Geeky help needed: will this shelf hold a 20g?

[jjw]

Here is the current set up for my humble 10 gallon: it sits on a wire welded shelf. The shelf is 36"H x 36"w x 18" deep with 250 lbs shelf capacity (is this per shelf or per unit?). I am thinking of upgrading to a 20g long, with water and aquascape, it will approach 250 lbs. Can this shelf hold the 20g tank? Can I give it some reimforcement to make it work? Thanks a lot for your advice.

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[jjw]

Here is the box the shelf comes in:

 

[cameron]

Hmmm... I don't think a 20gallon would weigh 250lbs. It would likely be under 200lbs. That said better safe than sorry IMO.

 

[showtime305]

A 20 gallon would weight between 200-250 depending on how much rock/sand you add. Like Cameron said better safe than sorry. 20g of saltwater, rock, sand and livestock can make a big mess.

 

[triggerhappy8]

Well, lets add it up:

20 gallons of water max @ 8 lbs/gal = 160 lbs
Roughly 30 lbs of sand max
Roughly 40 lbs of rock max
20 gal AGA 25 lbs max

Not taking into account the displaced water from the rock and sand, which I would assume would be a decent amount, you come to a grand total of 255lbs.

Knowing that all of those are maximum approximations, and that the tank will weigh less than that, combined with the fact that the manufacturer has to have some factor of safety (ratio of actual weight it can hold/posted max load) I would say you are ok. If you feel uncomfortable about it, brace the center with a piece of 2x4. Good luck.

 

[cameron]

The water is closer to 8.5lbs per gallon so you get 170lbs, but rock and sand offset this quite a bit. A 20 gallon with 40lbs of rock isn't going to be a 20 gallon. It is probably closer to a 16-17 gallon. Another bag of sand at 20lbs which is probably another gallon out of the tank. So say 16lbs of water plus other stuff comes in at just under 200lbs then add the tank in which is probably around 25lbs as you suggested. Well under 250lbs, but still I would be suspect.

 

[showtime305]

Don't forget to factor in light fixtures or equipment. Especially hang on back equipment that hold water like a skimmer, filter or refugium.

 

[jjw]

Thanks for all your advice. So how exactly do I reinforce this? What does it mean by "brace the center with a piece of 2x4"?

PS: I am going bottomless with these tanks, so the weight of sand is out, but I do have a MH, 3 gallon hob refugium on this, both are quite heavy. And I will have a skimmer for the 20 g.

 

[wbholwell]

IMO, the correct question isn't "will it hold the weight", but rather "how stable will it be?" That shelf looks rather tall, and with it's narrow footprint and all the weight placed on top, it's a disaster waiting to happen. I hate to be a downer, but I think it's a very bad idea. If you do decide to use it, I suggest placing it against a wall and actually anchoring it to the wall using brackets.

 

[sammy33]

Check the weld points on each shelf. The one I have that is similar to yours has the main shelf surface welded to the <u>bottom</u> of the thicker edge wire. Mine have popped loose in a couple spots with just books sitting on it! :doh:

If this is the case with yours I would mount a 3/4 inch peice of plywood to cover the whole <u>top</u> of the shelf (the thicker edge wire). I would also do a fill test with just freshwater with the tank you are planning. If it is too wobbly... well then you may end up :sail:

 

[showtime305]

wbholwell;51736 wrote: IMO, the correct question isn't "will it hold the weight", but rather "how stable will it be?" That shelf looks rather tall, and with it's narrow footprint and all the weight placed on top, it's a disaster waiting to happen. I hate to be a downer, but I think it's a very bad idea. If you do decide to use it, I suggest placing it against a wall and actually anchoring it to the wall using brackets.

The base is 18" wide . I think that would be hard to accidentally tip. I agree that it should be against the wall though.

 

[linda lee]

I'm no geek, but here's what I would do:

Put the shelf in a location where a floor wouldn't get damaged.

Put a towel on the shelf to protect it from scratching and load it up with bricks (or something similar) until you have an equivalent weight.

Test the structure and see if it's stable (any sway, etc.).

Then stand back in case the whole thing comes toppling down.

 

[glxtrix]

or if you come to my place I have a 2x4 wood frame for a 25 tall, if that matches the same dimensions of your tank, you can have it.

 

[jjw]

Thanks. The shelf is 3 feet tall - not that tall, and 18" deep. The whole structure is solid and stable plus the dimension suits the 20G Long perfectly. My concern is whether or not the welded wires will hold the weight without giving in. From the calculations above, it seems like the weight is really pushing the limit of the shelf capacity, so I want to know how to reinforce it. Seems like I can use plywood to spread out the weight so it's evenly distributed.

- Jean

 

[jjw]

glxtrix, thanks for the offer, but the 25g's footprint is 24x12, the 20g long's footprint is 30x12. Too bad.

 

[glxtrix]

oh sorry I didnt realize it was a long one...oh well, hope it all works out for ya. If its any consolation I have a 15g with 30lb LR and an 8g water res tank on a 3' long file cabinet and its all good. I think that rack will hold.

 

[olds350racer]

Well, I'm a newbie here so take my advice for what it's worth... It looks like you have a nice 10G setup that you're upgrading. For the price difference between "thinking" it will be stable and "knowing" it be stable... I would invest in the "knowing".

 

[showtime305]

glxtrix;51760 wrote: oh sorry I didnt realize it was a long one...oh well, hope it all works out for ya. If its any consolation I have a 15g with 30lb LR and an 8g water res tank on a 3' long file cabinet and its all good. I think that rack will hold.

I want that 15g. Where did you get it from?

 

[nishant3789]

i would really just get a different shelf... long term stress on metal can lead to deterioration of welds. Just because it wont come toppling down with a test, doesnt mean it wont after a year or two.

 

[glxtrix]

AJ, I got it from a guy awhile back who bought out a few fish stores and sold the remaining items as people would need them. There is the possibility that I might be getting rid of it, if I decide to, I'll let you know.