Stand or lighting?

[Awibrandy]

I have been having problems with my stand. Not really sure what is happening.

The stand is approximately 10 year old AGA pine stand that was never leveled when it was installed 4+ years ago. It is actually off by about 1/2".
For the past couple years the doors have been sticking. This past spring I took them off, sanded both ends down on both doors, and painted both ends with a couple of coats of Rustoleum. They worked just fine, but after all the rain & humidity this summer the left one has started to rub again.
Talked with a carpenter who told me that the tank is weighing down on the front of the stand, and that is why the door is rubbing.

My light fixture I purchased used a couple years ago: It is an AquaMedic apparently built in Germany. All the components are German made, which means replacing them is not an option.
2 of the transformers blew so now instead of 3 250 watt mh there are only 2 working leaving the left side of the tank in shades.

So what do I do? Replace the stand, or replace the lighting fixture?

I don't know which to replace first.

The stand for security of the tank it self, or the lighting for health & well being of the animals?

I cannot do both.;(
No idea on how long the stand will last.

I feel like I'm between a rock, and a hard place with no way out.

 

[rkaragozler]

can you post a pick of the front of the stand. with the doors open

 

[House of Laughter]

Wilda

I would sure the stand up with additional supports and spend the time fixing the light.
JMHO

House

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

It seems adding support to the stand while sacrificing looks is not expensive. That would relieve you to other pressing thing for life support of the corals such as lighting. I can finance you to a certain degree for certain models of my lights. Some lights I cannot because those I would have to fall out cash. Some models I have them made already. RB me for details. Let me think your case over and see how much help I can put in.

 

[Awibrandy]

Richie I'll post pix tomorrow, but it isn't going to show anything. To just look at it you don't see anything wrong. It is the fact that the door is once again sticking when I took off an 1/8 at each end, and they were fine just this past May. Now for the past month in a half the door has started to stick again. That is what is letting the carpenter to believe that the weight of the tank is pressing the frame down unto the door.

Jim, I don't see the point in sinking money into the stupid light fixture. There is a lighting place I can get the MH ballast similar to the VHO ballast that I can hardware to the fixture for $175. Who is to say that the other two won't go next. Then what spend another $350 making the repairs for an old fixture upwards of $500. I might as well ad a little more, and get on the band wagon with the LED, which would bring my LIPA bill significantly lower.
My big concern is: will the stand hold up if I just add a support in between the top plate & the bottom plate of the stupid thing?

 

[Awibrandy]

It seems adding support to the stand while sacrificing looks is not expensive. That would relieve you to other pressing thing for life support of the corals such as lighting. I can finance you to a certain degree for certain models of my lights. Some lights I cannot because those I would have to fall out cash. Some models I have them made already. RB me for details. Let me think your case over and see how much help I can put in.

Hi Wingo, I'll give you a call tomorrow. I'm beat right now.

Good night guys! Thank you for all the support.:grouphug:

 

[rkaragozler]

Awi i just want to see what I need to bring with me to fix your stand.

 

[Awibrandy]

Awi i just want to see what I need to bring with me to fix your stand.

Will take a pic in a little while. I'm having my coffee first.lol Thank you Richie!:hug:

 

[Awibrandy]

I am not a carpenter, but it seems to me that this stand is poorly constructed. Of course I can be WRONG, but going by all the builds I have read up on this AGA is very chintzy.
There are no corner braces what so ever, and the whole thing is constructed of 3/4" slats.
The body slats are 5" X 3/4" slats stapled onto the top & bottom braces which are 2" X 3/4", the doors are 3" X 3/4" slats, there are three supports 2" X 3/4" (1 in the front center, 1 in the rear center, and 1 going front to back across the top).
Here are some pix.

Right front corner

Right rear corner

Left rear corner

Floor brace

I couldn't get a pic of the top bace, but it is the same as the bottom, and the brace from front to back is the same as the front brace.

 

[mbg75]

Had same problem with door on my old tank. Same brand of stand.
Mine was racked left to right, had to put cross bracing in up top to fix it.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[FaviaFreak]

I would get the stand fixed first, you don't want a catastrophe to occur should that stand be weakening, you can always add lights down the road but the integrity of the stand needs to be sured up first

 

[Awibrandy]

This inheritance is costing me a pretty penny.LOL

Had same problem with door on my old tank. Same brand of stand.
Mine was racked left to right, had to put cross bracing in up top to fix it.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

AGA shouldn't be building stands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would get the stand fixed first, you don't want a catastrophe to occur should that stand be weakening, you can always add lights down the road but the integrity of the stand needs to be sured up first

I hear ya Kev, but I am thinking of putting some supports in the stand, or even outside of the stand. Cause the animals need their light just as much.

 

[Awibrandy]

Yipeeeee
With FRY's help, and Ziggy's gift of a ballast I got it fixed. FRY was a great friend, he came out to the Rock, and took all the bad parts out then showed me what to connect to what. Lowes didn't have the female outlet so I went to Michael's Electrical Supply in Lynbrook, got the 2 plugs (male & female) 14 Gauge 3 wire cord. Went home pulled the European female outlet from the ballast replaced it with an american one, wired the single MH lamp to the male outlet. Now all three bulbs are fired up!!!!!!!!

On to the stand build!

Thank you guys for all your support!!

Richie, you for your offers!

Wingo, I will be speaking with you within the next year for some LED! You are the man buddy!!!

 

[FaviaFreak]

Yipeeeee
With FRY's help, and Ziggy's gift of a ballast I got it fixed. FRY was a great friend, he came out to the Rock, and took all the bad parts out then showed me what to connect to what. Lowes didn't have the female outlet so I went to Michael's Electrical Supply in Lynbrook, got the 2 plugs (male & female) 14 Gauge 3 wire cord. Went home pulled the European female outlet from the ballast replaced it with an american one, wired the single MH lamp to the male outlet. Now all three bulbs are fired up!!!!!!!!

On to the stand build!

Thank you guys for all your support!!

Richie, you for your offers!

Wingo, I will be speaking with you within the next year for some LED! You are the man buddy!!!

awesome Awi! great news and great peeps for lending a hand!

 

[Awibrandy]

awesome Awi! great news and great peeps for lending a hand!

Thank you Kev... And yes you guys are all GREAT!:grouphug: