# can this be modified to take a 5 foot tank



## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

first off, the tank dimensions are 60by18by20high

the cupboard has been strengthened, as I had originally considered shoving a 4 foot tank on it.

the length of the top is 135 cm (15cm shorter than the tank) and its 38cm wide (7cm short)

I have strengthened it by shoving in 1/4 ply in between the doors, and have covered the back with the same ply (so instead of the cheap veneer stuff that like 1-2mm thick its solid wood)

so the sides and middle of the tank are supported by 1/4" ply or equivalent thickness pine.
a rough drawing of the cupboard as I've modified it, the darker lines in the drawing are the supports.

there is a 6" gap in the back panel (as indicated with dotted lines) where I left a gap with the ply, so I could access the power sockets behind.










obviously I cant just shove the tank on there, but with the right sized piece of ply underneath would this be workable.

note, mine is not the floating base type tank, it has the bottom pane down flat, with the 4 walls siliconed on top of it


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

no thoughts??


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## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

Acrylic tank?


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

It was my understanding that even with the flat bottom tanks, you still wanted the supports under the corners to avoid flex. Now, you are only short by a snitch, so perhaps this is unimportant. 
I would want to hear that from some of our DIY gurus first like McDaphnia though...

Now for overall weight bearing... what is the material of the cupboard?

Unless it's solid wood, I think you'd need more than 1/4 inch... I would have gone with 1/2 or even 3/4. 
I would add plywood to the front of the cupboard as well.

What I would do in your shoes is get 1/2 ply and use one sheet to create vertical supports that can be glued and screwed into the cupboard. I'd concentrate the supports on the inside close to the 4 corners.

Hopefully this helps, though what usually happens is 4 or 5 people will happily swoop in to correct us both!  
One way or t'other you get your answer!


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

the main material is 1/4" pine. I was going to shove 1/4" ply on top with the 4foot.

however was wondering if using 1/2" ply I might be able to get the 5foot on top.

as far as I can tell there compressive strength is good enough and theres no side to side movement on account of the entire back being a piece of ply. just needs the tank to be supported evenly across the top.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

I would stack cement block or brick on either side for support, mortared or glued together. Then I would make a vertical 2 by 4 frame topped with half inch or 3/4 inch plywood matching the bottom of the tank and bridging over the furniture piece. 1/4 inch plywood will eventually buckle or twist under the weight of a tank.


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

I lied, no idea why 1/4" was stuck in my head, the ply is 12mm and the pine is 14mm.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn said:


> I lied, no idea why 1/4" was stuck in my head, the ply is 12mm and the pine is 14mm.


 That makes it closer to half inch, but does not change what I thought would be an effective way to support the tank.


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