Need ideas guys. Help securing a tank

[Loki]

I have an 8 month old baby girl and she has a 16g tank in her room. She has been pulling up on stuff and I want to make sure this top heavy tank will in no way ever fall down. I would much rather tear it down than to risk anything happening to my daughter.

I know that people have had to secure tanks in some way and I'm not sure what/how to go about it.

The tank is a 16g bowfront from petco with the little cheap stand. Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

I would like to not drill a hole in the wall

I will gladly take more pics of whatever will help you help me

I will be back on later this afternoon. Thanks everyone

 

[Bluejawtrigger]

Honestly, and I know you said you didn't want to drill a hole in the wall. That's your best bet. Unfortunately, it's the safest way. A safety strap will give you peace of mind.

 

[JMSKI333]

Well it sounds to me that the stand is the problem. What if you bought/built a studier stand or possibly buy a nightstand and put it on that. That way it will be lower to the ground and not so top heavy. What are your tank dimensions?

Another option would be screwing the cheap stand to the wall like a cabinet. One 2 1/2' drywall screw would do wonders for an unsturdy stand.

 

[Loki]

Honestly, and I know you said you didn't want to drill a hole in the wall. That's your best bet. Unfortunately, it's the safest way. A safety strap will give you peace of mind.

Tell me more of the safety strap. I can't seen to find one. If I need to put holes in the wall do be it.

This stand is the issue. It is rather tall and narrow. I also have it on carpet. With the tank being so high up its top heavy.

I have a stand that I have a 28 bowfront on in the fish room that I could switch out and it would help quite a bit. But then I would have to build a stand for my frag tank... Not that big of a deal

I would still like to hear more of the strap/wall mount.

Thanks guys!

 

[Loki]

I am not sure of the tank dimensions and my daughter is asleep in the room now so I'm not going in there

 

[chort55]

Well.... your opposed to drilling into the wall... how about the floor? lol If the tank has a bottom and you don't care about the carpet just drill it to the floor in a couple spots.

 

[Loki]

I'm okay with drilling into the wall as stated in my previous post. I just though that maybe someone has done this without drilling into a wall.

Drilling into the floor I don't think would help as much as securing the top.

Do you just put a step around the tank and drill it into the wall?

 

[creefer]

You could drill the wall in 2 locations and put angles on it. There are inexpensive galvanized steel angles at any HD or Lowes. Then, bolt to that a strap to the angle and screw the strap to the stand. You may need 2 more angles on the stand depending on how it's constructed. The straps to which I refer are about 1" wide and come in various lengths with holes in them. It would be super easy I would think.

 

[3Twinklets]

You can buy strapping at Lowes or you can even use an old leather belt. Just drill into the stand and attach one end and install a wall anchor and cut the belt to size and attach to the anchor.
When you want to cover the anchor when you are finished with it, just tap it in and spackle over it.

Tell me more of the safety strap. I can't seen to find one. If I need to put holes in the wall do be it.

This stand is the issue. It is rather tall and narrow. I also have it on carpet. With the tank being so high up its top heavy.

I have a stand that I have a 28 bowfront on in the fish room that I could switch out and it would help quite a bit. But then I would have to build a stand for my frag tank... Not that big of a deal

I would still like to hear more of the strap/wall mount.

Thanks guys!

 

[Loki]

Okay cool. Thanks guys!

 

[Steven R]

long butterfly bolts through the back of the stand in to the drywall? they fold down then expand while inside the wall. no big holes needed

 

[ironworker]

i would not recommend straps as it may let it tilt a little and the tank could possibly slide of use a couple of long screws threw the stand and into the wall just make sure you screw into a stud. it would be the best route also maybe use a small washer on the screw so it cant pull through the wood. a long drywall or cabinet screw and a washer is all you need.

 

[ironworker]

long butterfly bolts through the back of the stand in to the drywall? they fold down then expand while inside the wall. no big holes needed

the butterfly bolts could easily pull through the drywall under the weight of the tank wall board is not that strong its nothing but gypsum and paper. be sure to hit a stud. i wouldnt take any chances with my little one.

 

[Loki]

The stand is very cheap and the back panel is cardboard. I think after hearing these good ideas the best thing to do would be to swap the tall skinny cheap stand out for the short very sturdy piece of furniture my 28 is sitting on. I'll just build some ugly stand for my frag tank.

I really appreciate all of the ideas and it's what lead me to swapping out the stand.

This is her tank and stand before I added anything to it. Also before she was here

I'll see if I can find a picture of the other stand

 

[Loki]

Here is a pic of the stand my dad built. I will take from the 28 and move to this room.

This is before it was stained

 

[ironworker]

much better and sturdier no doubt. nicer looking too.

 

[Loki]

Yeah I agree . I really do appreciate all of the ideas. Thank you all for your brainstorming with me!

 

[Steven R]

Cool glad you found a solution and I agree that there is no substitue for safety around kids with probable tipping over, Your dad is quite the wood worker very nice stand did you stain it or paint it or just left it the way it was? And are those cast iron hinges?

 

[Loki]

That was before it was finished. He put 3 coats of stain and 4 of gloss. The finish on it looks like you can put you hand inside of the wood. It's really deep looking.

The hinges are not cast iron to my knowledge. Not sure what they are.

 

[fyrfytr]

I will chime in to maybe help someone in the future since it seems as though you have a solution to this issue.

When we got dressers from Ikea a few months ago for our kids (3yr old and 5 month old now) they came with a short piece of nylon webbing and a bracket to put on the wall. The "directions" (it is in quotes because if you have ever gotten anything from Ikea you know what I mean) showed you putting the bracked into a stud in the wall and there was a small attachment point on the dresser for the strap. If it works for a dresser I would assume it would work for a fish tank.

Now I kow the stuff Ikea sent isnt he same as what I used with rope rescue gear, but that nylon webbing was rated for 5,000 lbs