# 50 gallon on dresser



## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

I recently upgraded to a 50 gallon and thought I'd save money by just putting it on my dresser instead of buying a stand. The dresser is 3 in. longer on each side of the tank. It's pretty sturdy but I was just wandering if there was anything special about having a stand as oppossed to a dresser? The stands they sell at the store don't seem to be much different than a dresser. Has anyone ever had a problem having their tank on a dresser? Any suggestions/comments would be great!


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## psyber (Jan 7, 2009)

westbanksfinest said:


> I recently upgraded to a 50 gallon and thought I'd save money by just putting it on my dresser instead of buying a stand. The dresser is 3 in. longer on each side of the tank. It's pretty sturdy but I was just wandering if there was anything special about having a stand as oppossed to a dresser? The stands they sell at the store don't seem to be much different than a dresser. Has anyone ever had a problem having their tank on a dresser? Any suggestions/comments would be great!


Do you think the dresser can hold 500-600 lbs? Will water ruin the dresser? Can you easily perform the needed maintainace with the tank on the dresser? Does the cost of a stand ($50ish) outweigh the potential damages if the dresser fails and the tank spills all over the floor, walls, dresser, etc.? I don't mean to sound like a smartalic but I recently went through a similar situation and these were the type of questions that helped me make a decision.


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## overleaf (Jan 18, 2009)

westbanksfinest said:


> I recently upgraded to a 50 gallon and thought I'd save money by just putting it on my dresser instead of buying a stand. The dresser is 3 in. longer on each side of the tank. It's pretty sturdy but I was just wandering if there was anything special about having a stand as oppossed to a dresser? The stands they sell at the store don't seem to be much different than a dresser. Has anyone ever had a problem having their tank on a dresser? Any suggestions/comments would be great!


I keep a 20G tank on top of a particle board dresser without any issues. Since 55G is ~460lbs, would you feel comfortable with 2 200lbs men standing and fake jumping (not moving feet from dresser, just shifting weight), if not... then don't put the tank on it.

If the dresser has 'legs' those will likely be your weak spot. You'll likely have good luck if the dresser has a wide base to spread the load.


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## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

well the tank is already on the dresser i guess i should of said that already with the water and gravel.... its been there for two days now... the only problem im having with buyin a stand is the amount of space i have and i need the dresser ya know.. i just got crious after wondering if it would mantain itself...

i had a 20 gallon on it and i sat on it with the tank so that would be rougly 400 to 450 pounds before i put the 50 gallon on it and i fiured that it would hold..

i already have the 50 gallon on with everything in it that it need(gravel rocks etc.) and it hasnt collapsed .

im just becoming paranoid b/c its not and "official tank stand"

so does that mean anything about the crediability of the dresser for long term use as long as it stays dry.. or should i just shell out the money and get a stand bc its that worth it.. i definetely dont want to have a pool on my floor!!


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## Howler33 (Dec 10, 2004)

The issue as I see it is not if the dresser will initially hold the weight but, is it designed to uphold the constant load that the tank will put on it. If the surface of the dresser begins to warp or bow then your tank may crack from the uneven support.


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## zazz (Apr 5, 2008)

i have one of my tanks on a dresser.... cover the wood with a plastic protective cover and place three bars of wood..one in the middle and two at either end so that at least two thirds of the weight will be focused down inline with the legs. Also this discourages any nasty mould type buildup between the glass and the wood.


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## bernreuther (Jan 29, 2007)

I have a 125 on a dresser. It's solid oak without legs and weighs a ton though. Before this it was a 55 on a different dresser, which was pine, I believe. Was on there for 2 years without issue. If it's a well built solid dresser it should be fine. If you're not sure, psyber's questions have it covered.


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## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

ok i fixed the problem ha... i made room and bought a stand and its frickn sweet.. i was constantly worried about the dresser collapsing and i couldn enjoy the tank... the dresser was not bad but i'd rather have peace of mind and i dont regret it one bit.. it wasnt that bad moving it either... i just syphoned the water into two 20 gallon tanks picked it up and put it on the stand.. very excited to have a 50 gallon in my room! thanks for comments


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## Howler33 (Dec 10, 2004)

You tell us how sweet your stand is and then don't post a pic.


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

I've had my 50 gallon on a dresser for 2 years with no problmes.


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## webgirl74 (Jan 30, 2009)

I think a solid, quality dresser would give better support than some of the ****-ola stands that you find in stores nowadays. Just my 2 cents


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

Depends where the dresser came from. If you bought it at walmart I wouldn't suggest it, but if it was bought at a reputable furniture store it should be strong enough to hold a tank. I know a couple guys that have done that. Only problem is it's going to mess up the top of the dresser pretty bad.


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## imusuallyuseless (Dec 28, 2005)

I too had a 55G on top of a dresser for well over two years. It was the same dresser I've had since I was 5. So at that point it had been about 15 years old and still had no issues w/the weight of the tank. I personally think it's an excellent way to safe floor space in your house. Plus when MTS sets in, you'll be trying to put tanks on every flat surface you can think of :lol:


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Deffinately matters when it was made. I had one of those old 70's solid oak ones that weighed a ton it seemed, and was over an inch thick all the way around. I would probably trust it when it came to a 55 gallon. Cheap IKEA particular board ones I wouldn't trust though.


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