my fish tank is too big for the table it's on. how can i adjust to support the weight?

Submitted by ricky_pepsi t3_z454ci in DIY

already posted this in r/aquariums, reposting here to hopefully get advice from some people experienced with diy.

so i got a 40 gallon tank to relocate my fish into. i live in a small apartment and literally the only space i have where i can put a big fish tank is on this table in the dining room that's about 46 inches wide and 16 inches deep. my brain somehow mixed up the 16 inch measurement thinking it was 18 inches, so i thought my new fish tank that measures 36 x 18 would be a perfect fit. ;_; i got it off facebook marketplace so i can't return it or exchange for something smaller.

i had an idea that i could get a piece of wood the same dimensions as the fish tank to put under the fish tank to support those 2 inches that hang off the front and back, so i went to home depot to get a board of wood cut. i had them cut it 40 x 20 since they don't do precision cuts. never done any diy and didn't really know what i was doing so i got 2 inch thick particle board, when i took it home my roommate told me particle board is the least durable wood i could've gotten and i should double check if it's safe to use. a 40 gallon tank full of water is around 460 pounds and after some googling i saw that particle board only supports around 40 pounds... but considering it's on an already sturdy solid piece of furniture, and it's only hanging off 1 inch in the front and 1 inch in the back, it wouldn't have to be something that can hold up 500 pounds on its own, would it?

my home depot has planks of solid wood that are all 1 foot wide, varying in length, and plywood boards that are 2 feet wide. i went with the boards so i wouldn't have to build or attach anything since i have no idea what i'm doing lol

i'm just not sure what i should do, the last thing i would want is for my tank to bust open on the bottom and flood my apartment because it's not properly supported

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Cheeseboyardee t1_ixpan0d wrote

3/4" plywood acx for preference. The couple inches the tank hangs off the table should be fine with that under it. Same execution as the particle board idea.

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ermghoti t1_ixq80i5 wrote

Yup. Finish it with epoxy to keep the inevitable dribbling from causing splitting and ddelamination. Wood boat decks are made like this (or encapsulated in gel coat) and last for years.

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sticklebackridge t1_ixpeux0 wrote

What is plywood acx?

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dominus_aranearum t1_ixpgm1e wrote

ACX is a grade of plywood. A is a high quality veneer meant for the visible side. C is a lower quality veneer and not as visibly pleasing. X means exterior grade that uses waterproof glue between the veneers.

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Specific_Culture_591 t1_ixposkt wrote

What is your table made of? Any boards you buy to go under the tank would be making small changes in the weight distribution of the tank across the table; the table is still what is supporting all the weight. If you are trying to create more support for the weight you would need to add it to the bottom of the table (another leg on that side, cross beams, etc).

It is good for the tank seams and will help the tank structurally to have a solid surface underneath the entire thing but you still need to make sure your table can hold that much weight first and foremost.

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ebonwulf60 t1_ixqz5r0 wrote

In addition to the wood base and foam insert, I would set the front edge of the tank flush with the front edge of the table. Lesve the 2" gap at the rear for electric cords and filter hoses. You don't want people snagging any part of the tank that protrudes into their path.

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reddit_seaczar t1_ixppjyz wrote

Your friend was right about you using the wrong kind of board.

I agree with the gent that said plywood but I would go with one inch.

You don't have a picture of the table but the base/legs should be big enough to distribute the load appropriate to the flooring materials in your display room. For example, if the legs are spindly and don't distribute the weight across enough square inches and you have a vinyl floor it will be damaged.

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what_did_i_break_now t1_ixrdw7o wrote

You're generally not going to find one inch plywood at HD or pretty much anywhere else, but 3/4" is thick enough for live loads (people walking) over ~15" open spans between floor joists so it's plenty adequate for this.

Good point about the table legs, though.

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reddit_seaczar t1_ixtqw3a wrote

I don't know what I was thinking about the 1 inch plywood. In my defense I'm used to sourcing those materials by the truck-full.

Looking at the picture and considering the actual load bearing overhang 3/4 inch should be sufficient.

If I was going to use this shelf for the stated purpose I would add feet under the two vertical boards in the center.

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Youper0 t1_ixqb4ci wrote

That piece of particle board being 2 in thick would probably be fine since you're only going a couple inches over the table that it's sitting on... It is the worse wood to get since it's basically sealed up saw duat. You're going to absolutely want to seal the particle board because if you get any water on it raw it's done.

More important question is, is that dining room table... Have a couple friends sit on the side of it to see if it can support that much water.

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symbiotic01 t1_ixpb6iw wrote

It would weigh about 47 lbs (36x18x1=648in2 or 23.5lbs front and back) so it should be okay.

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EqualLong143 t1_ixpcd58 wrote

You dont really need anything to support the small amount that hangs over for that small a tank. If it were bigger i would have concern about stress points since tanks are designed to sit flush on each side. I had a few 40 breeder tanks in my day. Yeah its a lot of weight when filled, but the majority of your tank is supported. Ideally you want a piece of plywood under the tank to spread out the weight evenly. I have full support under mine and a layer of insulation foam between the wood and the tank, which further dampens any high points.

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sedition- t1_ixpyilw wrote

>You dont really need anything to support the small amount that hangs over for that small a tank

This is really not good advice when talking about a 40 gallon breeder tank. Any tank with overhang will have extra stress that the tank isn't designed for, you say 40 gallons in small but when that tank breaks and the entire 40 gallons floods his apartment, his landlord isn't going to think it's a small amount of water.

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EqualLong143 t1_ixqdfg5 wrote

An extra 20 lbs on the front and back with the counterweight isnt going to break a 40 breeder ever, let alone in the small amount of time in an apartment. But yes, ideally they need plywood under the tank as I said. Im very familiar with 40 breeder tanks.

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