Do I need styofoam under my aquarium?

[LucindasAQ]

I am setting up a 75 gallon. When I set my aquariums (which are usually smaller) I like to put a board across the stand for support and for cosmetic reasons. I decorate the board with trim and paint it. I bought a used iron stand which after I set it up with my board turned it out to have about 1/8 and inch gap underneath it. So I went ahead and put foam under it. The board is a little bit bigger than the stand and the tank I matched the foam to the size of the board. It's the insulating type with silver backing. Now it looks level. The feet were level already.

There's still about a 3/4 inch hollow space between the tank bottom and the board. Since this a bigger aquarium it's little more concerning. For the longevity of the tank should I put foam also between the tank and the board?

 

[Frank Castle]

no gaps....take the time to level everything out with shims and wood and cardboard or foam etc...the reason most tanks break a seal is because the weight isn't distributed the way it was intended. Get a level or a triangle or both and make sure it's level in every direction, always. I use 2''x6'' or bigger, then plywood fit the same then Styrofoam or cardboard to take the remaining "play" out of it, then tank

 

[deeda]

Glass tank with plastic trim or acrylic tank?

Is the 'iron' stand a welded together unit or a knock-down type that can be disassembled?

Is this the order of the assembly - tank, board, styrofoam, stand?

 

[pops]

is this a rimmed tank? If its a rimed tank no need for any under lay meant and in most cases well void the warranty.

 

[LucindasAQ]

It's aqueon and it has a plastic rim around the top and bottom. My husband who doesn't know about fish keeping but he does know something about physics was saying the the upward pressure on the the bottom would be more likely to blow it out than nothing at all. I am aware that some people do put styrofoam underneath. I don't plan to move this tank anytime soon so I want it done right the first time.

 

[pops]

your husband is correct, the tank itself is made to ride on the rim. same as my 145, and my 95. My 180 is rimless It has to ride on a cushioned sub straight. , this is very thin and only there to even out the pressure and absorb any small bumps in the ply wood sub straight.

 

[Frank Castle]

your husband is correct, the tank itself is made to ride on the rim. same as my 145, and my 95. My 180 is rimless It has to ride on a cushioned sub straight. , this is very thin and only there to even out the pressure and absorb any small bumps in the ply wood sub straight.

right but not all stands and floors are level....I have a cast iron stand with a tiny almost invisible divot that broke the silicone seal after a few years of sitting on it otherwise level....it was also rimmed tank meant to sit on border. Now I have to re-do the dumb thing again.

The stand should be level before anything....if u get it level but tank still sits funny, stand is not plumb therefore need plywood, cardboard, and foam to fix assemblers' mistakes

 

[pops]

getting the rim to ride flush all the way around is whats needed, I would not be trying to pad the glass. IMHO

 

[Frank Castle]

getting the rim to ride flush all the way around is whats needed, I would not be trying to pad the glass. IMHO

yea, but a lot of times, they don't so you have to take drastic steps lol If you have a basement that crowns toward the drain at the middle of the floor, no place on the entire floor is level.....how are you going to get the stand level on an unlevel surface, or say the floor and tank are plumb, but the stand isn't? Shims and spacers are only so accurate

 

[pops]

shim the stand to get plump not the tank, if the surface of the stand is warped. either put down a new surface or use a dif stand.