will this hold my tank up?

[twistedimage92]

i have a 220 that doesnt have a stand. i was planning on leaving it set up in the garage while i build my stand in the wall in the living room for the other drilled 220 i have that is currently at another house up and running... can i take some cinder blocks. make two stacks on each side and put 2 4x4 under the front and back? will this hold the tank and water while i build my stand in the wall and plumb the drilled tank?

 

[KcMopar]

I would not recommend this, blocks are meant to be used with mortar and off-set laying pattern. Blocks are very brittle, once you start filling it with water the blocks could crack. If it was a 29G or smaller I might chance it but, not with a tank of your size.

 

[twistedimage92]

any suggestions?

 

[Thyra]

Would it be possible to use 4x4s and build the base kind of "Lincoln log" style by drilling the corners and using rebar to hold the 4x4s in place?

 

[KcMopar]

The floor is a better choice, A stand will have to support at least 1835 pounds of water alone!!!!!!

 

[steve535]

Im not sure what the tensile strength is but how about concrete wall stone? Anchor or Teco 8" blocks with a cap on each support. With enough stone you could even make a custom cabinet, that would look cool.

 

[steve535]

After some research:
Stone Grill for Outdoor Living - How to Build One.
Some plywood for a top an shelf and that would be a very unique cabinet indeed.

 

[strout]

I wouldn't want to chance this, I would come up with a plan B

 

[skjl47]

Hello; It can be done. On the Monster Fish Keepers forum pictures of tanks supported only on the ends on blocks have been posted. I have also read posts about folks having large tanks fall off unstable stands. The blocks should be able to hold the weight unless they are in some way damaged or weakened.
Sounds like you want a short term option.
The key to me is the stability of the structure. If you do go with a stack of blocks, they should be very stable when stacked. No rocking or moving of any kind. I have bonded clean brick and block with construction adhesive with success, Liquid Nails for example. This is not as strong as mortar, but the blocks should come apart without too much problem later on.
A suggestion from a post read lately was to check with the tank manufacturer to find out how they want to their tank to be supported. Some will only honor a warranty if the tank is supported according to their standards. It seems that some will only honor a warranty if their brand stand is used.
Personally I would not be comfortable with a large tank on any support in only two places. The blocks may be stable enough in their long direction, but may be less stable the other way. Perhaps several stacks of block aligned in different directions. I would also want the top layer to be as true and level as possible. Perhaps a sheet of plywood across the top of the block.
Any small high or low spot or an unequal high or low corner could lead to leaking at best and cracking at in the worst case. This would apply to a tank on the floor as well. Good luck

 

[Fuzz16]

with nothing supporting the middle id worry
with it not being level, could lead to pressure points tank leaked/cracking

why not just build a basic stand or wait until you have one made before setting it up?

 

[ryanm19]

If it's short term, why not just put in on the floor?

 

[twistedimage92]

i think i am going to end up just setting it on the floor. maybe use a sheet of ply wood in case there is any variation in the concrete. that way i can get my stand built in the living room. what a pain in the butt project. the other tank is now sitting on the steel stand it came with, but it just seems to scary to put 20,000 lbs on steel toothpicks.

 

[KcMopar]

With all of my tanks I alway use that thin foam insulation from the home improvement stores that go on the exterior of a home. This stuff helps take out imperfections in the surface where the tank will rest.

 

[exhumed07]

I am a mason by trade and the block is realy quite strong with compressive forces as long as it is upright, meaning if it has been laid on the ground as if u were building a wall. stack them with some half blocks and u would be totally fine, my issue with it is since they are not held together with mortar they are not super stable, strong enough to hold it all up sure, stable enough not to fall over not so sure, I would suggest just finding a nice flat spot on that concrete floor in the garage to place it and not take the chance of something bad happening.

 

[Thyra]

Unless I missed something, 220g is more like 2,200 and not 22,000. Of course that is still a lot of weight and like Kerry's idea with the foam insulation.