Anybody ever had a stand collapse??

[mphammer]

Starting to worry about the stand that is currently supporting a 110g. Bought it off craigslist but I don't know if they were meant to go together. Anyhow here are some pics.. Really trying to avoid having 110 gallons of saltwater come crashing down in a second story apartment :confused2:
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[KrisDeitz]

Is it leaning or bending?

 

[crewdawg1981]

Stand looks good to me. You'd be amazed how much ply can hold.

 

[mphammer]

PFCDeitz;777927 wrote: Is it leaning or bending?

Not sure if this is from the trim warping or if the tank is starting to lean. Never really looked when i set the tank up. The first pic is the back right corner of the tank, the second is the front left corner. Definitely a difference in water level...
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[frantz]

If you are concerned, it'd be too easy to build a 2x4 frame inside the stand that will more than hold the weight. I plan to do just that with a used stand I have.

 

[mphammer]

Frantz;777931 wrote: If you are concerned, it'd be too easy to build a 2x4 frame inside the stand that will more than hold the weight. I plan to do just that with a used stand I have.

Build it into the stand while the system is running, or would that require a temporary tear down? Very limited on workspace as I'm in an apartment.

 

[rdnelson]

Based on the water level pictures, I would ask one question. Was it level when you set it up? If it was, then you have something going on. Either the stand is starting to sag on one end or the floor. I would suspect it wasn't level to begin with though.

 

[islandreef]

Looks ok, but if you want to make sure you can cut some 2x4 and sure up the corners.

 

[realfish]

rdnelson99;777935 wrote: Based on the water level pictures, I would ask one question. Was it level when you set it up? If it was, then you have something going on. Either the stand is starting to sag on one end or the floor. I would suspect it wasn't level to begin with though.

This

 

[mphammer]

rdnelson99;777935 wrote: Based on the water level pictures, I would ask one question. Was it level when you set it up? If it was, then you have something going on. Either the stand is starting to sag on one end or the floor. I would suspect it wasn't level to begin with though.

I am almost positive it WAS NOT level to begin with, but for some reason I am just now really noticing it. My real question is this: If the thing were to collapse, will I have any warning? Will it begin to sag and slowly droop down, or will it happen instantly? Has anybody ever <u>ACTUALLY</u> had an aquarium stand collapse?

 

[jennm]

I've seen a defective stand (not built square - by a major aquarium manufacturer) cause a very large tank to twist just enough to cause a catastrophic failure. It didn't collapse, but the twist put just enough stress on the bottom seam to blow it out, and the individual came in to his office one Monday morning to 250 gallons of water on the floor.

In that case, the stand itself was crooked - one end or the other was just a bit off and it wasn't noticeable - but it was just enough to cause a huge problem. (And no, I didn't sell the original setup).

Jenn

 

[acroholic]

mphammer;778110 wrote: I am almost positive it WAS NOT level to begin with, but for some reason I am just now really noticing it. My real question is this: If the thing were to collapse, will I have any warning? Will it begin to sag and slowly droop down, or will it happen instantly? Has anybody ever <u>ACTUALLY</u> had an aquarium stand collapse?

I've been keeping fish for 38 years and have not seen a tank stand collapse. No one here can answer your questions regarding how a stand would collapse. It could sag slowly, or it could collapse instantly, or anywhere in-between. Or it might be fine forever.

I would seek whatever scenario you want so you feel confident in your stand. No aquarium stand is worth worrying about all the time. If you don't think it is good, then either shore the stand up or buy yourself a new one and be done with it.

 

[jef4y]

I had a stand that wasn't flat which caused twisting and split a tank, but this is different. My guess is that it's simply a leveling issue.

Even if you have a tank level to begin with, things can change once you add 1000lbs of water/rock/sand.