overhang on aquarium racks?

[a date with nature]

So i'm trying to plan out my first proper fish rack. The rack that i am planning on using has a depth of 24' but i'm really wanting some 29 talls on there sideways for maximum efficiency. I'm wondering if it is viable to have three inches of overhang on either side. There will be a plywood sheet beneath all the aquariums for weight distribution but i'm wondering if that will be enough in this case? If not what will? Or would i just have to select another rack to use? Thanks!

[mynameisnobody]

I would go with another rack or a smaller aquarium. IME, overhang is a big no no. 

[Galabar]

Framed glass tanks are designed to be supported on the corners (see the ACO racks).

 

[Odd Duck]

If your plywood is thick enough (strong enough), and extends out as far as the tanks do, assuming your racks are strong enough, you should be fine.  I would use at least 3/4” or thicker plywood to have tanks sticking out past the shelf on a rack.  Make VERY CERTAIN that your racks will hold the weight.  A 29 gallon tank weighs around 330 pounds with any substrate and hardscape.  If you’re running bare bottom, that’s still a bit over 280 pounds.  I would still be a bit nervous about running them lengthwise front to back since that leaves a fair amount hanging over.  I’d recommend just going with a wider shelf.  Unless you have very long arms, that back corner is going to be very difficult to reach for cleaning since it will be almost 36” from the top rim to the opposite bottom corner.  My arms are certainly not that long!  You’d have to be basketball player tall to have arms long enough!

I have 10 G tanks on my racks with the ends forward and even up on a step stool, it’s challenging to reach the back corner except on the end tanks.  If I used a taller step stool it would help but then the old lady could fall from a bigger height and with my luck I’d break a hip!  😆 

[JettsPapa]

@Odd Duck made a very good point about accessing the back of the tanks, but if you're determined to do it anyway I'd suggest two 2 x 4's laid under the tank; one on each side.  That would offer more support than plywood.

[a date with nature]

Thanks so much for everyone's suggestions and opinions! i think i may still try it out just with one and work from there. The shelves are very strong and will easily be able to hold the weight. The 2x4s underneath are an amazing idea and i'll definately use them. Reaching to the back is a good point, my arms stop 4 inches before i can reach the back bottom corner but i think with aquarium tools i can manage, and i'll make sure to have them on the sides just in case that doesn't work out. 

 

Thanks again!

[Fish Folk]

IMHO you will learn to dislike 29 gal. tall tanks for this purpose. Awful to get into. The height is not a plus with that footprint. They're designed for the aesthetic value of viewing through the nice large front pane. I always leave a minimum of 8-inches above the lid of any tank to the bottom of the rack above. That's about enough room to fit a large specimen container in at an angle. 

[JChristophersAdventures]

I may not be understanding this correctly, but if you have room to overhang the tanks, and the plywood over hangs as well? Then you should also have room to add bracing to your rack system underneath that plywood? You didn't say what the rest of the rack system is made of, but even if it isn't built of 2x4 lumber, there should still be some additional support options. Would have to agree with @Odd Duck and @JettsPapa eventually the forces of unevenly distributed weight will cause issues. Thanks.

[Maximus]

I had a lot of overhang when I did the rack for my 10 gallons. They sit long ways front to back and needed more depth than what can typically be done with a cinderblock and board setup. I ended up going with 2 2x10s with a few inches overhang in the front and back. Wood selection probably becomes a bit more important so check for excessive bowing and crappy planing jobs.

[Odd Duck]

On 8/29/2023 at 12:18 PM, Maximus said:

I had a lot of overhang when I did the rack for my 10 gallons. They sit long ways front to back and needed more depth than what can typically be done with a cinderblock and board setup. I ended up going with 2 2x10s with a few inches overhang in the front and back. Wood selection probably becomes a bit more important so check for excessive bowing and crappy planing jobs.

A 10 gallon tank is a completely different scenario than a 29 gallon.  Much less weight that is easier to distribute across the relatively short length and 10’s are much more tolerant of not quite right support.  The longer the tank, the more likely there will be issues develop down the road.  The glass thickness difference is negligible between a 29 and a 10 so the glass is thicker relative to the overall size of a 10.  Above 29 gallon, you usually get slightly thicker glass as that seems to be a stepping point for most manufacturers.  Sometimes the 29 will have a trace thicker glass with some makers.  Much like rimless tanks have slightly thicker glass because they don’t have that extra bit of support of the plastic rim.  The plastic rim has only minimal support but the “cheap” tanks will have thinner glass because of that trace of support from the plastic compared to rimless tanks.

[Maximus]

Sure, but the corners are supported on the overhang so the weight is still distributed evenly and down through the supports of the rack. I'm not talking about overhanging the tank only, but the wood board that it sits on as well. Assuming it's a proper board and not plywood, the bigger risk seems like the stability of the rack itself and getting the weight centered.

[a date with nature]

thanks again for replies. for those of you saying that i will have a bad experience with the 29, what would you reccommend i get instead? i'm wanting a lot of grow out space and space for angels etc. to pair off. 

P.S. the rack i'm thinking im going to be using. is 77"W 24"D 72"H

 

[Odd Duck]

A 29 is a great size and shape for angels but only being able to access it from the end isn’t so great and having unsupported overhang is really not so great.  A 20 high is fine for grow outs and would fit your shelf and arm length a lot better.  Or 40 breeders or nearly any shape for early grow out and 20 high for later grow out.  You don’t need height except for adults and late grow outs.  Ideally, you’re shipping or selling angels before they need the height since those long, tall fins are easily damaged in shipping.

Put the 40 breeders lengthwise so you see the long face and it fits your rack with plenty of room for lots of babies but you can still easily reach the back because it’s only 18” across front to back and 16” high for 24” reach - easy, even for me.  😆

Then select fish into 20 high (but positioned so you can see the long face of the tank and won’t have overhang) for the next step in grow out.  Then select sub adults into 29 high in small groups to let them pick mates if you’re so inclined, or a full adult pair.  This would be my ideal angel breeding set up.  Racks of 40’s, racks of 29’s, racks of 20 highs.  Arranged however I needed to take up the smallest room possible with the most tanks possible.

Most tanks in the 40 breeder size because you would start with a whole clutch in one tank, then separate out the biggest third or fourth of the clutch into another tank, then the next third or fourth into another tank, etc, so 1/3 of each clutch would be in 3 tanks (or 1/4 into 4 tanks however you need to do it for the right density) for you to select the best fish and the rest would get sold and only the best of the best into 1 or 2 of the 20 high’s, then select the best of the best again and put them into 1 or 2 29’s to select for only the absolute best adults with the best traits you’re trying to develop.  Selling the rest as you cull them out of your breeding program but still selling good fish, of course!

[madmark285]

On 8/28/2023 at 10:39 PM, a date with nature said:

There will be a plywood sheet beneath all the aquariums for weight distribution but i'm wondering if that will be enough in this case? If not what will? Or would i just have to select another rack to use? Thanks!

So if you can cut plywood.. 

Cut two pieces of 3" wide  plywood  and glue screw  it under the overhang.  So now you only adding the thickness of the plywood to the shelves but the ends will be very strong. 

[tolstoy21]

On 8/29/2023 at 12:07 PM, Fish Folk said:

IMHO you will learn to dislike 29 gal. tall tanks for this purpose. Awful to get into. The height is not a plus with that footprint. They're designed for the aesthetic value of viewing through the nice large front pane. I always leave a minimum of 8-inches above the lid of any tank to the bottom of the rack above. That's about enough room to fit a large specimen container in at an angle. 

Agree 100%

I have two 29 gallons. Don't use one of them and only use the other because a 40g would not fit in the space I put it in.  I don't care for them at all.