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could i use a dresser I have as a stand for my 55g. Im going to take the back of and reinforce some parts. where should I reinforce the most

I don't know about a 55 but I once used my dresser to hold 3-10 gallons without any reinforcement. My best advice for figuring out if it will hold the weight is this: Find a couple of friends/buddies that all combined weight is about 550-600 and one at a time, the heaviest going first sit on the dresser, then add the next person, so on and so forth till you have that much weight, if you even think the dresser is wiggling the least I'd say stop and forget itjust my hint of advice, and it has worked for me in the past...Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

*has visions of heidi's friends sprawled all over the floor*

I guess it depends on the structure of the dresser - if it has legs (especially splayed ones) then they might be the weak point. If it has drawers or cupboards, does it have a central divider? Is the divider just suspended from the top or is it reinforced from underneath?

The back of a piece of furniture like this is vital to its structure. Is especially prevents 'racking' - the side-to-side movement that might cause the whole thing to collapse.

good luck
whetu
(the secret furniture-maker

I myself prefer old almost antique, dressers for my larger tanks, it may sound funny but if you look you could find some nice ones, don't get me wrong fish tank stands would look good as well, but theres something about old dressers you can do whatever you want with them.

For my 56 Gallon I have a 1934 dresser that has a foot wide brace in it, the backing is also a nice 3 inch peice of wood, im not sure of the type of wood but it's dark and slightly red (redwood?? )

All of my dressers that I have bought myself, out of a store for my house have been not very well made, with just a 1 cm peice of wood on the back and a two inch brace most of them are built like this that I see out here, cheap and not enough stabilization.

I also did the how many friends trick IMO it works very well you can get your friends up there and bounce a bit see if it will break or lean to a side.Don't go nutz and go jumping on the thing lol remember your tank doesn't jump!

In all the tanks I've had in my life I use the how many friends trick FOR ME it has not failed once

As was said before depends on the design as well, use your head, if it has tiny thin legs it most likely will be flimsy, if it has one solid bottom it most likely be more sturdy.

Good luck on what you find and use.
I'm sorry I could not help more on WHERE to reinforce it, I'd think the middle, ends, and the back, but I'm a welder not a carpenter So please if you do reinforce it this way.....I am not the one to blame if you have a swimming pool in your house =p I doubt you will but just in case I'll save myself now

Again Good Luck!
Angel Eel

Last edited by angeleel at 27-Feb-2005 15:25

Eh my dads a carpenter so I think he knows what to do

Your lucky!
Good luck i'm sure it will turn out fine with the right help =p

Angel Eel