Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

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Veritasx626
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Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by Veritasx626 » Sun Jan 26, 2020 10:00 pm

Ill be buying a 55 gallon tank around junish but dont want to get rid of my other tanks and came up with the idea of a multiple tank stand. Ideally I want to do the 55 on top and my 29 and 10 gallon next to each other of the next shelf down.

My question comes to does anyone know the weight of their 55 gallon tank once it has substrate in it? Does anyone have a similar set up to what i have in mind that could give me a few pointers?

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Motörcrab
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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by Motörcrab » Sun Jan 26, 2020 10:35 pm

A quick Google search has an empty 55 gallon weighing 78 lbs. We have around six 50 lb bags of playsand. 300 lbs. That brings the estimate to 378 lbs. Add in water, crabs, lids and whatever else. You are looking pretty close to 400 lbs probably a little more.
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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by Scarletfire » Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:24 am

There was another post about weight calculations before...a crabitat would have a similar weight to full an aquarium with sand and decor as well.

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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by Maddamay32 » Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:29 am

Motörcrab wrote:A quick Google search has an empty 55 gallon weighing 78 lbs. We have around six 50 lb bags of playsand. 300 lbs. That brings the estimate to 378 lbs. Add in water, crabs, lids and whatever else. You are looking pretty close to 400 lbs probably a little more.
I have a 55, with the same amount of sand you mentioned before. With the decor you're pretty much spot on. Of course I've never actually weighed it but I imagine it's a little over 400lbs. Plus the presumed added sand after the crabs have had their fun and packed it all down, it would eventually be well on it's way to 500lbs.

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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by wodesorel » Mon Jan 27, 2020 3:19 am

A moist sand mixture can weigh up to 16 pounds per gallon. If you fill it half full, you'll be looking at up to 440 in just the substrate alone.

An empty 55, depending on the age of the tank and the brand, can weight between 70 and 170 pounds. (I have a 170 pounder, from the 1970's. My husband said he will smash it with a sledgehammer if we ever have to remove it because it's so heavy and awkward, but it doesn't require a middle brace.)

Decor and pools can add up pretty quickly as well, depending on how much and what you choose. Figure another 10 to 50 pounds, if you really go crazy with stuff.
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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by Links » Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:29 am

I also have a 55 and I know for sure it was much heavier when I had water and fish.

As a matter of fact I was rebuilding my stand and wasn’t finished when I set it up for hermit crabs.

I have 8-9 inches of sub and I bet I can slide the whole thing around on a tile floor. Not that I would but it seems much lighter than it did as an aquarium.


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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by wodesorel » Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:31 am

jrleath wrote:
Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:29 am

I have 8-9 inches of sub and I bet I can slide the whole thing around on a tile floor. Not that I would but it seems much lighter than it did as an aquarium.
A lot of that is the difference between a solid bottom heavy load of sand, and the properties of trying to move a liquid that wants to stay in motion! Water is half as heavy as a load of moist sand, so they usually work out to about the same weight once put together.
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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by Links » Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:28 pm

Completely saturated sand is definitely heavier than water. Even packed dry sand might weigh more. But I’m just going by feel on my tank. Vs when I had fish. When I work on and around the tank it seems lighter to me. But I had rock in when it was an aquarium. Just don’t listen to me


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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by wodesorel » Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:50 pm

I totally get what you're saying though. My husband had to move a 10 gallon that was 90% filled with sand and molters, and it wasn't all that bad for him to carry up a flight of steps and back again a few days later. I need him to dump a few inches of tank water when emptying an aquarium though, and it's like I asked him to pick up a Volkswagon. 😂
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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by Links » Mon Jan 27, 2020 1:23 pm

This topic just gave me another idea maybe I can implement one day.

Completely remove my pools from my 55 and buy two 10 gal or larger aquariums (one salt one fresh) and set them up beside the 55 giving them a ladder or ramp to crawl from one tank to the other which would also require some sort of toppers which would basically be two more tanks or just silicone some custom cut glass instead of buying tanks for toppers.

Sorry but I’ve got crabitat brain roght now.


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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by KrankyKrab » Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:14 am

jrleath wrote:This topic just gave me another idea maybe I can implement one day.

Completely remove my pools from my 55 and buy two 10 gal or larger aquariums (one salt one fresh) and set them up beside the 55 giving them a ladder or ramp to crawl from one tank to the other which would also require some sort of toppers which would basically be two more tanks or just silicone some custom cut glass instead of buying tanks for toppers.

Sorry but I’ve got crabitat brain roght now.


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Totally doing this - except im using a 5g with plexi insert (hubby got for me instead of glass by accident) Too scared for anything bigger - plus this is AFTER I set up my 65g so I can’t add too much more support

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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by Crabby7Crabber » Wed Jan 29, 2020 2:16 pm

Looks so professional!
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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by Links » Wed Jan 29, 2020 4:18 pm

So jealous


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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by aussieJJDude » Wed Jan 29, 2020 9:07 pm

Plexi can leak, as it doesn't bond well aith silicone. So keep an eye on it! :)

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Re: Building a multiple tank stand soon, but I have weight questions

Post by KrankyKrab » Thu Jan 30, 2020 4:25 am

aussieJJDude wrote:Plexi can leak, as it doesn't bond well aith silicone. So keep an eye on it! :)

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Yeh I know Image - I tested each side for 48 hrs. And I put 3 thick layers of silicone. Fingers crossed.



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