Tank stand, top not perfectly flat

jabberwock · Jul 22, 2022

I know this will support the weight. Me and a fat friend sat on it together...

I also know the top is not perfectly flat. There is about 1/4 inch of sag in the middle 6 inches. My question is, if I put a 3/4" piece of plywood on top, will that take out the sag and stay a perfectly flat surface? The tank is a IM rimless 25 galloon lagoon. Thanks for looking!

MoshJosh · Jul 22, 2022

Assuming that the tank will sit directly over the uprights (i.e. not in the middle between them) you might be able to get away with a thick piece or foam/leveling mat, but plywood plus foam/mat would be safer. . . but I'm not a rimless tank guy so I'm just guessing here.

jabberwock · Jul 22, 2022

MoshJosh said:
Assuming that the tank will sit directly over the uprights (i.e. not in the middle between them) you might be able to get away with a thick piece or foam/leveling mat, but plywood plus foam/mat would be safer. . . but I'm not a rimless tank guy so I'm just guessing here.

Thanks I am into safer... I used to have a 32 gallon biocube on it, and the bottom of tank cracked. looking to NOT repeat that.

MoshJosh · Jul 22, 2022

if you wanted to be SUPER safe, you could do leveling matt, then plywood, then leveling mat, then tank. That would fill the gap of the 1/4th inch sag and stop the plywood from sagging in the same spot. . . I think. . .

jabberwock · Jul 22, 2022

MoshJosh said:
if you wanted to be SUPER safe, you could do leveling matt, then plywood, then leveling mat, then tank. That would fill the gap of the 1/4th inch sag and stop the plywood from sagging in the same spot. . . I think. . .

The tank has a leveling mat already on it, so I will probably buy an extra one to put between the stand and the plywood. Thanks!

KStatefan · Jul 22, 2022

I would fill the low spot with epoxy prior to putting the plywood on

jabberwock · Jul 22, 2022

MoshJosh said:
if you wanted to be SUPER safe, you could do leveling matt, then plywood, then leveling mat, then tank. That would fill the gap of the 1/4th inch sag and stop the plywood from sagging in the same spot. . . I think. . .

I just noticed you were in GJ. An obscure and beautiful place. I have been there. My company has an office there.

EricR · Jul 23, 2022

Wait,,, are you saying there's a 1/4" warp from middle to sides?
If so, I'd say that's completely unacceptable for anything,,, let alone for structural support of an aquarium.

*aside -- top doesn't look like plywood in the pic,,, but could just be my bad view of it

Flat, secure, and level now before you put any tank with water on it,,, please

Jedi1199 · Jul 23, 2022

jabberwock said:
I know this will support the weight. Me and a fat friend sat on it together... I also know the top is not perfectly flat. There is about 1/4 inch of sag in the middle 6 inches. My question is, if I put a 3/4" piece of plywood on top, will that take out the sag and stay a perfectly flat surface? The tank is a IM rimless 25 galloon lagoon. Thanks for looking!

Interesting cabinet. I am surprised that the builder ran the grain on the top front to back instead of side to side.

Clearly, this is made of a hardwood. Appears to be walnut, but finish can disguise the actual material.

It is a beautiful cabinet. i almost hate to see you cover it with a tank of any kind.

Is it possible that you get a different cabinet altogether for the stand? Perhaps a stand designed for the tank you have?

Jedi1199 · Jul 23, 2022

If I were to guess, I would say this is a cabinet built by a student in woodshop class. Likely entirely made of hardwood, with the mistakes that students make. It is a beautiful and unique piece of woodwork. I would take that cabinet and display it as it is.

jabberwock · Jul 23, 2022

EricR said:
Wait,,, are you saying there's a 1/4" warp from middle to sides?
If so, I'd say that's completely unacceptable for anything,,, let alone for structural support of an aquarium.

*aside -- top doesn't look like plywood in the pic,,, but could just be my bad view of it

Flat, secure, and level now before you put any tank with water on it,,, please

From sides to middle... Yes, I appreciate your input.

jabberwock · Jul 23, 2022

Jedi1199 said:
If I were to guess, I would say this is a cabinet built by a student in woodshop class. Likely entirely made of hardwood, with the mistakes that students make. It is a beautiful and unique piece of woodwork. I would take that cabinet and display it as it is.

Very astute observations. I built it. It is made of ancient black walnut. There is no stain on it. Only ultra flat polycrylic finish. I am definitely an amateur. The wood was rough sawn and had been sitting for 100 years. The lumber was a rare find that I planed and jointed myself before construction. There was also some cherry...

jabberwock · Jul 23, 2022

Jedi1199 said:
Interesting cabinet. I am surprised that the builder ran the grain on the top front to back instead of side to side.

Clearly, this is made of a hardwood. Appears to be walnut, but finish can disguise the actual material.

It is a beautiful cabinet. i almost hate to see you cover it with a tank of any kind.

Is it possible that you get a different cabinet altogether for the stand? Perhaps a stand designed for the tank you have?

Thanks for the compliment. I guess I will bite the bullet and pay the $425 for the aluminum APS stand from the manufacturer. I took wood shop in 1984. Do they still teach wood shop???

jabberwock · Jul 23, 2022

@Jedi1199 The first movie I ever saw was Star Wars in 1978. I was seven years old.

The Sand People scared the crap out of me!

EricR · Jul 23, 2022

jabberwock said:
...Do they still teach wood shop???

Yes,,, but it's all output by the 3D wood printer... just kidding

Since you built it,,, maybe just consider if the uprights are straight/sturdy and swap out the top with 3/4" (18mm) Baltic birch plywood ???

P.S. Star Wars is the first movie my friends and I waited in line for over and over,,, 12 times over one summer ... 1977

Jedi1199 · Jul 23, 2022

jabberwock said:
Very astute observations. I built it. It is made of ancient black walnut. There is no stain on it. Only ultra flat polycrylic finish. I am definitely an amateur. The wood was rough sawn and had been sitting for 100 years. The lumber was a rare find that I planed and jointed myself before construction. There was also some cherry...

jabberwock said:
Thanks for the compliment. I guess I will bite the bullet and pay the $425 for the aluminum APS stand from the manufacturer.

No need to go the $425 route. For a 20g tank, any table would do.

I was a custom cabinetmaker for the first 1/2 of my life. I got my start my 9th grade year and ran with it till my late 30's. I have a bit of a grasp on woodworking. lol

I built the custom stand for my 55g when I was perhaps 19 or 20. I was fortunate enough to have access to a full shop where I could get materials at cost and do the work myself in a professional level shop.

Exterior is solid Red Oak. Interior is A1 Red Oak Ply. All of the woodwork is my own. I made the doors, raised panel finished ends, everything.

The only part of this stand that I did not do myself was the finish. It is a clear lacquer semi-gloss. I paid the finisher that we used at the shop to do the finish for me.

Jedi1199 · Jul 23, 2022

jabberwock said:
Thanks for the compliment. I guess I will bite the bullet and pay the $425 for the aluminum APS stand from the manufacturer. I took wood shop in 1984. Do they still teach wood shop???

Well it has been a few decades since I have been in school...

I visited my old high school about 10 years after I graduated and was saddened to find that they had no shop classes at all anymore. I honestly don't know where I would be today if I did not have access to woodshop that first year. (1985)

jabberwock said:
@Jedi1199 The first movie I ever saw was Star Wars in 1978. I was seven years old. The Sand People scared the crap out of me!

You and I are about the same age then. I actually didn't see the original Star Wars till after The Empire Strikes Back had been released.

Funny story with that. My dad said to me one morning that he was going to take me to the movies the following weekend, but wouldn't tell me what it was. Being a typical 4th grader (about 8 or 9) I begged him to take me to see the movie all the kids were talking about at the time which was "The Incredible Shrinking Woman" with Lily Tomlin.

He told me that he wanted me to see what he wanted to take me to, but offered me a choice... If I didn't want to see what he wanted, we could see what I wanted.

So a week of school went by and the night came along... We got in the car and drove to the theater... As we start pulling in I see the big sign with "Star Wars" right at the top.

I IMMEDIATELY told my dad that I wanted to see that!!! He said, "That is what I brought you here for"

Now, any child of the 70's especially the boys know that if you weren't into Star Wars, you were dirt!!! I have been a lifelong fan ever since.

That night, is one of my fondest memories of my dad, who sadly passed away back in 1994. I was just really old enough to really appreciate him at that time (I was 22) and then he was gone...

It has been almost 30 years since he passed and I STILL see him in my dreams. It still hurts.

EricR said:
Yes,,, but it's all output by the 3D wood printer... just kidding

Since you built it,,, maybe just consider if the uprights are straight/sturdy and swap out the top with 3/4" (18mm) Baltic birch plywood ???

P.S. Star Wars is the first movie my friends and I waited in line for over and over,,, 12 times over one summer ... 1977

Sounds like you have a few years on me.

Powertool-2010 · Jul 23, 2022

In my opinion it shouldn't matter with that small of a tank. I'd be more worried about the reason there is sag. Kinda sounds like it isn't supported properly in the center. I can't see clearly from the picture, but I'd verify there is a cross support board in the front and the back perpendicular to the grain on the top. If not any force in the center could cause the whole thing to split. Theoretically this cross support will keep the top surface flat as well as hold everything together structurally. It's possible that the board warped, or wasn't large enough to resist the warping of the edge glued surface board. But as long as it is there I wouldn't worry about your size tank.