2013 New Project

[chocolatelala]

Hi,
I'm new here in this forum.
I started a 2' planted tank in April 2011. After 20 months of trial and error on my 2' tank for my study room and 1' tank for my office desk.
Changed 3 different type of hang on filters(Ehem liberty 200 is the best)
Tried 2 different kind of sand,
Buy many different kind of plant fishes and shrimps.
After read all your professional tips and saw many beautiful pictures from this forum.

Finally I decided to custom made a 42"W X 18"H X 15"D tank (from CR aquarium) on my Ikea's Expedit bookshelf.

My last 20 months journey pictures

[chocolatelala]

More pictures to share:

Custom made a 10mm thick 42"W X 18"H X 15"D tank (took almost one month for CR aquarium to deliver) on my Ikea's Expedit bookshelf (with some extra support)

3 new ADA soil, 1 pack of sand and 1 pack Lava Rocks from C328

2 driftwood From N.A. (still looking for more nice driftwood this weekend)

22Kg of rocks from Tropical at Pasir Ris

Lily pipe from N.A.

Eheim Professional II 2028 from this forum.

2L CO2 tank with Mass Magnet solenoid and control by Weipro PH controller from my 2' tank

4' T8 36W x 2 Aqua Zonic light set.
But Planning to removed the Ballast and replace to 4' T8 16W x2 SaveOne Energy saving T8 Fluorescent Tube (6500k) in the near future.

Looking for a CO2 reactor(don't like it too big).
What size is good enough to my tank? (200L) Need professional advise.

Will spend some times to landscape the tank this weekend.

Haven't decide what kind of plant yet.
Ideally foreground
Hemianthus callitrichoides or Elatine Triandra or Glossostigma elatinoides
Will ask for Professional advise after I layout the tank this weekend.

[Urban Aquaria]

Looks great!

Btw, i was also looking at the possibility of using an Expedit bookcase as a tank stand too, but after reading the comments posted by others about it online, i was also concerned about it's ability to sustain the weight since the wood it uses is apparently made of hollow particle board... and i was only looking at putting a small 50-60kg tank on it... which now seems quite light compared to your tank.

I calculate that your tank would probably add up to around 200+ kg (with water and all the items in), just curious whether you've done any tests to see if your reinforcements and bracings are sufficient to take all that weight? I'm keen to know because if your setup works then i'd have more confidence to reinforce and use an Expedit bookcase as a tank stand too.

Looking forward to your progress!

[bluebubbles]

More pictures to share:
.

If you have not already started your tank. I suggest you use a rubber mat to hold your tank base (usually it will come with the tank or you need to buy them from your vendor), styrofoam also can. This will help cushion the stress on your table if your tank gets heavy after adding water. Additional advice when you WC, tried not to let water sip into the wood, ikea hollow wood is not resistant to water and may turn soft or give way like biscuit soaked in water.

[Vincent cs]

Well just to share abit since you going to use ikea rack, but if u haven start I won't recommend it as I have many bad experience with ikea rack and stuff tried reinforce it before but doesn't hold long the wood wound give ways after months or even weeks, you will see the wood start to moo/ ( don't know how to spell sorry )give way and the wood would start to chip off bit by bit just my experience hope it doesn't happen to you

[AQMS]

Hi i hope you have not start filling your tank.
Using ikea bookshelf is a bad idea.
It wont hold it.
just look at the joints and how it is place,
i am telling you your shelf will definitely give way.

[cherabin]

Seriously, use the Ikea shelf for something else. With the amount of force the water and tank exert on the shelf, it will surely fail and the end result will be disastrous. If you want something of the same design, contact a tank/cabinet maker and I'm sure they can fabricate something similar and designed to hold the load with correct materials used.

[wongce]

Nice tanks...ikea stuff are well know for using chip board / mdf board as base material. Better don't risk your beautiful scapes...

[chocolatelala]

Dear All,

Thank you for all the concern. Btw I haven't fill in anything yet.

Base on my calculation on the weight distribution on the full surface. the original Ikea's Expedit bookshelf can take up to 150kg. But you MUST spread the weight across the full surface.

I added two 1.5" X 3.5" solid wood and 10 L brackets screw with 1.5" screws to support and all joint seal with silicon

Surface also spread with styrofoam on rubber base to ensure water won't get into any joint.

support 1.JPG

photo 14.JPG

Attachment 34205

Let me do some stress test this weekend. will update all the bros out there.

[ciaossu]

since you've prepare all the stuff for the tank and custom made a tank already, why risk it? spend abit more to have a peace of mind. can you imagine after you finish your scape, plant and livestock in then suddenly all crumble down.

[chocolatelala]

Thank you all. I won't take risk on this tank.

BTW, my 2' tank was on the same Ikea expedit bookshelf for last 20 months. (original without any support)
Whoever want to put their 2' tank on the same Ikea shelf. 100% safe. Just make sure the tank sit on either of the edge.
And make sure you lay a rubber mat on the surface to ensure no water get into the joint.

Will update my stress test on the modified Ikea's expedit bookshelf. Fingers cross.

From iphone

[felix_fx2]

Hi,

One of the reasons for a Styrofoam mat or rubber matt below is prevent cracks from small objects (like a small rock) from breaking tank base due to pressure from a fully loaded tank.

If you doing with ikea stuff, please take strong heed they will wear down with age very fast and even it is thick and still sturdy outside, the insides behind the laminate you cannot see.
MDF board and chipboard are laminated on the outside till the edges, that is where the problem always starts.

I won't stop you from trying, but let you have a mindset that if down the road when disaster strikes you will be mentally prepared.
(count the money you invested for the tank and equipment, then count how much the Ikea expedit bookshelf + naggings that come along)

Along the way, can you take a picture of the feet of your expedit bookshelf ? This part is also important detail...

P.S: Guys, you all know some tank cabinet are also made from chipboard but the thickness is about 1.5 times more thicker?

[Shadow]

Normally cabinet will have solid wood frame although the surounding made from ply wood. Is plywood and chipboard the same?

[tongyang]

I have to say a lot of effort in trying to reinforce ikea shelves with plywood. I would have gone for custom-made shelves completely for the peace of mind. Anyway you have drilled through Expedit, you do realise the frames are hollow in the middle? By the way, beautiful tanks you have there.

[AQMS]

Hi Chocolatelala,
you look like a handy person to me.
I have done so many DIY project especially with ikea stuff
anything to do with heavy load and water, do not used ikea wood.
If you want to DIY your own stand buy the metal stand and cover it with
plywood. it is as cheap as you can get. Or use ikea shelve plank to cover it.
If you need some ideas with ikea stuff. you can go to http://www.ikeahackers.net/

And also i read that you are looking for some driftwood.
check out my post.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ods?highlight=
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ost?highlight=
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ost?highlight=
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ost?highlight=

Dont worry can bargain... for fellow AQ.

[sammajor]

Plywood is much more stronger and durable than chipboard in term of strength and when come into contact with water.

[chocolatelala]

Hi All Senior Members,

Thank you again for all the concerns.
Felix, see the full picture of the Expedit bookshelf with my tank. I workout should be fine. (I even checked with CR aquarium before I custom made the tank)

full view.JPG

FYI When I was in Europe during Oct 2012. I went to check out some of the Aquarium there and found out almost all their tank cabinet is made from compressed chipboard. worse is very expensive too.

Is not the money. I love to do R&D. especially no one done it before. hehe.... Actually I spent more times going around to get all the support items.

Like I mentioned, I haven't fill in anything yet. Even tomorrow morning my stress test is successful. I will still go slow and monitor situation. (my 3 lovely teenage kids agreed and can't wait to dance on top my reinforcement Ikea Expedit bookshelf)

If the stress test go wrong. I will call my contractor to custom made one new shelf look like the Ikea Expedit bookshelf with the solid wood.

Thank you once again.

[cherabin]

Hi, one key difference/factor here. Humidity between the 2 localities.

[AQMS]

@Cherabin- you are right, humidity.
Even with plywood,with the humidity here, it will warp.
Compressed chipboard?? hmmmm....

[qngwn]

If stress tests go wrong, means a new stand, new tank, new scape, and new everything.


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