Suggestions for setting up a triple tank shelf?

[Ulan]

Hi everyone,

I'm living in an apartment, but I got the fish bug, nevertheless. Fortunately, I'm more interested in small ones. I like the size of 20L tanks, but I want to have several of them. I cannot spend too much money on the stuff, but don't have a workshop, either, so I'm looking for an easy to set up solution.

I was thinking of getting some shelf where I could put three 20L tanks on top of each other (which would be relatively heavy). As I'm growing plants, the idea is to fix some kind of lighting solution to the shelf above each tank. And everything has to be cat-safe, as she spends all day trying to catch fish she cannot reach.

Did anyone already do such a thing? I would like to hear some experiences about what shelving to use, which lighting might work, etc.

 

[jpd1821]

This topic has caught my attention as well 20 longs are my favorite, I was trying to figure out away to get 3-4 of them on a shelf or something together.

 

[Ulan]

Actually, I found one solution myself. Looks intriguing, although I'm a bit hesitant .

High Rise Aquascape

 

[jpd1821]

For some reason that kinda scares me.... that and I would like to go side by side I think it would be more stable.

 

[Ulan]

Those shelves come also in 36" length, which might be a bit more stable. Although I thought the 48" length has the advantage that you could use standard shoplights for illumination purposes. Hmm.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=64014-80752-61398&lpage=none

this is what you want. its $55 holds 350 pounds. i have 2 of these now. it can fit 4 20 gal long but i only have 3 on each of them.

 

[Ulan]

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=64014-80752-61398&lpage=none

this is what you want. its $55 holds 350 pounds. i have 2 of these now. it can fit 4 20 gal long but i only have 3 on each of them.

That's a great price! But 350 pounds? Isn't each of those 20L's 200 pounds on its own?

You say you have 3 20L on each of them. How is the stability? Do the tanks move when you walk? Do the tanks go directly on the wire grid?

Edit: And do you have plants and use special lighting?

 

[red devil]

Yes, you want the industrial strength version though this link doesn't specify whether it is 350 pounds per shelf or in total. For the price, my guess is in total. What a cool idea though...if I had a rack like that I would probably choose aquariums to fill it from left to right....would be really cool if you could put a glory hole in it, i.e. drill the bottom of the top two or three holes, install a standing tube and have the water spill from the upper tank down into the lower tanks...you could use a centralized filtering system that way but you would need to have some filtering in each tank as well or the tank on the bottom would quickly get all the dirty water.

 

[GirlieGirl8521]

How tall are the shelves from one to another? I'm also looking for a multiple tank stand/rack, but I have a 29g and 20 L tank.

I'm assuming since MG has 3 20 longs on each that they can hold quite a big of weight in total.

 

[Ulan]

Yes, you want the industrial strength version though this link doesn't specify whether it is 350 pounds per shelf or in total. For the price, my guess is in total.

That's my fear. I wouldn't hesitate to try my luck in a garage, but it's a bit different with a carpet, a sinking floor and someone living below me. 350 pounds per shelf would be great, though. I guess I will just go to Lowe's and ask. It seems to be available.

What a cool idea though...if I had a rack like that I would probably choose aquariums to fill it from left to right....would be really cool if you could put a glory hole in it, i.e. drill the bottom of the top two or three holes, install a standing tube and have the water spill from the upper tank down into the lower tanks...you could use a centralized filtering system that way but you would need to have some filtering in each tank as well or the tank on the bottom would quickly get all the dirty water.

Systems like that are hard to balance. You would probably need electronics worth a multiple of your tanks and shelves for something like that to work. But I agree, that would be cool.