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I was thinking of putting a pair of 10 gallon tanks on a shelf in my room (no room on the floor so, take to the skys!) I'd prefer for them to be on the same wall area, but if that is too much strain, I'll change my plans. One of them will be a bare lizard tank, no rocks or anything(or water!), so it wouldn't weigh very much at all(how much does an empty 10 gallon with a thin layer of sand and a heat rock weigh?). The fish tank I'd worry about a bit.

I ran a search on the home depot website and it gave me a list of metal heavy duty shelves. There are three results, and each one has a different size "bracket". I'm not exactly sure what a bracket is, but what size would fit my purpose the best (if any). The ones on the site had "12,16,and 20 inch max brackets".

The heavy duty shelves themselves are just a shelving unit, if I'm thinking of the same ones you saw they can support the weight of a tank easily. However being shelves they place all the weight on the four legs.

Wall mounted shelves are different. You'll need to find the (blanking on term) wooden upright under the drywall by using a stud finder, then the drywall screws you use would need to support a minimum of 100lbs, a better number to work with would be 150lbs. The brackets and shelving material itself would also need to be able to support that weight.

Stick the lizard tank on a scale and weigh it . I think the lizard tank would be fine, the weight of the water however worries me a bit.

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babel, I'm looking at the bottom 3
I was thinking of having my 30 gallon against the wall, and the two tanks above it. Kind of like levels going up.Could one of those wooden plan things support 2 shelves if they're a foot above each other?

I'm sorry, but your link doesn't take me to where I can see shelves....

I bought this at a Home Depot store.

http://home.comcast.net/~pammylz/HPIM0905.JPG

It's not on the site, only because I assume because of it's weight and size that I would be too much to ship. But, you could probably find in a Home Depot Store...

That shelf shows 3 five gallon tanks. That shelf once held 2 ten gallons, both aquaiums, quite well. The wood plane shelf thingy didn't even bow, and it still doesn't. It's 5/8" thick. It is 72" tall, 52 1/4" wide, and 24 1/2" deep. Shoe rack not included..

-pamela

djtj

A word of advice if you dont know what "I'm not exactly sure what a bracket is, but what size would fit my purpose the best (if any). The ones on the site had "12,16,and 20 inch max brackets"." I honestly dont think you should do the job.

Locating the stud is easy (never used a stud finder and never will) they are too unreliable. Beware some times there are electrical cables running through them. I can tell you it is not funny it you drill into them or screw into a power supply lead.

I have a shelf in my office and it is holding up a lot of books. The brackets are 9ins x 9ins. The shelf is made from 5/8 coated particle board, 11ins wide.

Here is a simple shetch showing the very basics of putting up a shelf, by screwing a bracket into a stud wall.

If you have a brick wall it will require holes being drilled into the bricks to get a strong fixing. Going into the cement (mixture between bricks) is not strong enough for what you require.

Qualifications for making these statements 50+ years in cabinet making and building trades also teaching the trade 26 years.

If you require any further info contact me directly.

This is only a very rough sketch to give you an idea of shelf bracket is.

Keith

keithgh attached this image:


Last edited by keithgh at 18-May-2005 01:46[/font]

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Ok, so the bracket is the entire triangular piece that holds up the shelf, correct? I always thought it was a screw of some sort! I have plenty of time to study up on it (you have to start somewhere, right?). And I could always ask the superintendent of the building to install them if I'm not qualified, as you say. You said locating the stud is easy, but how do you do it?

Herme, sorry about the link, that's odd. But they look like the sketch that keith drew. If you on the website, type in "heavy duty shelf". And, I'm looking for something that will be sticking out of the wall, not on the ground. I wanted to put the tank above my 30 gallon and make a "wall of fish".

Last edited by djtj at 18-May-2005 15:29

One thing to be careful of is flexing. Just because the shelf can hold a hundred pounds it doesn't mean that is will be level or even. If the tank isn't supported evenly on the bottom I would be concerned.

djtj

I was taught this method long before those things were ever thought of. I recently had to hang a wall unit (kitchen crockery etc) and my friend used a stud finder. Yes it was out a mile.
I use two of my senses feel and sound. I tap the area with my middle finger nuckle. You can feel the solid reaction and the difference in sound as it is solid sound.

In Aust Studs are usually 18ins center to center but the can be up to 20ins once you have found one the rest is easy.

This takes some practice but it is never wrong. As far as things hidden behind walls I believe there are electrical meteres to locate them.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
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Hi,
Just by way of comment, the older stud finders were
"iffy" in their location of the studs, but today's are
far superior. I use mine constantly and its always been
right on. In the USA, studs are generally 16 inch centers.
In garages, they can be opened up to 20 inch centers.
Listening to the tone of the "thud" as you knock on the
wall is always a great way to locate a stud in a hurry.

Frank


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I agree, "today's" stud finder are very accurate when you use them properly.