Top Fin 55 gallon aquarium stand

[mikebarg]

I just bought a Top Fin brand 55 gallon aquarium stand at Petsmart. After opening the package I found it is constructed entirely of partical board. I assembled it and sat on top of it. It holds me but thats only 180 lbs. I am concerned about the top surface sagging or the uprights bowing over time. I was woundering if anyone has used this stand. I can't find any info on the net about this product. I know it was built specifically to hold a 55 gallon aquarium but it seem a bit marginal to me.

 

[Limpet]

Partical board is a very low cost construction material. It has some positive aspects and some negative. The positive is that it is very dimensionally straight and flat. It handles compression very well too.

However, it has several weeknesses. One is that it is very weak in the tension area. That is if you try to pull it apart or use it as a bridge. It also is very suceptable to water damage. Should your tank ever leak the stand may become completely ruined. The stands of this type that I have seen have no sort of sealant on them either to make them resistant to water. The other thing about this type of stand is they can look cheap. Especially if they have a vinyl image "simulated woodgrain". Some have a thin veneer of oak that make them a lot nicer.

In my opinion your concerns are justified. Listen to that little voice.

 

[Paul]

I personally have never liked the Topfin products. In addition to your stand compaire the thickness of the glass on your topfin and say an Allglass. The glass is much thinner and is not bevelled by the water/sand method as an Allglass. Although they are cheaper they are not constructed as well. The tank or stand. I have an Oceanic inc. 55 puls that is about 66 gallons. Just the tank by itself is roughly 100lbs. the glass is about 1/2inch thick. Which is thicker than my 75gal Allglass. If I were you I'd take it back and get a Allglass Tank and stand. If you don't want to go that route then, most LFS sell Metal stands that will hold 3 times the weight of the tank.

 

[reef3]

i beleive that any stand labeled for aquarium use is just fine.....

 

[thetim6]

when i got a stand for my 29 i at first got that topfin one from petsmart as well. i put my tank on it, but it really didnt look like it would be good for longterm, im sure it is , but it was just cheap looking, and i found one for about the same price at another LFS that was solid oak, so i took the topfin back, it was fine though, but i got a great deal on the other stand, just look around if you are uncomfortable with it, but like reef said, if its made for the tank then it should be fine.

 

[Jeffro]

I bought the Top Fin 44gal Pentagon tank, but i wasn't real confident in the stand either. I went ahead, and had a buddy of mine make me one out of solid wood. I've heard that they are fine, but over time you might have to put additional support in them, because they get weak, and you definatly don't want it to get wet, because it will delaminate.