Finally got a deal on this 225 gallon monster

[FreahSaltyGuy]

First off thanks to @Arvin R for being there every step of the way to help me find a great tank that would work. THANK YOU ARVIN!!
I found this 225 gal tank for $100 with stand, sump that is to small for it lol (will upgrade) and a decent Skimz Skimmer. The story is from the LFS workers who had it at their home that their friend is moving to Florida, sold off the fish and corals and didn't have time to sell the tank before he had to leave. He gave emptied it out 2 weeks ago and told them if they came and got it it was theirs for free. So they did but quickly realized how heavy it is and would be with water in it over wood raised floors ina home built in the 1940's over a basement. So I got a deal of a lifetime!
It was very dirty with a lot of sand in it when I got it. Spent last 2 days really cleaning it up and boy does it shine like new. 2 very fine hairline a scratches on the front but not worth messing with, and the black background he put in the back will need to be redone, other than that it's in perfect shape with good seals.
This will take me some time to build out and get going as I have a lot of parts to buy still and plumbing to figure out as well but I will also be gone for the summer on vacation so it will need to wait until I return.
But stay tuned as I transform the beast.
Thanks again for this awesome site and I'm sure I'll be leaning into a lot of you in the future for ideas and recommendations.

 

[FreahSaltyGuy]

I do have a question. Can someone please explain to me how the stand that comes with this tank will hold it when full of water? It looks like the 2 crossbeams are all that support it? Is this true? I thought it would sit on the inner lip that goes around the inside of the cabinet , but those crossbeams sit about 1/2"-3/4" higher.

Thanks!

 

[H2OPlayar]

I would consider adding another couple cross members, then putting a piece of finished plywood across the top to support the tank evenly across the entire bottom.

 

[PjFish]

Same thoughts as H2O then add one of those self leveling foam mats over the plywood. I'd recommend marine grade plywood if you go that route countersinking screws then paint the edges black.

 

[Coral reefer]

Cross beams are not meant to support the weight. Glass tank should have the entire edge (rim) supported

 

[Coral reefer]

I also don’t see an inner lip. Pretty sure it’s meant to sit on the top edge

 

[FreahSaltyGuy]

Cross beams are not meant to support the weight. Glass tank should have the entire edge (rim) supported

But is that what is happening with this stand?

 

[FreahSaltyGuy]

Ahhh yes I see it now it does sit on top. Measuring first would have told me that lol. Sooooo on that note it's hard to believe this stand can hold all that weight. Besides adding some 2x4 crossbeams would it be wiser to:

A Add reinforcements and add the plywood top like you all have suggested

OR

B Sell this one cheap and build a new stand myself (not greatest at building things like this lol) using 2x4 or 2x6?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Build a new stand!!
You have NO WARRANTY
While it will probably hold...
There is nothing in that stand that is thicker than you finger!
If it fails, you have more than just water everywhere

Just my $0.02

 

[Coral reefer]

You could more easily add strength to that than build one new if you aren’t good at building things.

 

[FreahSaltyGuy]

You could more easily add strength to that than build one new if you aren’t good at building things.

That's what I was thinking. How would I go about doing that. Use 2x4 or 2x6?

Thanks!

 

[Reefinglens]

Two 2x4 verticals jointed together at each corner and a 2x4 drilled into the back of each of those 1x4s in the middle then ply sheet for the tank to rest on should do it. Though I don’t personally think the ply is necessary since the tank has a frame.

Keep in mind you’ll lose a lot of space in the cabinet too though.

 

[richiev]

Can you clarify one more time what "sits on top" means? Do you mean the tank sits on top of the 2x4 rectangular frame? Assuming so, can you clarify how the top frame is supported by the sides?

Looking at the pic it looks like the top frame is screwed into the outside of the sides. If so that'd be my main concern, and it feels like that's sketchy.

I am not a structural engineer though. The first stand I built a long long time ago was made out of 2x4s, 1x6s, and plywood. I assumed it was going to collapse as soon as 100gal of aquarium + sand + rocks were on it. I after-the-fact learned it probably could've held not only the tank, but could've probably held up the house the tank was in as well. The mass produced stands out there are certainly cost concious, but the mass producers also have actual engineers doing the calcs and are not trying to have people's tanks fall over. It might be worthwhile to take a look at some of the stands out there (at people's places, or LFS) and compare to get an idea of yours versus theirs.

However only having the top held in place by some shear support and it not really being supported underneath would freak me out. I didn't think screws are meant to hold weight in that way. I'd think some corner supports would solve that (ala what's suggested above), but I don't see how you'd do that and not have it look ugly AF.

At a minimum I'd then add some cross supports at the edges, with the intention of having it sit as much as possible on top of the sides of the stand. Not sure that's going to be safe, but would be some improvement.