# IKEA cabinet for RIO 180



## Vinkenoog1977 (15 Apr 2014)

Hey guys,

Will be getting a RIO 180 real soon, and the plan was to have it sit on top of my IKEA Besta cabinet (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60134049/#/70225143), which has these legs under it: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60196513/. I was already planning to make it a bit more sturdy by adding two extra "feet" in the form of some wooden blocks, and by adding some mdf panels to the back to make sure everything stays square. My question is: will this be enough to hold the tank, or do I need some more reinforcements, or do I need to chuck out the IKEA thing and build a stand from 18 mm. MDF? Saying that, I probably already know the answer. 
The things is, a tank is pretty much dead weight, it sits there static as can be, which requires less support than let's say a 200 kilo stripper (sorry about the mental image). My old 200+ L tank used to sit on an antique chest of drawers (similar to this one, except mine was around 70 years old already at the time: http://puckhaber2_media.s3.amazonaws.com/catalogue/dutch_commode_front.jpg), with no problems whatsoever.

Thanks for the advice!


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## NC10 (15 Apr 2014)

Looking at the description: Particleboard, Honeycomb structure recycled paper filling and the rating: Max. load/shelf: 30 kg - I probably wouldn't risk that sort of weight on it, especially with a risk of it getting wet as well.

I bought a small side table from ikea once which was virtually hollow, so I'm guessing this is the same sort of construction.

Like you said, you already know the answer. Get that MDF and your tools out


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## James D (15 Apr 2014)

I'd rather put my tank on those drawers than an Ikea cabinet... I doubt that the Ikea one would still be standing after 70 years!

I actually had my 60p (half as big as yours) on a similar ikea unit and I was constantly worried about it.

I don't know if you've looked at what it's made of but  Particleboard, Honeycomb structure & recycled paper filling would fill me with confidence! 


Edit: Whoops, posted the same time as you NC10, great minds an all that.


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## Rasbo (15 Apr 2014)

I wouldn't trust the unit either though does look quite sturdy. If it had a couple of extra verticles, the back strengthened and not those feet it would probably be OK.

I'd build from MDF but may well get that MDF from IKEA as their damaged/remnants section usually offers excellent value, just go in with an open mind


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## Tim Harrison (15 Apr 2014)

I wouldn't recommend it...I've used a Besta Cabinet as a tank stand for years and it's held out OK...but...I've reinforced it and have also placed a 20mm piece of MDF over the honeycomb top because my tank was slowly sinking in to it. And yes if you get it wet it will warp, and it will also sag in the middle


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## Vinkenoog1977 (15 Apr 2014)

Cheers guys, was going to have the tank sit on a seperate top, simply because the cabinet is 40 deep and the tank is 41, and I need an extra cm. for the backlighting I'm planning, so it will sit on 101,2 by 42,1 cm. pine 18 mm., sealed and sprayed black. The thing is, the cabinet matches everything else in the dining room, so I really want to keep it, and am not handy enough to make something similar with laminating and sorts, so what I'm thinking now, is adding an internal structure, tight fitting off course, out of 18 mm. MDF, with a back to it to keep it square, and an extra vertical divider for extra support. That's the cabinet itself sorted I should think, now the feet. I could switch it for the chrome-look undercarriage they sell for them now, but they have no floor support in the center, so I'd rather just add two more feet, in the form of some wooden blocks, placing them in the middle depth wise, and at 1/4 and 3/4 length wise, if that makes sense. 

Regarding the load/ shelf; funny thing is, if I do the math, it should only fall just outside of the guidelines IKEA provide; 30 kilo per shelf, 6 shelfs in total, comes to 180 kilos. And I have some of the 20 cm. deep ones as bookshelves, hanging from three screws, and I shudder to think how much weight those carry.


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## Andy Thurston (15 Apr 2014)

Ikea its Scandinavian for cheap **** 
Dont do it! it would be easier and safer to make your own. 
As for overloaded shelves they will appear fine until they fail. Books and broken ornaments in a pile on the floor i could cope with, the contents of a planted tank spread right across the floor is a different story.
I wouldn't risk it
If your capable of beefing an ikea cabinet up surely your able to do a bit of laminating too


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## James O (15 Apr 2014)

30kg per shelf is the shelf fixing system max load, not the board itself.

180kg water + 25-30kg glass + substrate etc etc = 250kg ish

On legs, the mostly hollow honeycomb matrix of the baseboard will be under very high load  in specific spots (leg fixing) it was never designed for.

I'd suggest taking the legs off (so its flat on the floor) and using a board under the tank that is the same size as the unit top (to best spread the weight)


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## Vinkenoog1977 (15 Apr 2014)

Big clown said:


> Ikea its Scandinavian for cheap ****
> Dont do it! it would be easier and safer to make your own.
> As for overloaded shelves they will appear fine until they fail. Books and broken ornaments in a pile on the floor i could cope with, the contents of a planted tank spread right across the floor is a different story.
> I wouldn't risk it
> If your capable of beefing an ikea cabinet up surely your able to do a bit of laminating too


Right, well, the tank is planned right under some of those bookshelves, so cheers for that extra worry. 
So, laminating it is then, and out goes the RIO 180; I originally wanted a 120 x 40 x 40 tank, to match the cabinet, however, the inside is only 32 cm. high, so only a Fluval G3 filter would fit, and no regular CO2-cannister, so would have to be a smaller one. If I have to build a stand myself, I might as well make it a bit taller to cope with an Eheim thermo and a regular CO2-cannister. And since I'm now scared sh*tless regarding the bookshelves, they will have to go, which gives me the room for the lighting rig. 

Right, back to the drawing board it is then. Thanks for all the input guys, two days on this forums, and two plans in the garbage and starting from scratch. LOL Well, rather that than a flooding or worse. Cheers again![DOUBLEPOST=1397580023][/DOUBLEPOST]





James O said:


> 30kg per shelf is the shelf fixing system max load, not the board itself.
> 
> 180kg water + 25-30kg glass + substrate etc etc = 250kg ish
> 
> ...


Might as well build it ADA-style, if I have to self-build, so will do, even though I will have to sort something out since my floor isn't quite level, but that should be no big problem. All I need now, is a crash course in laminating; screwing a cabinet together from pre-cut MDF isn't the issue, might just nix the IKEA-look, and just seal it and go for a semi-gloss black finish. Lots to think about!


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## Tim Harrison (15 Apr 2014)

Big clown said:


> Ikea its Scandinavian for cheap ****


I say...steady on old bean...I feel a lawsuit coming on I happen to love IKEA...it's practically a family business...

Perhaps you could try this website for inspiration Vinkenoog http://www.ikeahackers.net/ you could still use it as a template...I'm sure it'd be easier than starting from scratch.


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## Andy Thurston (15 Apr 2014)

This might help
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/diy-ada-style-aquarium-stand.31348/


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## Vinkenoog1977 (15 Apr 2014)

Troi said:


> I say...steady on old bean...I feel a lawsuit coming on I happen to love IKEA...it's practically a family business...
> 
> Perhaps you could try this website for inspiration Vinkenoog http://www.ikeahackers.net/ you could still use it as a template...I'm sure it'd be easier than starting from scratch.


Thanks for the link, but like I said, might as well go for a cabinet that would fit everything I want inside it, and go for the rimless tank I actually wanted more than the RIO 180, so I'll build it ADA style, like that minimalist look, and since the IKEA bookshelves that hang above where the tank was planned, ar moving to the other side of the room now, I have no other furniture on this side of the room, so no need to have it have it match the IKEA stuff. Will go for a black finish, to keep with the theme of the room.
And I love IKEA myself, pretty much my whole appartment is made up of IKEA furniture, and no complaints whatsoever! I still think tha cabinet would hold, but am too freaked out about it now. Plus again, I actually wanted the rimless tank, so might as well try and get it as perfect as I can![DOUBLEPOST=1397581229][/DOUBLEPOST]





Big clown said:


> This might help
> http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/diy-ada-style-aquarium-stand.31348/


Cheers for that, already checked it out a couple of days ago, it's just the laminating which I've never done. Plus, like I said, no need to match it now, ADA-style it is. Another tank-project that's turning out to be a lot bigger than previously thought. Love it.


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## James O (15 Apr 2014)

MDF - the wood substitute that's soaks up water like a sponge and can fail straight through its core without notice.  Why do we support glass boxes full of water on it?

Marine ply.  Real wood, alternately layered laminates.  Much stronger and fine in a wet environment


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## Andy Thurston (15 Apr 2014)

Troi said:


> I say...steady on old bean...I feel a lawsuit coming on I happen to love IKEA...it's practically a family business...
> 
> Perhaps you could try this website for inspiration Vinkenoog http://www.ikeahackers.net/ you could still use it as a template...I'm sure it'd be easier than starting from scratch.


2 law suits, 1 for poo pooing their brand and 1 for ripping off their advertising slogan 
I've seen 2 pieces of ikea furniture and its enough to put me off for life. I'm really clumsy sometimes and if things cant stand up to my or my kids abuse they shouldn't be on sale. bring back the kite mark and get rid of all the CE rubbish[DOUBLEPOST=1397583245][/DOUBLEPOST]





James O said:


> MDF - the wood substitute that's soaks up water like a sponge and can fail straight through its core without notice.  Why do we support glass boxes full of water on it?
> 
> Marine ply.  Real wood, alternately layered laminates.  Much stronger and fine in a wet environment


Whats your cabinet made from? Mines made from painted mdf


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## James O (15 Apr 2014)

All my tanks are temporary and small enough to be held on standard furniture.

When it comes to my big tank 300l+ it'll be 18mm marine ply.  It's a much more stable material, much less affected by atmospheric moisture and spills than MDF.  It's also vastly more dimensionally stable due to its laminations.


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## Vinkenoog1977 (15 Apr 2014)

Well sealed and treated, it should not pose any problems, unless your tank springs a leak, but that's a problem all on its own.

Edit: and the reason we do it off course, is due to its cost-effectiveness, when compared to solid wood or marine ply.


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## James O (15 Apr 2014)

Strength for strength you can use thinner and less marine ply so depending upon design there might not be much in it cost wise.  Plus the sawn ends of marine ply are rather handsome


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## Andy Thurston (15 Apr 2014)

I looked at marine ply when i built my cabinet but its only got a 60l sat on it so went with mdf. I'm a sheet metal worker so if i was doing a larger tank, i would make a stainless frame, clad it with 6mm ply and paint it.


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