# metal stand bow



## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)

my 5ft metal stand has a 1cm gap between the tank and stand. ive searched and read alot about it.

but is it dangerous or its ok. 

its just alot of work to have to take it off the stand and put foam.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Could be dangerous, basically in the middle of the tank the only support is the tank itself. I can see the potential of the glass just shattering from all the weight, being that long I assume its a 120 or larger tank which is alot of weight.

Maybe you can try adding a 2x4 to bring the middle up to touching the tank? I would do this in the middle of a water change to reduce the weight if you want to try this.


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## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)

i've thought about doing that but i would have to almost empty the tank which i can do.

then jack the center and insert a piece of wood. uhhhhh 

anyone have any thoughts pros and cons about this.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

best thing would probably be to replace the stand, but who wants to spend that kind of money.


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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

Gts-ter said:


> i've thought about doing that but i would have to almost empty the tank which i can do.
> 
> then jack the center and insert a piece of wood. uhhhhh
> 
> anyone have any thoughts pros and cons about this.


yeah do it slow and steady lol

If really want it to work take the tank completely off the stand, then level the stand, add 1/2 ply to the top of the stand, 1/4" pink foam insulation on top of the ply, and then put the tank back on the stand. I would permanently leave a 2x4 in place where the bow is too.

A lot of work I know but saves you buying a new tank, stand, and dealing with the flood when the tank collapses under pressure.


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## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)

now thats scary...i'll just put the piece of wood to try and level that. thanks does anyone else have this issue and just left it.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

A bow in the top rail of metal stands is not unusual, and may in fact be the norm. Steel is seldom straight and welding causes warpage. However, in my opinion, it isn't a desirable situation to have the length of the tank unsupported, even though there are many like this out there. The easiest solution is to place a piece of styro (I would use white) between the tank and stand. Where it needs to, the styro will compact until the weight is evenly distributed.


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## snaggle (Feb 19, 2010)

I have seen some where in the past a LFS that has all there tanks on cinder block towers with no stringers of any kind. The biggest danger I can see with your problem is that there could be a structure issue with your stand, if it bends even a little in the wrong spot it could cause a pressure point on the glass. Given the size of your tank there is a good chance the bottom is tempered so if a pressure point hits there it will shatter ( think about a fire fighter breaking out a side window in a car.) If it was my tank I would get the tank off and check out the stand. you could use a sheet of plywood and foam board to make a more level surface for the tank, but only if the stand is safe. You could also screw the plywood it should stiffen things up.


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## balutpenoy2oy (Feb 17, 2011)

the thicker plywood placed on bottom the better, this will carry and support load per square inch much better.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

I've had a 20gallon long set up on an iron stand and a 20gallon tall. Both of them are fine and have never had any issues. In fact, my 220gallon is only supported on the exteriors with nothing but a drip tray under the glass itself. (this stands wood though)

Most stands are designed to support the weight of the aquarium by distributing it evenly to the edges. The 220gallon stand I have was built custom by a carpenter. He explained that by distributing the weight, the center of the aquarium actually has less stress points. I've never had an issue with any of these tanks and I've never place another piece of wood or foam on the stands.


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## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)

i'll be going to homedepot shortly and getting some 1inch x 1 inch wood to go between the top and top-of the bottom steel.

last night i was able to put a piece of wood between with the metal flexing back up. When i removed it it went back down (that was scary)


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Just use the wooden piece and hope for the best if you're really that scared. Though I do warn you that it's not a huge issue, like I said 220gallons supported by the exterior 4walls only. Nothing as a center brace and that's actually better than having the center brace.

But if you have the whole bottom braced, that's the best.


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## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)

Ryan.Wilton said:


> Just use the wooden piece and hope for the best if you're really that scared. Though I do warn you that it's not a huge issue, like I said 220gallons supported by the exterior 4walls only. Nothing as a center brace and that's actually better than having the center brace.
> 
> But if you have the whole bottom braced, that's the best.


That made me feel better

"Though I do warn you that it's not a huge issue" made me scared then happy...lol

i'll be putting the pieces of wood not directly in the center but about 1ft away from each side.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Perfect, as mentioned before, the key is to ensure that you are able to distribute the weight as to take pressure away from the center stress point.


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## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)

I just wanted to add, I checked the other side which is against the wall. There are no gaps at all.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I have a curious question about tank support.. hope you don't mind me asking on here.. but when I look at my tanks, [the largest is 30G, btw ], they have that plastic frame around the top and bottoms, which don't allow the tank bottom to touch what it sits on. The plastic frame is what it sits on.. so the weight is only on the edges, so to speak. Pretty narrow plastic edges, as it happens.

Mine are on a wide double plywood shelf, held up with brick pillars and more shelving underneath and it will support two humans walking around on it to clean the windows it's under, so I have zero worries that the stand will collapse under the weight of the two tanks, but on a metal stand, those same tanks would have support only on the edges too, under the plastic rims.

So I'm curious, why would it matter if there is no support across the middle, if the tank would never sit flat on it's bottom anyway ?


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## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)

Np. That question is pretty confusing will have to read again later lol. Btw I have some pics will post little later. Have to put in my photobucket.


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*tank bow*

get some pics up man lets see what its doing , i know its a pain in the ass but i like the empty tank ,sheet of plywood and foam idea , id even take the stand and have a extra brace welded on .no one wants tank disasters 
cheers 
tom


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

its not the lack of a brace in the middle, its the front rail of the metal stand itself, the 5 foot long front top of the metal stand that has a warp and the middle front of the tank is not supported.


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## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

It shouldn't need to be supported. Metal stands bowing out like you describe typically stems from setup. If the stand isn't on a square/flat surface they will twist over time and cause problems like yours. My guess is you've got a high corner under a leg. That or your tank wasn't built square, less likely but I've seen in happen. Next time you setup a tank on a metal stand drop some 1x3 in the footprint of your stand then shim it square all round. Then place stand on the square base and you shouldn't have the stand twisting.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Fishfur said:


> I have a curious question about tank support.. hope you don't mind me asking on here.. but when I look at my tanks, [the largest is 30G, btw ], they have that plastic frame around the top and bottoms, which don't allow the tank bottom to touch what it sits on. The plastic frame is what it sits on.. so the weight is only on the edges, so to speak. Pretty narrow plastic edges, as it happens.
> 
> Mine are on a wide double plywood shelf, held up with brick pillars and more shelving underneath and it will support two humans walking around on it to clean the windows it's under, so I have zero worries that the stand will collapse under the weight of the two tanks, but on a metal stand, those same tanks would have support only on the edges too, under the plastic rims.
> 
> So I'm curious, why would it matter if there is no support across the middle, if the tank would never sit flat on it's bottom anyway ?


So I'm guessing this one was more for me cuz I brought this point up.
The rim of the aquarium is generally pretty thin. It's more for aesthetics and general support. If you look, so tanks have a think plastic strip as the bottom support, such as my 220gallon.

The main reason one would not have simply a center brace and 4 exterior braces is because the weight on the center brace will cause pressure points on the bottom glass. If the full bottom is supported then the issue is not present. The 4 exterior supports act in the same way as 4 walls holding up a roof. The weight from the weather, building materials, etc may be pushing down on it, but because the weight is evenly distributed through the 4 walls the roof doesn't simply cave in.


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## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)




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## Spicoli (Dec 11, 2012)

Not to jinx either of us, but i have a 125 running and it has the same gap basically
I'll get a pic too


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## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)

lol....did u do anything about it? or will u.


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## Spicoli (Dec 11, 2012)

Hadn't planned on it. Been setup for about 2 months.

http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40775

there is pics there of how full it is. it has more lava rock now in a bigger pile


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## Gts-ter (Jan 11, 2011)

well mine has been for over a year now just putting those supports.

honestly the wood is just there to make me feel better which it is making me. so i think its good. and it seems better


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*suggestion*

hey there i have a thought since u posted the pic .its gonna take some work but it is dooable your tank seems pretty light on the hardscape if i was u i would head to home depot and get one large brute container .empty tank and fish .get a piece of wood cut to be exact dimensions u need for stand and tank .while u are there u could get the pink insulation .then of course dry container and return back to home depot.
if u had some help lifting tank it coulkd be done very easlily .offering to give u a hand if u want to tackle it next sunday i am at scarb golf club area .
let me know dude 
cheers 
tom.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

That's kind of what I was thinking Ryan. I have two or three old tank stands I've salvaged, use 'em to hold up balcony planters, with plywood on top to support the planters.

Despite being old and pretty rusty, all are quite sturdy still, even if the welding is not as neat as it could be. Same kind of stand that held up my first tank when I was in school. 

I can understand being worried about breakage or leaks. I don't worry my shelf will give way, but a leak, yikes, I shudder to think of the damage just 30 gallons of water would do. Half a gallon is enough to make quite a mess. I don't want to even think about the damage a much bigger tank would do if disaster happened. I once knocked over a bucket of dirty water I'd washed the floor with, in this apartment. Super came up about an hour later, thinking I had a pipe or drain leak because some of that water ended up in the unit below me. It was a 5 gallon bucket, maybe half full. I wiped up most of it, or at least I thought I did.. guess I wasn't quick enough.

I've also been through a minor flood and it is just nasty to have to clean up after that sort of thing. Wrongly installed basement window frames in the house I grew up in gave way during a severe storm and allowed water in the window wells to pour in all around them.

At that time, my fish tank was on a foot tall bench with 4x4 legs that I'd built, in my basement bedroom. There was water swirling everywhere, including underneath the tank bench. It was just as weird as can be to see the lighted tank with the fish serenely swimming above the disgusting dirty water below. Long shag carpet took 3 rounds of pro cleaning to get all the dirt and water out.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Well FishFur, as they always say.... Great minds think alike


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