Lucy

Ok, short of finding 600 pounds to set on top of a bureau, is there anyway to tell if a dresser is strong enough to support a 50g tank?

Thanks!

sirdarksol

Pull the drawers out and look to see what it's made out of, whether or not there are central supports, and how thick the boards are. My dresser was made out of 2x2s and 2x4s, and can handle my wife and I standing on it. I can jump on it and it won't even shake. On the other hand, a dresser made primarily of particle board, or one with no central supports, would likely not be able to hold a 50g tank.

Lucy

Thanks SDS. It doesn't have central supports but it seems pretty solid.
It's an older one and def. not made of particle board. Now that I look at it again, I'm not sure it's going to be long enough.
I'll call the store later for tank dimensions, should have done that yesterday.

Grrrr, husband might win this debate if I can't find something inexpensive (read free lol)
to hold this tank.

sirdarksol

I would worry about anything that doesn't have any central supports. Because the front has a bunch of big cutouts (so the drawers can go in), the wood panels that make the front aren't terribly strong.

Lucy

What are you on my husband's side?
lol Joking.
I appreciate the input, really. I wouldn't want a tank and 50g's of water landing on the floor

bolivianbaby

I hear ya Lucy! Then you'd get an "I told you so" from your husband

They like to do that

harpua2002

It would worry me unless the dresser is VERY strong. I put a 30 long on a wooden dresser a couple years back and it held, but when I moved to a new house and took the tank off the dresser I noticed that it had bowed in the middle. I think www.garf.org has plans for building a stand if you need to do that.

Lucy

As much as I love him, the only thing my husband can build is a sandwich.
I'll look at the link. I have a friend who loves to build things.
But, I really need to find something that's practically free.

Tavel

look around garage sales for bed chests and old tv stands (made for CRT's). both will make adequate tank stands...but will be a little short.

edit: bed chests may or may not have adequate structure. You'll have to make sure they're made of solid wood, not particle board. You may also need to add some support.

Lucy

Wondering if I remove the drawers if my friend can add support to the center?

sirdarksol

As long as there's space, there's that possibility. If you've got a dresser with only one set of drawers, though, you'd only be able to add support in the back, and there would still be a concern of the entire thing crumpling forward.

Lucy

Yeah, I think I'm grasping here. Sounds like too much of a risk.

MissMTS

I have my 75 gallon on a very sturdy pine dresser Lucy and it has held the tank very well. Its hard to say without looking at your dresser though. Do you have any idea what it is made out of? If you are unsure about it though, I think I would rather be safe than sorry. It would be horrible to come home to a broken dresser and broken fish tank.