Can I use a book shelf as an aquarium stand?
by Aquaboy on Sunday, June 20th, 2010 | 7 Comments
I am buying a 29 gallon aquarium but would like to find a cheaper alternative to an aquarium stand. I found a bookshelf that has the proper dimensions but I am unsure if it will hold the weight. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could use?
Any good coffee table should be able to handle the weight
It’s not a very good idea unless you plan on putting it on the bottom shelf. Water and gravel are heavy and if you put it at eye level, the bookshelf may fall over from being top heavy, or the aquarium could explode from noy being level. If I were you, I would post something on Craigslist that you are looking for a stand for your size aquarium or even try Garage Sales. I sold a 29 gallon stand at my Garage Sale last summer that was in perfect condition for only $15.00.
Water weights about 8lbs per gallon, meaning your aquarium will be about 232lbs, that a full grown man. If you want to use your bookcase to house the tank, make certain that is is strong enough by re-enforcing the shelf and the walls of the book case with plywood. I would also make certain that shelf where the tank is to sit on isn’t much higher than waist height as you’ll have to clean the tank, which requires you to go into and out of the tank on a regular basis.
Craigslist is an awesome resource for finding furniture that my fulfill your needs, you may even be able to get an entire setup for about half of what you’d pay for just a new tank.
If this book shelf is made out of real wood than I would say absolutely, but like the other guy said near the bottom or on the top only if the shelf is short, like 3 feet high.
I would most certainly not do it with pressboard shelving though – those things tend to sag over time with just books on them, and never mind an aquarium!
I currently upgraded my 10 gallon to a 20 long, and instead of a stand I am using a small ikea desk. I have had a 25 gallon on a dresser and a 10 gallon on a small shelf with wheels. Use your judgement based on how well it is built. Try to push it from the side and skew it, make sure it can’t fall over. Sit on it and bounce, see how it feels.
In 20 years of fishkeeping I’m not sure I’ve ever had a level tank. It would be an eighth quarter inch higher or lower in the front or back, or one side or the other. I’ve had one tank link in all this time, a slow drip that could have been faulty seals or from moving or anything. You don’t need to worry too much about that.
Check the measurement of the bookshelf/cabinet top (width by length). Then check the bottom measurement of the tank (width by length). Make sure that the bookshelf top is a minimum of 2 inches wider than the tank. Your bookshelf must be level to the ground on all points – this is very important. Everything must be aligned. Use a carpentry leveler to ensure all levels are equal on all sides (both tank and furniture). Your bookshelf/cabinet must be on flat ground (not on carpet) while your fish tank must be level when positioned on top of the stand. Check levels again once you fill it with water. Uneven fish tanks will put unnecessary strain on the glass and could eventually lead to a leak.
Heed this warning before you proceed: 29 gallons is equivalent to 240lbs of weight bearing down on that bookshelf. Hope your bookshelf has a reinforced body with really thick wood
I’m assuming you mean a whole book case, not just one shelf.
If the bookcase is well-built, it should hold the weight.
A full 29-gallon aquarium, with gravel, filter, lid, and light, will weigh less than 300 pounds.
Books themselves are quite heavy: a full bookcase probably has over 300 pounds of books on it.
Try sitting on the bookcase. If it doesn’t sag, get a couple of friends to sit on it with you (this could be a fun party game!). If it still doesn’t sag, everything will be fine.
Or put 300 pounds of anything, like six 50-pound bags of cement or sand, on the bookcase and leave it there for a couple of days. If nothing’s sagging or cracking, it passes the test.
Edit: I’m wondering how many of the answerers have tried it. I’ve kept a number of aquaria on bookshelves, and in fact I have three on bookshelves right now (I’m addicted to books as well as fish), and structural support has never been a problem.
Add a few 2x4s just in case, or a 4×4 post in the center.