Question on tank support

what needs to be supported on a tank, I have a wood worker asking me, what are the minimum points on a tank to support

 

Any ideas on pressure points of a tank that need support, he asked me if in theory 4 corners of the tank where supported would the glass of a 90 gallon give way? And if so how much of the edges and where need to be supported

 

Well, the entire tank needs to be supported. lol.

The design of standard glass fish tanks (with the frames at top and bottom) spreads weight evenly, putting most of the pressure, on the four sides/corners.

 

If it were me, or (I was the cabinet maker) I would be using 3/4" vertical grain wood...the exact outside footprint of the tank should match that of the outside footprint of the cabinet (minus the doors and trim-work).

 

What kind of wood are we using? If it's pine, more supports are needed. If it's a hardwood like oak, cherry and ash, then not as much is needed.. My stand for my 90gal is made out of oak, I do not need center braces in the middle of the stand where the sump is needed. But, you can't go wrong with over kill...

 

Also, glue & screw..

 

Wow, what a question. You are looking at at least 750 pounds in just water weight. That isn't including equipment, LR/LS, and live stock. If I was putting that much money into something that could possibly flood whatever area it is in, I wouldn't be asking what is the minimum points on a tank to support.

I would say that at a minimum in a 90 gallon tank though, you would want to support all 4 sides with a 2x4 and make sure that there is a vertical leg underneath all four corners of at a least a 2x4, but I am not a carpenter at all. I would probably go with more then a 2x4 for the corners on a 90 gallon though, just me being cautious.

 

You have to have the entire edge of the tank supported. Any gaps can cause cracks. (more so true on larger/taller tanks)

 

When he said min he was just looking for a guideline of what he can and cannot do and yeah Im pretty sure he plans on having a frame of 2x4 as the foundation for the tank the main concern is the vertical braces, he was curious if 4 supports on the corners and the middle back are okay or if we need one in the front middle as well, if not then he plans on having the front of the cabinets be able to open accordian style so working in the sump will be a breeze, does that give a better description of our plan??

 

I would recommend using 2x6s on the top part if you don't want a center brace in the front. I would also suggest some horizontal bracing front-to-back on the top part...similar to how I built mine.

But be certain that all weight is vertically supported...meaning that the top frame sits on the vertical legs rather than just being screwed to them.