# Drinks cabinet as a stand - what weight can it take?



## Archie (25 Aug 2012)

I set this tank up about 18 months ago after more than a decade away from fishkeeping. Whilst I spend a good few quid on the setup, the cabinet I picked up from a charity shop for £10 (bargain eh?) It's a sort of 60s drinks cabinet. I removed a few bits and strengthened the inside a bit to make it suitable. I had planned to replace it at some stage but it's grown on me as a piece of furniture. 

Anyway, rather than replace it I want to get a slightly larger tank with a footprint the same dimensions as the cabinet top so that it looks a bit more pleasing to the eye (and affords more space for more fish and plants of course). My concern is the weight of the water. The current tank is 60x30x30 and the new one would be 77x36x33. That doesn't sound like much more, but if I've reckoned right, that's 91 litres rather than the current 55 litres. Quite an increase. 

The tank is sturdy enough now, but is it risky to put that extra weight on it? As you can see in the photo, the base is constructed of four legs.


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## Danny (25 Aug 2012)

Does the cabinet have any central support? if not it is a lot of weight sitting in the middle of a piece of wood. Get a brace through the middle and a middle foot added and it will be fine.


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## Archie (25 Aug 2012)

Yes, I added a support as here: 





I think an extra foot would ruin the look of the cabinet though.


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## Danny (25 Aug 2012)

I would put a 1x1 in the centre of both the front and back and a 2x2 under the bottom of the cabinet in the centre to spread the load personally for the bigger tank just to be safe.


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## Danny (25 Aug 2012)

Just a 2x2 block similar to the legs is all it would take to support the middle from the underside of the cabinet.


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## Danny (25 Aug 2012)

You could always try the sit test lol

Sit on the cabinet and see how it goes, 1L = 1LB 14LB = 1ST

91L = approx 6.5ST


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## Kristoph91 (26 Aug 2012)

Off topic, has anybody seen the guy on PFK with the huge marine tank ? 
He used RAILWAY SLEEPERS as his tank base !


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## nry (26 Aug 2012)

Given it is solid wood (and not MDF etc.), a central brace and leg is going to make sure it would support way more than it does or will.


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## rebus (26 Aug 2012)

Danny said:
			
		

> You could always try the sit test lol
> 
> Sit on the cabinet and see how it goes, 1L = 1LB 14LB = 1ST
> 
> 91L = approx 6.5ST




1L = 1KG 

91LT=14.33ST


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## Danny (26 Aug 2012)

rebus said:
			
		

> Danny said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



   Oops my bad, I blame the fosters


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## Archie (27 Aug 2012)

Thanks fellas. I'm going to see what I can come up with on strengthening it as you suggest.

Love the sit-test! That's my sort of scientific approach too.


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