cliff

 

[Bruce Spiegelman]

More importantly -- where the heck are you going to fit a 300 gallon? New addition?

 

[jccaclimber]

I just re-read the OP. The first time I read it as "fix and test for leaks" not "fill and test for leaks". In light of that NO, IT WILL NOT HOLD. Why not just put it on a few foam blocks on the floor then use a small pump (or a garden hose to the outside if you have a hill handy) to drain it? If you're on a remotely planar surface (or shimmed to be on one) a strip of foam every 4-6" will be sufficient as a support surface. Likely even less, but no sense pushing things.

I probably have enough chunks and strips of pink foam left over from shipping my tank out here if you want to come by and borrow them for a while, if not a hardware store and 20 minutes with a razor blade solves the problem.

 

[jccaclimber]

You could fill the bins with water.
Just leave tank flat on ground.
Oh yeah, you live on a 90 degree cliff

What does filling the bins with water do?

 

[ashburn2k]

He was trolling


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[euod]

Lol
You can put water in bins as support

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Hmmmm
Thanks for the thoughts

Best fishes and happy reefing

 

[Chromis]

It would probably crush the bins, the strength of those Rubbermaids is in the cross sectional strength to hold against the water pressure, a vertical load of that kind of weight would likely crush them.

 

[rygh]

Sounds like a great viral video.
If you do it, make sure to film the "fun".
I actually think there is a decent chance the bins might hold though. Yes, even 2500 pounds.
Plastic columns can be surprisingly strong in compression if forces are balanced perfectly.
And those big commercial bins are tough.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

I could add 4 8’ 2x4 for some support

Don’t worry
You’ll all know because I’ll be asking for some muscle to move the tank
Doh!!

 

[rygh]

Another option:
Are you testing for structural, or just pinholes in the seams.
You can just put a couple of inches of water in it, and flip it around.
Test normal + on face + on back.

Me:
I would probably dig a level spot in the dirt, and put down a 3/4 sheet of Styrofoam wall insulation.
That foam is cheap.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

The plan is to fill it up and see if it fails

 

[xcaret]

Bins or the Stock Tanks?

 

[Wlachnit]

Sounds like a great viral video.
If you do it, make sure to film the "fun".
I actually think there is a decent chance the bins might hold though. Yes, even 2500 pounds.
Plastic columns can be surprisingly strong in compression if forces are balanced perfectly.
And those big commercial bins are tough.

Really?.... I’m not an engineer but I would take the under on this bet all day long!

 

[Flagg37]

I’m not sure which bins you’re planning on using but my kids flip my bins upside down and climb on them and they squash ever time.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

this bin
https://www.rubbermaidcommercial.com/material-handling/farm-garden/stock-tanks/?sku=FG424500BLA
upside down
long side to long side
4 8' 2x4 straddling the 2 bins
tank on top
fill, and let sit over night

 

[rygh]

I guess bin was not a good term. I knew what you meant since I recently used one for my tank reboot.
A little kid will definitely not squash one of those playing on it.
They are designed to hold 1200 pounds, while getting bumped from large stock animals.
Each would "only" need to hold about 1500 pounds.
Maybe ... even probably.
The concern is if ground is not level and load gets unbalanced.

You have a relatively flat concrete deck area that should fit it, don't you?
Put an inch of sand or dirt down and make it level, then put a layer of styrofoam on top.