Muscle rack shelves safe for 65 and 30 gallon?

[MJakeX11]

Good morning and Happy Mothers day Team,

 

I just purchased a 65 gallon 36x18x24 and want to purchase a stand which can hold a 30 gallon breeder under it.

 

Do you think if i split a muscle rack in half 72x36x18 is safe for a 65 and 30 gallon filled with water, fishes, rocks, wood and decor?

 

I have linked a few places selling it below as reference.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Muscle-Rack-Silver-5-Tier-Boltless-Steel-Garage-Storage-Shelving-36-in-W-x-72-in-H-x-18-in-D-UR361872PB5P-SV/300097687

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Muscle-Rack-Black-36-W-x-18-D-x-72-H-Five-Shelf-Steel-Shelving-Unit-150-pound-capacity/35584046

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Muscle-Rack-Silver-Vein-36-W-x-18-D-x-72-H-5-Shelf-Steel-Shelving/54134491

 

Do you think 65 gallons which holds about 772 lbs with just water in it would be too much for a limit of 800lbs per shelf especially if I split it in half?

 

I would appreciate any guidance and advice. Hopefully, someone has tried this before. 🙂

I am also open to any suggestions as well.

 

Happy Mothers day again everyone!!!!

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by MJakeX11

[Fishdude]

I don't think you could actually do this because I believe the shelves sit in a notch of the frame pieces and the tank wouldn't sit flat across two shelf units. They make a 72 inch wide shelf that's significantly stronger (like 2000 lbs per shelf). I would recommed buying that instead because there's a real risk of failure with what you're describing.

[MJakeX11]

Thank you, this is definitely my concern as well. It does come with particle board to help level it out but not sure if 65 gallons is too much.

 

Cory made a video with two 40 gallon breeders on this kind of stand from the same maker a few years back but not sure if 65 on top and 30 on the bottom would be overkill.

 

I was considering going longer but might only have room for 36 length maybe a little more honestly.

 

[Fishdude]

I mean, I'll amend my previous comment that this could be done by having the top shelves replaced with a thicker plywood board that rises above the lip of the shelving unit - that way the larger tank sits across the shelves and might distribute the weight more evenly. The "up to" rating for weight is certainly lower than the failure point for the frame. I just...I worry about the consequences of being wrong on something like that. 

[MJakeX11]

Yes, I do not want to find out and fail on this one lol. the weight is too close to the limit advertised. 

 

I was hoping someone on the forum had tried it before.

 

I have not purchased the shelves yet and will hold off until I can figure it out.

 

I wonder if using cinder blocks and 2x4s work better but feels risks too lol.

 

Thank you for your help and input. 

[Lowells Fish Lab]

I own the home Depot rack that you linked. I found it to be about a half inch too narrow to hold a 36" tank. Strength wise it's fine I just replaced the particle board with 3/4 sanded plywood. 

[MJakeX11]

Hey, pardon but i am new to the diy world and not quite sure what 3/4 plywood is.

 

Is that 3/4 of an inch thick plywood which overlaps the 36 inch mark or 3/4 of an inch thick which should be exactly 36 inches.

 

Additionally was the 36 inch tank you used 65 gallons or the other variations? (Which are 30, 40 and 50)

[Lowells Fish Lab]

6 hours ago, MJakeX11 said:

Hey, pardon but i am new to the diy world and not quite sure what 3/4 plywood is.

Is that 3/4 of an inch thick plywood which overlaps the 36 inch mark or 3/4 of an inch thick which should be exactly 36 inches.

Additionally was the 36 inch tank you used 65 gallons or the other variations? (Which are 30, 40 and 50)

So plywood are pressed sheets of wood that you might buy in a large segment and then cut to fit your needs. They can be pretty pricy depending on the type of wood, the thickness, and whether or not it's been sanded or otherwise improved in quality. If you go down to a home depot, you'll see loads of it in the lumber section. The advantage of plywood would be that it is much stronger than the particle board that these storage racks come with. A home depot or lowes probably would have a cutting room where they could cut it (roughly) to the dimensions you need.

I was interested in putting 40 breeders on the home depot rack you mentioned. I just measured mine and I think if you built the rack up from the bottom and lower 40 breeders (or something with the same footprint) in from above, it just might fit. Just barely. After spending this whole weekend and a couple hundred dollars building a rack from scratch, it's making me wonder. The only reason I would choose not to use the home depot rack is that it would be impossible to remove a tank without breaking down the entire rack and any tanks above the one you need to remove. If something (like a leak) happened to a lower tank, that could be a serious ordeal. I'm choosing to create something where I could drain a tank and remove it from the front with relative ease.

[Lowells Fish Lab]

I'll upload some pictures of measurements of a 40 breeder and the rack in question with some 20 gallons on it. Let me know if you need another measurement. 

Edited May 9, 2021 by Lowells Fish Lab
clarity

[Fishdude]

On 5/9/2021 at 7:42 PM, Lowells Fish Lab said:

I'll upload some pictures of measurements of a 40 breeder and the rack in question with some 20 gallons on it. Let me know if you need another measurement. 

I've got a 40B on one of those 36" racks as well. It works for sure, but you need to know that's where you want it to stay.

[Andy's Fish Den]

I have that same Muscle Rack you linked fom Home Depot at work. the uprights come in two piece for each one so you can make one tall shelf unit or two shorter ones like pictured. A 40 breeder 36x18 will fit on it, but it takes some work, and you almost have to build the unit around the tank. It can be done, but what I would look for is perhaps a bit larger shelf unit like one 48"x24" and use a piece of 3/4" plywood on the shelf to set the tank on.