Emergency temporary stand for 65G?

[Dkmoo]

Hi All, I'm in a bit of a pickle. Long story short, I'm moving at the end of the month and had ordered a new JBJ tank/stand system from petco to set up in the new place to receive my current tank's livestock. The tank is arriving Friday but the stand is MIA. Petco says it was processed and dropshipped by JBJ but FedEx never received the package, and JBJ has been radio silent.

I'm not sure when the stand will get here so in the mean time do you think a couple of 2x4 laid on the floor and stack with a few cinder block pillars + wood board would be enough to temporarily served as a stand? I can't put the tank on the floor directly bc I need the raised tank for vacuum and waterchange.

Thanks

 

[Joe31415]

I can't put the tank on the floor directly bc I need the raised tank for vacuum and waterchange.

If that's the only reason you want it raised, it would probably be cheaper, and almost certainly easier, to go pick up cheap submersible pump and use that. You could even get a battery powered gravel vac. They're not expensive and they'll certainly work well enough for some maintenance until the stand arrives.

 

[nereefpat]

If the tank is a standard rimmed/framed tank, yes 2x4s and cinder blocks will be fine forever. Rimless tanks are an issue.

 

[Dkmoo]

If that's the only reason you want it raised, it would probably be cheaper, and almost certainly easier, to go pick up cheap submersible pump and use that. You could even get a battery powered gravel vac. They're not expensive and they'll certainly work well enough for some maintenance until the stand arrives.

Thats a great idea, I didn't think about it. Definitely easier.

If the tank is a standard rimmed/framed tank, yes 2x4s and cinder blocks will be fine forever. Rimless tanks are an issue.

Yeah... its rimless lol... is the issue you dont want the bottom glass to contact wood directly? Would putting some cardboard in between suffice temporarily? Or would I need those rubber leveling mats?

 

[nereefpat]

Yeah... its rimless lol... is the issue you dont want the bottom glass to contact wood directly?

The bottom glass HAS to be completely supported everywhere, compared to a rimmed where only the edges need support. It could be accomplished with cinder blocks and 2x4s. It just needs supported everywhere with no sagging, has to be level and square, with plywood on top with foam or rubber leveling mat on top of that.

 

[Dkmoo]

The bottom glass HAS to be completely supported everywhere, compared to a rimmed where only the edges need support. It could be accomplished with cinder blocks and 2x4s. It just needs supported everywhere with no sagging, has to be level and square, with plywood on top with foam or rubber leveling mat on top of that.

I see.. ok so even if I leave it on the floor i should probably still put it on top of a mat to be safe.

 

[nereefpat]

I see.. ok so even if I leave it on the floor i should probably still put it on top of a mat to be safe.

That might be safest. Assuming your floor is level and flat, it's probably okay. What is your floor?

You could set up a temporary stock tank or rubbermaid too.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

If it were me, I would just use a 50-100 gallon stock tank as a temporary solution and then take your time setting the tank up properly leak test etc once your stand comes in.

 

[MoshJosh]

You could probably use cinderblocks two by fours then a piece of plywood on top as long as the plywood is the entire surface area of the bottom panel (plus foam under the tank), and the two by fours Sit under as much of the plywood as possible

pretend that top piece is plywood, didn’t have a scrap for example:

but really, the message above me is probably got the right idea a stock tank would work great to hold things until you’re ready

 

[Dkmoo]

That might be safest. Assuming your floor is level and flat, it's probably okay. What is your floor?

Brand new hardwood. Looks pretty level with those "float bubble" tools. When the tank gets here ill fill it up halfway and see how level it is. If not level then will get a board and shim

 

[trevorhiller]

The bottom glass HAS to be completely supported everywhere, compared to a rimmed where only the edges need support. It could be accomplished with cinder blocks and 2x4s. It just needs supported everywhere with no sagging, has to be level and square, with plywood on top with foam or rubber leveling mat on top of that.

This got me thinking about my own tank. I have a Cade rimless 60 gallon and it is definitely not supported EVERYWHERE by the factory stand. I think this is the traditional thinking about rimless tanks (and definitely not saying I would be willing to test this alternative theory with another brand tank) but check out the design of the Cade stands.

All the Cades are rimless and the tank is supported by the edges and center brace--and not even all the edges as there are cut-outs on the stand to accommodate plumbing.

Not sure where I am going with this, just an interesting observation.