Stacking tanks

Scouter Steve · 01-16-2007, 10:18 AM

Hey guys, anyone ever stack one tank on top of the other? I am thinking about putting a 20 gallon across my 40 breeder to act as a fuge (40 is sump). I watch employees stand on tanks at one of my LFS and this would save making another stand for me.

Scouter Steve · 01-16-2007, 06:57 PM

all day no replies! Someone must have done this.

lgerold · 01-16-2007, 09:06 PM

I'm having trouble picturing it...

Scouter Steve · 01-16-2007, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lgerold

I'm having trouble picturing it...

Maybe that is why no one answered! What I mean is to take a 20 gal tank and turn it sideways across my 40 breeder. Like to form a tee. This would be a fuge (the 20) with a bulkhead dumping into my return section drilled at the top of the 20.

billyr98 · 01-17-2007, 02:17 AM

no reason you can't do it.. I would be nervous about knocking it over...

BrothaWolf · 01-17-2007, 02:30 AM

Cool idea. Post some pics when you do it!

lcstorc · 01-23-2007, 09:41 AM

Sounds workable to me as long as you are very careful about disturbing either tank and upsetting the balance. The fuge on top is the way to go since you will need light on the fuge.
Post some pics if/when you do it. It seems like nobody has tried.

rDr4g0n · 01-23-2007, 03:13 PM

fuge on top is good because the overflow will go straight into the tank without exposing your cute little copepods to the impeller on the water pump :O

i wonder though, will all the weight of the top tank, being not well distributed on the bottom tank be a problem? perhaps you could place the top tank on a few 2x4s and place those on teh bottom tank or something like that.

i guess what im trying to say is that the entire weight of a 20 gallon tank will be focused on the 4 contact points where the 20 touches the 40. will all that weight that is focused so tightly in 4 small points crack the walls of the 40?

Gibeon · 01-23-2007, 03:36 PM

I am agreeing with 4Dr4g0n on the point stress issue. If it were me I would throw a piece of 3/4" plywood (or something similar and possibly more rot resistant) between the two tanks to even out the stresses and weight. Better safe than sorry!

Warnberg · 01-23-2007, 04:20 PM

Most all glass tanks are supposed to be perimeter supported otherwise you risk cracking and failure. I would think that a 20 gallon tank (water alone weighing approx 160 lbs) would put too much pressure on the bottom tank.

Not sure I would chance it.

Witfull · 01-23-2007, 06:04 PM

i wouldnt do it...stress....it may be fine for some time,,,then a vibration of somekind and CRACK!!!

Scouter Steve · 01-23-2007, 06:17 PM

I was just looking at my basement sump stand that I built and I think I can throw some support up to hold a 20 above the 40 gal. sump. It always amazes me when I go to this LFS how the workers all just jump on top of these tanks. I asked about it and they say they have never had one break on them. Must be 3-4 hundred tanks and no failures from stepping on top of them every day.

PhilOlsen · 01-23-2007, 07:43 PM

I would build some kind of stand to support the 20, the guys at the LFS who stand on tanks dont own them and are showing little regard to it as it is not their own IMO

2455coop · 01-23-2007, 08:28 PM

Most likely the tanks at the LFS are empty... And If that is the case lets just do some math..Water is 8 lbs. per gallon and the weight of your sand and/or live rock. You have to realize that only the sides of the 40 are supporting the weight. I fear that if you did this eventually the sides of your 40g tank will collapse, so I totally agree with 4Dr4g0n.

If you could build a stand that straddles the 40g with out actually touching it would be a better design as Phil has stated.

And I totally agree with Phil about showing no regard.

Scouter Steve · 01-23-2007, 08:58 PM

The LFS I am talking about has like 4 tiers of tanks in a pyramid type set up made for the employees to walk up and get into the upper tanks. They do not even have a step stool in the place! Even though, I think I am better off building some form of platform for my set up. Maybe when I get it running I will take a pic and let you see my ghetto basement sump.

01-16-2007, 10:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
Scouter Steve Neon dottyback Join Date: May 2006 Location: Somers Wisconsin (Kenosha County) Posts: 683 View Gallery Karma Komment	Stacking tanks Hey guys, anyone ever stack one tank on top of the other? I am thinking about putting a 20 gallon across my 40 breeder to act as a fuge (40 is sump). I watch employees stand on tanks at one of my LFS and this would save making another stand for me.

01-16-2007, 06:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
Scouter Steve Neon dottyback Join Date: May 2006 Location: Somers Wisconsin (Kenosha County) Posts: 683 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Stacking tanks all day no replies! Someone must have done this.

01-16-2007, 09:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
lgerold Scopas Tang Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brainerd, Mn Posts: 473 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Stacking tanks I'm having trouble picturing it... __________________ Lucy Upgrade from 125 long to 210 on 1/7/07. 66 gallon sump/refugium. 10 hrs of light: 500 watt pc actinic 10 hrs 400 watt pc daylight 6 hrs 500 watt MH 4 hrs 180 lbs branch liverock. 100 lbs + assorted liverock. 3"+ DSB. Fish - Foxface, Yellow Tang, Mimic Tang, 2 Tomato Clowns, pair True Percula Clowns (and their 6 inch pastel green carpet), Mandarin, Scooter Blenny, Bartlett's Anthias, Royal Gramma, Pseudochromis Splendens. Blue/Gold Crocea Clam, Teardrop Squamosa Clam Coral favorites include: 2 Acanastreas, Pink Cynaria, Green Cynaria, Birdsnest, Trumpets, Red and Pink and Green Goniporas (3), Frogspawn (peach favorite), Fox Coral, Diploastrea, Blasto, 3 Fungia (orange, purple, and green) and many others.

01-17-2007, 02:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
billyr98 Reefing Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cherry Hill, NJ Posts: 5,400 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Stacking tanks no reason you can't do it.. I would be nervous about knocking it over... __________________ Billyr98 -=NJRC Treasurer=- My 450g Reef Tank ~~~ Its HERE!!!

01-17-2007, 02:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
BrothaWolf Acropora Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,798 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Stacking tanks Cool idea. Post some pics when you do it! __________________ 75 Gal AGA Nano - 115lbs LR 140lbs LS Tunze 6025 x 3 40 gal DIY Sump/fuge 20lb LS 26lb LR Outer Orbit 150 HQI Mh x 2, 54w T5 x 4, 18 moons, ASM G3 Mated pair Yashia Gobies (seperated) and Red Band Pistol Shrimp, True Percula, Purple Fire Fish, Yellow Clown Goby, Orange Back Fairy Wrasse, Barber Pole Goby, Blood Shrimp, Crocea Clam, Scarlet Hermits, Cerith, Nassarius, Nerite and Margarita Snails (hold the salt) Zoas, Rics & Shrooms, Xenia, Hammer & Frog Spawn, Star Polyps, Blasto, Blue Anthelia, Lord Acans 29 Gal Oceanic Bio Cube- 40lbs LR 30lbs LS Sapphire Skimmer, DIY Nanotuners 4.36 Lighting, DIY Moonlights, DIY Mod CPR Refugium Randalls Goby, Zoa's ,Trach,Shrooms President: Crabs Make Me Itch Society

01-23-2007, 09:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,473 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Stacking tanks Sounds workable to me as long as you are very careful about disturbing either tank and upsetting the balance. The fuge on top is the way to go since you will need light on the fuge. Post some pics if/when you do it. It seems like nobody has tried. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

01-23-2007, 03:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
rDr4g0n Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: south texas Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Stacking tanks fuge on top is good because the overflow will go straight into the tank without exposing your cute little copepods to the impeller on the water pump :O i wonder though, will all the weight of the top tank, being not well distributed on the bottom tank be a problem? perhaps you could place the top tank on a few 2x4s and place those on teh bottom tank or something like that. i guess what im trying to say is that the entire weight of a 20 gallon tank will be focused on the 4 contact points where the 20 touches the 40. will all that weight that is focused so tightly in 4 small points crack the walls of the 40? __________________ I know there are quite a few typos in this post. It's not that I'm stupid... it's more like... I'm lazy. - John My 29 Gallon tank of AWESOME My DIY Projects: My $50, 150watt lighting • 10 gallon tall tank • Hood for my 10gal. tall my r0xx0r DIY protein skimmer • 2 cheap strip lights into 1 • Grow cyano!? Last edited by rDr4g0n : 01-23-2007 at 05:49 PM.

01-23-2007, 03:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
Gibeon Serpent Star Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 215 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Stacking tanks I am agreeing with 4Dr4g0n on the point stress issue. If it were me I would throw a piece of 3/4" plywood (or something similar and possibly more rot resistant) between the two tanks to even out the stresses and weight. Better safe than sorry! __________________ 26 Gal Bow-Front, 20 Gal Regular, 10 Gal regular Some day I'll have a big tank...

01-23-2007, 04:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
Warnberg Acropora Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 1,911 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Stacking tanks Most all glass tanks are supposed to be perimeter supported otherwise you risk cracking and failure. I would think that a 20 gallon tank (water alone weighing approx 160 lbs) would put too much pressure on the bottom tank. Not sure I would chance it. __________________ Dave 240 Gallon Tall Tencor (96"L x 30"T x 18"W) 4 250 Watt MH XM10K bulbs 2-54 Watt T5 Actinic Euro-Reef CS8-2-RC Jetstream 1 Calcium Reactor 4 Tunze Turbelle stream 6000 power heads 7095 Tunze controller

01-23-2007, 06:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
Scouter Steve Neon dottyback Join Date: May 2006 Location: Somers Wisconsin (Kenosha County) Posts: 683 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Stacking tanks I was just looking at my basement sump stand that I built and I think I can throw some support up to hold a 20 above the 40 gal. sump. It always amazes me when I go to this LFS how the workers all just jump on top of these tanks. I asked about it and they say they have never had one break on them. Must be 3-4 hundred tanks and no failures from stepping on top of them every day.

01-23-2007, 07:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
PhilOlsen Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glendale Hts. Illinois (Chicago transplant to humor my wife) Posts: 646 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Stacking tanks I would build some kind of stand to support the 20, the guys at the LFS who stand on tanks dont own them and are showing little regard to it as it is not their own IMO

01-23-2007, 08:28 PM	#14 (permalink)
2455coop Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Amarillo,Texas Posts: 266 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Stacking tanks Most likely the tanks at the LFS are empty... And If that is the case lets just do some math..Water is 8 lbs. per gallon and the weight of your sand and/or live rock. You have to realize that only the sides of the 40 are supporting the weight. I fear that if you did this eventually the sides of your 40g tank will collapse, so I totally agree with 4Dr4g0n. If you could build a stand that straddles the 40g with out actually touching it would be a better design as Phil has stated. And I totally agree with Phil about showing no regard. __________________ Bill 75 gal D.A.S. 15 gal refugium

01-23-2007, 08:58 PM	#15 (permalink)
Scouter Steve Neon dottyback Join Date: May 2006 Location: Somers Wisconsin (Kenosha County) Posts: 683 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Stacking tanks The LFS I am talking about has like 4 tiers of tanks in a pyramid type set up made for the employees to walk up and get into the upper tanks. They do not even have a step stool in the place! Even though, I think I am better off building some form of platform for my set up. Maybe when I get it running I will take a pic and let you see my ghetto basement sump.

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