cabinet

[Torrean]

What cabinets are available and how can I tell if it is suitable for aquarium stand? Could a piece made for a TV be strong enough? It's a 29 gallon aquarium 30X12X18 if that helps.


Tor's mom

edit by Tor: I made a stand for it already but she says it's not pretty enough to go in her living room

 

[The-Wolf]

a tv stand maybe strong enough, provided it is for a large widescreen tv (32" and above); personally I'd not take the risk.

 

[Torrean]

that's what I said. But she says, "aquarium stands are ugly" I told her she could get a stand with a canopy that would look nice but she's stuborn. I already have a stand that I built with my own two hands. I think she just wants to spend money. But seriously which is more important that the thing holds the weight or that it looks pretty.

 

[jimboliana]

Torrean,

I had the same problem with my girlfriend, she said that the stands looked ugly so i had to get one made, i know what you mean when you say

which is more important that the thing holds the weight or that it looks pretty

You have to see it from a womans point of view, my girlfriend is not really interested in what i am doing and as a result of this she wants my stand to look nice when people come round and not some ugly thing that sticks out a mile

I'm not saying stands are ugly but in her eyes they are so i had to compromise a bit with her anyway check out my link below on the last page (page 4 i think) is what i came up with

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=87889

Hope this helps in some way

 

[OohFeeshy]

Paint it pink

 

[Tolak]

A 29 gallon weighs 330 pounds full. Even a large tv weighs half of that. If you are going to try to use a tv stand, you are going to have to add some supports to it. Make sure it is made of solid wood, not compisition type wood. If pressed board gets even a little wet, as stands sometimes do when doing tank maintainance, it deteriorates, pretty much "melts", and loses support. When this happens, the tank goes down, lots of water on the floor.

If you could post a pic of the stand you built, I may be able to give you some ideas how to dress it up. This is a plain stand in my fish room, nothing fancy, does what it is supposed to;

This is the same design, wrapped in plywood, add a little trim, stain & varnish;

Mom sounds like my wife, didn't want something industrial or outdoor deck looking in the living room. If you can build the stand, spiffing it up isnt too much more work.

Tolak

 

[Torrean]

I told her I'd paint it or varnish it or put trim on it but she's too *$&( hardheaded to save any money. I think I may do it anyway since it'll end up as a table or somethng no matter what and see if she likes it. Then if she does maybe I can talk her into using it instead of an iffy TV stand. I'll try and get some pictures soon.