# ikea stand for a 55 gallon?



## Smooch (May 14, 2016)

My concerns with it would be weight capacity. According to Ikea's website, that piece hold 110 pounds. You'd be well over that with water alone.


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## evil nick (Oct 20, 2014)

Smooch said:


> My concerns with it would be weight capacity. According to Ikea's website, that piece hold 110 pounds. You'd be well over that with water alone.


Where do you see the weight limits? 
Dont think it could be resupported? Maybe without the legs? I could build some framing in each box section behind each door?

The tank is WELL over 110 lbs lol


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Second photo with the extra wood lagged on inside at the support's, would be my choice.
Would also look at the leg's ,and how they are attached to the bottom.
They maybe could just splay out from the weight? If they do not run through the piece from bottom to top.
(hard to tell from photo)
Besides the weight of the tank/water,don't forget the weight of the substrate.


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## Smooch (May 14, 2016)

> Good to know
> This furniture must be secured to the wall with the enclosed wall anchoring device.
> Different wall materials require different types of fasteners. Use fasteners suitable for the walls in your home.
> To be completed with knobs or handles.
> ...


This is on the right side of the product description. Whether you make it work or not is entirely up to you. You asked about concerns and I gave mine. LOL


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## someoldguy (Feb 26, 2014)

Your stand looks pretty good . If your wife insists on an IKEA particleboard/pressboard/cardboard stand , why not go to IKEA , take pictures and measurements ( Hey , they'll give you a tape measure) , and make your own knockoff of the IKEA but out of materials that will hold the tank .


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## evil nick (Oct 20, 2014)

Smooch said:


> This is on the right side of the product description. Whether you make it work or not is entirely up to you. You asked about concerns and I gave mine. LOL


Im not debating you, I just honestly didnt/dont see a weight description. Maybe my browser.

I think that 110lbs might be wall hung weight by that description though.

Bump:


roadmaster said:


> Second photo with the extra wood lagged on inside at the support's, would be my choice.
> Would also look at the leg's ,and how they are attached to the bottom.
> They maybe could just splay out from the weight? If they do not run through the piece from bottom to top.
> (hard to tell from photo)
> Besides the weight of the tank/water,don't forget the weight of the substrate.


Thanks I might give it a shot. Yes this tank is heavy. Im still deciding.


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## Smooch (May 14, 2016)

evil nick said:


> Im not debating you, I just honestly didnt/dont see a weight description. Maybe my browser.


I'm not pulling your leg. I promise.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

This may depend on how you view the future with the girlfriend. If it is to be a long term deal, now may be a good time to set some limits. Nothing worse than living with somebody who does not want to discuss things that work and things that don't. This is a time when you might take a chance and get away with it, do a lot of work to modify it to make it safe or simply find that one of you has to change. 
Pressed material is not good material for weight nor water and you are going to have both. As a compromise, I would look at sturdy, wooden furniture rather than the current item. If compromise is not part of the deal, I would look for a new girl.


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## someoldguy (Feb 26, 2014)

Looking at what this thing is made of , I see particle board , fiberboard , honeycomb structure ( basically cardboard egg crate with a thin skin ), and recycled paper . None of which are particularly structural , and all of which are best kept away from water . Even if you go through the heroics of reinforcing it , it'll at best be a cobbled up affair . You're putting lipstick on a pig . Maybe it's time to look for a Plan B.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

I wouldn't do it. I have afew ikea furnitures. The joints assembly aren't strong at all. You push the top from side to side and it'll shear.


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## nel (Jan 23, 2016)

I wouldn't use besta, this series is pretty fragile. On the other hand - for about 5 years there was a ~60 gallon tank on LACK mounted on the wall in my room. Everything was fine  IKEA furniture isn't so fragile after all.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

You can reenforce the joints though. Get some metal brackets from the hardware store and screw them over the joints on the inside for aesthetics.


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## redavalanche (Dec 7, 2014)

You already have what you need. You built it. I would be proud to have that as my stand. 

If one of her friends came over and seen it they would probably say my man cant do that and your girl may change her tune.


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## evil nick (Oct 20, 2014)

yeah reading that description smooch pointed says the top and bottom are hollow core. Scary part is the stand mine is on now is as well and I didnt know until I checked last night lol. 
I think I might remake the doors on the piece. Honestly dont think I like the routes edge. I like square, shaker style which I started with first. 
Maybe Ill just build something more modern looking, it would take me a day and it might shut her up. 

Unfortunately we are 9 years in and own a damn house together so leaving over this is not an option.


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## Smooch (May 14, 2016)

evil nick said:


> yeah reading that description smooch pointed says the top and bottom are hollow core. Scary part is the stand mine is on now is as well and I didnt know until I checked last night lol.
> I think I might remake the doors on the piece. Honestly dont think I like the routes edge. I like square, shaker style which I started with first.
> Maybe Ill just build something more modern looking, it would take me a day and it might shut her up.
> 
> Unfortunately we are 9 years in and own a damn house together so leaving over this is not an option.


I don't know how to fix the girlfriend issue, but I didn't point my concern out to cause strife between the two of you. A tank that size could really put the hurt on somebody if it came down and somebody was near by. Safety first....


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## evil nick (Oct 20, 2014)

Smooch said:


> I don't know how to fix the girlfriend issue, but I didn't point my concern out to cause strife between the two of you. A tank that size could really put the hurt on somebody if it came down and somebody was near by. Safety first....


no, I am concerned with 55 gallons of water and dead fish everywhere. Im dealing with a woman who claims to like one style, thinks its another, and isnt creative enough to put in any input. 
She also doesnt understand weight and displacement on a structure. 

Very frustrating. I may just go my original route and have a buddy help me set it all up when shes out.


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## etane (May 14, 2012)

i had used an ikea shelf for aquarium stand. it's only a 17 gallon though. i added a lot of bracing to it. it's my 60p. you can check my journal @ page 3.


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## Nightgardener (Apr 13, 2014)

The one you built looks much better, and I'm Scandinavian and grew up seeing a lot of Ikea furniture; it was popular with young couples who couldn't afford real wooden furniture.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Check if you can trade the GF in at Ikea for one that sees the world more like you do.


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## Izzy- (Jun 11, 2014)

Hey man, that's one sick stand you built. I would never trade that for an IKEA furniture. Why don't you spend the IKEA money on making your stand "look better" for your gf? Maybe use that money on some plywood or trim ?


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