Heavy Rock vs Glass Tank

[FavCatfish]

While doing a little cave exploring, i found a limestone rock that has had water flowing thought it at sometime. It has these perfect tunnels that go through it and im sure my little mini monsters would love it. It weights somewhere between 8-12 pounds and i was wonder if it would break the glass bottom?

Background: The tank is on a metal stand, so there is only support around the edge of the tank. The bottom is tempered glass.

Extra q:My buddy wants it if i dont, could i give it to him and it not break this bottom?

 

[FavCatfish]

Someone? Im tempting to drop it...

 

[cassharper]

8 lbs? That's ain't nothin. You probably have more than that in substrate, granted the weight is distributed versus being centered. Tempered glass should hold that, as I've put rocks that weigh a whole lot more than that in a glass tank bottom. I would set it on the glass itself and move the substrate around it so there is no chance of the rock tumbling, which could cause a crack.

 

[FavCatfish]

Good points, i have catfish and am super picky about how clean my tank is so i have a bare bottom tank. The bottom of the rock is faily flat and the will touch the glass in 5 points so that mean like maybe 2 pounds per 2sq inches? Idk.. i need some help... i want to be sure before i have a big problem...

 

[FavCatfish]

i dont know why i type 2 sq iches, that should be a 1 i think..

 

[cichness]

before i read that you had no substrate i was going to say you could put eggcrate in the bottom of the tank under substrate and that would help prevent tank damage from large rocks.

but since you dont have any.... that small rock wont do anything put scratch if it gets moved around. other than that. no risk

 

[FavCatfish]

What would be the most wieght i could put on the bottom then?

 

[cichness]

theres a question i dont have an exact answer for. tempered glass is tough stuff, and if the weight is distributed over a good surface it can hold quite a bit.

i still recommend eggcrate under substrate, but if you are adamant about a bare tank then thats your choice and i will respect that.

use caution and your judgement. if you think its too much weight dont use it. i wouldn't do anything to my fishes home that i wouldn't like someone to do to mine, like crush my floor! lol

 

[big dovii]

I get right in my tanks and stand on the bottoms, even with water when I need to do a thorough cleaning. I wouldn't worry. Glass is hella strong

 

[tcarswell]

I get right in my tanks and stand on the bottoms, even with water when I need to do a thorough cleaning. I wouldn't worry. Glass is hella strong

oooo I don't know if glass is "hella" strong the thickness changes between tank sizes. I would say its safe even though chances are he doesnt have a tank he can walk around in . Your safe bro with the rock sounds like the weight distribution is good