stand ideas

[DarthOcellaris]

I bought this kitchen cabinet to use as my next stand:



This will be for my 125 in the works Im concerned that as-is, this won't support the weight. Toss me some ideas to brace this so I don't come home to 125 gallons of saltwater on my floor and my wife killing me.

[chrischris]

if you dont want to keep the drawer you could build a hidden stand/box out of 2x4's and let it "sink" in to the stand
p.s. i agree that that wouldnt hold 1,250 lbs of water and rock

[tims]

i agee, a 2x4 inside frame an cross members will be needed. you can use that stand as the shell

[Loverotties]

Yes you'll need to beef up the inside!

[kwdelre]

I would suggest taking the drawer fronts off and glueing them permanently in place as a "false" drawer. Then it would give you some room for the 2x4 framing.

[Wiskey]

Yeah, I agree with everyone above, I would make a 2*4 frame inside it, and have vertical supports every 2 feet.

Here is a picture of mine for the 180, if you build this and set it inside you should be gravey.


Whiskey

[YLChik]

Not sure on this, but what about putting a soild plywood top on it...

Will that distibute the weight enough if you added 2 2*4's in the middle of the cabinet, and some triangles in the corners?

possibly saving the drawers?

[crvz]

It doesnt take that much wood in a good config to hold a tank, but if that's MDF I wouldnt use it. It kind of looks like MDF to me (particularly at the top), and that stuff sucks up water like a sponge.

[kwdelre]

Yeah, the cabinet is most likely made from a type of fiberboard. Not strong for the long run and when wet very weak. Plywood on top will not suffice, but plywood on top of the 2x4 frame will most likely be a must.

[hng]

You've gotten some good advice so far. I'd also be concerned about where the cabinet meets the floor (the base of the cabinet). That may need to be strengthened as well. Personally, I would take the cabinet back, buy some wood and start from scratch. It's gonna take a bit of work to redo that cabinet to the point that you don't have to worry about it.

[kwdelre]

YES! I can't believe I didn't think about that. The bottom of the cabinet will definitly be an issue. I agree with HNG, probably be cheaper and less painstaking to take it back and build it from scratch. I will post some pics of a stand I just finished for an LFS. Maybe they can help out more than words.

[DarthOcellaris]

Thanks everyone Unfortunately, I've had this for several months and have already stained and poly'd it Lowes probably own't take it back now LOL

It might not be TOO much trouble to rip off the front and slap it on a 2*4 frame. I got this mainly for the pre-made doors and the drawers. The advice so far has made me think of some nifty ideas I might can pull off

Kwdelre, I can't wait to see your pics

[kwdelre]

Just finished up the last coat of Polyshade. I'm taking the stand to the LFS tomorrow and will take the pics before I deliver it. I apologize beforehand that I didn't take "progress" pics.

[kwdelre]

Here is the stand I just finished and sold to the LFS Darth.







CRVZ -I built this for one of Minh's customers at Bay Area Aquarium.

[DarthOcellaris]

I was looking at this earlier and wanna run this by you all:

I can build a 2*4 frame that sits in the cabinet but actually leaves the drawars. In other words, it won't be filling up the entire inside. That will support the middle 3rd or so of the tank.

Then, I can build two more 2*4 frames for each end of the tank and cover them with oak plywood so it all matches fairly well. These frames will support the outer 3rds or so .

I have to really be adamant about using this cabinet since it cost so much and it's non returnable now

What about that idea of using 3 separate, but connected support frames? Seems to me that SHOULD work, right?