Aquarium stand

[washefuzzy]

I have a buffet which is now holding a 20 gal tank, 200lbs very nicely.
Now my question except for sitting 3x's 200lbs guy on top of the buffet how do I figure out if the buffet would hold a 60gal tank = 600lbs?  It is long enough and is sturdy built but I don't know. 

[fishycanuck]

I know of no other way - add 400lb worth of people to sit next to the tank and see if it creaks. In addition, you want to be sure the floor can take it.

[BigDaddy]

I wouldn't trust "actual" furniture to any tank greater than 20 gallons.

I've put 15 and 20 gallon tanks on dressers and such.  A 60 gallon though?  Peace of mind is worth the price of a proper stand in my opinion.

[washefuzzy]

Thanks folks. I didn't feel to brave about using furniture.
I live in an apartment building with cement floors I pretty sure it can take the weight. 

[darkdep]

I second BD.  20 gallons and less is generally fine...those are less than the weight of the average guy's butt

Anything bigger should be either on a commercial aquarium stand, or a constructed stand designed for that much weight. 

[washefuzzy]

Thanks Dark Dep for your fine thoughts. 

[Nerine]

today's furniture is mostly "cheap"....I had an old coffee table that we put piano casters on it, and put a 55 gal on but it was an OLD table and you could jump on it or a lot of people stand on it and it wouldn't budge (yes we tried the many people on it and it didn't creak once) good solid construction hehehe

but for sure get a proper stand!!

But I have to warn you Fuzzy....Soon you won't have anywhere to sleep

[washefuzzy]

You don't understand Nerine. I've actually got rid of one 10 gal and the 20 gal is almost empty. Mind you the 20 gal will be donated to Daisy Mai, dwarf hamster, for more running room.

The buffet I'm talking about is from the 70's. I bought it at a garage sale for $25. Much better constrution than anything I would find at Sears. For sure! 

I seemed to becoming overwhelmed with empty 10 gals. Hmmmm!

[beowulf]

Really depends on the piece of furniture and how it is made.  I use to have a 30g tank on night table type thing and never had any issues.  60g might be stretching it especially if the furniture is not made well.

[washefuzzy]

If I do manage to configure my living room to fit this elusive 60gal tank I will splurge  and get a stand. 

[Danni]

Now that I think about it, I can't believe I got away with it but I put a 75 gal tank on top of two kid's tables. The tables had legs made of hardwood and arborite tops. They had probably been made in the 50's or earlier for a classroom. The tank functionned very well for a couple of years, then the bottom glass developped a crack... probably because the tables were on carpet and were not totally level. My local fish guy put in a piece of glass on the bottom with silicone and the tank was perfectly fine after that. (I changed schools and put the tank on a counter so the issue of the uneven tables was resolved.)

[washefuzzy]

Hi Danni
I love this site because I learn from other people's mistakes before I make my own. 

[littlelil]

If you have the tools available to you, you can try building a stand yourself using DarkDep's instructions under the Do-It-Yourself section on the left panel. I built one (just the structural part- no way am i good enough to make the pretty panels) for my 33G and it looks so incredibly out of place becuase it's soooo sturdy!

You can borrow my mitre saw if you need it. it's quite portable!

[rockgarden]

The major issue with an aquarium stand versus many types of furniture is in the support provided at the midpoint.  If you look at wood (i.e. fake wood) aquarium stands up close you will soon realize that they are not fancy but they do have a support at the centre point.  If you look at most dressers/buffets you will find that even though they may appear to be supported at the mid point, they really aren't.

One way to convert the dresser/buffet to an adequate aquarium stand is to put a support between the floor and the bottom of the mid-point of the unit (sometimes easy to do, sometimes almost impossible to do!).

As a precaution, if you are using furniture for an aquarium stand, consider putting a three quarter inch piece of plywood under the tank so that the stresses across the bottom are evened out. I do this with almost every aquarium I have.  Pretty cheap insurance in my mind.

Ron

[washefuzzy]

Thanks Littlelil and Rockgarden
these are both great idea but I know longer have the ability to work with wood and No room for projects of this sort in my one bedroom It's to bad otherwise I would have jumbed at you offer Littlelil. 
Rockgarden I looked at the buffet and guess what there is no middle brace.