Toddlers climbing aquariums, will it tip?

[BigJohnny]

Just to be clear, my kid isnt actually climbing my aquarium, shes only 5 months old. My wife however is officially freaking out about the idea of my aquarium tipping over onto our daughter. She has this image of her climbing up the front of the tank/canopy when shes older and tipping it over onto herself. I have locks on the door and don't let kids out of my sight, but still.

Can any of you math/physics guys out there tell me how much lbs of force (estimate, I understand there are many variables) it would require to do so?

Stand is 48.5" long x 18.75" deep x 40" tall
Made by 2x4s with a 2x6 top frame. Rocket engineer standard diy design

Tank is a 90g 48x18x24, sump is a 40g 36x18x17 about half full.
Canopy is 3/4" ply and 18" tall 5 sided plywood box, essentially

Tank and stand are level, across 4 joists up against a load bearing wall.

Thanks!

 

[Crabs McJones]

Thats a great question. Never really thought about it. You hear all the time of dressers falling on kids that were climbing on them, but those are considerably lighter, taller, and more prone to tip then our tanks. Plus it's almost always with the drawers open which puts all the weight shifted to one side of the dresser. Paige doesn't really climb up the tank so much as she just likes to push buttons and turn knobs on stuff. Following along to see what other answers you get

 

[BigJohnny]

Thats a great question. Never really thought about it. You hear all the time of dressers falling on kids that were climbing on them, but those are considerably lighter, taller, and more prone to tip then our tanks. Plus it's almost always with the drawers open which puts all the weight shifted to one side of the dresser. Paige doesn't really climb up the tank so much as she just likes to push buttons and turn knobs on stuff. Following along to see what other answers you get

Yea, and even though my system probably weighs 1000lbs+, most of that is I the upper 3rd.

 

[JoshH]

Paige doesn't really climb up the tank so much as she just likes to push buttons and turn knobs on stuff.

Just as dangerous

And definitely a great question, I am no rocket engineer but I would be pretty impressed if a toddler managed to tip a tank that size over. Being a little top heavy or not almost all the weight is downward force on a square(rectangle) base, so they would still have to overcome that in order to do so. I couldn't see me being able to tip over my tank and its roughly half the size of yours, granted I've never tried climbing it.... might when I get an upgrade so when I do I will let you know. Personally I don't see it happening...

 

[redfishbluefish]

You are looking at over 1000 pounds. If some fly weight kid hung on the side/front glass, stand or hood, the force is still pretty much straight down. The only issue I could see is if you had one big long door held on with monster hinges and this rug- rat.....I mean little precious darling, opened the door 90 degrees and had all the neighborhood kids hang on the door.

Just to be clear, there are some tanks/stands that scare me. I had a JBJ28 on a stock stand and I couldn't use a MAG cleaner without that whole stand rocking back and forth. I'd be concerned about this one going over. However, I believe you'll be just fine with your setup.

Now with all the above speculation, I'm seeing my Steven's Institute of Technology, Engineer graduate, son-in-law in two days and I'll see if he wants to give an opinion.

 

[BigJohnny]

Just as dangerous

And definitely a great question, I am no rocket engineer but I would be pretty impressed if a toddler managed to tip a tank that size over. Being a little top heavy or not almost all the weight is downward force on a square(rectangle) base, so they would still have to overcome that in order to do so. I couldn't see me being able to tip over my tank and its roughly half the size of yours, granted I've never tried climbing it.... might when I get an upgrade so when I do I will let you know. Personally I don't see it happening...

Yea I agree it doesn't seem likely but I'd love to give my wife some math to back it up. Let me know how that ascent goes if you try it one day lol.

 

[BigJohnny]

You are looking at over 1000 pounds. If some fly weight kid hung on the side/front glass, stand or hood, the force is still pretty much straight down. The only issue I could see is if you had one big long door held on with monster hinges and this rug- rat.....I mean little precious darling, opened the door 90 degrees and had all the neighborhood kids hang on the door.

Just to be clear, there are some tanks/stands that scare me. I had a JBJ28 on a stock stand and I couldn't use a MAG cleaner without that whole stand rocking back and forth. I'd be concerned about this one going over. However, I believe you'll be just fine with your setup.

Now with all the above speculation, I'm seeing my Steven's Institute of Technology, Engineer graduate, son-in-law in two days and I'll see if he wants to give an opinion.

Wow I would have freaked out over that jbj!

Please ask him I would really appreciate it. I'm sure other people would like to know as well.

Thanks

 

[jlancas81]

i have a 3 year old, and several nephews under 6. I have a standard 90 gallon tank and even with all of them leaning, jumping, and anything else that makes me nervous by my tank, falling is the last of my worries. In my eyes, it is the foreign objects that can hurt the tank, or hands in tank then into mouth that could make kids sick. I started at an early age with my son that the tank is dad's, and not for children to play with. he can watch, but not help. I never want him to think he is "helping" me when I am not around, for his safetly and the tank.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I don't think a grown man could tip over a 4ft tank when full. Not without pushing against something. They weigh in excess of 1000 lbs for a standard 75g, and like said above, its downward force on a leveled and square base.

Saltwater weighs about 8.6lbs/g. A 90g filled with nothing but water will weigh in excess of 1000lbs(tank+water). Add the stand and the sump plus the water down there and we're approaching 1500lbs before we add rock and sand. I just don't see that tipping over.

 

[JoshH]

Yea I agree it doesn't seem likely but I'd love to give my wife some math to back it up. Let me know how that ascent goes if you try it one day lol.

I definitely will and I'm sure someone will chime in with math at some point but I would trust my future kids around a tank that size without sweating a drop. As mentioned above I'd be more concerned about hands going in than tanks going over. 12-1500 pounds is a pretty good guess at the weight of your system like @Robin Haselden said, I doubt even you could pull that over.

 

[maroun.c]

Wouldn't worry about tank tipping over if stand is sturdy enough as mentioned above. I'd still worry about a toddler falling in tank and not being able to get out as has happened couple weeks back saddly (believe that was in so or top off bucket)
As well as electrical risk.and placing their hands in tank and then in their mouth or putting things in their mouth as all kids do. My tanks have always had a canopy and a stand I could jam the door knobs using kids safety devices.
Also kids can cause a lot of damage to a tank.
Caution is a must and if tank room can be locked that would be best. Weirdly both mybchildren learned quite fast to only look at the tank and even helped keepnkods that visited away from it.

 

[BigJohnny]

i have a 3 year old, and several nephews under 6. I have a standard 90 gallon tank and even with all of them leaning, jumping, and anything else that makes me nervous by my tank, falling is the last of my worries. In my eyes, it is the foreign objects that can hurt the tank, or hands in tank then into mouth that could make kids sick. I started at an early age with my son that the tank is dad's, and not for children to play with. he can watch, but not help. I never want him to think he is "helping" me when I am not around, for his safetly and the tank.

For sure, I've always been more concerned with the other aspects as well. My tank is in my home office so it's double off limits. I will take a similar approach with my children. I am also planning on putting a lock on the door, lock on the stand and canopy, and lock on my testing/chemical/storage closet. Aquarium Fort knox

 

[BigJohnny]

I don't think a grown man could tip over a 4ft tank when full. Not without pushing against something. They weigh in excess of 1000 lbs for a standard 75g, and like said above, its downward force on a leveled and square base.

Saltwater weighs about 8.6lbs/g. A 90g filled with nothing but water will weigh in excess of 1000lbs(tank+water). Add the stand and the sump plus the water down there and we're approaching 1500lbs before we add rock and sand. I just don't see that tipping over.

Yea but it's top heavy and over 70" tall with the canopy, so I bet it would require less force than wed think. Having said that, I agree with you, I think it would take a lot more than a kid could produce.

 

[BigJohnny]

I definitely will and I'm sure someone will chime in with math at some point but I would trust my future kids around a tank that size without sweating a drop. As mentioned above I'd be more concerned about hands going in than tanks going over. 12-1500 pounds is a pretty good guess at the weight of your system like @Robin Haselden said, I doubt even you could pull that over.

Hey I am "Big" Johnny after all, don't doubt.

 

[pelphrey]

My biggest concern was keeping them OUT of the cabinet. I used magnetic cabinet locks ( https://amzn.to/2GwtGPh ) and they are priceless! My two will be 2 & 3 this year and they are curious and when working together dangerous!

I won't lie, I know there will be a day that they hang from my rimless tank or throw stuff inside. Almost wish I saved some money and bought a rimmed tank with a canopy!

 

[Crabs McJones]

My biggest concern was keeping them OUT of the cabinet. I used magnetic cabinet locks ( https://amzn.to/2GwtGPh ) and they are priceless! My two will be 2 & 3 this year and they are curious and when working together dangerous!

I won't lie, I know there will be a day that they hang from my rimless tank or throw stuff inside. Almost wish I saved some money and bought a rimmed tank with a canopy!

Same here. Paige loves climbing into the cabinet and playing in the water she can reach. Had to put a lock on the door.

 

[Breadman03]

I'd say that no, it won't tip. Snag some tethers anyway and secure it because it would really suck to be wrong.

 

[Myka]

I'd say that no, it won't tip. Snag some tethers anyway and secure it because it would really suck to be wrong.

Agreed. Tether the stand (and maybe the canopy?) to the wall. Then your wife will be happy, and you can add another layer to Fort Knox!

 

[BigJohnny]

Agreed. Tether the stand (and maybe the canopy?) to the wall. Then your wife will be happy, and you can add another layer to Fort Knox!

Wouldn't even know where to get a tether strong enough to prevent 1000lbs+ from tipping over, but also, that would only tether the stand. The tank could still fall over, technically. I'm just playing devils advocate here because my wife is the devil, but also an angel........

Tethering the stand would probably calm her down a bit though. Have you done this?

 

[mfinn]

Don't argue with the wife. You can strap the stand to the wall.
Plus you really need to baby proof the stand doors and any cabinet that has any fish supplies.