Fish stands.. Help needed!

**Flatcoatluver** · 03-17-2007, 10:58 PM

Today I bought a 30 gallon tank and stand. I had the stand all set up and I realized it was really wobbly. We are really nervous about it falling. It is special made for a 30 gallon; it's a fake wood type cabinet. We are probably going to mold it to the wall. Has anyone had and experience with unstable fish stands. Advice greatly appreciated!

**Karen** · 03-17-2007, 11:08 PM

Is it solidly put together? Any missing parts? Is it wobbly because the legs are uneven and could they be trimmed? If it's just not sturdy enough material, I'd return it and ask for your meny back. How is it constructed - nails? glue? screws? I would not risk putting any weight on it until you make it stable.

**Flatcoatluver** · 03-17-2007, 11:19 PM

The petsmart worker said that when you put the weight on the stand from the tank, that the carpet will mold to the stand. I am not sure if I should belive that or not. My dad was the one that build it and I am sure it is fine, but I will have him double check it. It's build out of screws.

**Karen** · 03-17-2007, 11:26 PM

Un, honey, anything that's depending on the carpet it's sitting on to hold it together is a bad product. I mean, what if you want in on a hardwood floor? Or linoleum? Do they have one put-together in the store you could compare it to? If all the screws are in nice and tight and it is still wobbly, return it! Maybe another would go together better, or maybe the manufacturing itself is flawed, but wobbly + the weight of a full 30-gallon tank= a disaster waiting to happen!

**Flatcoatluver** · 03-17-2007, 11:37 PM

If we molt it to the wall will it be ok? Or should I just completly take it back and get a new one and go to a different store?

**critter crazy** · 03-18-2007, 09:32 AM

If this product is made out of Pressed sawdust, I would not use it for a fish stand! There is no way, that this will safely hold, a tank. I only buy fishtank stands that are made of Real wood, or Metal. I would take it back. If it is wobbly now, it isnt gonna hold the tank very well. I would hate for you to come home one day, and find your fish all over the floor!

**Twisterdog** · 03-18-2007, 03:20 PM

I think it would be fine on a dresser, if it well-made and sturdy. Of course, a cheaply-made, pressed board, flimsly dresser isn't going to be safe, but an older, well-made on is going to be fine. When I lived with my parents, I had a 30 gallon tank on a big wood dresser for ten years. It was perfectly fine.

I then had a 30 gallon tank on a big entertainment center for years. Now I have a 55 gallon, and it is on it's own stand. It is the stand that was made for this tank and purchased for it. I got it at Walmart, and it's very sturdy. It is held together with cams, not screws or nails. I think that helps, cams are a very sturdy means of construction.

Aquariums are indeed very heavy ... a 30 gallon tank has 240 pounds of water alone, plus the weight of the tank itself and the gravel. I would just keep that in mind when choosing something. I think you'd be happier with a tank on a stand then on the floor, personally. It would be more pleasing to eye on a stand, IMO.