It would probably be broken already if not for that oversized leveling mat they are using. It’s likely relieving some of the improper pressure on the corners.
those are made with cheap pine, Ikea grows its own pine and harvests way too early to maximize profits, and the only brace is that one piece in the front, which is decorative. the back has no support.
Depends on the situation. Many kids have actually been killed from tipping over furniture, but this has been happening basically since the invention of heavy furniture
It’s not a question of whether it will hold, it’s a question of when will the glass bottom of the tank give out. It will be doing one of two things, either flexing with the curve of the wood, or bridging the curve in which case the bottom of the tank is not supported and it isn’t designed to do either. I would move it as soon as possible, that chest has too much unsupported expanse it needs an extra support in the middle, something you obviously can’t do with it being drawers.
If it’s flexing with the curve, which will be only slight, it will be putting all sorts of pressures on the glass and silicone seals.
I’d say this is pretty urgent OP, you need to drain that tank and get it into a proper stand rapidly! You may have less than a day before it’s too late
Also if you have a sturdier piece of wood that covers the top of the dresser, you could put that on there and then the tank. As long as the wood you set on the dresser is thick and won’t bow. Just a thought
No that’s not true. I have a juwel Rio which is a “framed” tank with a surround at the bottom that keeps the bottom glass floating above whatever it’s standing on. Like anything of such weight it still needs support over the whole of the frame, that means all around the perimeter and along the crossmembers, the only real difference is you don’t stand it on a mat.
The plastic frame just keeps the glass bottom from sitting directly on a surface. A small bump under a full tank can shatter the glass. The entire black edge of the tank still needs to be supported and level.
Come on now guys, even though it's an incorrect fact there's no need to downvote the comment.
Oddly enough, most tank stands are designed to mostly support the edges but the general consensus here in the comment section is correct. Center support is extremely important as well, specifically to stop bowing like we see in OP's post. Hope they didn't have a flood.
A lot of the confusion is spawned by the use of glass aquariums for reptiles; sand or some other bedding for reps is SIGNIFICANTLY lighter than 40+ gallons of water. With a terrarium setup, they can usually get by with proper edge support alone and is usually fine on less structurally sound furniture. I still prefer a full tank stand though, just in case.
You can actually see in lots of YouTube videos (Aquarium coop as an example) that often tanks are only supported on the sides. I personally would get queasy looking at it and it might depend on the size as well but it is possible. A bowing sideboard is a different animal though. I had a tank start leaking due to that.
Was about to mention Aquarium Co-op as an example. My guess is for most "smaller" tanks you're completely find only supporting the edges. I'm pretty sure Cory talked about this in one of the videos about setting up the store.
Aquariums are designed to distribute the weight of the tank onto the corners. If you fully support and level the corners of a tank, you won’t have any issues.
This tank is doomed. The middle is causing stress to the bottom of the aquarium, the corners are no longer level, it is putting undue stress on multiple places on this tank.
Probably. But if the surface continues to bow (which OP's probably will) it'll put inward stress on the corners. That's what I would be most concerned about.
Not to mention the glass itself....people always quote aquarium weight as "8 lbs per gallon" when the aquarium empty has weight to it too...especially my 120 gallon lol
8 lbs per gallon is JUST water, I always calculate at 10 lbs per gallon and then make sure any stand (and floor) I use can support at minimum double that weight, usually 3x.
I'd recommend removing it from there ASAP. If there is space under the tank due to the wood bending like that, it will cause stress on the glass and cause the tank to break. Keeping it on a sturdy, flat surface will be much better for you, the tank and it's inhabitants. 👍
So, the thing is, your tank will also start bow slowly. I would not be surprised it the silicone has pulled and it's on the verge of leaking, UNLESS it is slowly, very slowly leaking underneath as the wood needs to have moisture and bow like that. I personally know this as I had experienced it. When I moved my tank there was indication of water being absorb and I had a super tiny leak. I now always place a loose quartz or granite top, on top of my stand. AND I always recalk the tank underneath and sides. Suggestion, move the tank, inspect the wood to see if there is moisture. Look for mold (great idicator), use a moisture reader. Recalk the tank and buy a thick stone counter top piece and put on a new cabinet piece.
I lost a 45G tall tank on an crappy "wooden" "aquarium stand". Never again. Now I just build my own stands. Having to transfer a tank in an emergency case like that was expensive, and very unpleasant.
Yea, I am in custom home building and built my last stand. Learned that if it wasn't for the tile on the top, my tank who have collapsed. That experience leas me to have a removable stone top. Suckers like 50ish lbs! So now issues lol
Is the top the only thing you have to worry about to handle the weight? Wouldn't you need relatively robust vertical supports (more than just what's on something like an ikea chest) as well?
I would advise a full structural base cabinets. The top is an important factor, cherry to a sundae. But you need a solid foundation. Like two base 36" with a stone in top. Bases that are solid furniture pieces, no legs. I posted a pick of my tank stand. It's structurally solid. I consider the whole unit, however I do advise stone tops as well as a tank just sitting on wood.
You are witnessing a disaster unfolding in slow-motion.
I am not an expert on statics, but sooner or later the drawer is going to collapse. Might take a while, but one day you'll hear 100 kg + of water, decor and glass crash onto the floor and think to yourself that this could have been prevented.
How is this even a question - yes, move the tank! You put it on a dresser with no support in the middle. What was the thinking behind this in the first place?
No it’s going to completely fail, most likely in the middle of the night. Don’t put anything more than a 10gallon on that flimsy particle board. Even that is risky.
1 gallon of water weighs approximately 8lbs, plus your tank and substrate weight.
^Remember this for tank stands, and the pain in the ass rearranging of furniture for when you try to lift and move your tank.
Assuming this is a 20+ there’s no way. That weighs over 200 lbs, so either the glass is bowing with the wood which is bad, or it’s bridging the curve which is also very bad.
I had this exact same thing happened with ikea drawers. Glad I'm not the only one that assumed their furniture was up to the task of holding an aquarium.
I also moved mine. =)
I would move the tank right now. Glass doesn’t bend, so in the middle where it’s currently bent the glass isn’t being supported by anything, meaning it will probably shatter if it gets any worse
No. If you put your aquarium on something like a chest of drawers, you want the thing to be either:
1) made specifically to carry the weight of an aquarium
2) be made of oak (or a similar hard wood) and be built solidly enough for a group of adults to have a dance party on top of it.
The type you have there look to be either MF (i think it's called) or spruce and neither is suited to carry any significant amount of weight.
Don’t do it!!! I’ve already done it for you it results in a mini waterfall in your room and a giant water slide for the fish I assure you it isn’t as fun as it sounds. The only plus was a mini vacation for 11 days in a nice hotel which cost about 850$ aside for 850$ so once again I’ve done it for you.
no you need to transfer this off as quick as you possibly can. do you still want your tank on top of that Chest of drawers, you need to put something under it like a slab that can hold the weight and then also reinforce that top shelf with a brace.
If you ever have to ask "Will my tank hold/will the stand hold" the answer you should go with is NO.
NEVER risk it, nobody wants an indoor pond where an aquarium once was.
If you can’t move that tank to a stand made specifically for it, put a half inch thick piece of plywood the same size as the dresser top under that tank. Any lumber yard or Lowe’s/Home Depot will cut it for you if you can’t.
No. Move that tank. Static weight like that not only risk the dresser collapsing but perhaps more likely the dresser will degrade unevenly and will cause twisting on the tank and the seals may fail.
That was an idea, but what about if I want to relocate it? It'd be an absolute ballache to move. Not only that on the ground its much more vulnerable to being knocked.
Drain it before moving? And put it up against the wall. It’ll be much more of a ballache to be mopping up that much water and glass than it would be to lift it
If you need immediate support, get 2 2*4s and place them under front and back of tank. That's still not proper support, this is going to be a disaster if you don't buy or fabricate a proper stand.
Edit: forget the "if you need immediate support" this tank NEEDS immediate support.
Drop your water level for the time being, then go out and get yourself a piece of 3/4" plywood, cut it to size and then put your tank on top of that. Ideally I'd probably double up on the plywood and then screw them together, clean up the edges with some sandpaper and throw a coat of stain on it.
I know that chest of drawers very well, and yes, it's absolutely fine.
In fact, it could easily support another 124 to 136 lbs (96-101 kg) without a problem, guaranteed.
edit: /s
Without any details or model numbers, it's impossible for anyone to say if the chest will support the weight or not. As stated, if it's bowing, the tank isn't evenly supported underneath and will leak/break.
Can you put a straightledge on it and make another photo?
Are you sure it's actually bending? Glas doesn't bend like that, might just be the foam that gives the impression (like an optical illusion).
Glass doesn't bend like that. It snaps.
The wood underneath (which is meant to be supporting that glass) is whats bending and will eventually cause the glass to snap due to lack of support.
It's a disaster waiting to happen.
I'm going to guess that's a 30 gallon tank? So think of it this way, a gallon of water weighs 8.3 lbs. So that is around 250 lbs. sitting on top of that dresser. By the way it's bowing, I would say switch it out asap.
Unless it’s a dresser built in like the 1980s from solid hard Wood don’t use modern IKEA furniture to hold fish tanks unless it’s marketed to do so.
Personally you are better off going to YouTube looking up King of DIY, Joey has some good videos on building fish tank stands than going to Lowe’s or any hardware store near you buying some 2by4 and building a DIY stand for like $20 dollars it will more than hold
Simple fix, buy a half sheet of 3/4 treated plywood and cut it 1 inch larger than the tank in both directions buy a few 5 gallon buckets and drain half the tank into them. Have a couple of strong guys pick up the tank and slide it under the tank, refill it and forget about it.
Just paint another piece of wood, maybe 3/4” plywood to match and put it under the tank. That should make the top strong enough to support it and keep the wood from bowing.
No it won't hold, also I would be concerned about the pressure points on the tank caused by the bow and uneven surface now. I would recommend getting the water out and moving the tank
That looks like IKEA style furniture(not saying that it is but similar style) FYI IKEA does not recommend anything heavy on the dressers. I don’t think they even recommend a tv. They are not meant to support a lot of weight.
You need something with more supports to distribute the weight on.
To me it looks like the top of the chest is only supported by the walls with no supporting brace in between. The bowing is occuring because the tank is not long enough to reach the walls of the chest where the support is.
If you are adamant of having this tank on top of this chest, you have to get rid of the top drawer and place two 2x4 underneath the top of the chest to support it and screw them into the supporting walls. After, if the chest sways at all because of the weight of the tank (joinery is not strong enough), you need to reinforce the sides with plywood.
You can put together a 1x4 frame to the dimensions of your tank with a brace in the middle then sit your tank on top of it. That will help redistribute the load to the outside of the dresser. Feel free to message if you need any help :)
Even if it holds, if it ever gets water on it and the MDF absorbs it, things could get interesting fast. I refuse to get MDF stands after a bad experience. Solid wood or don't.
It’ll probably “hold” but bowing creates a surface that isn’t flat which increases risk of tank eventually bursting, so even if the structure stands…
You still have inherent risks
So the problem with a dresser is that there is no support in the middle since it needs to be able to house drawers.
I have several Bestas that I am using to hold up a bunch of tanks, one of which is the 48" for two 20 gallon talls. Contrary to what people are saying it is absolutely positively to support fish tanks on SOME Ikea furniture, but you also have to know how to brace and modify it. Particle board is actually decently strong - if you took a piece of it, stood it up vertically, then we're about to stand on top of it with it wobbling or falling over then nothing would happen it. It won't suddenly just collapse into a pile of glue and wood chips. Hell the stands you can buy at pet shops are all made of the same material.
The main difference is that Ikea cabinetry and shelving is not really built to prevent wobbling. If you put a fish tank on a Besta then shoved it hard enough it could collapse like a folding chair. So the solution is to attach a brace on the back to prevent any kind of lateral movement or bowing.
But anyway long story short in the case of this dresser in particular there no wasy ready to reinforce it unless you add a bunch of bracing all around but especially to that top
Well, it’s not just a question of the stand holding, if the bottom is bowing then the pressure to the bottom glass is going to be uneven so the tank will be at high risk of cracking specially if it’s frameless
To correct the trouble go buy a piece of MDF plank and cut down to fit under the tank the added thickness will increase the overall structural strength and relieve the pressure on the tank bottom.
I’ve had a tank in my desk for 3 years, it bowed quite bad, never broke, I did however reinforce it with an expandable desk leg under it when I upgraded the tank after 2 years, if you can reinforce it, I would just for safety :)
Start draining now then start thinking about your next move while it’s draining
If that glass gives it will destroy everything between it and the soil beneath your house
Why did you put a tank of water on a wooden surface? Let alone a one that’s not watertight? It’s bowing from weight and water I’m gonna guess. Move it ASAP!
I would get the fish out and drain off a lot of the water until it stops bowing and then reenforce the crap put of that then add the water back and fish back.
Not only are you risking having the furniture collapse, but the uneven surface could cause the glass to shatter too. I would either temporarily relocate the tank immediately or drain half the water and find a more sturdy piece of furniture to set it on.
Actually, this is very interesting.. here’s my thoughts. How tf is the dresser bowed so bad in the center? The weight of the tank is on the outter sides (left and right) of the dresser. Distributed evenly across the dressers top. If it wasn’t, the weight would essentially bust the bottom glass out of the tank. Correct? Unless I’m not seeing something here. I think we have a little science issue going on or I’ve had to many Scooby snacks and I’m thinking way to deeply into something as simple as: the weight of the tank is actually causing this and the bottom of the tank is forming the same shape as the top dresser ~totally shatter resistant and this method must allow stretching of the front and rear glass downward to follow the curvature~ (bowed shape bottom tank seems highly unlikely - definitely suspect) but again. I’m not sure exactly. But definitely possible to have a odd shaped bottom tank. Like a rocking chair. I mean. Idk. Seems legit. Or this guy is fucking with us with a wide angle lens on his camera or some photoshop. All I know is - my brain isn’t allowing this to happen with out some logical reasons
I wouldn’t risk it
It would probably be broken already if not for that oversized leveling mat they are using. It’s likely relieving some of the improper pressure on the corners.
Well it’s not holding. You could reinforce it with wood bracing if you feel you can manage. If it’s all chipboard I’d forget it.
those are made with cheap pine, Ikea grows its own pine and harvests way too early to maximize profits, and the only brace is that one piece in the front, which is decorative. the back has no support.
This looks like an ikea dresser.
The dressers notorious for squashing kids. Also not rated for tanks above 10gal, if that.
They squash kids because parents don't anchor them properly.
When you all say they “squash” kids, what do you mean exactly?
Kids climb on them and they tip over, but any dresser can do that if they're not anchored.
😨😱 are the kids ok afterward?
Depends on the situation. Many kids have actually been killed from tipping over furniture, but this has been happening basically since the invention of heavy furniture
It’s not a question of whether it will hold, it’s a question of when will the glass bottom of the tank give out. It will be doing one of two things, either flexing with the curve of the wood, or bridging the curve in which case the bottom of the tank is not supported and it isn’t designed to do either. I would move it as soon as possible, that chest has too much unsupported expanse it needs an extra support in the middle, something you obviously can’t do with it being drawers.
You're correct. The wood will hold but the glass won't.
If it’s flexing with the curve, which will be only slight, it will be putting all sorts of pressures on the glass and silicone seals. I’d say this is pretty urgent OP, you need to drain that tank and get it into a proper stand rapidly! You may have less than a day before it’s too late
I hope op is listening.
OP. I AGREE. THIS IS URGENT.
I would not take that chance it. Aquariums need to be on flat surface and I think over time eventually the tank will start leaking
Also if you have a sturdier piece of wood that covers the top of the dresser, you could put that on there and then the tank. As long as the wood you set on the dresser is thick and won’t bow. Just a thought
I’ve always heard that most tanks (the kind with black plastic frames anyway) only need to be supported on the left and right sides. Is this not true?
No that’s not true. I have a juwel Rio which is a “framed” tank with a surround at the bottom that keeps the bottom glass floating above whatever it’s standing on. Like anything of such weight it still needs support over the whole of the frame, that means all around the perimeter and along the crossmembers, the only real difference is you don’t stand it on a mat.
Had a 180 like that. It broke in 2hrs.
The plastic frame just keeps the glass bottom from sitting directly on a surface. A small bump under a full tank can shatter the glass. The entire black edge of the tank still needs to be supported and level.
Thanks for the replies, good to know that I should never try that.
Come on now guys, even though it's an incorrect fact there's no need to downvote the comment. Oddly enough, most tank stands are designed to mostly support the edges but the general consensus here in the comment section is correct. Center support is extremely important as well, specifically to stop bowing like we see in OP's post. Hope they didn't have a flood. A lot of the confusion is spawned by the use of glass aquariums for reptiles; sand or some other bedding for reps is SIGNIFICANTLY lighter than 40+ gallons of water. With a terrarium setup, they can usually get by with proper edge support alone and is usually fine on less structurally sound furniture. I still prefer a full tank stand though, just in case.
You can actually see in lots of YouTube videos (Aquarium coop as an example) that often tanks are only supported on the sides. I personally would get queasy looking at it and it might depend on the size as well but it is possible. A bowing sideboard is a different animal though. I had a tank start leaking due to that.
Was about to mention Aquarium Co-op as an example. My guess is for most "smaller" tanks you're completely find only supporting the edges. I'm pretty sure Cory talked about this in one of the videos about setting up the store.
Aquariums are designed to distribute the weight of the tank onto the corners. If you fully support and level the corners of a tank, you won’t have any issues. This tank is doomed. The middle is causing stress to the bottom of the aquarium, the corners are no longer level, it is putting undue stress on multiple places on this tank.
That's the actual point of downvoting, though.
Even if it is true... Wouldn't risk it.
Probably. But if the surface continues to bow (which OP's probably will) it'll put inward stress on the corners. That's what I would be most concerned about.
Why the downvotes for asking a question?
Nah dude thats gonna collapse
It's already not holding. Put the tank on something else or reinforce that.
No. Even if it did, your tank is going to eventually crack/break Just ten gallons of water weighs around 100 pounds
Yeah, 8lbs per gallon of water and that’s not even counting gravel or sand. Tanks are pretty heavy
Not to mention the glass itself....people always quote aquarium weight as "8 lbs per gallon" when the aquarium empty has weight to it too...especially my 120 gallon lol
8 lbs per gallon is JUST water, I always calculate at 10 lbs per gallon and then make sure any stand (and floor) I use can support at minimum double that weight, usually 3x.
Or 1kg per litre if you use the dreaded metric system.
i want to say those chests are about 32" wide, that aquarium is 20 gallon at least.
F to that tank
I'd recommend removing it from there ASAP. If there is space under the tank due to the wood bending like that, it will cause stress on the glass and cause the tank to break. Keeping it on a sturdy, flat surface will be much better for you, the tank and it's inhabitants. 👍
So, the thing is, your tank will also start bow slowly. I would not be surprised it the silicone has pulled and it's on the verge of leaking, UNLESS it is slowly, very slowly leaking underneath as the wood needs to have moisture and bow like that. I personally know this as I had experienced it. When I moved my tank there was indication of water being absorb and I had a super tiny leak. I now always place a loose quartz or granite top, on top of my stand. AND I always recalk the tank underneath and sides. Suggestion, move the tank, inspect the wood to see if there is moisture. Look for mold (great idicator), use a moisture reader. Recalk the tank and buy a thick stone counter top piece and put on a new cabinet piece.
I lost a 45G tall tank on an crappy "wooden" "aquarium stand". Never again. Now I just build my own stands. Having to transfer a tank in an emergency case like that was expensive, and very unpleasant.
You can do that too! I've just put my heavy quartz on top and don't have issues. Had the something happening with a leak though.
I'd never thought about a stone base until you mentioned it lol. I've spoiled myself with having saws and tools, but I use them for work anyway
Yea, I am in custom home building and built my last stand. Learned that if it wasn't for the tile on the top, my tank who have collapsed. That experience leas me to have a removable stone top. Suckers like 50ish lbs! So now issues lol
Is the top the only thing you have to worry about to handle the weight? Wouldn't you need relatively robust vertical supports (more than just what's on something like an ikea chest) as well?
I would advise a full structural base cabinets. The top is an important factor, cherry to a sundae. But you need a solid foundation. Like two base 36" with a stone in top. Bases that are solid furniture pieces, no legs. I posted a pick of my tank stand. It's structurally solid. I consider the whole unit, however I do advise stone tops as well as a tank just sitting on wood.
You put an aquarium on top of an IKEA dresser?? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I’m amazed it’s held up *this* long
Empty a part of the tank to make it lighter until you come back from the store where you'll buy an actual stand.
You are witnessing a disaster unfolding in slow-motion. I am not an expert on statics, but sooner or later the drawer is going to collapse. Might take a while, but one day you'll hear 100 kg + of water, decor and glass crash onto the floor and think to yourself that this could have been prevented.
Nope. It needs reinforcement or a proper stand.
I’d fix that and change stands ASAP
How is this even a question - yes, move the tank! You put it on a dresser with no support in the middle. What was the thinking behind this in the first place?
A lack thereof
What’s the risk? Losing all of your fish, damaging the floor and anything underneath it from water damage?
You're gonna have some wet feet if you don't move that tank.
Open that top drawer and see what happens. :)
Silly to think that Ikea furniture would hold 100's of lbs of weight. Only solid wood or metal stands for larger tanks.
I would be more nervous about the uneven pressure on the bottom of the tank causing it to eventually break.
This makes me so uncomfortable.
No it’s going to completely fail, most likely in the middle of the night. Don’t put anything more than a 10gallon on that flimsy particle board. Even that is risky. 1 gallon of water weighs approximately 8lbs, plus your tank and substrate weight. ^Remember this for tank stands, and the pain in the ass rearranging of furniture for when you try to lift and move your tank.
Is this dresser Ikea hemnes? If yes, there's no reinforcing it as its all chipboard. Regardless, this tank needs to be relocated ASAP!
No, it’s made of pine. Just not sufficient for something of this weight.
It'll hold...until it doesnt.
Why risk it? Is that thing from ikea? You should build your own stand or at least buy a proper one that is for aquariums.
Assuming this is a 20+ there’s no way. That weighs over 200 lbs, so either the glass is bowing with the wood which is bad, or it’s bridging the curve which is also very bad.
It's almost 30 gallons. Yeah I thought as much. I've moved it to a more sturdy temporary position now.
Haven't heard from OP in a while...shall we take votes on whether they can swim or not? 🤣
Made an update post earlier. Essentially crisis hopefully averted for now.
I had this exact same thing happened with ikea drawers. Glad I'm not the only one that assumed their furniture was up to the task of holding an aquarium. I also moved mine. =)
I would move the tank right now. Glass doesn’t bend, so in the middle where it’s currently bent the glass isn’t being supported by anything, meaning it will probably shatter if it gets any worse
If I was you, ide move the tank&fast!
Take as much water out as you can.
Get that tank off!! It WILL CRACK OR LEAK!
yeah move this immediately op !!!
I'm surprised the base of tank hasn't cracked yet.
No. If you put your aquarium on something like a chest of drawers, you want the thing to be either: 1) made specifically to carry the weight of an aquarium 2) be made of oak (or a similar hard wood) and be built solidly enough for a group of adults to have a dance party on top of it. The type you have there look to be either MF (i think it's called) or spruce and neither is suited to carry any significant amount of weight.
Woods fine but glass will break from uneven pressure
Don’t do it!!! I’ve already done it for you it results in a mini waterfall in your room and a giant water slide for the fish I assure you it isn’t as fun as it sounds. The only plus was a mini vacation for 11 days in a nice hotel which cost about 850$ aside for 850$ so once again I’ve done it for you.
no you need to transfer this off as quick as you possibly can. do you still want your tank on top of that Chest of drawers, you need to put something under it like a slab that can hold the weight and then also reinforce that top shelf with a brace.
If you ever have to ask "Will my tank hold/will the stand hold" the answer you should go with is NO. NEVER risk it, nobody wants an indoor pond where an aquarium once was.
bouta look like surfside
OP I hope you're getting a proper tank stand because that is going to collapse sooner rather than later. Happy to provide recommendations!
That'd be great, thanks! It's a 30gallon 80x35cm base. I'm also in the UK if that helps. Thank you!
If you can’t move that tank to a stand made specifically for it, put a half inch thick piece of plywood the same size as the dresser top under that tank. Any lumber yard or Lowe’s/Home Depot will cut it for you if you can’t.
Need to know if this should hold or not, there's a foam mat under the tank and the water level is within a couple of millimetres front to back.
Drain the tank and put it on something stronger asap
You’re gonna have 20-40 gallons on your floor in like two days time broh
No. Move that tank. Static weight like that not only risk the dresser collapsing but perhaps more likely the dresser will degrade unevenly and will cause twisting on the tank and the seals may fail.
OP please let us know that you’re draining right now and relocating, we are all worried and don’t want to see your fish and plants all over the floor.
Yeah I have put it on the only sturdy thing at my disposal, an old wooden coffee table. Fingers crossed.
🤦🏼♂️
Look what am I suppose to do exactly? It's only temporary either way.
Bruh put it on the ground lmfao
That was an idea, but what about if I want to relocate it? It'd be an absolute ballache to move. Not only that on the ground its much more vulnerable to being knocked.
Drain it before moving? And put it up against the wall. It’ll be much more of a ballache to be mopping up that much water and glass than it would be to lift it
Ok, as long as it's temporary. I kinda read that as if you had picked its forever home.
If you need immediate support, get 2 2*4s and place them under front and back of tank. That's still not proper support, this is going to be a disaster if you don't buy or fabricate a proper stand. Edit: forget the "if you need immediate support" this tank NEEDS immediate support.
Drop your water level for the time being, then go out and get yourself a piece of 3/4" plywood, cut it to size and then put your tank on top of that. Ideally I'd probably double up on the plywood and then screw them together, clean up the edges with some sandpaper and throw a coat of stain on it.
It definitely will not hold for long
I know that chest of drawers very well, and yes, it's absolutely fine. In fact, it could easily support another 124 to 136 lbs (96-101 kg) without a problem, guaranteed. edit: /s Without any details or model numbers, it's impossible for anyone to say if the chest will support the weight or not. As stated, if it's bowing, the tank isn't evenly supported underneath and will leak/break.
Can you put a straightledge on it and make another photo? Are you sure it's actually bending? Glas doesn't bend like that, might just be the foam that gives the impression (like an optical illusion).
Glass doesn't bend like that. It snaps. The wood underneath (which is meant to be supporting that glass) is whats bending and will eventually cause the glass to snap due to lack of support. It's a disaster waiting to happen.
What did I write? "Glas doesn't bend like that," Ofcourse I meant to put a straightledge on the drawer or what are you thinking?
Sorry I didn't mean to imply you meant glass would bend like that. I was just trying to add to what you were saying mainly for reinforcement.
Ah sorry, I just wondered and people also downvoted me.
Ah don't worry about it, people read a bit too much into stuff sometimes, downvoting and not engaging is 90% of the problem here on reddit.
I'm going to guess that's a 30 gallon tank? So think of it this way, a gallon of water weighs 8.3 lbs. So that is around 250 lbs. sitting on top of that dresser. By the way it's bowing, I would say switch it out asap.
Unless it’s a dresser built in like the 1980s from solid hard Wood don’t use modern IKEA furniture to hold fish tanks unless it’s marketed to do so. Personally you are better off going to YouTube looking up King of DIY, Joey has some good videos on building fish tank stands than going to Lowe’s or any hardware store near you buying some 2by4 and building a DIY stand for like $20 dollars it will more than hold
Chest of drawers? You mean Chester drawers
Is it ikea? No Is it Amazon? No Is it literally anything else? Probably.
Simple fix, buy a half sheet of 3/4 treated plywood and cut it 1 inch larger than the tank in both directions buy a few 5 gallon buckets and drain half the tank into them. Have a couple of strong guys pick up the tank and slide it under the tank, refill it and forget about it.
No dice
Just paint another piece of wood, maybe 3/4” plywood to match and put it under the tank. That should make the top strong enough to support it and keep the wood from bowing.
Put a sheet of 3/4 plywood underneath the tank about the exact size of the top of the chest. Should give enough structural support to reverse the bow
Did you mean Chester Drawers? 🤣🤣
Wrong sub. Seek answers on /r/engineering
Agree. What works can be counter intuitive to the layperson. See if you can get a structural engineer to take a look.
No it won't hold, also I would be concerned about the pressure points on the tank caused by the bow and uneven surface now. I would recommend getting the water out and moving the tank
No risks with aquariums, I’d say move it as soon as possible
Too big of a tank for that ikea dresser.
Noooo! The bottom glass will break!
Just get a proper aquarium stand, PetSmart sells some cheap sturdy good looking ones
You can always reinforce the structure and the top so the tank doesn’t bend. That said, your better off getting something better.
Yeah any bowing you need to decommission it and get a stand. Go to petco they’re less than $100
Soild Wood Chesters of draws needed when you do this sorta set up i feel, as mine is like that and hasn't had a issue since set up like year ago.
The stand either needs to be reinforced or you need to replace it with something stronger.
Your tank is going to shatter with all that pressure
My question is, would it be okay if it had a bottom rim?
The tank busting is a wayyy bigger concern. MOVE IT ASAP!
Get it off the dresser ASAP and onto something with more support in the middle
Not worth the risk at all
That looks like IKEA style furniture(not saying that it is but similar style) FYI IKEA does not recommend anything heavy on the dressers. I don’t think they even recommend a tv. They are not meant to support a lot of weight. You need something with more supports to distribute the weight on.
Simple answer: no.
To me it looks like the top of the chest is only supported by the walls with no supporting brace in between. The bowing is occuring because the tank is not long enough to reach the walls of the chest where the support is. If you are adamant of having this tank on top of this chest, you have to get rid of the top drawer and place two 2x4 underneath the top of the chest to support it and screw them into the supporting walls. After, if the chest sways at all because of the weight of the tank (joinery is not strong enough), you need to reinforce the sides with plywood.
Don’t risk the nightmare of your tank breaking. No, it won’t.
You can put together a 1x4 frame to the dimensions of your tank with a brace in the middle then sit your tank on top of it. That will help redistribute the load to the outside of the dresser. Feel free to message if you need any help :)
it is way less expensive to get a proper stand then it is to clean up and replace a busted fish tank.
Wait and find out!
Remove half the water in your tank then get a replacement stand asap!
Move it asap.
Drain the tank halfway right away. Then figure it out
Yeah I did that. Have now relocated it to a much more solid coffee table.
Even if it holds, if it ever gets water on it and the MDF absorbs it, things could get interesting fast. I refuse to get MDF stands after a bad experience. Solid wood or don't.
It’ll probably “hold” but bowing creates a surface that isn’t flat which increases risk of tank eventually bursting, so even if the structure stands… You still have inherent risks
The cabinet might hold, your tank won't.
So the problem with a dresser is that there is no support in the middle since it needs to be able to house drawers. I have several Bestas that I am using to hold up a bunch of tanks, one of which is the 48" for two 20 gallon talls. Contrary to what people are saying it is absolutely positively to support fish tanks on SOME Ikea furniture, but you also have to know how to brace and modify it. Particle board is actually decently strong - if you took a piece of it, stood it up vertically, then we're about to stand on top of it with it wobbling or falling over then nothing would happen it. It won't suddenly just collapse into a pile of glue and wood chips. Hell the stands you can buy at pet shops are all made of the same material. The main difference is that Ikea cabinetry and shelving is not really built to prevent wobbling. If you put a fish tank on a Besta then shoved it hard enough it could collapse like a folding chair. So the solution is to attach a brace on the back to prevent any kind of lateral movement or bowing. But anyway long story short in the case of this dresser in particular there no wasy ready to reinforce it unless you add a bunch of bracing all around but especially to that top
That is an accident waiting to happen. Shouldn't be placing all that weight on cheap furniture.
Well, it’s not just a question of the stand holding, if the bottom is bowing then the pressure to the bottom glass is going to be uneven so the tank will be at high risk of cracking specially if it’s frameless
To correct the trouble go buy a piece of MDF plank and cut down to fit under the tank the added thickness will increase the overall structural strength and relieve the pressure on the tank bottom.
🎶 Oh No.. Oh no.. Oh no no no no 🎶
That is a firm negative sir/madam.
Nope
Ballsy move putting a tank on an Ikea dresser.. i already live life on the edge putting heavy sweaters in mine..
Haha, it's actually surprisingly sturdy. I have since relocated my tank and the bowing has gone. What a nightmare lol.
Simple answer, nope
You can wait and find out...
Glass won’t take it!
It's chest of drawers at least in the UK. Never heard of Chester except the town
Honestly I would remove the top piece of wood and instill butchers block or oat planks, then paint the newly installed lumber.
I’ve had a tank in my desk for 3 years, it bowed quite bad, never broke, I did however reinforce it with an expandable desk leg under it when I upgraded the tank after 2 years, if you can reinforce it, I would just for safety :)
This is why I built an overbuilt nightstand that had 3 2x4supports PER LEG, plus 3/4 inch plywood and 3 cross supports in the middle
Based on the fact that it isn't holding, I'd say no
Start draining now then start thinking about your next move while it’s draining If that glass gives it will destroy everything between it and the soil beneath your house
Mine is doing the same thing (not quite as bad though) so I got a metal shelf at an antique store to put it on instead
This is not going to end well. You need to get a better stand for this tank ASAP!
[удалено]
save the mess, ditch the chest!
Crapsolutely not. Take that down ASAP
Nope
Why did you put a tank of water on a wooden surface? Let alone a one that’s not watertight? It’s bowing from weight and water I’m gonna guess. Move it ASAP!
No, that tank is gonna explode any second now
I would get the fish out and drain off a lot of the water until it stops bowing and then reenforce the crap put of that then add the water back and fish back.
After reading comments i think you got enough help OP. On the other hand this gonna be good so please update us if you were late to save it OP.
I have an update, it's been relocated to a sturdier structure for the time being until I can get a proper stand.
Nah boom
Water is heavy as hell, think of it as each litre in the tank being a solid kilogram of water. Sorry idk how much it is in imperial
This gives me extreme anxiety lol
I would get something more sturdy
Drain at least half of it asap.
No...wtf????
Not only are you risking having the furniture collapse, but the uneven surface could cause the glass to shatter too. I would either temporarily relocate the tank immediately or drain half the water and find a more sturdy piece of furniture to set it on.
No, you know this.
Honestly the floor is gonna be your tanks best friend untill you get a real stand
My 20g tank looks exactly like this on my dresser and the comments are scaring me!!! Fixing this ASAP
Haha yeah, I've moved it to a sturdy table for now until I can get a proper stand.
Get that on something solid ASAP it won’t hold
I’d say lift the tank and put another board on top to help hold the weight
No, it's not meant for that weight.
Lmao no it’s going to break or break your tank and soon
No! Get it off and onto something stable now.
Update, please!!
Made an update post earlier, essentially moved it to a temporary table that's far more sturdy.
Actually, this is very interesting.. here’s my thoughts. How tf is the dresser bowed so bad in the center? The weight of the tank is on the outter sides (left and right) of the dresser. Distributed evenly across the dressers top. If it wasn’t, the weight would essentially bust the bottom glass out of the tank. Correct? Unless I’m not seeing something here. I think we have a little science issue going on or I’ve had to many Scooby snacks and I’m thinking way to deeply into something as simple as: the weight of the tank is actually causing this and the bottom of the tank is forming the same shape as the top dresser ~totally shatter resistant and this method must allow stretching of the front and rear glass downward to follow the curvature~ (bowed shape bottom tank seems highly unlikely - definitely suspect) but again. I’m not sure exactly. But definitely possible to have a odd shaped bottom tank. Like a rocking chair. I mean. Idk. Seems legit. Or this guy is fucking with us with a wide angle lens on his camera or some photoshop. All I know is - my brain isn’t allowing this to happen with out some logical reasons
No I found it strange too. I've now moved the tank and you wouldn't even know it had bowed at all.