cabinets?

[schizo_fish]

why do all stands and cabinets have the top panel that extends out further than the sides of the cupboard as shown in the pic? what is the point of this?

also does it serve some purpose in spreading the weight out and not causing the top to sink in the middle

 

[totalbolshevik]

Mine doesn't have that... Then again, my dad built it himself so... But I've seen plenty of stands at the aquarium store that don't have that overhang thing...

 

[gadazobe]

Not all tanks have that, I think that it's only good for the smaller tanks, the weight of large tanks is too great to have an overlap. Both of my tanks have cabinets that cover the whole base of the tank.

 

[schizo_fish]

its just that i have a tank i bought last week that i haven't set up yet, and the stand i got with it is big enough for the tank only and has this overlap. and i was wonding if it would be suitable for me to get a larger stand (it also has the overlap) and have mytank in the middle of it. I was wondering because most of the weight would be over the centre of the cabinet rather than spread all over the top.

 

[M/ASC]

the blank trim around the bottom of the tank is called a floating base, this means that the only bit if the tank base that needs to be supported is the very edge of it. the reason is cabinet looks different from others is the same reason that some cars are different to other cars. the world would be a boring boring place if everything was the same lol :0

 

[Mesome]

The base of my stand does support the entire tank. I hope that you have your question answered....you did post this 4 times in different sections...

 

[schizo_fish]

why does nobody get my question?
i meant is there a structural reason behind it?
for example, it might spread the weight more above the side panels than in the centre, therefore less stress on the structure and the top is less likely to bend under the weight.

 

[wrs]

its probly for design.

 

[Mo99]

why does nobody get my question?
i meant is there a structural reason behind it?

Hiya,
I see the one you have on the pic is a rekord 70-96 perhaps.
I seen similar from other makes like clearseal (as much as i can remember it had a blue background on its name badge). In terms of why have this overhang , well what you'll notice is that tanks/cabinets that have this always tend to fall in the 60 to 180 lt range, (actually i think 180 may be a bit high), which means taht although they are heavy but not too heavy as say 260 lt etc. where a different type of more load bearing materail has to be used in the construction of the cabinet. An approx half inch mdf melamine coated materail is used in the cabs. that is pretty strong stuff but not very strong, or rigid.
A heavy bulky item with even load distribution will still sag the surface it is placed on if it has opposite forces acting only at specific places. If you can find the perfect balance where the tensile force of the materail plus the loaction where the force acting up wards is equal , you will not get any sagging( proper name : defermation). So now you can see why at certain spots on the horzontal plank the upright planks are placed.This is where the total downward force( of the tank, water, fish etc) has been counterbalanced by the reactionary force upwards (upright planks) and the horizontal plank.
Anyway enough with Engineering, my wife thinks its asthetically pleasing from a design point. And have to say she has a point. Thats why we have cab with the over hang....

Sorry for the long message, hope you undersand why now the overhang..(does that sound right..)

 

[ajhainey]

If the distance of the overhang is half the distance between the middle and outer 'uprights' then its probably to help balance the tank - the forces on the top will be evenly spread among the uprights....although thats assuming an even tank load across the base not loaded more to the edges.......ah I don't know...I've seen plenty that don't have it too....

aj xx

 

[schizo_fish]

so, would it not be recomended to buy a larger cabinet so that the tank doesn't sit too close to the edge? or would it not make much difference?

 

[gadazobe]

If you get a cabinet that is larger than your tank, then the edges of the tank wouldn't be resting on supports and therefore the stress of the weight wouldn't be evenly supported. The Jewel cabinets (like the one in your pic) are made for the smaller tanks. The larger ones (from 90 litres and up) all have bases that cover the base of the tank exactly - not bigger and not smaller.